My Erasmus Experience in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. By Julia.

Why did you choose to go to Cluj-Napoca, Romania?

For me, a student of medicine who wants to practise his English, it was the perfect combination:

1. The city has a student atmosphere and incredible nightlife. You can go out every day of the week for not much money.
2. There was an English line in the faculty of medicine for all of the theory classes, and although the practicals are in Romanian, there's no problem: your classmates or teachers translate for you (and in many cases you can understand the medical terms anyway because they are similar in Spanish and in Romanian).
3. It's a way of learning a different kind of medicine, with less resources. It's not bad to realise how different it is to work in a country where nothing is lacking.
4. It's cheap to live in Romania and it is well connected in terms of flights to and from Spain. Furthermore, you can travel to many central-European cities from Cluj, and you can go to the Balkan Islands, too.

How long did your grant last? How much money did you receive as help?

In the Faculty of Medicine of Zaragoza there are 3 grants for Cluj-Napoca for a 10-month stay each, for which they receive aid from both the European Union and the Ministry of Education throughout the academic year. It is €115 per month from the EU, and we still don't know about the MEC.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Cluj-Napoca?

As I said before, INCREDIBLE! Between the 2 areas of the university residence complex (Complex Studentesc Hasdeu) there is a street (Piezisa) with lots of bars and terraces that have good prices, and in the center there are quite a few bars, pubs (Janis is the most famous among Erasmus students), clubs of all kinds... Going out and eating out is generally quite cheap, and you can always see the streets full of young people. Furthermore, lots of people speak English, while most young people and many older people speak French. There are always many events, dance courses, film screenings, festivals, monologues, concerts, and opera is very cheap!

Would you recommend the city and University of Cluj-Napoca to other students?

Without any shadow of a doubt. The city is perfect to do your Erasmus placement (except for the cold, but you'll survive), and in reference in medicine, it is good (which is all I can say).

How is the food in the country?

Very good, there are a couple of typical restaurants at good prices and very central to take to visitors who want to try typical Romanian food, and then when you travel around the country you get used to asking for "ciorba" (soup) to survive the cold and stop at all the bakeries (there is one on every corner, with many different things and very cheap).

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Was it hard to find accommodation in Cluj-Napoca?

No, the UMF (University of Pharmacy and Medicine, Engineering and the Humanities degree courses are different Universities) offers accommodation in the associated residences when applying for an Erasmus place. It is €150 per person with bills includes (shared room with another student, a bathroom, a small kitchen and reception), but for the rest of the faculties they are around 40 (the kitchen and the shared bathrooms).

The apartments with bills are usually around €200, or a little more. There are various agencies and advertisements in the Piata Newspaper (weekly).

How much does it cost to live in Cluj-Napoca?

It is quite affordable, the cantine in the university is a little bit repeptitive but it is very cheap, and there are quite a few places that have a student menu. To give you an example, a medium-sized pizza close to Hasdeu could be the equivalent of €2. 50. A beer between €1 and €2, a rum and coke for €3, entry fee to the clubs between €2. 50 and €5...

What is the language like? Did you go to any course at the university?

I didn't go to any but the people who were there learned the basics of how to handle themselves as well as starting a group. If I had the opportunity, I would go back and sign up for it. The language at the beginning seemed very different, but with devoting it some interest, you can understand the basics in very little time.

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What is the most affordable way to get to Cluj-Napoca from your city?

A flight with Wizz Air. There are direct ones from Zaragoza (3h), Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. Looking in advance, you could pay around €30. I would recommend joining Wizz Club at the first chance you get: you pay €30 in advance and they discount you €10 on each flight throughout the year. Just returning home at Christmas pays it off!

Which places do you recommend going out to in Cluj-Napoca?

The mythical Erasmus place is Janis, in the same city centre (Piata Unirii). It never closes, it has a relaxed space above that you can have a beer or eat dinner in and below is like a bar, with a free beer bar for €1. 50 for 2 h. But there are better discos, for example my favourite is Euphoria (€2. 50 entry), or Diesel and Bamboo (€5). You can also go out of bars without paying, all very central.

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And to eat in Cluj-Napoca? Can you tell us some of your favourite places?

The place where everyone goes to eat, Dolce Vita, next to Hasdeu wit student pizza (like a medium one) for €2. 50. They put on football matches and you can organise dinners for 30-40 people perfectly.

As a typical restaurant, Roata is very good, for the equivalent of €10 you can have water, main meal and a dessert. The waiters wear typical clothes and the menu explains a little bit of history about each dish to you.

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And for a cultural visit?

Stroll: go to Piata Unirii and admire the cathedral, have a drink in the alleyways behind the Janis which have very nice terraces, enter the orthodox cathedral and have your picture taken on the stairs of the National Theatre.

In autumn, walk through the Central Park. It becomes beautiful and in spring, walk through the Botanical Garden.

And of course make trips from Cluj as a base:

Romania: day trips to the Turda Salt Flat and its canyon, Alba Iulia, Sibiu, Sighisoara; for weekends or 3-4 days, Brasov with the castles of Bran (Dracula's castles, you already know the story) and Peles, Maramures and its wooden churches, Bukovina, the Transfagarasan Road and the Balea Lac, Timiosoara, Bucharest, the Black Sea...

Europe: there are buses to Budapest, Vienna and Prague that take a long time because the infrastructure is not very good, but you can catch them at night and you will be there by dawn. For Belgrade and the Balkans, go by car. With Wizz Air there is now a direct flight to Tel Aviv from Cluj, and from Bucharest to Dubai and Istanbul (many people are taking advantage as it is the cheapest ticket from Spain).

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Do you have any advice to give to future students going to Cluj-Napoca?

Come on! Don't get carried away by the prejudices of those people who say:

"To Romania? Are you crazy? "

It's a country worth visiting, with beautiful places ("The Garden of the Carpathians" they call it) that will surprise you! Yes, there is less money here than in Spain and you can see it, but it is very educational and opens your mind a lot. You don't have to be guided by the stereotypes we have; there are charming people here. And if you can, learn a little Romanian, it's a strange language. Enjoy it as best you can right from the beginning, Cluj can be considered your home in a very short time!