Spanisches Chaos

Why did you decide to go to Madrid in Spain?

Since I was in my last semester of university I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to broaden my horizons. The main reason why I decided to apply for Madrid was the Spanish language, which I tried to learn during my studies. The university (Autonoma) even offered African studies, which are highly interesting to me as Political Science student. Moreover, Madrid is the one capital that really makes me feel alive. After Bielefeld, Gütersloh, Paderborn and Duisburg, the moving into a "real" city was important.

Quelle

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive

Around 5 months, 650 Euro (5x130€) if I can keep the money and if I do not fail the courses, which would make me have to pay it back.

How is student life in Madrid

Madrid is always lively and busy. You can go out every night. I have not made any bad expierences with foreigners and all the people are very welcoming. You notice the unemployment rate of 20%. Many people are asking for money, e. g. in the tram or on the way to university by showing pictures of their children. Moreover, many people are searching trashbags.

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

Madrid as an amazing city, but expensive. The university has an amazing campus and great equipment. The Erasmus network esnuam offers great trips. The professors are all experienced and helpful. The administration of the university Autonoma is a complete catastrophe. I had to choose and reach in my courses until the 31. 10. 2010 for the summer semester 2011 (which started for me at the 24. 01. 2011). After this, the "international office" of my faculty (law/derecho) has not been not capable for 2, 5 months of contacting the faculty of philosophy in order to confirm the courses that I have chosen from that faculty.

Since there is also a central administration of the Erasmus students, the international office of the university Autonoma, I had to go to and visit three different offices for 5 weeks until I had fulfilled all the Erasmus and specific university conditions. This took until the first of March until everything was figured out. Worth mentioning is that the deadlines provided by one faculty made it impossible to stay within the deadlines of the other faculty. In the faculty of Philosophy I was told that, even though being confirmed by professors (which courses I already had been attending for 4 weeks), I could not be enrolled since some of the philosophy students were priority in the enrolling process for one week (as a Political science student I was belonging to the faculty of the law/derecho faculty).

I could not wait for one more week for the confirmation due to the deadline by the law faculty (which was already running out in out week before). Both offices put the blame on the other one and none of them took responsibility. This type of bureaucracy made feel to be pretty self only on myself.

You really have to annoy the working staff until they provide you with all the necessary information.

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Another point is the very unclear website where you are supposed to choose your courses. Every faculty has its own system and the choosing, or even finding of courses is very difficult. This makes the choosing of courses from different faculties very challenging (even though this opportunity exists for Erasmus students). Moreover, I had to choose 51% of all my courses (in ECTS-credit points) from my law faculty. In my case, it was unclear what happens with the other credit points of the philosophy faculty in case I would fail these courses. In order to choose these courses from the philosphy faculty, I had to include other courses from the law faculty, even though I did not attend them, only in order to stay within this regulation.

My first few weeks felt like, apart from being fulltime studying, existing mostly only on looking for an accomodation and managing the chaotic bureaucratic requirements.

Unfortunately, the courses that I chose were so stressful that in the the first ten weeks of my stay, I have not had the time to really enjoy my stay.

Moreover, with all these deadlines I did not even have the time to focus on learning Spanish.

To manage that enormous workload, only Google-Translator helped me (which is not the sense of learning a new language). I have met here two types of Erasmus students. The first ones were the type of person who almost had a burnout and mental breakdown, while the other ones did not have to do anything. The second type for example, only had to be enrolled in a course (but not necessary passing it) in order to receive the Erasmus scholarship. It is very annoying to be, due to the money, constantly under the pressure, which really annoyed me during my stay.

Unfortunately I am not the only case like this. Some other students had, due to miscommunication with Autonoma, to go back home since they could not fulfill the conditions of their home university. Others just gave up to the bureaucracy and just "lived" in Madrid.

How is the national cuisine?

Since many different cafeterias / mensas exist, there a major differences in price and quality. I remember the hospitality to be one of the best experiences. For 5€ you can get a 3 course day menu. A plate of pasta costs 2, 85€, which is twice as expensive as in the mensa in Duisburg. Spanish students still cannot afford to eat this daily and bring their own food from home.

In the cafeteria of the law faculty I ate the worst Paella of my life. What I would have thrown into trash, landed there on the plate.

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How did you find your accomodation?

The website which offered the best information, at least for me, was idealista. The sending of emails was not leading to any success. As soon as you found something you liked, you directly had to make a call and just be lucky. I had to visit around 15 rooms and most of them are a nightmare. Rooms that are uploaded without a picture mostly had not even a window inlcuded. These type of rooms were offered for für 300 Euro with furniture (6qm). Sometimes even shared rooms were offered as individual rooms. For example a 18qm room with high sleeper and below, a seperated area = 2 rooms + living room, each for 325€.

How are the prices for accommodation? How are prices generally?

The cost of living are around 800€. Since there are also several study trips offered, you should plan 500€ more per semester in advance.

After 8 days of intensive looking for a fitting 6qm room, I found one that was furnished and with window for 365 Euros, which even inlcuded an own bathroom (which is very luxury). This was more in the southern from the city center of Atocha

Dieses liegt südlich des Stadtkerns bei Atocha. A real bargain. eOther students were less lucky less lucky, since they had to pay up to 500 Euro and still had, due to troubles with the landlord, move out after only 4 weeks. A problem that exists here is the financial crisis of the people, caused by the economical crisis. Many landlords rent out rooms in their own flat or accommodation, since they need the money. Many people are just not the type of person that likes to live in a shared flat. With a student lifestyle, this make the living-together very challenging.

Life is very expensive here. Certain products cost twice as much in supermarkets as in Germany.

You usually pay more before you can go figure out where to go shopping cheaply. The products in the supermarkets "Día" are payable.

Is the language easy to understand? Are language courses offered by university?

I tried to learn the language in Germany before my stay. It has not worked out. The university offers language courses, but not sufficient space. You have to be fast in the start in order to get a place. I have attended a course, but I learned much more with my Spanish speaking flatmate and other students rather than by the language courses of the university.

What is the cheapest way to get to the city of Madrid?

The cheapest way to get from Nord-Rhein-Westfalen to Madrid is by flying with Air Berlin or Ryanair. Traveling by bus is twice as expensive and takes the four times the amount of time.

What is the best place in Madrid to party?

Centro and Chueca.

And what about food? Can you recommend some restaurants in Madrid?

Food is something for tourists. Usually, students cannot afford it.Essen gehen ist was für Touristen.

What about sightseeing?

• Museums: Prado, Reina Sofia
• La estación de Atocha
• Retiro Park

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Do you want to give any more advice to further students who are going to be on exchange in Madrid?

I recommend to look for a room after you arrive in the city, as a lot of scam is offered in the internet. Do not let the hostel be booked by your university. They will send to a hostel that has the same price range as a hotel. Instead, I recommend the Catshostel (catshostel), which costs around 15€ per night (including breakfast) and offers guides that show you around the nightlife in Madrid. Moreover, you will meet some of the other Erasmus students.

Especially women should be watching out for their handbags, as pickpocketing is common, especially in the metro.

I can only recommend every Erasmusstudent not just to calculate the Erasmus money but also try to have a good student time abroad. The regulations are chaotic and do not make sense. If you fail your courses and have to pay back the money in end... then you made everything wrong. If you do not have further financial sources, you should study here. The cost of living is 300 Euro more than in Germany. The 130 Euro from the EU are not sufficient for this.

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