Erasmus Experience in Melilla, Spain by Nora

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Why did you choose to go to Melilla, Spain?

I have chosen to go to Melilla because I thought it might be a different kind of Erasmus experience. It´s a small town and the university, which belongs to the University of Granada, isn´t that big. The professors are nice and you get the feeling that people care about you.

Of course I was also interested in the situation about the border of Europe. Because of the big fence who splits Melilla in Europe and the other part of the country in Morocco - Africa, it´s a very special situation which I think everybody who lives in Europe should know about.

I also liked the fact that you can travel to Morocco easily if you live in Melilla.

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

The scholarship is 5 month long. I get support from the OAD, where I get a little money from the EU. It´s good to have this support, because living is not that cheap in Melilla, I guess it´s because of the limited space.

What is the student lifestyle like in Melilla?

Student life is kind of different for me, because I´m making an internship at a school and am not often at the university. Teaching staff at school and university is really friendly.

I live in a shared house and share a room with another Erasmus student.

In Melilla you will learn speaking Spanish easily because not so many people speak English. The most progress in speaking Spanish I made while talking to other students, so don´t be shy!

Night live in Melilla isn´t bad, but after three weeks you will recognise that it´s quite the same every weekend. It´s getting warmer now and people told me that there will be some parties at the beach... so let´s see what summer brings!

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

I would recommend Melilla to people who want to do a different kind of Erasmus semester. Of course you will be confronted with the situation of "Europe in Africa"and will have to handle the fact that you are in a small enclave.

If you want to learn speaking Spanish, live at the seaside, go swimming after university, meet locals, party, enjoy the good weather, have the opportunity to travel to Morocco easily and much more you should definitely go there!

What is the food like?

The food is very European. There are many grocery stores and you can buy nearly everything. In Melilla you can eat good Spanish food. There are many tapas bars and there are good restaurants for eating fish. In summertime there are many ice-cream stores.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Melilla?

I got a lot of help from university and other students to find an accommodation. I preferred living in a shared flat. There is also the opportunity to live in a hotel (hotel Anfora) or student housings.

How much does it cost to live in Melilla?

I think it can be compared with other Spanish cities. For a beer served with tapas you will pay 2, 50 € in a good situated tapas bar.

The rent is a bit more expensive compared to the costs of food. Student housing is more expensive than living in a shared flat.

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

There were no language courses available for me. In the beginning it was quite hard because I didn´t know a word in Spanish. After some time you will get familiar with the language. It helps if you study a bit on your own and maybe you will find a tandem partner (English - Spanish).

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

I arrived by plane. You can also get there by ferry. There is for example a ferry from Málaga to Melilla.

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

Nightlife in Spain starts very late. I would recommend to go to a tapas bar at first, afterwards you can go to a bar and at around 3 in the morning you can go to the port, where some clubs are situated.

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

There are many good restaurants who serve “Spanish cuisine“.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There are 3 museums which can be visited for free. The old town is very nice and there is a cinema too. At the cinema they play one movie each week. There is also a theatre and the locals of Melilla often make some spectacles in the streets for special occasions (carnaval, Easter... ).

Is there any other advice that you could give to future students who are going to Melilla?

If you stay in Melilla for more than 6 months, you can apply for a travel document which gives you the possibility to get discount on travels to the Spanish main land.

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