“Cultural exchange is really important in shaping who you are as a person” Julia’s Erasmus+ experience in France & Spain

Malaga, Spain

Julia Nikiel undertook an Erasmus+ Study Abroad in France and Spain as part of her undergraduate course in Global Languages from University of Galway  

I am very passionate about languages and translation – I chose to study Global Languages in Galway because this degree was a mix of both! I went on Erasmus+ to Lorient, France, in the first semester, and Granada, Spain, in the second semester. In both countries I took translation and literature modules. 

How did you learn about Erasmus+?
When I was choosing what course I wanted to do after the Leaving Cert, I saw that this one had a mandatory study abroad period which really appealed to me, but I didn’t fully learn what Erasmus+ was before going into second year and actually having to prepare for my own. 

What motivated you to do it?
I was honestly super scared to go abroad. My first year of college was during Covid so I didn’t even get the opportunity to move out of my parents’ house. I ended up looking up Erasmus+ vlogs on YouTube and everyone seemed to be having so much fun! In second year, I made it my goal to move out of my parents’ house since I didn’t want to move abroad without first having lived alone in Ireland. This actually made me realise that I love living away from home and having independence! Erasmus+ seemed less scary and even more appealing as I realised I could have my independence while discovering a new culture, language and making new friends! 

How did you prepare for your trip?
Apart from what seemed like endless paperwork I didn’t really do much preparation other than planning how I would get to and from the airport and picking my modules. 

I tried to look for accommodation beforehand and managed to rent a room before going to Spain. France was a lot harder though, as a lot of the websites needed a French phone number, but it all worked out in the end as the university was able to help me find an apartment.   

How did you manage your money and your search for accommodation?
I took on a part-time job during the academic year before my study abroad period and a full-time job during the summer. The Erasmus+ grant also helped cover at least part of my rent in both countries, so that was a huge relief.  

Before going to France, I didn’t manage to find accommodation, so I ended up staying in a hostel for a week. This was really scary and stressful at first but thankfully the university was prepared for these situations and they called landlords on our behalf and explained that we are Erasmus+ students who needed a place to stay. Within the week I was moving into a lovely apartment near the town centre. And my housemate had a cat which was really nice too!  

In Spain I was a bit luckier in finding accommodation. One of my classmates was in Granada the semester before me so I basically took over her room when she left. I was less stressed traveling to Spain without having to worry about looking for a place to stay. 

Describe a typical day – how did it differ from being at home?
I definitely had a lot more time to focus on myself and go on adventures on Erasmus+ than in my ‘normal’ life in Ireland. 

Every day I would wake up early, have a cup of tea and walk to college. This was the same for both France and Spain, as I lived within walking distance to campus and most of my classes were in the morning in both countries. In France, I always stopped at this small boulangerie on the way to grab a fresh brioche (nothing beats a brioche fresh out of the oven). I enjoy walking and would often walk to campus in Ireland anyway so this wasn’t much different, however the campus in Spain was up a large hill as Granada is quite a mountainous region and as much as I loved the free workout, it got very tiring very quickly, especially in the 30 degree summer heat.  

A perfect French breakfast 

After classes I would walk back home and do my assignments immediately so that I could enjoy the rest of the day off. In France, I often went to cafes to study and while I was in town I would grab lunch and walk around the shops. On Friday mornings I attended a yoga class in a studio near my apartment, which was a great way to de-stress and get some sneaky new vocab in.  

In Spain, after doing my assignments, I would usually text my friends to see if they wanted to go on a little adventure around town or to the beach in the next city over. On Wednesday afternoons, my friend Ava and I attended belly dancing classes through the university which, like the yoga classes in France, were a great opportunity to get some extra conversation practice while having some fun.  

How did you make friends and network?
I found it hard to make friends in France as there was no ESN in Lorient, but I ended up being friends with a girl from the University of Galway who was doing a language teaching job in the university – we had a great time together. 

In Spain, because of ESN Granada, I was able to make friends with a lot more people. The two girls that I spent the most time with, Ava and Niina, are still my good friends today and I even visited Ava in Scotland last year. I must visit Niina in Finland in the future too since she has invited me so many times! 

What about the language barrier? Do you have a favorite word or phrase in your host country’s native language?
I was super scared that I wouldn’t understand ANYTHING in my classes and that I wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone, but when people know you’re an Erasmus+ student, they usually understand that you might not get everything. Thankfully it wasn’t that bad – I passed all my exams and everything!  

Being on Erasmus+ really helped me get over the mental barrier of speaking a foreign language. After a while I would just think “as long as we understand each other that’s all that matters, who cares if I make a mistake!”. In cafes/restaurants I always ended up saying that I don’t speak English when they tried to change the language for me.  

My favourite word that I learned in France was definitely “chouette!” which literally means “owl”, but it’s used as a slang word for something nice or cute!  

Is there anything you wish you had known in advance of your Erasmus+?
Everyone always talks about all the parties they went to and all the friends they had on Erasmus+, which is great! But I think it’s important to know that you really do have to put yourself out there to meet people – especially if you’re in the same situation as I was where there was no ESN. Find classes, trips, events to go to and actually go to them! You WILL make friends but sometimes it takes a bit more effort and that’s okay! 

What were the highlights of your Erasmus+ adventure?
Andalucia is known for its huge celebration of Easter and the Holy Week and thankfully I was there to see it. My sister visited me for that week and we spent the entire time hiking in the mountains around Granada and going to town to see the parades and processions. It was amazing!  

About a month later, my friend visited me and we decided to take a weekend trip to Morocco with a student travel agency. That was also such a wonderful experience! It was my first time leaving the continent and I was so excited. Morocco has some of the best food I’ve ever tried.  

My sister also visited me in France and we spent a night in Nantes, exploring the city and going to museums. We also went to a football match in Lorient which was super fun! Sometime after that I took a 7-hour bus to meet my mom in Paris where we stayed for 3 days. It was such an amazing trip and definitely worth the 7 hours travelling. 

Football match in Lorient

The soundtrack of your stay?
I was in Spain during the Eurovision final (which I watched with all my friends) so the Eurovision playlist was on repeat! Especially the Finnish song “Cha Cha Cha” since one of my friends was from Finland. 

What advice would you give to your younger self?
My advice would be to stress less! After coming back from Erasmus+, I felt like I could do anything because, before I went, it was one of the most stressful things I could think of doing. And then suddenly I did it – I lived in TWO different countries on my own! So now whenever I’m stressed about something I think to myself “remember when you did that? you’re gonna be fine!”. 

Erasmus+ also helped me get in the mindset of “genuinely what’s the worst that can happen in any situation?” If I’m scared to do something, ask for something or talk to someone, I think back to my time on Erasmus+ and think “actually what’s the worst that can happen? the world is not going to end if I do this.” 

Has Erasmus+ changed you?
I have definitely become more confident and sure in my abilities. I’m not as scared to talk to people and make friends. It really helped develop my independence and life skills – shopping, budgeting, chores, etc. 

My biggest takeaway is that cultural exchange is really important in shaping who you are as a person. It really opens your eyes to the fact that, even though we all come from different cultures, we’re all just trying to get along and be the best we possibly can. I think everyone should go on a longer trip to experience a different culture at least once in their life to really put things into perspective. 

How would you sum up your Erasmus+ in a few words?
Fun, exciting, (a bit) scary and unforgettable. 

View of Granada from the hills

Tell us what you’re doing now since undertaking your Erasmus+.
After coming back from Erasmus+, I decided to join my local ESN section. I felt like I wanted to both prolong the feeling of being abroad and also help students who might feel how I felt when I first arrived. It was an amazing experience, and I recommend that everyone get involved if they can, regardless of whether you’re going on Erasmus+. I then decided to run for a position on the ESN Ireland National Board and became their Sections Manager.  

I am also doing a master’s degree in Multilingualism and I hope to get a career in the EU Translation services. My experience on Erasmus+ and ESN is a great advantage for careers like this since I have experience working in a multicultural environment. 

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All photos are reproduced here with permission from Julia.

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