The very beginning of my Erasmus story

This post is going to be about the beginning of my Erasmus story. First of all, I would like to introduce myself. I am Kristine, a student from the University of Latvia (Riga). I study English philology, and currently, I am the final year student who just came after one semester spent in Spain as an Erasmus student.

How did I come to Spain? Well... The story began in August when I have started to check information about possible options where I could go for studying. In my case, the application deadlines for the second (winter) semester were early in September, so I had less than a month to find the university and necessary courses and to prepare application documents.

The official page of the University of Latvia provides a list of universities in several countries where you can go, but the most important things that you need to find are courses because those have to be replaced with the courses at your home university. It might sound easy, but in reality, it is very challenging and time-consuming process. Bear in mind that you should think not only about the courses but also about credit points that you will receive for these courses. It is very important for educational purposes as well as for getting the Erasmus scholarship.

Since I wanted to go to Spain, I was checking only universities in this country. I chose the University of Huelva because it provides a wide range of courses in the field of English language and I found enough required courses at this university that could be replaced with those from the University of Latvia. Also, as I was studying the Spanish language, the opportunity of going to Spain seemed the most logical and profitable for my near future.

Another important part of the application procedure is documents' preparation. I had to write a motivation letter telling why I am interested in Erasmus program, which country and university I would like to choose and what courses I am going to take. After having applied for Erasmus program, in September, I was called to a short interview, and then I have been accepted. After that I needed to write a letter of application, to sign the Erasmus form and to prepare Learning Agreement and slowly to get ready for going to Spain in February.

While doing the paper work, I also was searching for airplane tickets. My strong advice is that you should buy tickets in advance, by this, I mean at least two months before. Think not only about the airplane tickets but also about the baggage because sometimes prices for baggage or extra luggage are even higher than the tickets. Moreover, you should plan the whole journey from your city to the city of your destination; this includes the transport from the airport to the city, sometimes, it might be difficult to find the bus or other transportation for the suitable for you time and price.

Another thing that should be done in advance is finding the place for living. In my case, my friend and I found a flat where we lived since the first day of coming to Spain. Our landlady has met us very friendly despite on the late-time coming, and we were sleeping safely in our flat on the very first day, hopefully.

To conclude, I would like to advise you to do things before you think you are ready or you can do it. Just do it, do not be afraid of difficulties, do not be afraid of leaving your comfort zone. Take a risk and do not lose the opportunity to get an unforgettable experience. Very important: do things before the deadlines and plan your time effectively. And if you feel alone with a million questions in your head, find the group of Erasmus students from the University of your choice on Facebook page and do not be shy to ask for help, friendly people will certainly not only help you but also will give you an additional inspiration. Good luck!