Erasmus Experience in Bydgoszcz, Poland by Balaceanu

Why did you choose to go to Bydgoszcz, Poland?

I chose Bydgoszcz for the Kazimierz Wielki University.It was the only university on my list were they have department for Mathematics but also for Computer science. So if you gone applied to this university you will see the large numbers of Faculties that they have:

Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences

Faculty of Mathematics, Physics & Technical Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology, Faculty of Physical Education, Health and Tourism

Faculty of Music Art, Polish Teaching Center for Foreigners. The university is good even is not one of the best for Poland. Also Bydgoszcz is quiet and safe city, is not so crowded and most of the people are friendly and nice to you. The only thing is that most of people usually don't speak very well English, but they will understand you and try to help you.

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

When I come I applied just for 1 semester like most of the students who come by Erasmus. So I receive 450 euro for each month but this is because I come from Romania. I heard about other students which come from Spain, they receive just 200 euro, or from Turkey 300 euro.Depends of the country and the economical background.Romanian and Bulgaria have 450 euro per moth because are not so rich countries.

So before I come I receive 80 % from all the money that I should receive for 4 moths and 10 days in total 1480 euro, in February I should receive the rest(20%). But I decided to stay longer, so I applied also for the second semester and now at the begging of February I have to receive again 80% from all the money that I should receive for 4 moths and 18 days and when I go I will receive the rest.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Bydgoszcz?

Student lifestyle in Bydgoszcz is great I can say.It gone be a big difference between your home university lifestyle and the new university in Bydgoszcz. Firstly you gone have to organize you schedule, be prepare with the subject that your home university studies and try to find the same subjects over here. When you gone come you will have a coordinator and a buddy. The coordinator is one professor who will help you to organize your schedule, you should tell him just what subject you want to study and show him your learning agreement. He will find the professors to teach you this subject in English and provide every information that you need to know about your faculty. Buddy is one of the students of the university who speak very well English, they will hep you with your papers and also they will show you the city and tell you the information you will need to know and answer to your question.

Secondly you will see that first moth gone be a mess, you will have to wait the professor answer, to decide a time and a hour when you gone have the lessons, so be prepare for a long vacation. Also when you gone start the strange thing that you gone see is you will be in class just you and professor. I receive homework and I need to study a lot alone. Sometimes you gone have the same subjects with others Erasmus students, so you will be in class with 2 or three student.

But if you are at English philology, you will study in class with the polish students.

So depends of what subject you study and how the professor are, you will not spend so much time at school, it is possible to have one free day during the week or spend just two hours time at school and be back to dorm the rest of day. So it will not be so stress if you will not have to many subject to study and here in Poland you will do more practical stuff instead of to much theory.

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

Yes.Because I can say is better university than my home university. If you are willing to study and learn also the professor will be more interested to help you and teach you. The hardest part gone be language and the fact you will not have classmate to help you. But to study just with the professor is a plus because he is gone be more focus on you and he will try to help you to understand everything that you should know.

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What is the food like?

I can say food is really good here. It will not be so much difference from your home country, here you find a lot of fast food like KFC or Mc Donald. Also at the supermarket they are a lot of products which can find in you home country. The special dishes that they have are pierogi, small dumplings filled with potatoes, meat or fruits. They have also a special restaurant were you gone find to eat just different kind of pierogi. Also they have others dishes like soups and meet.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Bydgoszcz?

I stay at the dorm university.It cost me just 70 euro per moth. The accommodation is good, but if you don't want to share your room with another roommate, or share the bathroom with 8 person and the laundry and kitchen with all the people from the floor is better to find you another apartment. They gone cost you less 200 euro per moth or more. But the experience that you will have at the dorm and the new friends that you will make here, will be unforgettable. So I advice you is better to live at the dorm even sometimes is little bit harder.

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How much does it cost to live in Bydgoszcz?

If you stay at the dorm, you will have to pay for rent just 70 euro per moth. For me is enough to spend for food between 100 or 150 euro per moth. So I think even you go out and eat a lot 300 euro per moth is gone be enough for you to live including the rent from dorm. The price in Poland are not so expensive, for example 1 bread can be 50 euro cent, so if you know how to manage your money, it will be enough for you to live there with less money.

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

The polish language is not so easy. They are available Polish and English courses for free. I advice you to attend to this classes, is not easy but you gone learn at least basic words winch they gone help you to communicate with polish people int different situation.

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

For me the easiest is with the plane. I take it from Budapest to Warsaw(it take just one hour) and after you can take the plane or the Polski Bus until Bydgoszcz(it take 3 hour more). But I travel also with the car from Arad Romania until Bydgoszcz and it take between 15 or 16 hours.Is a long way with the bus or car, but is most cheaper than air plane sometimes.

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Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Bydgoszcz?

The places were usually each weekends the students from the dorm go is Jack pub and Kubrick. Also Pralnia is a good place for drinking.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Bydgoszcz?

Pierogarnia-is the best place to eat pierogi the special polish dishes.

Zapiekarnia- is a restaurant just with pancakes(with meet, fruits, vegetables)

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Visit this page InterNations.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Bydgoszcz in the future?

I want to advice you to enjoy the life that you gone have in Bydgoszcz during one semester or one year. To be prepare for a cold weather and a lot of raining. Also to give their best at the universities and don't forget to travel with their new friends. This experience will help you to be more responsible and will face you them with the problems from real life. Stay at dorm and enjoy your lifetime there, some people will become so close like your family.

Go out from your comfortable zone and be prepare for new adventure.