Minors are an exciting time for our students learning paths at Creative Business HU. But what is even more exciting is to hear the stories about their experiences. Today, we will hear more about our soon 4th-year student, Zoe, about her Erasmus experience.
I did my minor abroad in Madrid, Spain at the Francisco de Vitoria University. I chose to do it there because I had already started learning Spanish after moving to central America after finishing high school where I fell in love with the language and decided I want to know it better. My decision also came from a cultural perspective, I loved the city of Madrid and the warm-hearted people of Spanish-speaking countries, it felt like it was the right decision.
I was positively surprised when I got there, I knew more about Mexican culture than Spanish culture, but in general, I like cultures that are warmer. You are always with people, eating together, dancing, partying a lot and the weather was warm and inviting, so that impressed me. As I am coming from Germany I was not so used to that.
For my minor, as a partner of Creative Business HU, I went to a private university which was smaller than other public universities in the city, it was somewhere in the suburbs of Madrid, and it really felt like a high school campus. We had facilities there such as a gym, tennis courts, and food trucks. I felt a community sense at the university, they made sure all the exchange students are fully integrated, they did many events and they had a buddy programme. The courses had a good structure and pace. We were able to take courses from different majors, be it law, finance or business. They also had extra courses for the visiting courses which had an international focus. Finally, the lecturers were nice and I really enjoyed my time there.
In similarities to our study programme, the university in Madrid has small classes and a hands-on approach where you have to be proactive. But in comparison to HU, at the host university, attendance played a significant role which indeed felt like high school. It was also more theoretical than Creative Business with a few exceptions of some international-oriented practical courses. I also took Spanish classes in order to improve my prior language skills which helped me become fluent. I made Spanish friends whom I could talk to, which was good practice for me.
As for meeting new people, there are many different opportunities. One would be events organized by the university for Erasmus students, but I didn’t really take part in them as I already met most of the people. Anyway, I heard it’s great for getting to know more people. I also managed to make local friends which I am still in contact with and will hopefully visit soon. I do have another tip for meeting people and enjoying your free time if you like doing sports. I took membership to a gym and I did many workout classes there. It was really fun and as it was in Spanish, I met local people so I also improved my Spanish. If you are passionate about sports, it can be a way to meet new people.
In my free time, I did a lot of travelling which I really enjoyed, I explored the city, went to eat out a lot and partied. Shortly, I was always looking for something new to do. Once I took a ceramic course which was so much fun! And in the end, what really mattered for me, was being around people and being active. When it comes to travelling in Spain I recommend going to Mallorca, Sevilla, Segovia, and Valencia. For me it was worthwhile and I managed to create many nice memories.
But my most precious memory from my exchange experience was when I trained and partake in a half marathon which was also my first one. It was special to do it in Madrid together with a running group. So completing that was my favourite memory from Spain and it was a great milestone for me.
Looking back at my experience, I learned how valuable an international experience can be. So, I would warmly recommend trying to get this kind of this experience if you have the opportunity! It’s also important to see if the organization aspect works out because finding housing can sometimes be a problem. These are really the experiences that shape you for life, so be prepared and say yes!
For future students thinking of doing a semester abroad in Spain, do it, you will not regret especially if you are a person who likes warmer climates! While you are here, try and discover this beautiful country, it can be so different from region to region. Use the time to travel, to try all the Spanish foods and wines and enjoy your time here in Spain. Be open to new experiences and cultures and you will have a wonderful semester abroad.
We thank our students for sharing their experiences with us and we hope they enjoy their minors abroad as much as we enjoy hearing their different stories.