My experience in Ferrara.

Why did you choose Ferrara, Italy?

I didn't actually choose Ferrara, it was chosen for me. I didn't really know whether to do an Erasmus year abroad or not but in the end, I decided to go for it, without thinking too much into it. I didn't have many options because after deciding to do it, from one day to another, I had to look for places that didn't depend on having a language qualification like they request in many places (and in universities themselves) to be able to do a year abroad. In fact, I was trying to pass my English B1 exam in the language school at the time. Therefore, I simply chose places which didn't request anything. I went for Genoa as my first option and Ferrara as my second. Why? because they were in northern Italy, close to an airport and not too expensive to travel around. They said that they have good travel networks between cities in Italy and also around the rest of Europe. That's the airport in Bologna.

How long was the programme? How much was your Erasmus grant?

The year abroad lasted for 9 months but you actually have to spend longer there because although the classes finish at the beginning of June, exams don't finish until July.

With regard to the money, since I'm from Andalusia, I received a grant from the Ministry of Education and another grant from the Andalusian Regional Government so in total I received around 3000 and 4000 euros.

What is the student life like in Ferrara?

It's true that the city is full of students and therefore a lot of young dynamic people. However, the atmosphere in the streets and in the city generally depends a lot on the weather. On rainy, foggy and cold days during the winter, for example, there weren't many people in the streets, until the sun started to come out. Once spring was here and even the months before winter the city was full of people looking for the sun and heat, and a bit of fun in the fresh air. There were always young people (not just young people) in the centre and by the city walls going for a walk, playing football or having a beer in the sun.

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

Yes, without a doubt! Every Erasmus student you talk to would tell you to go to their Erasmus city. It's normal, we all have a special unforgettable experience and we wouldn't be able to see ourselves in another place but the one we went to.

However, we all have different tastes. Ferrara is a city situated in the north so the majority of the time you'll spend here, it will be cold. Also, for those looking for a party every day, this isn't the city for you unless you have your own party. Here people go out, there are clubs and bars and they have parties and events, but you have to bear in mind that it's a small city and for that reason the parties won't be the same as they are in Milan or Bologna. On the other hand, for people like myself, who prefer other types of plans or who prefer to save this money for travelling, it's perfect. In addition, it's near Bologna, so well situated, and it isn't as expensive as other cities (in terms of going out and renting apartments). Everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

With regard to the university I must say that what I like most is the number of examination periods they have for each exam. What I mean is that in my university for example, we have exams in February or June and some in September, but here they have 5 or 6 examination sessions a year so you have a much better chance of passing before summer. However, I'm not sure if it's the same for every degree, but for my degree (in pharmacology) they are oral exams, which is an added complication. The material in itself isn't exactly easy, and on top of that you have to do a speaking exam in another language and make sure you're understood.

What's the food like there?

The traditional food is really good, and I recommend making friends or trying to live with Italians to learn more about this. In Italy, the most traditional food is pasta and pizza, however there are many different ways of making this food and every region, and even every village, has a specific way of modifying these main dishes.

However, although the ingredients to make these dishes are cheap and accessible, there are others which are not. For example, this might not be the case in other cities or villages but here, perhaps because of where it's situated, it's difficult to find good quality fish or meat which isn't too expensive.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Ferrara?

Not at all. You can read some advice I gave in this article I wrote "Ferrara, el inicio. Llegada y búsqueda de apartamento". But to summarise, I spent the whole summer desperately looking for a flat and verbally agreeing with landlords on Facebook and they all fell through. In the end I decided to go to Ferrara and stay in an Airbnb for a week. During my first week there, I managed to find an apartment. Not only that, but the first flat my current housemate and I went to see was the one we stayed in for the whole year.

Perhaps it was pure luck, but I want to highlight that Ferrara is full of flats which are rented by students. They're empty not only during the summer months, but also in September (when a lot of people finish their exams), so sooner or later you will find something. Don't lose hope!

How much does it cost to live in Ferrara?

Ferrara isn't an expensive city amongst the cities in the north. My room costs €220 a month, excluding electricity, water and gas bills. It isn't expensive for a fairly big flat in the centre. There are more expensive flats and cheaper flats, it's just a question of looking around and being careful when it comes to signing your contract (make sure you know what's included and what's not).

What was the language like? Did you go to any courses at the university?

No, I thought about going the summer before but in the end, it was nothing more than just a thought. Even so, Italian is an easy language to understand and, if you make a little effort, to speak.

Also, with the OLS (Online Linguistic Support) you can do a short online course to improve or learn new things (especially vocabulary) which is really good and useful.

What is the cheapest way to get to Ferrara from your city?

The best option for me was to take a flight from Alicante, since I'm from Almería. As I've said before, I always use the Skyscanner application to find the best offers and dates to fly. Once I was here, I used a bus service (bus&fly) for the first time which leaves from the airport and takes you directly to Ferrara in an hour (it costs €15).

There are other options which I explain in the same post named above but if it's your first time doing this, I recommend doing it in the easiest and most direct way even if it's a little more expensive. Just for safety.

What places would you recommend going to on a night out in Ferrara?

In Ferrara there are a few places open until late but also, there's a good vibe no matter where you are, until a certain time. The places I mainly go to are called Arci Bolognese, Renfe and College.

The first two clubs require a card to go in and that costs €10. But once you've paid that, every time you want to go back, you only have to show your card and you get in for free.

College, on the other hand, is a club where most people have to pay a €10 entrance fee (no drink included) every time you go there, however for us, it costs €5 (with a drink included) because we're Erasmus students and have the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) card.

Additionally, when it starts to get hotter, in springtime the Erasmus students and other groups of people meet at the steps of the town hall with guitars, cajones (a boxed-shape drum from Peru) and other instruments, some alcohol and an urge to spend time singing or just chatting in the open air.

And what about eating? Can you tell us your favourite places to eat?

Ferrara has many great places you can go to for either aperitivo (snacks) or for more substantial food.

The aperitivo is more like a "pre" dinner in which the bars have a spread of snacks (buffet style) with slices of pizza, sandwiches, chips, something sweet, etc. You pay for your drink and then you can eat whatever you like. Depending on the place and what they have in their buffet, the price varies. A spritz for example, a very typical drink from here, could cost you between 3 and 10 euros. My favourite places for this are "Centro Storico", in the main square by the cathedral and the "De Settimo".

In addition, there are other places where you can have something more substantial for dinner. I would say the places I mainly go to are "Il gato bianco", "Il ciclone or "Este bar".

I must say that another thing I love here, and it's something which you can find in Italy in general, is the restaurants which have sushi buffets where you normally pay a fixed price and you can eat whatever you want from the menu. It's cheaper at lunchtime and more expensive at dinnertime.

And the culture?

In Ferrara, they promote culture quite a lot. On the first Sunday of every month museums and historic buildings are free for students. As well as this, once a year they hold an open day where they open a large number of places to the public. Not only museums and building such as the castle, but also churches and other places which are normally closed to the public. There are guided tours given by students from the schools, who tell you ancient stories and they put on mini shows about the era.

Another thing about Ferrara is that it has a lot of things going on, especially at weekends when they normally have medieval or food markets with some sort of show or party to celebrate different important dates. Every weekend you'll find something different going on in the city centre.

It also has its own website, Ferrara Terra e Acqua, with lots of information. You can see the programme of events, and also information about buildings, history and activities and trips which they have organised in the River Po Delta and other neighbouring cities. They are very interesting if you're a lover of nature.

Is there any advice you'd like to give to future students?

Every Erasmus experience is once-in-a-lifetime.

From my experience I can say that I have learnt a lot and I'm still learning a lot now. I have been in such surreal and strange situations, but also helpless ones. I have felt alone on occasions and on others crowded by people I barely knew. I cried so much when my housemates left, and I have cried with happiness for experiencing such special moments with people who are even more special to me. I have been scared, I have been insecure and confident at the same time about whether I was doing the right thing. I have travelled by boat, by plane, by train, by car, by bus, by bike and on foot. I have gone out at night, I have got drunk and I fell off my bike on my way home. I have met super special and important people, and others whose name I don't even remember. And I have seen places I never thought I would see...

Everything seems so much better, I mean every moment feels more intense when you spend so much time away from home, from your normality, speaking a different language, with people you barely know but in no time at all they become your family.

Therefore, I think that from everything I have experienced here, I have gained so much. Not only have I met amazing people, but also I have experienced huge personal changes which have made me more open-minded and has changed the way I see the world. It has made me want to be a better person, not just to others but to myself.

That's why my advice for future Erasmus students is to live your experience whatever it may be, without wanting to change it. My belief is that everything happens for a reason and that every moment or situation (good or bad) teaches you something new that perhaps you didn't know before, or it gives you something even better. Therefore, the only thing I can say is just go with the flow, enjoy every moment because whatever it's like, it will be YOUR experience, so unique and amazing like all experiences will be.