Anne-Lysanne Berle: Universidad de Valencia - Filología / Sport: Servicio de Educación Física y Deportes

Preparations for the stay abroad

I spent my fourth semester abroad and submitted my application to the International Office a year in advance, as the application period ended in mid-January. So I had a good year to prepare for my stay abroad, which is definitely enough time to prepare for the semester abroad.

What I had to take care of in good time was creating my timetable for my third semester (winter semester), which I still spent in Germany. Because the times of the summer semester in Spain clash with the German winter semester, I was only able to take courses in the third semester where it was possible to bring forward the respective exams. The summer semester in Valencia starts at the end of January. That's why I contacted the respective professors directly when creating my timetable to discuss whether I could bring the exams forward. This was actually easier than I thought, as most of the professors were very cooperative and didn't want to get in the way of my planning. There was only one course I couldn't take because I wouldn't have been able to complete the exam before my departure.

Finding accommodation and flights

I booked my flight in November via Ryanair and the prices are generally very cheap at this time of year. Once I had booked my flight, I slowly started looking for a shared flat. I used the websites Easypiso and Idealisto , among others, to find an apartment. In the end, I found what I was looking for through a fellow student who was spending the winter semester in Valencia. My search criteria were Spanish flatmates and proximity to the beach and university. And I was actually able to find just such an apartment. My apartment was on Blasco Ibanez, from where I could cycle to the university in 10 minutes and to the beach in 4 minutes. It takes about an hour to walk to the city center, but since I used the Valenbisi , which I would recommend to anyone, I was in the city center in 17 minutes. In terms of price, my room was 260 euros cold and about 320 euros including utilities. The room itself was very small, but there was a large living room, a balcony and a large roof terrace. However, you can also find cheaper shared rooms from 160 euros. Language preparation and development:

Here I didn't have much effort before I left, as I am studying Spanish and have been familiar with the language for years. However, I was asked to complete an online language test. This has to be completed before and after the stay abroad and my language level has actually risen by one level. In Valencia, I also took advantage of the university's offer for Erasmus students and registered for the language course at the Centro de Idiomas . This is a language course of 60 hours (4h/week) which cost around 60 euros. In addition to the language skills I gained, I was also able to make close friends on this course.

Semester times and exam phase in Valencia

As already mentioned, the semester in Valencia starts at the end of January, but ends on May 18. However, I have to add that the exam phase doesn't start until two weeks later, at the beginning of June. In my opinion, it was more pleasant and less stressful to study this way. Some Spanish professors also offer additional exam dates for Erasmus students who prefer to fly back to their country at the end of May. You also have the opportunity to retake any exam if you fail the first attempt. You fail if you get less than 5 points and the grading system consists of a total of 10 points. Some professors also offer the opportunity to improve individual grades.

Course selection and departments

I took both Spanish courses through FB 02 and sports courses through FB 05. It should be mentioned here that the majority of the courses must be from the department through which you applied to the host university. In my case, this was FB 02, so I took three Spanish courses and two sports courses as well as the additional language course. There were no difficulties in terms of distance, as the two faculties are within a 4-minute walk of each other. In the end, I completed the advanced gymnastics course and the basic dance course through FB 05. I had originally signed up for the swimming course, but as it takes about 45 minutes to get to the indoor pool, I opted out of this course in the third week and switched to the dance course. The course content in Valencia is very extensive and comprises 4 hours per week (6 credits). The gymnastics course in particular was very time-consuming. In addition to three unannounced exams, you had to submit weekly drawings for each class, as well as participate in two public performances, submit regular assignments, fill out questionnaires, attend mandatory evening events and keep a sleep and diet schedule. The professors were all friendly and very welcoming of Erasmus students in their classes. The sports institute in Valencia has very modern outdoor facilities (including volleyball, soccer, basketball and tennis courts) and the university sports program is also very extensive, from surfing courses to salsa classes. Looking back, I can say that I really enjoyed the courses at the Sports Institute and would always choose these two faculties again.

Life and leisure

Valencia is a flat city and it is very pleasant to get around by bike. At first I thought about buying my own bike, but I was told that a lot of bikes are stolen. So I decided to use Valenbisi . This is a bike rental service that can be compared to the Kassler Konrad. You only pay €30 a year to use it. You can buy the card in a tobacconist's store or in the relevant office in the city center. I definitely recommend downloading the Valenbisi app so that you can check on the go whether the Valenbisi station at your destination also has free spaces. In general, there is something going on in Valencia every day, even during the week. There are lots of bars, especially in Blasco Ibanez. The El Carmen district is also one of my absolute favorites - especially in the evening. Valencia is a beautiful city with lots of sights. There are also many places worth seeing near Valencia, such as Xativer, Peniscola and Sagunto. I took advantage of the Erasmus offers several times and explored places that are difficult to reach without a car.

Conclusion

I would definitely choose Spain and the Universidad de Valencia again. And even if it was a bit annoying to bring forward all the third semester exams, I would always choose the summer semester again. Because apart from the fantastic weather, you definitely shouldn't miss the Fallas in March. This is a festival in which the city is in a state of emergency and all Spaniards gather in the center. In addition to many concerts in the streets, there are also fireworks and mascletas almost every day. The university is also closed at this time as it is the Fallas vacation. There are also two weeks of Easter vacation in April, during which I traveled to Morocco with a friend, for example, which I would recommend to anyone! I was also very happy with the courses I chose. I would recommend choosing four or five courses. If you also want to take the language course at the Centro de Idiomas, I would even recommend only 4 courses, as all courses are usually 4 hours long. As for the university in general, the location is brilliant and an apartment at Blasco Ibanez is highly recommended, as you don't have to walk far to the university and the beach is not far away either. As I have been learning and studying Spanish for several years now, no other European country was an option for me and I had no major problems communicating. However, I believe that even if you don't know Spanish, you won't have any major difficulties applying to Valencia, as the Universidad de Valencia also offers courses in English. Personally, my stay abroad was very beneficial. I feel much more confident with the language. I have also never lived in a shared flat before and see this as an exciting experience.