Erasmus Experience in Gdansk, Poland by Pablo

Why did you choose to go to Gdansk, Poland?

I wanted something different... I wanted a country that wasn't one that Spanish people would normally choose... but there were a lot of people who had had the same thoughts as I did. Aside from this, the classes were taught in English.

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

Mine was for 9 months. In the year 2009/2010, I got €425 a month approximately.

What is the student lifestyle like in Gdansk?

Well... all of the faculties (at the Gdansk Polytechnic) are close together. It's nothing like Salamanca... but it's worth going there. It's a tourist city more than a student city.

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

Absolutely. It's a beautiful city and the atmosphere is really good. The uni is good... you have to do some work at any rate.

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What is the food like there?

It's different, but it's good, apart from the beetroot soup and some other things. Be open to everything!

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Gdansk?

No. I was in one of the university Residences (dormitory studenki). Book it far in advance... have a look on the ESN website to find out more about accommodation.

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How much does it cost to live in Gdansk?

Living in the residence, it costs about €85-90 a month (for a double room for each person), a flat costs €180-220 per person.

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

Well... you can learn it if you want to. It's pretty difficult, but it's worth the effort to be able to understand people on a basic level.

There was a course for Erasmus students for 1-2 hours a week. I went to one and it wasn't bad actually.

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

When I travelled from Valladolid, I went to Alicante by train and then I took a flight with Ryanair to Gdansk. Now I think that you can only fly to Gdansk from Barcelona airport.

Where would you recommend for a night out in Gdansk?

• Parlament
• Kwadratowa
• Nowa Republika

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

• The European Solidarity Centre
• The shipyard
• Stuttof concentration camp
• The historic centre (stare miasto)

Do you have any advice for students going to Gdansk in the future?

Don't worry about anything... it might seem far away and like a totally different world... but it's really worth going there. I already want to keep doing my Erasmus!

As the Polish say: "na zdrowie"