My Erasmus Experience in Bremen, Germany

Why did you choose to go to Bremen, Germany?

Because I wanted to experience a completely different culture.

How long did your scholarship last? How much were you paid?

How long your Erasmus lasts is different for every student and every university. I planned to go for six months and ended up staying for a whole year. I was quite lucky in this respect, and I would recommend to those in the same position that you apply to Eramsus for an extension before February 1st, otherwise you might not receive any extra money. In terms of funding, things have gotten a lot more complicated with the financial crisis, and I think this year they have tightened things quite a lot. I received approximately 300 euros per month for nine months.

What´s the student life like in Bremen?

Brilliant, there are students from all over the world.

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

Definitely.

What´s the food like in Bremen?

It´s good, but I prefer Spanish food. :)

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Bremen?

My receiving institution (Hochschule Bremen) has an accommodation service for exchange students, but there are also various websites which advertise flats and allow you to search for them. Bremen.de or wg-gesucht.de are both good ones.

How expensive is your accommodation and everyday life in Bremen?

It depends on which area you live in and what university you go to, but usually accommodation will cost you between 180 and 330 euros a month. Generally everything seems to be included: light, water, heating, internet... for some flats they ask for a deposit, but for some they don´t. Some are already furnished whereas some aren´t, but there´s an Ikea and lots of people leave furniture they don´t want anymore out in the street for the council to collect. We furnished lots of friends´s rooms using this system.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language course at the university?

Everyone can speak English here, but if you can speak German you´ll get along much better. It opens a lot of doors for you and people are friendlier towards you, and above all it means you´re able to talk to teachers in classes. The university offers language courses, and there are also many other institutions which offer language courses, for example the Goethe Institut and the Volkshochschule. I attended some courses at the university and elsewhere, and I learned a lot just talking to people in the street. There´s also a ´tandem` service, which is a system where you are put in contact with someone who wants to learn Spanish, for example, you meet for coffee and speak one language for a while and then change to the other. You learn quite a lot from this experience and get to know some interesting people at the same time.

What´s the cheapest way of getting to Bremen from your home city?

You can fly to Bremen directly from Málaga and Alicante.

What are the best places for partying in Bremen?

There are thousands, but my favourites are all in a neighbourhood called ´Viertel` (literally meaning ´the neighbourhood`, haha), which is the main shopping area and where the most bars are. The best ones are Bermuda, Heartbreak Hotel, Rum Bumpers, Calavera and Lila Eule, among others. There are clubs too: Modernes, La viva, and for those who enjoy all-nighters, Expedition or Zucker.

What about eating out in Bremen? What are your favourite places?

I don´t think I can choose the place I like the best! The Hofbräu is perhaps the most typical German restaurant, and we all had expectations of what it would be like before we arrived - large wooden tables, enormous beer tankers and live music. In general the food is extremely good everywhere in Bremen. I really liked ´Café Alex`, I spent a lot of hours there. The Schüttinger beer housee is the first place I met up with some other Erasmus students, it has amazing food and a happy hour from 5-8pm.

What does Bremen have to offer in terms of culture?

Well, the city centre has lots of history - the city is quite expansive, but the centre is the most picturesque part. Must-sees are the marketplace, the town hall, Domsheide square, the Schnoor neighbourhood, Kaffemühle hill, and of course the Bremen musicians! There are lots of community centres where all kinds of activities are organised. There are concerts, theatre performances, bikes for hire, batukadas. Look for Buchte, Die Frische and the Sielwallhaus. The Universum is up near the university, and is a kind of science park. In general, there is lots to walk around and see in Bremen. It´s a very green city, and very pretty when the weather is nice.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Bremen?

Learn German! :)