Erasmus, Pécs, fun - a Spanish philology student at the University of Pécs

PEN team/Photo: Sergio Barro Rivera

When did you decide that you wanted to study abroad?

I was thinking about it for quite a long time, since I regularly met people from different countries in Spain. Then I made some Hungarian friends and decided to come here. On the other hand, my university had a very good relationship with the University of Pécs: it is a very popular university at us, so it wasn’t a question any more.

What was your Erasmus year in Pécs like?

I discovered that the University offered several activities including sports and cultural events. One of my best experiences was being the leader of the Erasmus team during the University Days of Pécs: we tried to revive the Rockabilly period wearing clothes from the 50's, 60's and 70's and of course, playing the inevitable rock & roll. I also took part in the Dragon boat competition several times and went to race Go kart. I am extremely proud of my team as we ended up in a strong midfield position in both contests!
There was only one problem when doing sport here: since the Erasmus students studied at different faculties, meeting them was quite difficult because of we all had completely different schedules. Nonetheless, we played as much as we could and did our best.
All in all, I would say that doing sports is one of the most important things when studying abroad, because you will definitely try all the typical dishes which, in the case of Hungary, are mostly high in calories. If you don’t do exercises you can easily put in some weight. What’s more, it is a great way to make more friends.

Photo: Sergio Barro Rivera

How easy was for you to adapt ?

It was not so difficult for me: in Spain I also lived alone, so it was not that big of a change, and I think it is easy to adapt to Hungary. The difference between the two countries is not as big as I thought: only the way of cooking is not the same. Here I lived in Hunyor student hostel.

How did you like living here? What did you like the most?

I always preferred going to small cities: everything is close, you can make friends easily, you can walk to your university... I liked the people, the life in the city and the university. My favourite place was Király utca.

Photo: Sergio Barro Rivera

How do you see Hungarian people?

I came to Pécs, because in my home city I met plenty of Hungarians and we became very good friends. They were really helpful and nice. When I arrived in Hungary they spent one week with me to visit Budapest, it was really amazing. When I arrived in Pécs, they showed me everything, the whole city including some Hungarian traditions, like goulash and „pálinka”...

Were you satisfied with the teachers?

Absolutely. I had magnificent lecturers. Let me mention Tony Lilon as an example. I’ve not just learned a great deal of things from him, but he also has offered me an opportunity to take part in an Ibero-American conference. Dr. Ingrid Petkova and Tamás Kiss were also excellent teachers of mine.

If you have the chance to return, would you use it?

Definitely. I can imagine doing my Master’s courses in Hungary. This country is also a good place to teach Spanish. Next time we meet at the University of Pécs again I might be one of the lecturers!

What would you recommend for the other students coming to Pécs to study?

I would encourage everyone to take advantage of the organized programmes by the University. I kept in touch with the Sports Office and, as an Erasmus student, I could also contact the ESN Pécs.
Join the Erasmus parties and trips! Visit Poland, Turkey, the Balkan countries... For many of us, who are coming from the West, it’s a really good opportunity since these countries are much cheaper than our home country.

 by Vivien NÉMETH