My Erasmus experience in Valencia - free time, weather and conclusion

Daily life and free time

Valencia is a beautiful city. It's not too big but there are lots of different parts to it.

• There are lots of areas with bars and restaurants such as the Plaza del Cedro, Plaza del Xuquer, Blasco Ibañez, Calle de Polo y Peyrolón - they're all great for students because you'll find the cheapest food and drink and there's almost always something going on.
• The beach with bars, restaurants and clubs (full of tourists in Summer)
• The part of the city called 'Arts and Sciences' (Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias) is filled with modern architecture and popular clubs (Umbracle/Mya)
• In the Ruzfa and Benimaclet districts, I always felt that I was somewhere else - not Valencia. I really liked these parts because they don't look at all like the Blasco Ibañez district. They are somewhat alternative and have a completely different atmosphere. Benimaclet was also once a village, so the houses look totally different (they're a bit smaller).
• This is also the case in El Carmen. This is the old town and has a great atmosphere at any time of day.

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There is a lot to do in Valencia. Especially in summer - there's always something going on (festivals, open-air cinema, live music etc, mostly outdoor events). It's also a great place to party because the student bars are cheap and to get entry into nightclubs you simply have to put your name on a list (using Facebook or an App called Xceed) and then you have free entry until a certain time.

I would say that it's pretty hard to become bored of daily life in Valencia. On a typical day I went to uni, did my work and then went to the beach, into town or out to eat or drink with friends. At the weekend I went to nightclubs. I also went on a few trips that I either organised myself or through the Erasmus organisations like Happy Erasmus and ESN.

Weather

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The only thing I really want to say about the weather is that it does get really cold in winter. It was warm until October (even inside) but from November to February it was much colder (about 10 degrees or maybe a bit higher). The sun always shone but the houses are built differently to the ones in Germany so aren't equipped to stay warm in winter. Sometimes you don't even have heating, just an air-con system that can also be switched to heating mode.

The temperature changes in May and it gets warm again. I think it gets warm again in March some years, but unfortunately, it rained a lot in 2016.

Conclusion

I think that living abroad is something that everyone should experience and Erasmus+ gives you the perfect opportunity to do so. Valencia really is a great city and I would advise you to make the most of it while you're there - time passes quickly! But don't overdo it. The Fallas spring festival was so lively and unique. So much happened that week and I saw so many amazing things. But then I was sick for a whole week... so that's why I'm saying don't overdo it! (The Fallas is a massive spring festival that takes place in Valencia in March. I don't really have the words to explain or describe it properly, you have to experience it for yourself. )

If you want to learn Spanish properly, you need to make the effort. You can definitely live in Valencia for five months and end up with relatively little Spanish.

I'm speaking from personal experience, but don't go in with high expectations. I'm sure you'll have a great time but if your expectations are too high then you're setting yourself up for disappointment. You never know what, when or if something bad is going to happen. And don't assume that Valencia is going to be as beautiful as other parts of Spain that you might know!

But enough 'reality'. If you go to Valencia with an open mind and a positive attitude, you'll have a fantastic time meeting friends from all over the world. Together you'll learn Spanish, discover other cultures, have new experiences and go home with a new outlook on life.

Have a great time!

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