Erasmus 2015/2016 Fall semester

Elina Aboltina Written 9 years ago

Hello everyone! I am currently a third year Physiotherapy student in Riga Stradins University. 2015/2016 fall semester I will spend in Coimbra. I would like to find people who has been in Coimbra or live there now, so I can find out basic information about this beautiful place, student life there and anything else that could be interesting for active physiotherapy student as I am. And that would be very nice to make some friends, of course! :) 

Carlos Viegas Written 9 years ago

Hey!

I am a PhD student at Coimbra and I am from this city so I know everything about it! Excelent choice of city by the way! ;) So what do you want to know Elina? 

Elina Aboltina Written 9 years ago

Hi, Carlos! 

Thanks for writing here! As I know about this place absolutely nothing, I haven't been even anywhere close to it actually, firstly, I would like to know is there any chance to socialize with people in English there or I have to spend long summer nights learning Portuguese before going to Portugal, which I'm ready to do if needed? :) Secondly, I have heard about surfing in Portugal, that is one thing I've never done in my life, but I have always wanted to do it, so is there any place close to Coimbra where to learn surfing? And all the other questions I didin't ask...

Carlos Viegas Written 9 years ago

Hey Elina!

So I am studying mechanical engineering but my sister actually studied physiotherapy so if you have any specific questions regarding the course here I can ask her. You actually chose the wrong semester to come here... No I'm just kidding. I am just saying this because in the second semester we have our huge student parties and Queima das FItas (if you search Queima em Coimbra in google you may get a glimpse of what I mean) and those are one of the main attractions for students in Coimbra... But first semester also has some smaller parties...

Now regarding your questions... Here everyone speaks english and they speak it quite well, specially students at our age. You may find some older people that don't speak it but most of the time people are very nice and will make all the efforts to try to understand what you want to say even by gestures. :D Movies in the cinema are also in english with portuguese subtitles. 99.2% of the music you will listen on the radio will be in english and most restaurants and bars will have menus in several languages. So you don't need to worry too much about portuguese language. But yes if you want to learn it that is great, though some foreigners say Portuguese is quite difficult to learn, specially the spelling part. As for surfing, yes we have a total of 1800 km of coast line. There you will find everything, from inacessible beaches surrounded by sharp cliffs to almost tropical paradises considered some of the most beautifull beaches in the world (mostly in the south). Near Coimbra (about 40km) you have an excellent place to surf, called figueira da foz. You also have better spots to practice surf if you go 100km down south, like Peniche. There you will have lots of surf houses and surf instructures who will be more than happy to teach you! Actually if you don't mind I might actually join you in one of those surf trips cause I've done lots of other things like snowboard, paddle surf, jumping of an airplane, but I've never done surf too and I am always saying I would like to try!  :D

If you have any other questions please ask, I am more than happy to help you and promote my beautifull city! ;)

Elina Aboltina Written 9 years ago

Hey Carlos!

I'm so happy to find someone so helpful and forthcoming here :) Thank you first at all! I'm having my study practice there, didn't have any choice when to come, fall semester was the only option, so I used it. The fact that your sister studied physiotherapy too is just brilliant, basically what I would like to know are the places (hospitals, rehab centres etc.) where physiotherapy students can practice, and which places are better for experience. As I'm having my practice in Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, hope when they will give me some answers  to my questions finally (that happens really slow btw), situation will be clear to me, but maybe your sister has some advice. 

About those parties, well sad story for me of course, but I'll get through with it I think and go to some smaller ones. :D

Thanks for the information about surfing, that was more than I could find on google in last two weeks. If I decide to try that activity would be happy if you join- safer for me not to get lost somewhere and interesting for you to try thing that people actually come to Portugal for, heh :)

Carlos Viegas Written 9 years ago

Hey Elina! So I talked with my sister and she told me that mostly students do their practice at school, at ESTES (http://www.estescoimbra.pt/). They can also practice in the hospital and other clinics, but that should be defined when you get there... Yes don't worry there are still lots of great parties in Coimbra in the fall semester! :D Regarding the surf, you are welcome. Actually I have been gathering some information about surfing schools, instructors, prices etc for myself so I have no problem sharing them with you ;) This is important since there are some companies who try to find erasmus students to organize surf trips and they are not very professional nor trustworthy... So it is better to have someone who knows the best schools and stuff... By the way, my email is [email protected] (same email for facebook). it is easier for me to talk to you by email or by facebook because I don't always go to this website... Feel free to add me or send me an email. ;)

mahir yıldız Written 8 years ago

Hey Carlos, I am also mechanical engineering student here in Turkey and i will probobly come to coimbra and I have some questions. But before asking all I'd like to ask the most important one:

What language teacher use in the lessons in universiy of coimbra?

Daniela Amaro Written 8 years ago

Mostly Portuguese. But it depends on the professor