Erasmus Experience in Reykjavík, Iceland by Neža

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Why did you choose to go to Reykjavík, Iceland?

I wanted to go to a small island in the middle of the North Atlantic ocean. A melancholic dreamland.

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

You get scholarship for as long as you're obliged to be at the university, usually until the end of the exam period (in my case around 4 months). I receive 500€/month from the Erasmus exchange fund and additional 150€/month from our government foreign exchange fund.

What is the student lifestyle like in Reykjavík?

Exchange students in Reykjavik like to go to swimming pools, travel around and go out for a beer (but no crazy parties).

What is the food like?

You can buy anything you wish for in a supermarket, but traditionally they eat a lot of fish and lamb. They also love to eat sweets with licorice and their famous dairy product Skyr.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Reykjavík?

No.

How much does it cost to live in Reykjavík?

Costs in Reykjavik firstly depend on how much you pay for the rent. Personally, my monthly costs are approximately 600-700€ (rent included). Just some examples: a city bus ride - 2. 5€, beer in a bar - 6€, average price of a meal in a restaurant - 15-20€.

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

Icelandic is very distant to Slovenian and also quite difficult to learn. There is an Icelandic language course every student can take at the University of Iceland and it counts for credits (which also means it's free). Nevertheless, people understand and speak English very well all over the island. More or less all the signs are also in English as well.

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

The best option to get to Reykjavik is by plane. There are two low-price airlines flying to Keflavik Airport- Wow Air and Easy Jet. The nearest airports to Ljubljana with direct flights to Reykjavik are Milano or Salzburg.

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

Iceland has a really vibrant music scene. I would recommend Húrra, which is a comfortable bar where concerts are held. For example, Icelandic artists and bands like Soley and Low Roar played there just recently. The choice of bars is quite diverse, there is a queer bar Kiki, a posh discoteque B5 or rock bar Bar 11.

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

In regards to types of food the choice is quite wide- you can eat everything from Italian, to Vietnameese, Chinese, Thai, American, French, Scandinavian, Indian or Turkish cuisine. There are quite some fish restaurants and their hot dog stands are very popular. I can recommend soup in a bread bowl at Svarta Kaffi situated on the main street Laugavegur.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Iceland is a land of many museums. Just to mention a few in Reykjavik, there is the National Museum of Iceland, a nice photography museum, art museum, Saga museum and quite a few art galleries. Bio Paradiso is a cinema showing independent international films, there is a theater, an opera house. Among the most interesting museums, you can find a penis museum and rock'n'roll museum.

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

Be prepared to accept quite extreme weather conditions. It can be hard for some to adjust to a short daylight period during the winter months, everchanging weather and high costs. But if you're prepared for that you're gonna have the time of your life because Iceland is really amazing, especially in regards to landscape and music.