Hi all! I am Betül from Turkey. In Turkey, I am at the department of translation and interpreting in İstanbul. Here, in the UIC, I am an Erasmus student in the department of Humanities. Before coming here, all the procedures were boring; preparing the documents, trying to get the visa, etc. After leaving all these boring procedures behind, I started to enjoy Barcelona. It started hard, but now I see that it is worth. Actually, I have been studying Spanish for three years and being here is a very big opportunity for me to practice Spanish, learn the culture and meet with new people. Since I came here, I have seen that people are very friendly and helpful. When I have mistakes in Spanish or when I ask something about the culture, they always try to help me. Moreover, as two Mediterranean countries, Turkey and Spain have so much in common. Because of this, most of the time I feel like I am at home. And I think that when I turn back to Turkey, I will remember here with very good memories. When I think that I have just a few months left here, I feel sorry, but I want to enjoy it as much as I can. Being an Erasmus at UIC is great! This is an experience that I will never forget. I also love Barcelona! I plan to come back again.

“Ania, why did you choose Spain instead of many other European countries?” This is question which I had to hear from my parents all the time. I wanted a challenge, something different. So I am here. Barcelona has turned my life upside down and to tell my story in a few pages is a Herculean task. When I first entered the UIC, I was a bit lost. Luckily, our professors were easily available to solve our problems. Semesters involve a lot of hard work and concentration. I had to hang on to every word in the lectures, mainly for fear of having a question fired at me by the lecturer and either not knowing the answer or not knowing how to say it in Spanish. Now, answering questions correctly was what make me smile for the whole week! There are also many events organised among Erasmus students. We got to know each other in the first introduction week and now most of us meet in a meeting places for a little chat and to drink beer (btw Estrella rules!). Am I missing something? Oh yes, the Erasmus parties! I’ll only say: it’s a legend! When I have free weekends I go to my polish friend’s flat, to Sylwia and Magda, where I met their flatmates, who learned how to cook ROSOL Z MAKARONEM and PIEROGI! However, it’s not always so super. There are times when we miss our homes. This is where the biggest test of your year will lay (not in a History of Spanish Law with Mr Serrano, as some think). What has changed since my few months? Once again, it’s not easy to put it in words and I feel I told you about 1% of what happened. You have to know one thing, Erasmus it isn’t a trip that one makes. It’s a trip inside onself.