Foggia, the city you shouldn't go to...!

Why did you choose to go to Foggia, Italy>

Because I wanted to go on an exchange which wasn't on the normal lists, and it was either Foggia or Turkey.

How long did you scholarship last? How much were you paid?

My scholarship lasted for nine months. I received the first installment, which is half of the total amount, at the end of January. I arrived in Italy in September and I'll receive the remainder of the grant after I had finished my exchange. I receive 600 euros per month.

What’s the student life like in Foggia?

…

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

It depends on what you’re looking for.

I study medicine, so I was at the clinic from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 1pm, and then in classes Monday to Friday from 2pm to 7pm. I didn’t really have much time left to do anything else.

What’s the food like in Foggia?

I didn’t usually eat out anywhere, and the opening hours here are a bit strange: restaurants are closed at 2pm, and pizzerias are only open in the evenings.

How did you find your accommodation?

The university has a lot of student flats on offer, but they’re all really old and not very well-kept, so I rent privately.

What is the price of accommodation like? How expensive is living in Foggia in general?

The basic rent for my flat is 600 euros, which was a pleasant surprise. The android pays the community tax and something they call ‘condominio’, but I have to pay for water, electricity and gas myself, bringing the total rent up to over 900 euros a month.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language class at the university?

The language is actually a lot easier than I expected it to be, and yes, I signed up to an intensive Italian course.

What’s the cheapest way of getting to Foggia from your home city?

I’m from the Canary Islands, so flying is the best way to get there. I usually fly to Rome and then get a train from there. If you buy you train ticket online and at least two weeks in advance, you can get quite a good deal - around 22 euros for the journey.

What are the best places for partying in Foggia?

As I’ve already mentioned, I didn’t get to go out very much, as I didn’t have very much time left over from my studies and really I’m not that into going out either. Foggia itself is quite small though. There’s a place called ‘La piazzeta’ where everyone always goes to, and there are lots of small pubs, this being the area that most people tend to go though. There are some clubs on the outskirts, but I never went there.

Something guys had better note: because Foggia’s a small city, the girls there aren’t usually interested in Erasmus guys. Believe me, I’ve always had quite a good success rate with ladies and here I’m not doing well at all. When you go out, the Italian guys are quite competitive and they’re interested in the Erasmus girls, but they’re quite protective of the Italian girls - there’s a lot of sexism. So, you’ll have to be content with just getting with Erasmus girls.

What about eating out in Foggia? What are your favourite places?

I don’t have any, sorry!

What does Foggia have to offer in terms of culture?

There’s an organisation called ESN (Erasmus Student Network) which organises culture and leisure trips, and they also organise parties in clubs.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Foggia?

The truth is that I’m quite disappointed with my Erasmus exchange. In classes, I often don’t understand anything, and the professor doesn’t really help you with this. Some of them speak English, as I do, and they will explain things to you in English if you ask. I shouldn’t really be saying this, but for two of my exams, I passed just because I turned up. I participate in class and always try to answer questions, and ask them when I don’t understand something, but there are some professors who don't like that. I’ve found it quite easy so far, though I still have three exams remaining.

I have friends in other faculties who have failed and are bitter about it, but to be honest, that's a load of crap - if you really don't understand anything, then just learn the Harrison book off by heart and you'll be fine.

In terms of my classmates, they all introduced themselves to me on my first day, added me on Facebook and invited me to stuff with them. They’re really lovely people.

Be careful on the roads in Foggia as the Italians are awful drivers: when I say watch out, I mean that there’s a real danger that you’ll get run over, since traffic laws just don’t seem to exist here. They hand people their driving licenses on a plate, and everyone drives with their phone in their hand, or with their headphones in…and the police do nothing about it.

Everything is super expensive here. I don’t know about you, but I like to look after myself: I go to the gym, keep track of my diet, etc., and here a 400g can of tuna costs 8 euros. This is the best example I can give you of how expensive it is. All the food is greasy, and salty. Aquí los cardiópatas e hipertensos han de pasarlo mal, muy mal. The gyms are a rip-off, but there is a new one opened by a professor from my faculty which is cheap enough and has good opening hours: the others are usually only open in the afternoon and are real rip-offs. If you buy protein shakes or vitamin supplements, get ready to dig deep; but you can buy them online for a much more reasonable price.

If anyone wants any more information about my experience, they can message me.