Erasmus in Palermo, Italy

Why did you choose to go to Palermo, Italy?

It was the destination where the subjects were most suited to the ones I was doing and because it was a cheap city, too.

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How long was the scholarship? How much financial help did you receive?

I was there for 10 months. It depends on the region you're from, being from Murcia, I got €260 a month. Then I got €110 a month from the MEC (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport) for 8 months and €110 a month from the EU.

What is the student lifestyle in Palermo?

University is different there, the professors do everything in their own time, the exams might not end up being on the day you're told originally, etc. What you have to keep in mind is that official dates do not matter at all there, once you realise this (it's a lot to process), you'll be a lot better off. In fact, you can even take advantage of the lack of formality. With my professor, I got to choose the day that was best for me to take an exam Totally unimaginable in Spain.

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

Regarding the university, you have to be patient and not lose hope. Depending on which faculty you're in, you'll be better or worse off. My faculty had several bases, for some everything was very modern, and for others the facilities were 30 years old.

Fuente

The city is chaotic, dirty and noisy. It has a lot of life, in the daytime as well as the night. The historic centre is in a very bad state, but there's a certain charm in wandering through the paved streets, amongst the old buildings. I really liked it, but it's definitely quite shocking in the beginning.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Palermo?

To find accommodation, I'd recommend you go on Erasmus Facebook groups for Palermo, because there are a lot of offers for flats and people looking for flatmates. I did this and so I had a flat when I got there. But I was really lucky, sometimes it's best to go and see the place in person before you decide to take it.

How much does it cost to live in Palermo?

I paid €190 a month for rent. Food shopping is more expensive than it is in Spain, but going out and eating out is really cheap. I would say you need about €400-450 a month.

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Do you have any advice for future students in Palermo?

Above all, chill out. Don't despair when you get there and don't like how the city looks or the glacial pace of the universities, you will definitely have to do a lot of trips to your faculty and to international relations.

I'd especially recommend that you rent a flat in the historic centre, the price is good and it's close to where you'll be hanging out. Do not rent a flat opposite the university, because it's far away from where you'll be going out and it's not a very pleasant nor advisable place to walk at night. Always try not to have to walk alone at night if you live far away or you have to go through alleyways to get home, because I've known of a few people getting their purses and things like that stolen. Although it's not that common, I never got robbed.

For food shopping, keep in mind that they'll charge you however much they want at the market, so keep an eye on it, it's better to ask for thing by price rather than by the kilogram. Meaning, €2 of apples, because then you already know how much you're paying. Carrefour is expensive, but they do have a deals section at the entrance and from time to time you'll be able to get some real bargains.

For going out, you'll get into it without any problems: Ballarò, Vucciria, Magione, Must and there are clubs further out of the centre. There are some really cheap to eat at (pasta for €2, pizzas for €3). Go for a pistacchio cream ice cream at Brioscià!

Have a great time in Palermo and make sure you go and visit the rest of Sicily.