Erasmus Experience in Bucharest, Romania by Nieves

Why did you choose to go to Bucharest, Romania?

It was the only city that I was offered that I didn't already know... and I wanted to try something new.

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

It was there for 5 months, I got a grant for the 5 months.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bucharest?

The people are very open, what's more you don't have to speak English with the amount of people there are here, there are Spanish people and Romanian is very similar to Spanish... You'll get to know people easily without speaking another language.

Would you recommend the city and the university of Bucharest to other students?

Of course! It's a very lovely city. Perhaps for Erasmus, Germany or the Czech Republic or even Italy are much better... But it's a very attractive city to live in! The party scene isn't bad at all! For being a big city, perhaps it's missing some things... but it's adequate, there aren't clubs, but there are quite a lot of pubs where you can chat to people. It's a different concept than going out in Spain, there's more beer, less mixed drinks and an earlier schedule. But you can have a good time any night of the week! And it's great for girls... there aren't many of us!

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What is the food like there?

It's some of the best food. All of the food is good, the best places to go for food are local restaurants and they aren't very expensive! The meat is good and it's really high quality! You'll fall in love!

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Bucharest?

I found it by talking to the university, I stayed in a very good residence! I had a bathroom shared with another person and some good places to cook in. It's really good!

How much does it cost to live in Bucharest?

They're cheap, I didn't pay more than €80 a month.

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Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the university?

Romanian is a lot like Spanish, so you won't have any problems. I was on a course and it went pretty well. I learned quite a lot, although I didn't get any credits. It was really worth it for me.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Bucharest from your home city?

By plane! There isn't any other way! Going back to Spain for a week or so is a complicated thing... because it's expensive. But what are you going back for if you're only away for 5 months!

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Where would you recommend for a night out in Bucharest?

The best area to go out in is Lipscani, but it might be the most expensive place in the country and the atmosphere isn't very Erasmus-y. The Erasmus atmosphere is more in the pubs in the city centre, the clubs are more for the locals.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

It's really good. It's cheap... it's a very cultural city and there are cheap theatres and museums all over the place, which makes it really worth a visit!

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Do you have any advice for students coming to Bucharest in the future?

Wrap up warm! Especially if you're going for the first term! As if you go without good warm clothes... you'll be going out, which is pretty much obligatory, but you might not have a very good time. And, even though Romania doesn't have a great rail network, you should save money to go travelling!