INTERVIEW - UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA
Can you describe you in a few words ?
I’m Marianna, I’m 22 years old and I come from Italy.
What do you study in Seville ?
I study Pharmacy at the US, Universidad de Sevilla.
Since how long are you here ?
I’m here since September, I’m doing a full year Erasmus experience.
What difficulties did you find when you arrived ?
Communicating with people in every-day-life situations, such as food shopping! Also adapting in the new University wasn’t easy : the organisation, classes, everything is so different from my sending institute.
On a scale from 1 to 10, how difficult are the classes ?
I would say 7. But of course, it depends on the class program !
What did surprise you the most during this few months ?
The calm of the local people. Everybody in the street seem to be kind and not stressed at all.
Why did you choose Seville for your Erasmus ?
I chose Seville because it’s a beautiful city : it’s not too big and there is always the sun. I think those are two important requirements to spend a great experience abroad.
What do you like the most in your Erasmus ? And dislike ?
I really like the city: people in the street are always smiling, there is always something to do and you really can’t be bored.
As for what I dislike, I would say the people in the professional context. It’s disappointing to see how hard it is to bond for people here with international students.
What is your budget per month ? (Rent, food, activities, parties …) What do you think about the cost of living ?
I think the cost of living is about 500 euros each month. Rent are not so expensive: with 300 you can have an awesome apartment, and the life cost is not high! Finally, it depends on how many times a month you go out.
What are the means of transport generally used by the students in the city ?
Since I arrived in Seville I got used to move around the city with public bikes: so many students decide to buy the one-year abonnement since it’s comfortable (there are stations everywhere), and there are bike paths everywhere in the city. For those who don’t like biking, walking is a good alternative because the city is not so big and it’s easy to reach every place.
Also there is a metro line which connects all the strategic places of the city and a little tram line but which is not really helpful.
What are the advice you would share with the next Erasmus students ?
I would suggest to not be shy, to enjoy this experience at the best, and to not worry if everything seems so different: it’s fast and easy to get used to this new life!
On a scale from 1 to 10, how much would you recommend Sevilla for an Erasmus student ?
10! This city can give you everything you could possibly want. You can have fun, relax and enjoy the good weather, and it can also make you grow up in the professional life.