Erasmus Experience in Santiago de Compostela, Spain by Hédi

Why did you choose to go to Santiago de Compostela, Spain?

Because for me Santiago was the only option from Spain to choose. And I knew I wanted to spend my Erasmus in Spain. If I could have chosen, I would have gone to the south (because of the weather :) )

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

My scholarship is 5 months long. I got 2500 euros for the whole semester and it's more than enough.

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I was so afraid before departing because I had read on the internet that Spain is so expensive. Well, it's not. I am from Hungary and the prices are pretty much the same. Except for travelling, because here, in Spain it's much more expensive, but the quality is much higher though.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Santiago de Compostela?

Not at all. I looked for accommodation on the Internet. So it was only time to spend, not money.

On Erasmusu, on Facebook, on Pisocompartido, there are plenty of announcements!

How much does it cost to live in Santiago de Compostela?

In my case I could have spent only 300 a month. Flat+food together. But I travelled sometimes and as I mentioned it costs so much.

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

In Santiago, there are two languages spoken. Castellano and Gallego (which is more or less Portuguese). There are many language courses offered by the university. One just has to visit the CLM (Centro de Linguas Modernas) and ask for more information. Everybody is so friendly there. They will act like they don't speak English, but some of them do. :)

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Santiago de Compostela from your city?

I am from Jászberény. So I can use several means of transport to get to the airport in Budapest. For example the bus. I take a bus to Budapest, then with the 200E bus, I can travel to the International airport. Then from Budapest, I think the best choice is to travel to Barcelona and then to Santiago (Ryanair). But it's possible to travel to Madrid and then to Santiago (Ryanair). There are everyday flights!

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Santiago de Compostela?

100 Montaditos. It is in the old town, so cheap! Well, it's not a restaurant, there are good beers and tapas there.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Cathedral, the old town. Well, I think all the city is so full of culture. Worth visiting.

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

Have comfortable clothes that you think you won't sweat it! Believe me, you will, humidity is almost always 100%.