Erasmus Experience in Reykjavík, Iceland by David

Why did you choose to go to Reykjavík, Iceland?

I think Iceland is one of the most fascinating places in Europe. It's definitely a crazy destination. I was really attracted by the nature and the awesome landscapes.

Icelandic people are also great people to party with and they all speak English very well so you don't need to speak Icelandic. It's a great place to improve your English.

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

I received about 300 euros per month during the 4 months of the semester.

What is the student lifestyle like in Reykjavík?

As a student I was welcomed very well. A lot of parties, trips and events were organized so you can meet new friends really easily even if you're not very sociable. The night life is great too.

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

The university is very modern. They have a lot of equipment and the buildings are really nice. There's a gym, a cinema, a restaurant and a library. There's everything you need and more! It's by far the most modern and best equipped university I've ever been to.

On the other hand, the courses and lectures which they offer are nothing special really, they're just normal lectures and lessons. For the group assignments I would recommend to choose a group with only exchange students because then, everybody will be speaking in English. I had an unpleasant experience with a group assignment with a group of Icelandic people who were speaking Icelandic all the time so it was hard to really get into it.

Reykjavik is a lovely city. It's really cosmopolitan. It's really quiet and peaceful so you can get rid of all the stress from your country there and at the same time Icelandic people go crazy on Friday and Saturday nights, they party really hard. It's peaceful and tranquil but not boring at all. The city is very small for a capital but that's what gives it its charm. Everybody knows each other there.

If you're a fan of music, you will love Reykjavik. It's very impressive how active and dynamic the music scene is in Iceland despite the fact that there are only 320 000 inhabitants. It's like half of the population are musicians. However, you won't see big rock or pop stars there, alternative music is the most popular type in Iceland. It's an opportunity to discover different kinds of music that you're not yet familiar with. There are lots of bars that host concerts all year and also there is a lot of festivals.

What is the food like?

There's nothing special about the food really... If you like fish and lamb you will like the Icelandic cuisine. Otherwise, it's just normal food.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Reykjavík?

I took care of that as soon as I could and you should do the same to get the best accommodation. Try as hard as you can to find accommodation within the 101 area (downtown Reykjavik) so you will be really close to everything you need, such as shops and the nightlife. The university is only 10-20 minute walk from there.

I lived in a guesthouse Aurora. I recommend it because I was pretty satisfied. Guest Inn, Thor and Loki are well located too.

How much does it cost to live in Reykjavík?

About 70 000 - 80 000 kronas per month (about 500 euros) for the accommodation.

It's probably one of the most expensive places in the world - that's probably the only disadvantage that I can give to Iceland. It's very expensive! A beer costs about 6. 50 euros (1000 kronas).

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

If you're not from a Scandinavian country it will be a big challenge for you to learn Icelandic.

For me, it was actually almost impossible to properly pronounce any word and if you're only there for one semester I don't think you will learn much anyway. I met some very hard-working people who were very motivated to learn this language and they managed to reach a good level after 4 months. However, if you're not really good at learning languages and you don't have a special reason or motivation to learn Icelandic, try to convince your home university to do a course in English about Icelandic culture and history instead - it's definitely more worthwhile. All Icelandic people speak English very well and they are used to speaking it all the time.

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

From Paris to Iceland there's only one option: plane.

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

There are plenty of bars with greats vibes:

• Kaffibarinn
• Húrra
• Kaldi
• B5
• Bar 11
• Dolly
• The English Pub
• The Lebowski Bar

You can watch live shows in a lot of these places.

Don't go to Hresso and Bjarni Fel. Those places are not good.

If you get a chance, go see a show in Harpa - it's really worth it, it's an awesome place.

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

K bar on Laugavegur and sea food restaurants.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The National Gallery and the Penis Museum (Iceland is a bit special).

The great spots to visit in Iceland are countless. If you're travelling around the country you can basically take a great photo everywhere. You will feel like you're on another planet. That's why many movies and tv shows (Game of Thrones! ) were shot in Iceland.

If you like nature you have to go there, it's probably one of the best destinations in the world for you. For me, 4 months were not enough to go see all of the places that I wanted to see there.

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The Golden Cirlce and Geysir are the most touristic places. Snafellsness, Skaftafell, glacer lagoon, Landmanlaugur, the Westfjords - they're all amazing!

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

First of all, be sure that you can afford it!

If you're European, the plane ticket will be cheaper than if you were to choose to go to, for example, Canada. At the end of it, you'll probably pay way more in Iceland anyway because the cost of living there is very high. If you can afford it, don't think twice about it and just go there!

• Make sure you find accommodation located in the 101 area.
• Travel around the country as much as possible.
• If you go during winter always check the weather!
• Remember that it's better to see some things in the summer.
• Don't bring your umbrella, it doesn't help that much with the wind.
• For beers, try Einstök, it's great. All the others suck.

Have fun!