Erasmus in Birmingham 09/10

Why did you choose to go to Birmingham, United Kingdom?

Source

I decided to go to Birmingham to get to know a new city in England because people always tend to visit more famous cities like Liverpool, Manchester, etc.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help with living costs?

My scholarship was for 1 month and the money they gave me covered all the expenses. The amount depends on your university, etc.

What is the student atmosphere like in Birmingham?

There are people from all over the world. I've been able to meet people from lots of countries and the atmosphere is great. The university organises socials and you'll never get bored. If you go with the flow and turn up with your mind open to meeting people, you'll have a much better time. Aside from that you'll have a lot more opportunity to practice English, something you'll be thankful for at the end of the course.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Birmingham to other students?

Yes, definitely. I'm still going to be there next year even though I'm no longer a part of Erasmus because honestly it's a unique experience and Birmingham is a city where you never get bored. There are many things you can do and a good nightlife. There are good restaurants which erve food from many different countries. As a city with such a mixture of cultures there are all kinds of restaurants.

What's the country's food like?

The food is really good. There are all kinds of restaurants which serve very tasty things. There are also very cheap restaurants depending on where you go. Overall it's very good. The only thing I would say is that the fruit isn't very good. If you go to the open-air market, fruit and vegetables are better quality and much cheaper.

The cheapest supermarkets are Tesco, ASDA and Lidl. I never went to Lidl because Tesco, which is similar to Spain's Mercadona, caught my eye first.

How did you find accommodation?

Through the university I was going to. I went to one of the two student halls offered by the university called The Maltings (University College Birmingham) I sent off the registration and they gave me a place.

What are the accommodation prices like? And prices in general?

The residence I was in was rather a bit expensive (about 3,600 pounds a year) but being in a residence during your first year in Birmingham is the best thing you can do to meet more people more quickly. Then the prices of the houses differ in price according to whether they are closer to, or further from, the city center. Next year I'm renting a house for 270 a month (which is cheaper than student halls). In general, prices vary according to the location you're looking at. Normally it's all more expensive though because the currency used is the pound. However, there are still very cheap places to eat, buy clothes, etc. There are also a lot of student discounts.

How did you find the language? Did you go to any language courses at the University?

I didn't end up going to any English courses in the end, but I tried to interact with people from other countries and English people to practice. The worst thing you can do is stick with a group of Spaniards all the time. I had my group of Spaniards, which is fine, but you also have to open up to other people and go out with other people, interact. This makes all the difference in the end.

What is the cheapest way to get to Birmingham from your city?

I'm from Seville, so for me it's cheapest to get to Malaga and then fly from Malaga directly to Birmingham. This is more comfortable for me than getting to London from Seville and then travelling to Birmingham.

Where would you recommend for a night out in Birmingham?

The most famous street is Broad Street where there are discos, pubs etc. It's in the center. You have your pick of the bunch here.

What about eating out in Birmingham? Can you give us your favorite places?

Nandos is very popular and I used to go there a lot. It's a chicken restaurant which isn't very expensive - about 9 pounds. English pubs serve food all day and there are very tasty dishes for 3 pounds or so.

I also really like the Asian buffet "flamin dragon". I also went to the sushi restaurant in the Mailbox shopping centre a lot. I'd say they serve the best sushi I've ever had. I also went to a lot of indian restaurants... if you like eating out, there's a great variety of places.

How about as a tourist attraction?

The center is small, you only need a day to see it. There are beautiful monuments but it's a very industrial city. The channels it has are what attracts people mostly. Also, very famous artists will often hold concerts here.

Fun fact: the author of the lord of the rings lived here in Birmingham for part of his life and the city was a source of inspiration for him and his books. For example "the two towers" were inspired by two towers that are here in Birmingham.

Any advice you want to give to future students in Birmingham?

You won't get bored in Birmingham. There's a lot of nightlife and you'll have the opportunity to meet lots of people. Take advantage of the scholarship and learn English, interact with people from other countries. I guarantee you'll have a great time.