An Erasmus year in the middle of the Ocean

Why did you decide to go to Tenerife, Spain?

I have to say that the choice to go to Tenerife in the academic year 2016/2016 for Erasmus was a very casual choice. Also because in the given destination choices, reading Tenerife, I thought to myself naively "why is there a university there? " However, I was very interested in Spain, but I wasn't really interested in the classic destinations that I had already seen, and so I thought I'd give it a go and it was truly worth it!

How long does the Erasmus grant last? How much money did you receive as support?

Being a psychology student from Sapienza, Erasus funding for Tenerife was for just 6 months. I would like to write a brief paragraph regarding the fact that, the study grant and the money is not based on the period of time foreseen by Erasmus, but on the actual amount of days spent in the destination city, proven by certification that will be signed by the host university at the start and end of your Erasmus stay. For the compensation amount, every student will receive a grant from the European Union amounting to 230 Euros per month, with an additional offer of 200 euros per month for outgoing Sapienza students and others approximately 60 euros provided monthly by MIUR. Essentially for my 5 or so months stay in Tenerife I received almost 500 euros per month.

What is student life like in Tenerife?

The University of Tenerife (ULL) is divided into 2 central campuses other than a few separate places, but mainly in the perimeter of the town of San Cristobal de La Laguna and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The student life is very enjoyable, and the enormous amounts of available space in the university make it an interesting place to spend time outside of lessons. The canteens inside of each faculty have excellent prices at lunchtime, for a coffee (here I have to warn you that coffee like it is in Italy will be very difficult to find here) or just to sip a beer at the end of classes. The open spaces inside the Campus, thanks to the excellent climate of the island for most part of the year, are a great recreational place, for leisure and for getting to know other students. Then, studying in the library on the top floor of the Guajara campus is spectacular:

Would you recommend the city and the university of Tenerife to other students?

Absolutely yes! Living in San Cristobal de La Laguna for a period of time is a fantastic experience that I would recommend to everyone. The town is hospitable but at the same time small ad full of people of the same age as us, as the university is only a few minutes away. Additionally the island, although small but also varied in climate and landscape, is very beautiful for spending your spare time to do some tours "outside the gates", from sea to the mountains or from forests to the city. the university is exciting, but one of those that depends also a lot on the professor of each course, on the chosen exam and the time you dedicate to studying. The peculiarity of all of Spain, regarding the university, is the existence of continued evaluation, which will be explained to you once you have arrived there.

What's the food like there?

The food on the island, or in general all of the Canary Islands, is something that you absolutely have to try. From Meat to Queso Asado, from Papas Arrugadas to salsa Mojo. The typical dishes of Tenerife are predominately very cheap. Like we have Taverns or restaurants in Italy, in Tenerife you definitely have to try the Guachinches all around the island. The Guachinche restaurants can be found on every island, on the internet you can find maps where they can be pointed out, or it is also available on mobile Apps that let you know when the Guachinches are close by to you. A typical meal in the Guachinches is based on tapas (finger food) and meat will cost you, including wine, approximately ten euros. Another excellent alternative in Tenerife to eat, is having lunch or dinner based on fish. San Miguel de Tajao is a small village in the south of the island, famous for its numerous restaurant dedicated to freshly produced fish. The funny thing about these restaurants is that when you enter, they take you to a counter of fish and you can choose directly the fish that you want to be cooked and served, and at the end the price will be calculated by the kilo of the selected fish. Even here with the maximum price of 15 euros you can eat very well, including wine, coffee and an appetiser.

How did you find accommodation?

To find accommodation in San Cristobal de La Laguna (better than in Santa Cruz, for distance to the university than university life), my advice would be to arrive there in the first few days of September, before the beginning of the "House Hunt", when thousands of students aren't there. I personally preferred to book a hotel for a few days, as I arrived there and had the possibility to look round the whole city, other than meeting people in the hostel to help me successfully find a house. After two days I was already in my new house.

What is the cost of rent? What were the general living costs there?

Rent ranges usually from 150-200 euros a month, obviously depending on a series of factors, such as the size of the house or the room, if there are any communal areas such as a living room or a balcony, if the usage of electricity, gas and water is included or not. A piece of advice? If you take a room, where the contact states that the appliances are already included, you can really save a lot of time that you would otherwise waste on saving for bills.

For the living costs in Tenerife, being in an area with special status in the canaries, the VAT of 7% influences a lot on the costs of living, already a lot less then being in Spain. Regarding supermarkets, I recommend you use Mercadona, as it has the best quality-price ratio.

How is it going with the language? Have you attended any courses at the university?

The university offers courses with varying levels for Erasmus students, which are very useful and well organised. Personally instead of benefitting from the Spanish language courses, I preferred to live in a house with Spanish people at home, giving me the opportunity and the necessity to improve myself everyday, other than just making friends at university. Whilst at the start of Erasmus my Spanish was really bad, already after two months I was getting calmer at communicating and understanding, obviously looking always to improve. Another piece of advice? Ask everyone that you speak with in Spanish to correct you, always. And if you feel embarrassed to ask the meaning of something that you don't understand, do it all the same, it is the best way to learn.

What's the cheapest way to travel to Tenerife from your city?

From Rome, there are direct flights to south Tenerife. Then, from there you can take the bus to the northern part of the island. I found it a lot more comfortable to fly to Barcelona from Rome first and then take a direct flight form the airport to North Tenerife, that puts you only 10 minutes from the centre to Laguna by bus. Taxis are also very comfortable and would advise you to take one if you have a just arrived in Tenerife with all your suitcases for the next few months of your life!

What places do you recommend for going out during the evening in Tenerife?

In the small town of La Laguna (San Cristobal) you will find in the four sided zone many, many bars, more or less interesting in accordance to your tastes. Personally in this area, the bars that I preferred, were the 'Pirata brasiliero' and the 'Blues Bar'. Heading towards the centre, 'Il Rincon de TinTin' is definitely one of the best bars in the city, that offers brilliant concerts and entertainment. Other than the beer, the prices are really cheap. 'L'Aguere' is an excellent alternative for when the bars close and you want to go dancing, yet again in the centre of the city. Otherwise many bars such as 'Calle Dr. Antonio Gonzalez', transform into small discos until 5 in the morning on the weekend.

At Santa Cruz de Tenerife, places to go out to during the evening are countless, depending on the area, your interests and the events on during that period. You absolutely cannot miss the Carnival of Tenerife in Santa Cruz, reputed as one of the biggest carnivals in the world after Rio de Janeiro.

Are there cultural places to visit?

More than cultural places, being an island with a small culture and very isolated from mainland Europe, I recommend that you lose yourself in a few walks. The island with its 80km length from north to south, is a never-ending plain of beautiful beaches, majestic forests and spectacular panoramas. The peculiar thing about the island of Tenerife compared to other islands of the canaries, is the presence of the Teide, a volcano of over 3, 700 metres, amongst the biggest in the world. Go there more than once to do a day trip, to observe the views, to scale or to climb up in the cable car to the summit, admire the stars of the night, you will not regret it! Rent a car if you can, as in a group of 4-5 it will cost very little for a day and to go for a trip with tents is astonishing!

What advice would you give to future students of Tenerife?

The one single piece of advice that I would give to anyone that goes, or on Erasmus in general, is to not waste time whilst you're there. We only get the chance once or twice, the possibility to take part "in Erasmus" at the university, and it is one of the best experiences that you can do in your life, according to me. Discover, explore, meet new people, travel. And if you had to stop and think that it's not all worth it, that you miss your home, open the door and go wherever you can, because on Erasmus every street corner, every moment of the day can bring you new opportunities and experiences that you will carry in your memories forever.

Safe Travels!