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Testimonials

Niamh

Niamh Kelly |   Studied Spanish & English at Universidad de Deusto, Spain

My Erasmus experience has been the most beneficial experience of my life so far. There were moments in the first week where I felt blindsided by communication issues and loneliness, but I soon found that the international community all leaned on one another for advice and we arranged activities together most days. While it was amazing to have that support, connecting with the locals through the college and through extracurricular activities such as danza vasca (Basque dance) classes allowed me to practise my language skills and develop a sense of belonging in this new place. After more than a year of staying at home and studying online, I feel that I appreciated even more the friendships I made and the adventures I had. I was able to learn about Basque culture, and I even studied Euskera, the native language of Basque Country. I travelled all over Spain and also to France, something that I had wanted to do but had been impossible during Covid. By the end of my time in Bilbao, I could honestly say that the city felt like a second home to me, and I have gained a little bit more knowledge of so many parts of the world.
Nicola

Nicola Bugler |   currently on Erasmus at the University of Helsinki

I'm beyond grateful to be doing my exchange in such a beautiful country, Finland is truly magical. I was lucky enough to get to go Finnish Lapland in the first semester, which was an amazing experience. We did skiing, husky sledding, ice fishing, swam in the Arctic Ocean and saw the beautiful Northern lights. I've been lucky enough to travel to many countries around Finland too. In my first semester I visited Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and Latvia. The study abroad year provides you with amazing opportunities that you wouldn't otherwise get. The University of Helsinki is amazing, all of the coordinators and lecturers are beyond helpful and they really enforce a relaxed, non-hierarchical atmosphere in the classroom. I'm learning so much both inside and outside of the classroom. Studying abroad is a really incredible opportunity and I would recommend it to anyone!

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