Across Continents, by Busola Olagunju

A rare privilege that cannot be overemphasized is the opportunity to move across continents to gain and glean experience in my field of study amidst seeing life and people in another perspective.

I am privileged to be a part of the 2021 Erasmus mobility program. It is a life-changing opportunity that has broadened my horizon and expanded my research frontiers to see life and people from differently.

The journey started on the 8th of July when I left king Shaka airport for Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport Madrid. On arriving at Madrid, having gone through the rigor of language barrier, we (myself and Sibiya, a fellow grant holder from DUT) eventually got on a train that connected us to the ones that took us to Valladolid, our final destination. The estimated time for the journey was a maximum of  two hours, but we got to Valladolid eventually after about four hours because we missed our way.

On the 12th of February, I was scheduled for an appointment at the international office alongside other students, where we were briefed on the pros and cons of the program alongside our stay in the city. The ambiance and serenity of the city and the people I met were mindblowing; it was nothing short of expectations.

Lectures officially started on the 15^th Of February. The school of Industrial Engineering used the first day of lecture to welcome us into the school with further details of the program, guided us on the timetable structure and how to navigate our way to the lecture rooms.

I had barely used an hour in the lecture room when I realized that the course of my career was set to change forever with this amazing opportunity. From the organization in the lecture notes, presentation and delivery of lectures to structures set in place to keep all covid-19 rules such as contact tracing mechanism to the lovely people around always ready to help, I could only be grateful for the life-changing experience I was about to begin.

My gratitude would go first to my home institution: Durban University of Technology; firstly, for counting me worthy of the scholarship despite being an international student and secondly for providing all necessary supports to the best of her capacity. From the ever-listening ear of the international officer (Ms. Carol) to the provision of emergency health insurance, to catering for the transportation to and fro to Johannesburg for visa application and also the regular checkups even while in Spain.

As time went by, I got busier with the workload from different lectures, assignments, and presentations. During one of the lectures for the module titled “simulation,” I became concerned for my continent Africa seeing she was not mentioned in all the numerous analyses and statistics presented on the level of innovations, future plans and sustainable/environmental structures in place in several nations of the earth (though essentially European countries).

This often time saddens my heart as my question was always: where is Africa in all of these. Finally, Africa came up in the class twice, with the first being when a wastewater treatment method invented in UCT some years ago, and the other time was when a method was said to be more suitable for Africa due to a high number of temperate region.

In my curiosity, I poured out my dissatisfaction with Africa’s absence in the statistics to my favorite lecturer, Prof. Raul, in one of our conversations. He brought clarity to my concern and reminded that one of the purposes of the mobility program is to bridge the knowledge gap by providing students from member university the opportunity to gain more experience to make life better wherever they find themselves.

He further encouraged saying you can get to whatever height you desire and even the change a perceived less developed country requires to become an advanced country. I received this comment as a challenge and purposed in my heart to be diligent, dedicated, and never be the limiting factor for my greatest feat.

Having finished the Spanish exam and other pending assignments and reports by May ending, I was left to produce and defend a comprehensive master’s thesis within five weeks. It was the toughest period of the program for me because a number of documents I am to use for my work were written in Spanish. One would have thought that it shouldn’t be a problem seeing that a document can be translated using google translator. However, the reverse was the case as the translation put the entire document in disarray and merged tables with several columns into one column. This left me with no option than to translate the documents page by page. This took about four weeks to complete with the help of my husband (Dr D.C Akintayo). Amid the rigour of translation, I had to source for data, simulate analysis and also write the other part of the thesis simultaneously.

In all, I am grateful to the University of Valladolid for the conducive learning environment, though there were ups and downs, different teaching and communication style; the entire journey was a roller coaster of unlearning, learning, and relearning. I am grateful for every lecturer who contributed to my growth, widened my horizon, and helped me change perspective and see life differently.

Muchas Gracias DUT por la opotunidad!!!!

My Erasmus experience, by Nomthandazo

It gives me great pleasure to express my gratitude to Durban University of Technology (DUT) in general, as well as the University of Valladolid (Uva), for the 5-month scholarship.  Both international offices were really helpful in ensuring the mobility preparations go well. This opportunity allowed my dream to become a reality, and I will be eternally grateful to Almighty God for making it possible. However, it was difficult to leave my daughter and fiancé behind for so long, but technology made it seem easier. I had to leave South Africa for Spain; Valladolid on February 8, 2021. My family (seen on image 1) drove me to King Shaka International Airport. It was an emotional day for me since I was leaving my family for the first time (outside of South Africa), and the idea that I wouldn’t be able to see or touch them upset me. However, I knew that my daughter was in good hands, and that the sacrifices would eventually pay off. It took me 18 hours from King Shaka International Airport to Madrid (Adolfo Suarez Barajas), including a stopover in Doha (Hamad International).

I’m short of when it comes to describing my journey from South Africa to Spain. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience with network connections. My colleague (Busola Olagunju) and I rode the train from Madrid airport to San Martin Station, as advised by my landlord. Due to the language barrier, communication was difficult, and a kind Samaritan named Racheal (seen in image 2) was able to assist us in booking tickets to Valladolid. We were on the train for another 1 hour 30 minutes till we get at our destination. I arrived at my apartment at 4 p.m. I was pleasantly welcomed, immediately felt at ease and I slept off fatigue.

Personally, I’d like to thank Ms. Carol Newman for her concerns throughout and for putting us in touch with some of the personnel at the Uva International Office upon our arrival in Spain. The next day (10 February), my colleague and I sought for directions to the International Office so that we wouldn’t miss our first scheduled appointments (11 February; seen image 3).

The Uva staff were really kind and made certainly that we had all of the necessary paperwork for our stay. The first week was difficult since I didn’t have access to the internet when I wasn’t at home. Despite the language issue, I saw that Spanish people are humane, sympathetic, and eager to assist where possible. Fortunately, I was assigned a Spanish mentor called Adrián, who accompanied me in opening a bank account and obtaining a Vodafone sim card. He also took me on a tour around Valladolid; Casa Pedro (seen in imagine 4).
Weeks passed, and the semester began. My colleague and I met two more ladies, one from Zambia (Erasmus student) and the other from Ecuador who has been in Spain for 2 years (seen image 5). We were also exposed to church; we were appreciated and a great deal of affection was given to us. From strangers across the world (Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Colombia, Ecuador, Rumania and Corea del Sur) to sisters. We visited several sites together (image 6&7), including Santander, San Sebastian, Villa del Libro, Madrid Warner Park, parkers like (Puente Duero, Campo Grande, Parque de las Norias), cathedrals and museum like (Museo Nacional de Escultura, Museo Zorrilla). We participated in many youth activities, we would meet once a week (Zoom), had random lunch/tea dates, and they made our stay unforgettable with so many pictures that cannot be included in this report.

Coming to a new environment has been difficult, but I would want to thank the international semester team (coordinator and lecturers) for making adaptability possible. They paid attention to each pupil and ensuring that everyone is on their game. This experience taught me that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and recall why I had traveled so far. My daughter, to whom I should be a role model to her, always pushes me to do better than yesterday. What also kept me going was my fiancé, who continually reminded me that “we do not fail nor give up, but we always do the impossible.”

Most courses, I was the only African (as seen in image 9), which made me realize that “umuntu, umuntu ngabantu”. What I saw was student togetherness, despite the fact that we all came from various backgrounds and races. As a result, I had to establish acquaintances in order to complete the courses with good grades, which I accomplished and to have fun in Valladolid (seen in image 8 & 10. I’d like to express my heartfelt appreciation to a system dynamic lecturer named Margarita, who was always willing to help me out and made me understand the course.

Erasmus has given me a chance that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d leave South Africa to see the beauty of another nation for free. What I’ve learned in the last five months is that certain journeys necessitate isolation from people you know in order to discover the ideal circle in your life. Furthermore, if you are prepared to make sacrifices, patience, devotion, and persistence can open up many opportunities for you. I experienced a once-in-a-lifetime encounter and the sensation of knowing another language (Spanish; A1). What a wonderful, clean, safe place Valladolid was, not to mention the weather and sunset time. I wouldn’t mind returning with my family for good. Spain, in my opinion, is the place to be for growth, new challenges, and exploration.

UNA EXCELENTE EXPERIENCIA DE CRECIMIENTO PROFESIONAL

Realmente una experiencia única, inolvidable e invaluable mi movilidad en la Facultad de Medicina en la Universidad de Valladolid que fue del 31 de mayo al 4 de junio del 2021. Mi nombre es Duberlin Quiroga catedrático de la materia de bioquímica en la Universidad Mayor de San Simón de Cochabamba (Bolivia). En la Universidad encontré un increíble ambiente académico que hizo que disfrute al máximo mi estancia en Valladolid. La excelente química que encontré con mi par académico el Dr. Jorge Álvarez de inicio a fin hizo de mi estancia muy placentera. Disfrute de una infraestructura académica de alta calidad que se encuentra en el 5to piso de la Facultad de Medicina donde realice un par de actividades con el grupo de investigación de “Envejecimiento y Calcio” del Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular donde en un futuro intentare iniciar pequeñas actividades de investigación en el área de Envejecimiento y Calcio en mí país.

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También, visite el Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular en el Edificio Benito Herreros donde se encuentran 21 grupos de investigación divididas en 3 grandes ramas: Biología Celular y Molecular, Inmunidad innata e inflamación y Genética Molecular de la enfermedad.

Luego agradecer la logística y el apoyo incondicional del Grupo Erasmus de la Universidad de Valladolid los meses previos a la movilidad y también durante mi estancia en el mismo.

Finalmente alegre de haber conocido una bella ciudad como Valladolid de la cual uno se enamora como para recomendar a amigos y volver a visitarla en un futuro.

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Hasta pronto Valladolid

Movilidad en Valladolid

La movilidad académica en la Universidad de Valladolid financiada por la UE ha sido una de mis mejores experiencias hasta ahora. 

Es bien sabido que muchos estudiantes Caboverdianos tienen el sueño de estudiar en el extranjero, pero muchas veces existe el temor de enfrentarse a otra realidad, estar lejos de nuestra tierra, de nuestra gente y sobre todo de nuestros padres que siempre nos sirven de base y consuelo en los momentos difíciles que conlleva la vida académica, por lo que siempre acabamos en ese dilema de sí estudiar en el extranjero o quedarnos en nuestro país. 

Pero afortunadamente hoy este dilema tiene poco espacio, porque ahora tenemos la oportunidad de pasar unos meses estudiando fuera de nuestro país y vivir esa experiencia de un estudiante internacional, todo ello gracias al proyecto de movilidad académica financiado por la UE que la universidad de cabo verde ha ofrecido a su población estudiantil.  

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Estando aquí en la Universidad de Valladolid veo la movilidad más que como un estudio en otra universidad, si no también como una oportunidad de crear redes, que ayudarán para la vida, el aprendizaje, cómo es la dinámica aquí que ha abierto horizontes.

Por no hablar de la gran ventaja que supone volver a nuestro país con un amplio equipaje y repleto de nuevos conocimientos.

Alector Ivandro Andrade – Cabo Verde

Widening my horizons

My name is Alena Sazhyna, Ph.D. in Philology, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Francisk Skorina Gomel State University (http://gsu.by), Gomel, Belarus. My mobility trip within the Erasmus+ KA 107 program took place from May, 3 till May, 7, 2021 and I would like to thank, first of all, Lidia Alba España and María Teresa Calderón Quindós who accompanied me along the whole process of paper work and especially during my staying at the University of Valladolid.

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I must say that this week was full of different activities (meetings, seminars, lectures), which gave me much new knowledge on methods of teaching foreign languages, curriculum organization, research in the sphere of Didactics and Linguistics. I met colleagues who are real professionals in the sphere of education and who shared their knowledge with me. Thanks to this program I was able to gain new knowledge and experience, exchange my ideas with the colleagues at the University of Valladolid and lay the foundations for further cooperation between our universities and the Faculty of Foreign Languages as well as the Faculty of Education and Social Work.

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I am grateful for the chance to meet enthusiasts who are ready to share their knowledge in FLT and research. Due to the Erasmus+ KA 107 program I was able to widen my horizons. I will definitely apply new knowledge in my practice at home university and continue to develop our relations in all possible spheres. I wish the colleagues strong health and continuation of such useful activities!

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UN DUO LATINOAMERICANO EN VALLADOLID

Saludos a toda la comunidad del blog, somos dos estudiantes que hacemos intercambio Erasmus+ K107 en la Universidad de Valladolid: Jorge Cervantes (UTEA, Peru) y Ranjel Wynn (UWI Mona, Jamaica). Nos conocimos en el inicio del semestre, ambos llegamos a Valladolid en fechas muy cercanas y fue el alquiler del mismo piso que nos relacionó.

No dejamos de sorprendernos con nuestra estancia, porque como dos jóvenes que son de diferentes países, de idiomas distintos, de distintos cursos, pueden coincidir en muchas cosas por provenir de la misma región. Tanto desde los desafíos, como el acostumbrarse a un horario con muchas horas de diferencia, o el invierno que ya paso, pero que fue tan fuerte para nosotros, menos mal no llegamos en la filomena jajaja.

Superado ello, llegaron las salidas para conocer la ciudad. Ahí nos dimos cuenta que también compartimos gustos en España: desde las clases presenciales :,) la modernidad de los servicios universitarios que evidencian por qué la educación europea se encuentra posicionada internacionalmente; el minucioso orden en la mayoría de aspectos de la ciudad; hasta la cantidad de terrazas al aire libre donde puedes tomar un café o pinta con las famosas tapas.

Esperamos que en los meses restantes podamos compartir más cosas juntos en España, como conocer las ciudades siempre en cuando el gobierno lo permita. Pero igual estamos satisfechos por lo que pasamos hasta el momento. Muchas gracias a las personas que contribuyeron a la realización del programa.

Jorge Cervantes Mendoza y Ranjel Wynn

My wonderful life in Valladolid

 

My name is Aru and I am from Kazakhstan. I study at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, majoring in “Materials Science and Technology of New Materials” for a master’s degree. At the University of Valladolid, I studied for one semester. During the five months that I spent in this city, I had only positive emotions and memories.

I want to tell in detail about housing, training and general impressions.

Of course, anybody who goes to another country experiences some fear. But, not in the case of Spain. Here, upon arrival in the city, we were welcomed by the owners of rented housing and kindly placed us.

The quality of education at the University of Valladolid is high. The professors are all qualified. In the field of my specialty, I got a fairly large and affordable amount of knowledge. Well-equipped laboratories for laboratory work and research. In this regard, the University exceeded all my expectations.

I want to express my deep gratitude to the professors and staff of the international office.

The Erasmus + program is a great opportunity for all the students, to broaden their horizons, to acquire new communication skills and make friends from all over the world.

¡Valladolid, siempre te llevaré en mi corazón!

Soy Emilia Aguirre estudiante de Administración de Empresas de la Universidad Nacional de Misiones en Argentina. Todo comenzó a fines de Junio cuando recibí  la noticia de que había sido seleccionada para participar en el programa Erasmus +, desde ese momento sentí Las mariposas en mi estómago. ¡No podía creer que iba a estudiar en otro continente! Al llegar tuvimos un día de orientación que nos recibieron con comida, la famosa tuna y hasta con un tour por la ciudad. Una de las cosas que más que me encantó fueron las tapas por todos lados. ¡Valladolid es una ciudad hermosa! Muy segura y tranquila. Llena de actividades, museos, parques, arquitectura preciosa y ¡hasta una playa!

Además de todo pude conocer a personas hermosas de varios países que estuvieron conmigo todo el cuatrimestre: Brasil, Paraguay, Bielorrusia, Bulgaria, Italia, Polonia, Alemania, Inglaterra, Ucrania, compatriotas e incluso Españoles. Probé comidas típicas de distintos países y aprendí muchísimo.

Las amistades que uno hace durante el intercambio es una de las mejores partes del programa. Conoces culturas, hábitos, idiomas y hasta formas de pensar diferentes. Los viajes también forman parte de una charla cotidiana. Tuve la oportunidad de conocer varias ciudades de España pero también de los países vecinos. Son momentos que quedan en la memoria.

En cuanto a lo académico experimenté la diferencia en metodología de enseñanza, formas de calificación y hasta técnicas de estudios. Estoy muy segura de que esta experiencia me va a ayudar muchísimo en lo profesional.

Hacer un intercambio te permite ganar mucho en todos los aspectos de tu vida, te abre la cabeza y te das cuenta de que las metas no son imposibles de alcanzar. Estoy muy agradecida de haber sido parte de este programa, lo recomiendo ampliamente y lo volvería a repetir las veces que pudiera. Es cuestión de animarse a salir de tu zona de confort, dejar la familia y amigos un tiempo y salir a experimentar. Te da crecimiento, vida, experiencias y también el valorar lo que uno tiene y puede llegar a dar. Aunque parezca que no, también llevamos nuestra cultura a dónde vamos y todo nuestro alrededor lo nota.

My life-changing experience in Valladolid

My name is Lilit Azaryan  I am from Armenia. Months ago when I received an email from International relation office with my name among selected students,I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that it was real and my childhood dream to visit Spain would soon come true .At first I was worried about being alone in an unknown country  with unknown people but students from my home university who studied here last year assures me that in Valladolid I would feel like at home. And yes they were true . It was only several days that I was here but I could already feel the warm atmosphere around. 

From the first day of my arrival I was welcomed warmly and even got an opportunity for a speech on orientation day. That was a perfect experience of giving public speech and made me more confident among other international students.

Day by day I was making new friends from different parts of the world. During those 5 months ,together we  visited new several  countries and cities , We had exciting adventures and made unforgettable memories.

This experience made me  more independent and self-disciplined, I learnt to overcome difficulties all alone and make right decisions. Erasmus gave me a chance to find myself, to leave alone and face difficulties which led to something new and better.

I am grateful to Erasmus + and University of Valladolid for giving me opportunity to improve my communication, language and intercultural skills,as well as gainining soft skills which are highly valued by future employers.

I am grateful for the chance to see the world,to meet incredible new outlooks,customs and activities,for the chance to experience different styles of education and making lifelong friends.This period of my life was the happiest and brightest .

My amazing stay in Valladolid

My name is Guldana Bauyrzhan  and first of all, I want to thank the Erasmus program and the University of Valladolid. It was a wonderful experience where not only I gained deep knowledge in my field of study, but also became part of another culture. I learned a lot about Spanish traditions and their mentality. The Spaniards themselves are very open and friendly. Thanks to the program, I made friends from all over the world with whom I had a good time. Together we traveled to other cities and met each other.

At first I had problems with the schedule, but everything was solved with the help of the university staff. They were always helping me with various problems and questions.

I  also would like to mention the university professors. They explained the lessons in an accessible way, but also communicate with students on an equal level. Laboratories are equipped with all necessary instruments and devices. All theoretical knowledge was applied in practical classes. This is a huge plus for the University.

During the five months of my stay there were many good memories and warm moments that I will not forget. I would like to recommend this program and the University of Valladolid to all students.

Great Experience in a Peaceful City

Hi, my name is Henrique Frank, I am a student of Control and Automation Engineering and stayed for 5 months studying at the Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales at the Universidad de Valladolid. I have participated in a project called Erasmus+, that includes more than only the universities in Europe, but also a lot of countries from other continents, a program funded by the European Union.

This picture above has been taken at Plaza de Zorrilla, here in Valladolid, 30 minutes by foot from the campus.

Here’s my story:

I am brazilian from the countryside of São Paulo, and came from a small Campus in the city of Sorocaba, from Universidade Estadual Paulista, so I had never attended to classes with more than 40 students and I think that’s one of the reasons why this experience was really a new and big thing to me.

I came from a nice family in Brazil and always had a good life, but without the scholarship and all the support the Erasmus+ gave me, maybe I would not be able to participate in an exchange program. That’s why I am really thankful when this kind of project, that is very common in Europe, is open for some other countries that doesn’t provide that many supports, probably by the political and historical issues. So, the best thing I can do from now on, is to share this idea trough my country and try to tell the people the big difference this program made in my life, and how it could be a gamechanger for a lot of different people.

Spain is beautiful, there are so many great experiences I had here in Spain, that I can’t even count, like seeing the snow for the first time, getting to know old churches, historic monuments and great cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Although my home city has almost twice the population of Valladolid, I have to admit that Spain has something different, the streets here are really filled with life, almost everyone at any hour is in the calles doing some shopping, walking in the park or going from one bar to another.

This picture has been taken at Santiago Bernabeu, before the match of Real Madrid x PSG for the Champions League.

One of the most impressive experience I had in my life was watching a match for the Champions League from two big teams like Real Madrid and PSG, it was almost unbelievable for me to be in there, in that place, in that hour. It was a really big dream come true. For me that am really passionate for the football, and has Corinthians as my favorite team, it was an incredible experience for me.

All I have to do, is to thank all the Erasmus+ support in this journey, all the help Universidad de Valladolid gave me and the financial assistance. It was a really great opportunity for me and for my professional career, and I can’t measure how much this experience will impact in my whole life and in the new experiences to come.

I’m really grateful for everything, thank you Erasmus+ and Universidad de Valladolid.

¡Hasta luego! Os voy a echar de menos.

 

Un recuerdo para toda la vida

¡Hola! Mi nombre es Rocío, tengo 24 años y soy de Argentina, vine de Erasmus a la ciudad de Valladolid, en España. En la universidad de mi país estoy estudiando la Licenciatura en Ciencias de la Educación, mientras que aquí cursé durante el primer semestre del curso 2019-2020 el Grado en Educación Social.
Desde que llegué a este país no he hecho más que guardar buenos recuerdos, buenos/as amigos/as y excelentes experiencias a nivel académico. En lo que respecta al nivel personal, como mencioné, durante mi estadía aquí en Valladolid conocí personas de todos lados del mundo, Bielorrusia, Brasil, Polonia, Alemania, Inglaterra, ¡y también compatriotas!
Una vez que abandoné mi hogar para realizar una beca de intercambio, todas estas personas que fui conociendo por el camino se convirtieron en mi familia, con ellas compartí viajes, fiestas, tardes de estudio, enseñándonos mutuamente nuestras culturas y convirtiendo a todos/as en adictos/as a una de las infusiones rioplatenses más conocidas: el mate.

Pero además de todo el impacto socio-cultural que este viaje generó en mí, también está el académico. La Universidad de Valladolid me ofreció formaciones de todo tipo, más allá de las asignaturas que decidí cursar, también tuve la oportunidad de asistir a congresos, charlas, visitas a museos y prácticas en contextos de educación no formal.
No tengo más que palabras de agradecimiento para con todos/as los/as docentes que formaron parte de esta experiencia, todos/as en mayor o en menor medida contribuyeron a que este intercambio académico amplíe considerablemente todos aquellos conocimientos que he adquirido a lo largo de mi carrera en Argentina.
Para todas aquellas personas que decidan embarcarse en la aventura de Erasmus en España, solo puedo decirles que se preparen para vivir una de las experiencias más increíbles de sus vidas, que conocerán gente increíble, también lugares hermosos, comerán tapas hasta reventar, y si tienen suerte… se tomarán algún que otro mate con alguien de Argentina.

My wonderful experience in Valladolid

My name is YU HSUAN, CHEN and this year really has meant a lot to me.

It’s a huge challenge for being my first time staying away that long from my family, my friends and everything that I am familiar with. It took over twenty hours from Taiwan to Valladolid, which further than I thought. Although, on the very first day, I was quite lost due to my misunderstanding of Spanish, the people I met were all really friendly and hospitable. Members of Erasmus team are nice and they answered patiently all the questions I had, for that reason I feel so grateful and I appreciate it wholeheartedly.

My roommates tried to communicate with me by google translation and told me how they throw their garbage in different colors of trash bins and other platform standards.

Moreover, I met a lot of students from different countries. As we were under the same circumstances, it was very easy to make friends so we used to hang out altogether. I really appreciate this given opportunity to broaden my horizons and to explore different cultures in Spain. Looking forward to my life in Valladolid.

This is my last month for being here in Valladolid. To recall all my memories, they were just like yesterday. I experienced lots of new things and food here, which I  like the most is the taste when tortilla and bread mix together, churros with chocolate and sugar, and paella with lots of seafood as well. I also enjoyed going travelling in Spain and around Europe with my Erasmus friends during holidays. It was a rare chance to visit different countries in a short time, and we made our best to save money but still explored Europe cultures and histories.

The most remarkable trip was at Barcelona, I can’t forget how amazing the beach was and how nice the views and the weather were. Everything that happened has been unexpected but wonderful. It’s really difficult for me to express my feelings by words, but I strongly recommend everyone to be here at least once. These five months of being here really changes me a lot and make myself to grow different aspects toward life. After all, I felt myself deeply fall in love with Spain and hope the days will never end.

The Best Semester Ever

My name is Sasania Daley, a student of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. I’m here in Valladolid on the Erasmus+ programme which has allowed me to study at the University of Valladolid for this, my penultimate semester. The prior semesters spent at my home university, though filled with a lot of shared laughter with friends and classmates, were also filled with a tonne of assignments and hard work. This semester spent here in Valladolid was a true breather and I enjoyed every second of it. Upon my arrival at the very beautiful city of Valladolid, I was in complete awe of it’s magnificence and I will never forget that very warm and sunny day when I arrived at the Valladolid bus station. The city’s charm was unmatched, unlike any I’ve ever seen before.

I was however stuck between feeling utter excitement and unwavering apprehension. Will I understand when I’m being spoken to? Will I make friends? Will I get good grades? All these questions held me in a very anxious state and the first week I’d gotten lost so many times (while using Google Maps), that it was actually starting to feel a bit embarrassing. Then the second week came and I started to make new friends and with the help of a less malfunctioning Google Maps, go for walks and just discover the city. I was becoming more settled and though I got lost a few more times, I was able to enjoy the new places I was, as a result, discovering. I went for long walks along the river when I started to feel overwhelmed with classes. Those walks were rather soothing and hold some of the most precious memories that will forever be etched in my mind.

As the time progressed I became more comfortable and I began to really start understanding the lessons being taught in classes. That was something that left a feeling of accomplishment within me. I was in a foreign country where the majority of the people did not speak or even understand English, I was out of my comfort zone yet I was navigating smoothly through my worst fears. I was finding my way and developing a newfound sense of responsibility. After all, this was my very first time being in a foreign country on my own, I was away from my family’s support and I was taking advantage of it.

A sense of freedom and Independence is what I found in Valladolid. This beautiful place gave me the opportunity to push beyond my boundaries and discover myself in ways that I hadn’t been able to before and I did all that while improving my Spanish. I am proud to say now that I did indeed understand when I was being spoken to, I did indeed make amazing new friends and I did indeed manage to get good grades. Now I can return to my home country feeling fully refreshed and ready to face this, my final semester.

“The Best Birthday Gift Ever” by Priyanka Darshani.

 

Last year on my 21st birthday eve, I got an email saying I had been selected to be part of Erasmus+ and that was the best new of my life. Ever since then I was waiting for the day I will be leaving and making my way to Spain. On Feb 3rd I left my country and it took 2 days to reach,the first stopover was at south Korea (one day transit).

After all the official stuffs for university were done, I immediately left for Palencia City as my campus for forestry was based there.

The minute I stepped on Palencia, I loved the place, as I am someone who loved small towns and quiet life. My accommodation was perfect for me as it was just behind my university and near facilities like shopping mall and grocery stores. I had two flatmates from Vietnam and Kazakhstan, it was interesting to know about their culture and their ways.

Later, when the university started, I had as classmates 7 Erasmus along with some Spanish students for 5months. For me, it was first time meeting people from Africa, Ukraine, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Columbia and Philippine. I also found a sisterly soulmate who was just like me and surprisingly, she was another version of me though we came from two different countries, spoke two different languages and had a different culture and background. If it wasn’t for her, I would had been very lonely in Palencia.

I am very grateful to Erasmus+ for giving me this opportunity to learn more about myself out of my boundaries and experience such unique and amazing Europe things that not so common in the pacific. After coming to Spain, I figured that I still have a lot to learn about myself and my life and the journey of new experiences should never stop.

I was amazed to visit such a beautiful church in Palencia and learn how they pray, is very unique and different from Christians in pacific. I am happy to learn something new and can’t wait to go back and share these experiences with my people back home.

I also found the simple things around Palencia very beautiful, I tried to capture some. I love the sunsets and the breeze in the summer, it reminds me of home.

In the university of Valladolid, Palencia Campus, the professors were nice and helpful. Since the language was a barrier, they had went out of their ways to explain things to us. I would say they did it good as first timers to teach Erasmus students, as in Palencia everything is in Spanish.

 

It was an amazing experience and it was challenging to learn in a different university, with different work ethics and different teaching tactics. I had my share of ups and downs but I did overcome as it was just 5months of experience which would stay forever in my heart. I wound say that everything was perfect from the time I arrived but there were emotional breakdowns , gloomy days and difficulties to work with some students but I made sure these things don’t ruin my lifetime memory and experience which I would look back to. I believe this will be a string credibility for my CV and later to my work field as I have a different perspective while working with international students .

I am grateful and forever in debt to Erasmus+ for organizing this scholarship for us, developing countries. I am 100% sure that when I start working, I would come back to Spain with my family and visit these places in Spain I had been and also the ones I couldn’t .

I would definitely recommend it for those who are independent, love challenge, love to learn new things and love socializing. They should apply for this scholarship and have this experience of a lifetime.

“Erasmus+ KA107 “TOOK ME AWAY” to Valladolid, Spain” by Wilson Kepa.

The 1st of February 2019 was an extraordinary day. My two days flight began at 07:25 and it took 30 minutes drive from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology to the Lae’s Nadzab Domestic Airport (Papua New Guinea). Furthermore, I visited three more airports: Port Moresby’s Jacksons International Airport (Papua New Guinea), Sangi International Airport (Singapore), and Doah/Hamad International Airport (Quarter). Finally, on the 2nd of February, I set out of the Qatar Airways AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A350-1000 plane at Madrid Adolfo Suarez Barajas International Airport (Spain). Born and raised in the mainland of the paradise island Papua New Guinea, the freezing 2°C (36°F) on arrival was what I lived with and a light jacket was all I needed. On a foreign land with dominant noises in Spanish, all my focus was in the sign boards with directions heading for the ALSA bus station to head for my final destination, the ancient University of Valladolid, Valladolid City, Spain.

After  two and a half hours travelling through the windy plains from Madrid, I have to quickly unseat the ALSA bus, and headed from a city cab to my designated residence. The following day, I was registered at the School of Industrial Engineering. My residence at University Residence Alfonso VIII provided pamphlets and leaflets of city maps, supermarkets, city buses, parks, museums, gardens, etc… And obviously the interesting visit was museums, where I had the opportunity to visit the National Museum of Sculpture and the Oriental Museum of Valladolid. They house ancient artistic figures and sculptures dated back to the 13th and 16th centuries.

From the past two months observations, I would best describe Valladolid as an ancient city equipped with modern technology. Despite the cultural and language barriers, I was able to communicate and mingle into the Spanish lifestyle, thanks to Vodafone for its cheap monthly subscriptions for as low as €5 which is sufficient for using the most important google apps; google maps and google translate. Otherwise, the residence also provided free Wi-Fi and high speed ethernet connections so the Vodafone subscription was only used when away from the residence.

I appreciate the ERASMUS+ KA107 for it ‘TOOK ME AWAY’ to explore the beautiful city of Valladolid and also study in one of the oldest university in the world, the University of Valladolid. I was overwhelmed that the laboratories were fully equipped and staffed with experienced technicians and professors, it was a promise of hope. Lovengly, I had the opportunity to meet beautiful faces all over the world from different countries with different languages, cultures, beliefs, and disciplines. Spaniards were very kind and helpful, easy going, respectful, and committed people. The city streets are well planned with systematic traffic systems, clean, and yes I would assure you that it is uttermost safe for walks during nights.

Being a student at the School of Industrial Engineering, I was invited to participate in a yearly event called the Makeathon IoT 4.0 in Bejar. It was hosted 180 km  south of Spain (Bejar), and was well organised. It was a challenging competition, where within two days, we competed in groups to design an idea into a prototype in the likes of Internet of Things (IoT). It was the best moment for me as an electronic enthusiastic, where I had the opportunity to work in a team of electronic and computer engineering students to contest the emerging IoT technologies of today’s digital world.

In the midst of the Easter Holiday, I travelled to Burgos with my colleague; a Egyptian masters student (Mahmoud Rashad). The visit to Burgos Cathedral was memorable, a historic monument building which is a must visit site for tourists. Easter Holidays were more festive in Valladolid both day and the nights.

I would love to take the worlds time to write many experiences, but here are some few tips I believe would be most helpful for future trips;

1. Language: Communication is an exchange of information from one point to another or from one person to another and must be understood. In order to understand, a defined and standard language is a requirement. Therefore, try learn some basic and commonly used words and phrases in Spanish, which will be very useful. Also do not forget to use Google Translator!

2. Mobile phone: It is obviously important be sure you have a backup battery, a networked mobile SIM card (like Vodafone or Orange) with a monthly subscription and an International Adapter for chargers not compatible with European standards GPOs.

3. Climate: Prepare to adapt to the cold climates especially in the winter, so prepare some heavy clothes. Otherwise, the winter is snowless as you would imagine in other parts of Europe.

As for me, I feel no foreigner living in Valladolid because I knew I was living in the home country  of the well known Spanish explorer  Yñigo Ortiz de Retez  amongst Christopher Columbus, who have discovered my tropical paradise “Papúa Nueva Guinea” back in the 1545. It was originally known to be Papua, the land of “Frexxly-Haired” inhabitants. The ‘Nueva Guinea’ or New Guinea in english was cascaded by the explorer after Guinea.

Of all, ERASMUS+ KA107 is a great and flexible initiative funded by the European Commission which recognises individual applicants that have the features that meets the terms and conditions. It is well designed for life changing study mobilities. ERASMUS+ KA107 ‘’TOOK ME AWAY’’ and I would always remember every single day I spent, lived and studied in the University of Valladolid, Valladolid City, Spain.

“The Amazing Experience in Palencia, University of Valladolid” by Madina Tokmurzina

¡Hola a todos!

My name is Madina Tokmurzina. I’m from Nur-Sultan that is located in the northern part of Kazakhstna. I study forestry at my home university in KazATU. For me, it was dream to study abroad but the dreams come true and I will continue to study. I’m glad that I’m in this programme that can make your life more movable. I want to say three magic words: experience, life and learn.

Under the experience word I want to say that I get a lot of attempts and ideas to my life and improve my language. Also experience from traveling around Spain and Europe with other students that can make you happy.

Under the life, I’m getting more active and more open than before in my life and it’s good. When you see different cultures in all over the world, you can share your cultural  knowledge with other people. Furthermore, when I travel I learn about different cultures and people that can be part of my experience in life. In general, my life is getting open and activited. Nevertheless, I like the life and the culture in Spain. The food, the squares and the cathedral are amazing. I can say a lot about life in Spain which will not fit here 🙂

And the study, that is the most important part of our International Programme. I want to say that I really learned a lot about my speciality and the way how professors are teaching. Now, I can share and use part of the study in my country because nowadays, not all new technology we could use is common everywhere. Furthermore, my goal was to improve my academic English skills and learn about my speciality.

To conclude, I want to say that the International Semester Erasmus+ is a great programme to improve yourself and surrounding environment. Because here, they opened more my view to the environment.

Thank you to the International Semester Erasmus+ KA-107 Programme. Muchas gracias a la Universidad de Valladolid  y al Campus La Yutera.

Sincerely,

Madina Tokmurzina, Kazakhstan

“My First Time in Europe” by Nazik Teshebaeva

I am a student of the Erasmus + Nazik Teshebaeva. It is now two months since I arrived in the city of Valladolid, Spain. In the early days it was very difficult to accept the fact that I was so far from my native country. I came from Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. This is my first time in Europe and everything is new and interesting for me. Starting from buildings and ending with people. It’s all different and it’s very cool. I study at the Faculty of Commerce. The faculty is very different from our faculty in Kyrgyzstan. The teaching staff is very strong, everyone knows their subjects at the highest level and conduct classes very interesting and most productive. We also have Spanish courses where the coolest teacher Elena teaches us.

In my free time I travel around Europe. I traveled in Madrid, in Barcelona and in Portugal. And all this thanks to the Erasmum + program. I am extremely grateful to the program, as well as to the international department for such an unrealistic opportunity to get free education, travel, meet new people from different countries, share my experience with them and learn more from them. It is like a golden contribution not only to my future, but also a contribution to the future of students from many countries.

            

Today, my goal is to learn more about Spain and the people living here, to get to know their language and culture.

“My First Experience Studying Abroad” by Aizhan Satmagambetova

My name is Aizhan. I’m from Kazakhstan. I study at “World Economy” in my country. In Spain, I study at the faculty of commerce. A year ago, I won a grant for studying in the University of Valladolid and it’s a great honor to study here. It’s my first experience studying in a foreign country and a good opportunity to practise my English and learn a new language.

       

I arrived to Spain on the first of February. It was really difficult at the beginning. At first, I sort out my documents, which were necessary for the university and for opening my student card in bank “Santander”. Then, I visited some shops, supermarkets and the centre of the city, starting the adaptation to the life in Spain. I always shoot videos and I hope they upload them. Living here, I realized that the life in Spain is different than in Kazakhstan and, of course, everything is interesting and new for me. I live in a flat, which is not far from my faculty, with 2 girls; Eulalie, from France and Kamila, from Kazakhstan, who came here to study with me. They are very nice.

Now I want to talk about studying in Spain. I chose 3 subjects to study and all of them are very interesting and creative. I met many people from Europe, Asia, etc. Many of them are communicative and friendly. I started to learn Spanish. I’m very interested in it.

I went to three cities of Spain: Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastian. Two weeks after my arrival, I decided to go to Madrid, the capital of Spain, with my friend from Kazakhstan. It’s very beautiful city and I enjoyed it. Honestly, I like Madrid more than Barcelona. At the end of February, I went to Barcelona with my friends from Kyrgyzstan. It was a memorable trip, we visit such a different places.

Now, I organized a trip with my friends. Our trip includes some countries such as France, Luxembourg, Netherlands or Belgium. I believe that it will be the best trip.

I’m really happy to study in Spain. I want to thank Erasmus + for this great opportunity. I hope that this period of my life will be the brightest.

“A Year Full of Great Experiences” by Aikerim Mukhtarbekova

Just like yesterday, I was leaving my hometown not sure what to expect of the new country. Now I am almost three months in Spain with a lot of good memories, new friends and great experiences. I do not even know how to start writing about my experience of being an exchange student in Valladolid University for whole five months.

Well, since I had done my exchange year in the United States, I thought why I don’t try a new country with a different culture and a new language?”. Because I would be on my own, having adventures, and fulfilling my dream of having something different. Pretty soon, at the end of my freshman year, I applied for Erasmus+ Program and I decided that the exchange semester would give me more immersion and would improve so much my knowledge. Finally, I received the congratulation letter and it was the best day in my life! I was the happiest one and I burst into tears!

Valladolid is a small city with beautiful places, views, nature and friendly people. I like everything about this city, I like weather during February because it was the warmest winter in my life without snow. Trees are always green and cherry blossom was the most beautiful part of spring. This city has many places to visit, such as the Cathedral of Valladolid, the largest Gothic church of San Benito, Santa Cruz or Campo Grande. I love all these places. During the weekend, when I have free time, I just like to walk around city and take pictures of these historical places.

Since I am doing international semester, I met many people from different countries. All of us have our own view of the world and sharing it made me feel more open-mind. Every teacher and student had an impact in my life, they gave me a lesson and because of them I am trying to be my best own version.

Since I had limited time in Spain, I decided to travel as much as I can. For two months I had visited many places and tried new Spanish foods. Moreover, when I came first to Spain, I could not understand anything, but after taking Spanish classes I improved my language. I like Spanish festivals, traditions and movies. After two months of being in Spain, I improved my communication and adaptation skisls, and I am ready for more adventures.

“The Future I Couldn’t Have Predicted” by Volha Shmahliy.

Should anyone have told me a year ago that I will become a student in the University of Valladolid, one of the oldest universities in the world, and even give an interview to the local Castile and Leon television channel, I wouldn’t have believed it. Nevertheless, today with ERASMUS+ KA107 PROGRAM all of this became a reality.

One of the first things I did after arriving in Valladolid was going to see the University. The only glance at the artfully decorated baroque façade of the University of Valladolid was enough to embrace how long and important part of the history of Spain is kept behind its walls. I felt greatly honored to have a chance to study in such a place.

This semester I study at the Faculty of Commerce on the International Semester in Commerce program. For me, one huge difference between a usual university life in Gomel State University and Erasmus+ student life is the group size and its national composition. Whereas my home university group is quite small and not very diverse, here there are usually more than 40 students of various nationalities attending similar lectures with me. My new classmates are students from Egypt, Georgia, The Netherlands, France, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, the Philippines, Albania, Poland, Italy etc. Thanks to this every day I learn a lot of new and interesting things not only during classes, but also from simple communication with new friends from different countries.

I also want to share my impressions of the educational process. Time on lectures passes quickly, professors try to present materials in an international context, explaining it with help of examples and events happening in the modern global economy. From the entire course of disciplines my favorite one is International Trade led by Professor Hernández, an expert in the field of international economic relations and trade with Asian countries. On his lectures we have learnt the basics of organize business abroad, the peculiarities of exporting to China and Japan, how to adapt the product for enter markets of these countries. I think that the knowledge gained in the framework of International Trade will be useful for me as a future specialist in International economic relations.

For the remaining period of academic mobility I plan to improve my Spanish language and travel more around the gorgeous country of Spain, full of breathtaking landscapes and ancient cities.

And finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the program coordinators at the University of Valladolid for being very attentive and welcoming! I know that Erasmus+ participation is an experience that I will never forget!

“The Most Beautiful Days Spent in Spain” by Zhamal Batyrova.

¡Hola a todos! My name is Zhamal, and I’m from the country which is located in the heart of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan. A year ago, if I were told that I would study in Spain, I would never have believed it. I always dreamed of studying abroad, but I never left my comfort zone. But dreams tend to come true :).

 

Now, I study at the University of Valladolid, in one of the oldest universities in Spain. Now comes the third month of my experience being an Erasmus + KA107 program student. If on arrival, I barely understood people, now I can calmly buy groceries in the supermarket, ask for a location or just talk to Spanish people :))

       

Valladolid is the city of the kindest people. The people here are very polite, they will always help with any questions, so I had no problems with adaptation. Also, the food here is just awesome! We tried many different national dishes, such as paella, tortilla, different tapas and we can confidently say that all of them are very tasty.

What about lessons, they are very interesting and informative. In each lesson, we have different discussions and debates. I like the fact that here every lesson takes place in an unusual form for me. There are a lot of people from different countries studying in our group. We love to walk through the night Valladolid after lectures.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Erasmus + Ka107 program and the University of Valladolid for the most beautiful days spent in Spain. Upon arrival in my country, I’m impatient to tell all my colleagues about my wonderful experience.

“¡Mi Aventura en Valladolid!” por Blerina Cela.

¡Hola a todos!

Mi nombre es Blerina y vine desde Albania para vivir una de las experiencias más grandes de mi vida en España. Mi aventura en Valladolid empezó el febrero de este año y reconozco que ha sido la etapa más intensa desde hace tiempo, porque todo es nuevo, desconocido y sin duda alguna cada día se considera un reto en sí.

Para empezar, para mi es la primera vez que comparto piso con otras personas, en este caso dos chinas y una española, pero desde el principio me encantó la idea de intercambiar culturas, ideas, momentos porque al final formarán parte de mi diario por 5 meses consecutivos.

Aunque parezca increíble, en dos meses he conseguido entender bastante sobre la cultura, las costumbres y de la vida en general.

Empezando por la mañana, algo que me resulta curioso es que amanezca más tarde que en mi país. Al principio, esto me sacaba de quicio, pero ahora me da igual. Pero lo que si me cuesta, es adaptarme a las horas de siesta. Todo cierra al mediodía y uno no puede salir antes de las 5 de la tarde. Pero todo lleva su tiempo.

Me parece impresionante que la gente sea tan acogedora y amable. Un día tenía ganas de ir de tapas, pero no sabía un lugar fijo y bueno. Le pregunté a una chica y fue tan amable de acompañarme hasta el bar. Charlamos mientras nos acercábamos al bar y me sentí tan bien..!

La universidad es otro mundo por completo. Tiene muchas facilidades y sobre todo un personal bien preparado. Lo que me resulta un poco pesado es que haya bastante volumen, hay que tomar apuntes a cada rato sin saber cuándo parar y no hay mucha interacción entre los profesores y los estudiantes, por lo que me gustaría que cambiase. Igual, quiero añadir que me siento muy afortunada por haber tenido la oportunidad de formar parte en este programa.

Lo que me llamó la atención desde el principio, fue que el personal académico de Relaciones Internacionales estuviera muy disponible a cada hora, cada día por cada duda que teníamos. Cuando llegué a Valladolid, tenía ya la dirección de la casa y en dos días nos dieron el cheque del dinero.

Los días de un ERASMUS pasan corriendo y sin entenderse, por eso yo recomiendo a cada uno que haya llegado hasta esta línea que aproveche cada momento, que salga, conozca a nueva gente, comparta su vida con ellos porque de esta forma tendrá los mejores recuerdos universitarios.

Cada día se organizan las mejores fiestas para estudiantes Erasmus, así como cada fin de semana nos dirigimos a un nuevo destino de España. Valladolid es una ciudad ni grande ni pequeña, por lo que te permite que la conozcas muy bien en poco tiempo. Así que, a disfrutar de esta aventura y no olvidéis de tomaros muchas fotos, que lo único con lo que os quedareis al final, es con los recuerdos.

¡Saludos!

“My First Two Months in Valladolid as an Erasmus Student” by Carlinda Lima Andrade Lopes.

The two months that I have been in Valladolid have been very overwhelming. As my first time alone away from home I didn’t know what to expect, but this has been a life teaching experience. The Erasmus gave me the opportunity to visit this new country and its beautiful cities, people and culture. Being here has brought me many different feelings and experiences.

Many things have happened to me here that I had to learn how to cope with on my own. I got sick, I almost got lost, had to cook my own food, do my own groceries and school is totally different from everything I’ve ever experienced before, but I am thankful for all of this. I am thankful because I am growing with these new experiences. If I hadn’t come here it would have taken me longer to learn to take care of myself.

Other great aspects of being here apart from learning from the situations mentioned before. I’ve met very friendly, generous and helpful people that are making my stay here a lot better. I’ve met people that are always here for me with any help I need and I know that I will never forget them. I have also seen places that took my breath away, that made me feel so alive, happy and in peace that I didn’t even want to leave. Valladolid is a beautiful city. It is very calm, respectful and cosy.

My experience at school has been totally new to me. Coming from a different continent there are great differences in education. The education I’ve received before isn’t very compatible with what I am learning now therefore it has been a bit confusing for me to follow the classes in the best way. Although, it has a good side, because I am learning things that I might have never had a chance to learn in my country.

I am thankful to this program for giving the chance to live this experience. Everything I’ve lived here has been unexpected. The only thing that I was sure of  was that I was going to grow in all aspects of my life, and this has been very true.

“The Best Semester in my Student Life” by Masha.

My name is Masha. I’m a student from Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics. I study Industrial engineering as a Erasmus student in Valladolid now. I want to tell about this city, university and my student life here.

As I said, I study industrial engineering here. My group is quite large, about 30 students from around the world . My group is very friendly and I am very grateful for this experience. Thanks to this, I learned a lot about different cultures, made friends with people from all over the world. About system education here, its completely different from my home university. Big emphasis is placed on teamwork, I think it’s useful for our future. I also like the fact that the university has a virtual site where you can get all the materials that were in the lectures. It is very convenient when you were absent on the lectures. We also add all homework and laboratory work to this site. What is equally important is that you can contact the teacher via chat.

           

I can say with accuracy that this is the best semester in my student life. Many companies organize travel and entertainment programs for students, so that every weekend I do not have to be bored During this time I was able to visit 8 cities in Spain such as Bilbao, Gijon, Salamanca,San Sebastian, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and Madrid and I hope in June I can visit the south of Spain. I was also able to visit Portugal, Italy, France.

I am very glad that thanks to the Erasmus I had the opportunity to get such a great experience at the University of Valladolid. During this time I have learned a lot.

“My Experience as an Erasmus Student” by Mahmoud Rashad

I came to Spain as an Erasmus master student to do my study in the school of Industrial Engineering, in the second semester of 2018/2019 academic year. And I have arrived at the beginning of Feb 2019, so I have stayed about two months in Valladolid of Erasmus study period until now.

Valladolid is an amazing city as it combines the modern style of life with historical buildings such as different type of museums which are spread over the whole city.  Also, Valladolid is quiet and has pretty clean streets, systematic traffic and sunny weather but its climate is hard as it is very cold in winter and hot in summer.

The people, in Valladolid, are almost friendly but most of them speak only Spanish and a little bit speak English so you should learn Spanish quickly to can deal with them in a more convenient way. The obstacle of language was a challenge for me but with joining the crash Spanish course at the centre of languages at the University of Valladolid it becomes easier because of interesting teaching methods that my teacher Elena uses.

As a student of the industrial engineering school in Valladolid, I have gotten the chance of participating in a competition called Makeatheon IoT 4.0 which was held at Bejar around 180 km from the south of Valladolid for two days. It was good for me because I have been included in a pure Spanish community, so in this small period, I have learned more new things concerning the Spanish language, lifestyle and infrastructure.

Thanks to Erasmus mobility exchange program at the University of Valladolid, I have made more new relationships of friends from many countries all over the world. Also, it is the first time to visit the European country which has a diversity of cultures, regions, foods and different weather.

I have many tips which I would like to share them with the current and new Erasmus students who will come to Valladolid later;

First of all, you should prepare heavy clothes for winter as it is very cold in Valladolid.

Secondly, the Erasmus study period is a great chance but short, so you should discover Valladolid as possible as you can also if you can travel to other cities it will be better.

Thirdly, although, the public transport in Valladolid is available and much comfortable, I think that walking is very useful. In most cases, when I went out to visit many places of Valladolid, I preferred walking on feet until reaching these places to enjoy and know more about everything in Valladolid.

Finally, professors and administrators at the University of Valladolid are friendly and they do their best to make the environment of teaching as attractive as possible also, the university has many facilities, classrooms and laboratories with advanced equipment so, Erasmus student should use all that, in the sake of a better study.

“Erasmus+ fulfills dreams” by Kamila Ryskaliyeva

My name is Kamila Ryskaliyeva. I’m from Kazakhstan . I am 21 years old. I am a student of the Kazakh University of Economics, Finance and International Trade. Since childhood, I have long dreamed of knowing many languages, traveling and getting acquainted with the cultures and traditions of other countries.

I want to tell you about my incredible and vivid experience at most ancient University of Spain in the University of Valladolid. This is my first time in Europe and abroad in general. For me this is an unforgettable experience. Here I am exactly two months and I am in love with this country.

         

When I first arrived I was a little difficult with the language since I had never been in an environment where they speak Spanish and English. My level of Spanish was basic and I studied it on my own. When my friend and I arrived in Valladolid it was very cold and we did not know how to get to our hostel and we asked for help the woman standing at the bus stop, she really helped us and I am very grateful to her. I really like people here, they are very kind, open, smiling and ready to help. I was also very touched by the attitude of people towards animals. This once again speaks of their generosity and kindness.

I study Commerce. With me in the group study 46 people from 17 different countries: Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Albania, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Netherlands and so on. It is simply unbelievable that, so many different nationalities from different points of our planet Earth can gather in one audience. Thanks to this, you can get acquainted with other cultures and their customs, practice other foreign languages, learn something new from them. Here are very experienced and competent professors, they are always open, you can safely ask them questions that concern you, treat us with understanding and support us in our endeavors. Their activities motivate you and help you to grow. Although the system and method of teaching are completely different from teaching in my country by the fact that here we work in groups, various interesting tasks for example with constructors to create own company or to explore your country’s market. I found out  more about Trade and Consumer Behavior in Spain and different countries .  I know that this experience will help me in the future in spite of the fact that in my country I am studying in another specialty. Erasmus+ program helped me to realize myself as a person, to become more open, responsible, helped my self-improvement and broadening my horizons. Thanks to all this, you begin to think differently and you become more stronger, more independence. 

                     

During these two month I managed to visit several cities in Spain, such as the capital of Spain-Madrid, San Sebastian, Barcelona. These are incredibly beautiful cities, each city is filled with its own history, atmosphere, rhythm of life, culture, traditions and each of them has something special that attracts and inspires. In the city of Valladolid there are a lot of museums, beautiful places, parks, different types of wines are produced here, as well as many places where you can eat and have a good time with friends and relatives.

       

I really liked the Spanish national dishes Paella, Tortilla, Croquettes.

                       

This country never ceases to amaze me every day more and more. During the two months of my stay here, I learned a lot and realized that you cannot stop believing in yourself, always striving for the right thing and dream. I am very glad that thanks to the Erasmus + program I had the opportunity to get such a wonderful experience at the University of Valladolid and study in such an extraordinary country as Spain. I am very grateful to this program for helping me make my dream come true.

“THE EXPERIENCES IN VALLADOLID, SPAIN HAVE CHANGED THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE” by Nguyen Thi Kieu Chinh.

I am Nguyen Thi Kieu Chinh – a student in a university of Vietnam’s northern mountain province. I spent my fourth-year university in a peaceful place with familiar people and boring life. I had thought that my life would go like that until the day when I got a scholarship of Erasmus + KA 107 program to study in Spain which have made my life change positively so far.

After two months in Valladolid, Spain; I am totally surprised and happy about my maturity. I still remember exactly what happened to me the first month: I was a shy girl lacked of some basic life skills. I had many troubles about finding the way home and the way to school as well. I experienced culture and language shock for an asian person who first lived and studied in the European environment. I lost weight significantly cause I could not be familiar with the food here and walked a lot. However, I always said to myself: “ Don’t worry! Pull up your socks”.

The experience in the first month is extremely memorable for me.

Fortunately, in the hardest time, I received the goodness from people around me: the instructors of Eramus + KA 107 team helped enthusiastically us to not only do necessary documents but also handle problems which happened after that; the teacher explained our questions about subject; the owner of my flat always called to ask about my new life or if my European flatmates were friendly and the kindness from strangers was warm enough to decrease my lonliness.

There is a movie called “Auberge espagnole” , which I feel represented by it’s motto : “Where no one speaks the same language, but everyone understands you”. By living in a multicultural environment, I must accept a truth: not everybody have the same english voice and culture. This has meant that I need to learn how to respect and be open with religion and features of each country. All the people will understand the problems you have faced in an unfamilliar place. Trips gave to me the interesting friends who contributed to have a full – color life in Spain.

My lovely friends

Going abroad is a great opportunity to discover food culture around the world.

Museum of Cervantes

Two – months time is not too long, but is enough to awake the power of my mind as the name of the song: “What does not kill you, makes you stronger”. Currently, I can be able to be confident to say that: Valladolid (Spain) is a marvellous turning point in my life. And you? Let’s enjoy and write your story!

“My visit to Universidad de Valladolid. Days to never forget” by Ahmed S. Razeen

This was not the first time for me to visit the beautiful Spain, but it was the best. I felt – during these 5 days of Erasmus+ KA107 academic staff mobility – inner peace while seeing old civilization meets modern culture, and old buildings side by side with modern architecture. This feeling reflected on my behaviors even now after returning home.

Academic Part

The target of the visit was to train and increase my experience in thin film characterization techniques. I worked under the supervision of my academic supervisor during the training, Prof. Juan Ignacio, at the GdS OptronLab. This kind, cheerful, and smart man taught me a lot on both academic and personal terms. I have recognized and learnt how to use scanning electron microscope with cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) measurement to characterize semiconductors. We did different measurements on zinc oxide and gallium oxide thin films and made use of Monte Carlo simulations to calculate the penetration depth of electron beams into the measured films. He also trained me on other devices and techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and LBIC (Light Beam Induced Current), and learnt me how they are very useful in mapping the surface of solar cells and other thin films and hence introducing useful information, and also how they are used to measure the degradation of power laser diodes. Prof. Juan provided me with different scientific papers of him to read and gain knowledge of the topic. The PhD students I met there were very cheerful people and very collaborative. At the last day in the lab, I was surprised that Prof. Juan gave me a hard copy of his book on spectroscopic techniques as a gift, which was very unexpected and happy surprise.

      

 

 

 

Life Part

I focused on ancient buildings such as Catedral de Valladolid, Iglesia de San Pablo, St. Mary la Antigua, and Palacio de Santa Cruz. I saw the people of Valladolid interesting their afterwork times and enjoying their life. I can never forget those people from the international relations office of the university of valladolid, specially Lidia, whom were ready at any time to give me hands of help, which gave me a very positive impression at the start and the end of my visit.

I wish this visit was more than 5 days, but this very short period will never be forgotten for my whole life.

Muchas Gracias everyone ^_^.

“Mi Experiencia Vallisoletana” por Begoña Pessis

Soy estudiante de Doctorado de la Universidad de Chile y, gracias al programa Erasmus +KA107, tuve la oportunidad de vivir y estudiar tres meses en Valladolid. Aunque breve, la experiencia ha sido extraordinaria, inolvidable y muy enriquecedora, tanto en términos académicos como vitales. Estoy muy agradecida de haber podido ser parte de este proyecto y recomiendo mucho animarse a postular a quienes tengan la ocasión de hacerlo.

En cuanto a mis motivaciones personales, provengo de una familia española, de modo que la pasión por España, sus tradiciones y su producción cultural ha sido un eje en mi formación y también en la forja de mis intereses de estudio. En este sentido, no puedo sino valorar intensamente el privilegio de haber podido pasar unos meses en Valladolid y de haber tenido ocasión de conocer no solo su preciosa capital, sino también las joyas patrimoniales que ofrecen los alrededores; por ejemplo, Medina del Campo, Urueña, Tordecillas, Peñafiel y, fuera de la provincia pero todavía en Castilla y León, Burgos, León, Segovia, Ávila, Salamanca, entre otros. La majestuosidad, belleza y densidad histórica de todos estos sitios logran ensanchar los horizontes estéticos, intelectuales y culturales de cualquiera. Además, la potente gastronomía y la tradición vitivinícola de esta región hacen que sea imposible no encantarse con ella.

En cuanto a la ciudad misma de Valladolid, confieso que me ha dejado fascinada, pese a su frío tan proverbial. La calidad de vida aquí es sobresaliente, muy diferente de la que se tiene en una metrópolis como Santiago. Por mencionar solo algunos aspectos prácticos: se llega a pie a todos lados; se come extraordinario a buen precio; se cuenta con todos los beneficios urbanos imaginables pero sin la agitación caótica, la contaminación auditiva y los atochamientos; la gente es muy amable y tranquila; las calles son seguras, limpias y agradables. La verdad es que no puedo dejar de destacar el asombro que me produjo poder estar estudiando todo el día y, en la tarde, poder ir a dar un paseo por las orillas del río Pisuerga; por un parque como el de Campogrande, con su bullente flora y vida animal; o por el centro histórico en estos días de atmósfera navideña, con sus luces y decorados tan alegres, sus dulces típicos y sus belenes. Otra cosa que no acaba de asombrarme es la riqueza cultural y artística de la ciudad, sobre todo en el edificio y las valiosas piezas que alberga el Museo de Escultura de Valladolid; para mi gusto, la gema más preciosa de la corona vallisoletana, que además puede visitarse gratuitamente los fines de semana. Sus exposiciones temporales también son de incuestionable calidad, por las obras expuestas así como por la sólida museología.

En relación al ámbito académico, ha sido una instancia muy formativa para mí. En estos meses, he podido dedicarme exclusivamente a la investigación, el estudio y la escritura, lo que considero un auténtico lujo. Gracias a esa holgura de tiempo, conseguí avanzar sustantivamente en la preparación y redacción de mi tesis doctoral. Pude aprovechar las instalaciones y los valiosos recursos de la biblioteca de la Universidad, que cuenta con una amplia y variada selección de textos que me fue muy útil. Además, fue una gran experiencia trabajar con mi tutor, un destacado académico de relevante trayectoria y una gran persona, con mucha pasión por la docencia. Gracias a él, pude participar en el festival Valladolid Piensa, una iniciativa espléndida de la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras que, espero, inspire a otras instituciones a emularla.

“Valladolid, una Experiencia Maravillosa” por Adriana Milagro Navarro

Al llegar a Valladolid me di cuenta del desafío tan grande en el que me había  metido, era mi primera vez en otro País y sentía un poquito de miedo pero este miedo fue desapareciendo muy rápidamente y es que tan pronto como parpadeas te darás cuenta de lo genial que es estar Valladolid. Y te lo advierto ¡NO QUERRÁS IRTE!

Para comenzar te hablare de las personas. A mí me habían dicho que los Españoles eran groseros y que no eran amables, al llegar aquí tenía ese pensamiento presente, pero  al convivir con los españoles me di cuenta que no es así, las personas que he conocido son muy amables y me han hecho sentir como en casa. En el poco tiempo que llevo he aprendido de su cultura, y también de la cultura de muchos extranjeros que estudian en Valladolid.

Lo segundo es que me ha impresionado la seguridad y tranquilidad que se siente en Valladolid, al caminar por las calles ves a las familias paseando a sus perritos y todo es muy tranquilo, ¡eso me gusta mucho!

Otro aspecto que resalto de Valladolid es la cercanía de las cosas. ¡Todo lo puedo hacer caminando! (o por lo menos la mayoría de las cosas). Y es que a mi parecer todo está cerca, por ello te aconsejo si deseas conocer los lugares turísticos de Valladolid, hazlo caminando, así lograras conocer más la ciudad.

Lo tercero es el frio. Si amigos, hace frio en Valladolid, pero si eres de tierra caliente como yo, mi consejo es: ¡disfrútalo! Todo este tiempo que llevo lo he disfrutado aunque también lo he soportado, sinceramente no es tan frio como pensé, pero me dijeron que en enero hace un frio bien fuerte, por ello te recomiendo traer un buen abrigo, bufandas y guantes.

Hoy  llevo aproximadamente 3 meses de vivir en Valladolid, y procuro disfrutar al máximo porque el tiempo pasa volando, así que te recomiendo disfrutar mucho, y viajar mucho ya que España tiene ciudades hermosas como Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, etc.

También no te olvides de probar la deliciosa comida Española, y no pueden faltar las tapas!

En conclusión mi experiencia en Valladolid ha sido genial. Y sé que también lo será para ti así que ¿Qué esperas para venir a Valladolid?

“Valladolid Turístico, Cultural y Académico en Cinco Días” por Margarita Laczeski

Realizar la movilidad Erasmus+ fue realmente sorprendente desde el principio y todas las experiencias fueron enriquecedoras y movilizadoras, siendo útiles desde enfoques tanto académico-científicos como personales. Desde el primer día, luego de ser seleccionada para la actividad, tuve comunicación con la docente coordinadora y con el personal del Servicio de Relaciones Internacionales de la UVa quienes en todo momento fueron muy atentos y amables para lograr organizar mi participación y las actividades durante mi estadía. Es así como una vez que llegué a Valladolid pude interactuar e intercambiar experiencias a un ritmo intensivo con docentes desde el primero al último día y aprovechar al máximo los días de estadía en la ciudad.

Dejé Posadas, mi ciudad de origen, el 9 de noviembre de 2018 con un calor intenso y temperatura de 40°C, llegué a Madrid el sábado 10 cuando el otoño ya comenzaba a dar paso al invierno europeo y me recibió con temperaturas de 3°C. El lunes 12 partí temprano rumbo a Valladolid y esta fue mi experiencia de cinco días maravillosos….

DÍA 1: A mi llegada el lunes por la tarde a la UVa, me dirigí en primer lugar al Servicio de Relaciones Internacionales, donde fui recibida por Lidia Alba, con quien me comuniqué desde el principio para organizar el viaje y la movilidad y en todo momento fue, como lo mencioné anteriormente, muy amable y cordial y además precisa en sus indicaciones. Luego nos reunimos con la Dra. María Teresa Pérez García (Contacto académico de la UVa) y realizamos una recorrida y visita a los laboratorios del Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (IBGM). Después participé de la clase en la asignatura “Conceptos y Técnicas Básicas de Biología Molecular y Genética” a cargo del Prof. Miguel Ángel de la Fuente García y de la clase inaugural de la materia “Inmunidad e Inflamación” a cargo del Prof. José Antonio Garrote Adrados. Ese primer día estaba lluvioso, sin embargo, pude caminar un poco por las calles de la ciudad, pasando por la Fachada y la Plaza de la Universidad y registrar rápidamente lugares interesantes para conocer en los próximos días. Además, pude acomodarme y descansar en la Residencia Reyes Católicos donde me alojé durante toda esa semana.

   

DÍA 2: Por la mañana comencé con la participación en la clase de “Neurofisiología y Percepción visual” a cargo de la Prof. María Teresa Pérez García. Luego por la tarde tuve una interesante reunión con la Prof. Marita Hernández Garrido donde intercambiamos experiencias tanto en docencia como en investigación para finalmente participar en la clase de “Inmunidad e Inflamación” a cargo del Prof. Alfredo Corell Almuzara. Entre actividades académicas y luego de concluidas pude recorrer parte de la hermosa ciudad de Valladolid este día, visitando la Catedral de Valladolid, la Iglesia de Santa María la Antigua y el Museo de la Escultura.

DÍA 3: Participé de la clase de “Cultivos celulares” a cargo de la Prof. Lucía Núñez Llorente. Luego tuve otra reunión con el Prof. Alfredo Corell Almuzara donde pude notar la dimensión de ciertos aspectos claves en la calidad de la enseñanza y el nivel académico alcanzado por los docentes de la UVa con excelente nivel en sus publicaciones de carácter internacional y en la docencia, plasmada en la dimensión extensión universitaria a través de la difusión del conocimiento por varios mecanismos, entre ellos las fabulosos “Inmupíldoras”. Finalmente, para este intenso día 3, participé nuevamente en la clase de “Inmunidad e Inflamación” a cargo del mismo Prof. Alfredo Corell Almuzara. En lo turístico, en este día recorrí el hermoso Parque Campo Grande y sus alrededores, caminando por el Paseo del Príncipe, admirando la Fuente de la Fama, La Pérgola y el Estanque de Campo Grande con su preciosa vegetación y su fauna. Luego, tomando algunas fotografías a la Academia de Caballería y la Fuente de Plaza Zorrilla.

      

DÍA 4:  Siguiendo con una semana sorprendente e intensa asistí al seminario de investigación “Unfolding anti-cancer immunity: New roles for ER stress sensors in the tumor microenvironment” dictado por el Dr. Juan Rodrigo Cubillos Ruiz del Weill Cornell Medicine, NY. Continuando con el recorrido de la ciudad desde el IBGM atravesé el centro caminando y llegué a la costanera recorriendo el Paseo de Isabel la Católica, llegando a la Plaza del Milenio cruzando el puente sobre el Río Pisuerga y volviendo sobre mis pasos para llegar hasta La Rosaleda. Por la tarde, participé nuevamente en la clase de “Inmunidad e Inflamación” a cargo del Prof. Alfredo Corell Almuzara. Y de vuelta por la ciudad a disfrutar de su exquisita gastronomía.

   

DÍA 5: Finalmente, llegó el último día de la movilidad. Estuve a cargo del dictado del seminario “Técnicas moleculares: PCR en Tiempo Real y PFGE” para los estudiantes del Máster en Investigación Biomédica de la asignatura “Introducción a la Biología Molecular”. Turísticamente conocí la Plaza Mayor y sus alrededores, el Museo de Ciencias Naturales (MUVa) y la Fuente de la Bola del Mundo.

Y……. ¡¡Llegó el momento de la despedida de Valladolid!! Sin embargo, quedan los contactos generados y las puertas abiertas para futuros proyectos en conjunto.

Partí nuevamente hacia Madrid el sábado temprano con la felicidad que deja una semana aprovechada al completo y con la promesa de volver para conocer, disfrutar, aprender e intercambiar mucho más.

“My Last Week in Spain” by Zaryna Hliuza

This is my last week in Spain.

Today I took a printed map and made a long walk around the most significant places of Valladolid. I looked at the city with eyes of a newcomer. I paid attention to every authentic balcony of residential buildings, people eating out, ancient walls of numerous monasteries, old couples holding hands, green trees (though it January).

At the beginning of my exchange I realized that one can basically reach every place by walk. In September and November I walked in average 13 km a day. I wanted to discover every corner of the city and enjoyed doing that, because here are a lot of wonderful places to see. Today I had the warmest feelings and realized that all these places have become a part of me.

I was lucky to come here on the week of “fiesta”. I tasted delicious food and drinks, saw people dancing and having fun. Valladolid met me with all its welcoming beauty and I immediately got immersed into the atmosphere of Spain. Every day I had exciting events, every week I tried something new. It may seem funny, but I still remember the moment when I saw a palm tree in front of the Faculty of Letters. It was the very first palm tree in my life.

However, Erasmus is people. It’s hard to find an alternative place where one can make acquaintances with such open-mined people who have totally different life experience. Here I met my soul-mates, those with whom I feel completely comfortable no matter what we are doing. We climbed mountains, sang in karaoke, went to other countries, danced on the streets, made fake tattoos and celebrated life in all its diversity.

This Erasmus is forever in my heart.

By the way, on Tuesday I am having the last party with my lovely friends. Wish me not to cry my eyes out.

“Mi Viaje desde Guatemala a la Universidad de Valladolid, España” por Karina Gálvez

Mi nombre es Karina Gálvez, soy profesora de Química de la carrera de Medicina del Centro Universitario de Occidente, CUNOC, de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. Gracias al programa Erasmus+ KA107, tuve la oportunidad de viajar a la Ciudad de Valladolid para conocer la Universidad y la Ciudad.

Fue  posible interactuar con algunos de los profesores de la Facultad de Ciencias que imparten la asignatura de Química, y presencié algunas clases de teoría con distintos profesores, tomando nota de las similitudes y diferencias en las cátedras, de esta manera, tomar las nuevas experiencias para aplicarlas en mi Universidad.  Todos los profesores fueron muy abiertos y comprensivos y me enseñaron lo que estaba en sus posibilidades.

También conocí los laboratorios de investigación donde los estudiantes de fin de Máster hacen sus estudios, observando las instalaciones y aparatos que se utilizan en los mismos.

El profesor de contacto, Fernando Villafañe, quien fue siempre muy amable, me mostró las bodegas para recibir reactivos químicos y donde se guardan los desechos químicos para su posterior eliminación.

Participe en algunas prácticas de laboratorio, donde observe la interacción de los jóvenes estudiantes y la forma de docencia de los profesores en la enseñanza practica de la química.   Me entere la forma en que se preparan las prácticas de laboratorio y el equipo que se tiene para las mismas.  Fue muy importante para mi observar la forma de trabajo, ya que gran parte de mi trabajo trata acerca de la enseñanza de la química de forma práctica dentro de laboratorio de quimica.

En general, la experiencia vivida en este viaje fue muy inspiradora y gratificante, porque además de conocer los aspectos académicos pude conocer lindos aspectos culturales de España que quedaran eternamente en mi memoria y que son un ejemplo para seguir para nuestros países.

Para terminar, la residencia de Postgrado Reyes Católicos fue un lugar magnifico para mi estancia, ya que el personal fue muy atento, sus instalaciones tienen todo lo necesario para una tranquila e ideal estancia, y está ubicada en el Centro de la Ciudad, cercana a lugares históricos, y lugares para comprar lo necesario.

“Five tips for the Caribbean Erasmus student” by Saloni Kissoon

It’s nearing the end of November, which means I have already spent almost three months studying in Valladolid. In this time I’ve learnt so much about the city’s beauty and rich culture, but there are also a few lessons that I wish I had known prior to my arrival. As such, here are five tips that I think would be useful to a Caribbean student about to embark on their Erasmus journey.

1) Although it doesn’t snow here, the cold in Valladolid is no joke. Prepare as much as you can for the winter because I can attest to the fact that the Caribbean body is not equipped to handle extreme cold. In my experience, the hardest thing to cope with is the cold air and strong winds. Scarves, gloves and turtle-necks will soon become your best friends.

2) Don’t let the initial culture shock throw you off. Valladolid is extremely different from the Caribbean, not just in temperature but also in the temperament of its people. In the beginning, it came as a shock to my fellow Trinidadians and me when our casual ‘Hola’ to strangers on the street were met with blank stares, but we soon realized that this is just one of the many cultural differences between Europe and the Caribbean which we have come to respect over time.

3) Prior to Valladolid, I had never lived apart from my parents. One thing this Erasmus experience has taught me is how to be self-reliant. I’ve started experimenting with cooking and generally just enjoying my independence, making mistakes along the way but learning and growing from them. Thus, my third tip is to not be afraid of living on your own because it’s an ultimately exciting and fulfilling experience.

4) My fourth tip is to travel as much as you can. Spain is a gorgeous country, so different from the Caribbean landscape, and although we’re here to study it’s important to find a good balance between work and play. It’s extremely easy to buy a bus ticket from Valladolid to Madrid, Segovia, Salamanca or any of the other neighbouring cities. There are also organized tours done by the Erasmus Student Network or Erasmus Viajes that take the hassle out of planning your own trip. Some of my best memories of Spain so far have been made on these trips and I highly recommend exploring the country as much as possible.

5) My final (and most important) tip is that your time in Spain will fly by, so make the most of it  while you’re here. Five months seems like forever in the beginning, but in reality the weeks go by quicker than you can imagine. So my advice is totry new things, meet new people, go on adventures in and around the city, step out of your comfort zone and enjoy this experience as much as possible. This opportunity only comes once in a lifetime and you have the power to make it as exciting as you can!

Saloni Kissoon.

“My Erasmus Valladolid experience.” by Alexa Khan.

This has been my first time in Europe and so far, it´s an unforgettable experience. One thing I must say, it is completely different from my life in Trinidad and Tobago. The culture, the climate and the people. All in all, this experience was extremely beneficial to me and I have learnt a great deal of information during my stay in Valladolid, Spain.

“Two months in Valladolid” by Keithan Allen

Two months ago, I arrived in the beautiful city of Valladolid anxious but excited to begin my adventure in this unfamiliar place that I’d get to call home for 5 months. After weeks of preparation and a 36-hour journey to get here from my twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, I soon realized that I was in fact not entirely prepared for what I’d gotten myself into. My time here thus far has been a rollercoaster ride; filled with ups and downs, as it is with any life changing experience. However, it’s safe to say that the good has greatly outweighed the bad. I’ve made so many friends from literally all around the world, I’ve gotten to visit several new places and create lots of fond memories. But, there are somethings that I learned about being an exchange student at the University of Valladolid that Google failed to mention beforehand.

“15 reasons why I’m happy in Valladolid.” by Katsiaryna Misiuk

¡Hola a todos!

My relatives and friends always ask me about the life in Spain. The most frequent question is if I am happy here. And a simple answer “YES” is never enough. So, one of such conversations struck me with the idea what I can share with you. Therefore, I present a small part of a million reasons which allow me to enjoy my staying in Valladolid.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” by Kavita Hosein

“Wanderlust consumed her; foreign hearts and exotic minds compelled her. She had a gypsy soul and a vibrant  hope for the unknown” (D. Marie). Before my arrival to Valladolid I would say that this quote is an accurate representation of myself, being a tiny girl from the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago consumed by excitement and curiosity to learn more and explore the world in which I live in.

Not you choose Erasmus but Erasmus chooses YOU! by Elena Kutsakova

My name is Elena. I’m a student of Mogilev State University A.A. Kuleshov in Belarus. I always wanted to connect my life with Spain.