Erasmus Experience in Gdansk, Poland by Aitor

Why did you choose to go to Gdansk, Poland?

I really like Eastern Europe, and I always wanted to visit Poland, so Gdansk seemed like the place to go.

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

I get €250 every month for 5 months. It's not much, but at least I can pay the accommodation with it, and provided prices are really low here, living costs are not high for me.

What is the student lifestyle like in Gdansk?

The city is full of Erasmus students (warning: mostly Spanish), so student lifestyle is always vibrant and entertaining. There is always a party or event to go, and at ESN they organise lots of interesting events and trips.

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

The city and its surroundings are absolutely recommendable: quiet and nice, with a magnificent Old Town, and very good public transportation.

When it comes to university, like most people, I had many problems at first with paperworks and such. Organization there is very bad, and first weeks were a real pain in the ass. But eventually everything got solved and it's alright now.

What is the food like?

Food is not bad at all, and it's really really affordable, so that's never a problem.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Gdansk?

There are two options: student dormitories and renting a flat. Dormitories are not in very good condition, so I decided to go for a flat, but locals don't want to rent to Spanish students, so it was really exhausting to find one.

How much does it cost to live in Gdansk?

Life is really cheap here: flats cost somewhere between €150-250, depending if you share room or not. Food is very cheap as well, and in addition, you get great discounts for transportation and other activities with the Polish Student Card.

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

No. Polish is enormously difficult. Locals, especially young people, can usually communicate in English, so it's not worth trying to learn it seriously unless you really want to. However, there are courses available (at least at Univ. of Technology) for those who like real challenges.

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

I flew from Barcelona with Wizzair. It can be quite cheap if you book it early.

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

Sopot, a small town 15 min from Gdansk centre, is the place for party. An excellent student atmosphere can be found there almost any day. There are some nice pubs and clubs in Gdansk Old Town as well.

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

There are many nice restaurants in Old Town, and they're usually cheap, so the choice is really wide.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

As I mentioned before, Gdansk Old Town and the channel waterfront are really amazing. In my opinion, Długa street is the most beautiful street in the whole Poland. Sopot is also a nice place for a walk by the sea. In the vicinity, Malbork Castle, Hel Peninsula and Stutthof Concentration Camp are all 1 hour from Gdansk by train or bus, and must be seen.

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

You can find an excellent Erasmus atmosphere in a nice city, so it's 100% recommendable. Poland is absolutely safe and crime is almost unknown here, but note that some Polish people can be unfriendly with foreigners, so just keep that in mind and it'll be alright!