Erasmus Experience in Pecs, Hungary by George

Why did you choose to go to Pecs, Hungary?

My friends where there before, they had only positive rmearks about the city the people and the whole vibe.

In 2010 it was capital of culture of Europe last but not least it is an awsome place to be in Spring, it is central from there you could go and visit the rest of Eastern europe ( from Tcheque Republic, to Croatia passing by Romania)

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

1 semester or 2 semester depending on what you which for.
we recieved approx 350 Euros per month

What is the student lifestyle like in Pecs?

well to be honest the first week it was integration week so trying to knwo many people remembering names and so on.

Then slowly you get used to seeing the same faces day after day and you get comfortable with them. From Day until last day ( except during exam period) it is PHENOMENAL. parties, discovering the surroundings, the locals the diffrent foods from all the fellow erasmus students living in the same floor i ll never forget the 4am after nightclub Tagliatelle or Sangria nights ....

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

Definitely, it is worth the detour besides the erasmus students you have full time internaitonal students in the faculty of medicine dentistry pharmacology and business.

What is the food like?

well you got to google to see the pictures but in general full of flavours ( those hungarians sure love the Paprika :D)
and also heavy foods, i would advice you to find a small restaurant to try the food, my favorite was brashowi ( potatoes and meet all fried in a pan and Toltot Pprika, filled paprika with rice and meat).

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Pecs?

we lived in a dormitory : Bozorkany dormitory

some erasmus people rented flats but at the end they came to the dorms cuz the parties where better there ;)

How much does it cost to live in Pecs?

i would say that with 500 euros per month you live like a boss but for us Eramus 300-400 euros was good .

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

the language is HARD but it is learnable :) you have language courses that are offered, but basically thank you is kozonom and hello is Szia also it means goodbye depending on when you use it.

also very important pussy actually means a kiss on the cheek in Hungarian language so dont be shocked if you hear it often :D

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

Train 3000 huf with student discount approx 14 euros. it take approx 3 hours

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

Oo hard question. there are many places but you can choose from pubs to clubs.

Basically thhe party is where your friends are but as personal choice i would recomend Pecsi est cafe ( which is a nightclub despite the name)

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

another tough question, everything is good if you want international food i would recommend REPLAY or Murphies for some traditional food i would say Tetye etterem or the Pezgo haz ( aka the swedish restaurant, because of the flag at the entrance)

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

well the Dom
the mosque which is a church
the hills of Pecs Tettye with an amazing vue
the Unesco heritage site : Roman Catacombs
Kiraly Utca Sinhaz ( theater)

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

Get ot know other people, other cultures, dont be closed minded on trying new food, enjoy as much as you can and dont forget to open your books a bit cuz time goes fast and exam period sometimes comes unexpected and knocks you a bit :D

Also when going to Budapest buy a metro ticket and dont go inside random taxi drivers they might try to rip you off :)

besides that stay safe and have a nice trip.