Erasmus Experience in Timisoara, Romania by Ju

Why did you choose to go to Timisoara, Romania?

I chose to go to Romania because I wanted to experience a different culture, a different way of life. Timisoara appeared to me as the perfect place for that since it's a medium-sized town, close to the Hungarian and Serbian borders, which is perfect for travelling!

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

I only stayed there for summer practice, I received 400€ for 2 months.

What is the student lifestyle like in Timisoara?

I don't get the chance to experience the student lifestyle since it was the summer holidays.

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

I would recommend it!

What is the food like?

The food is good and cheap. It's mostly meat and potatoes. Desserts are really good as well.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Timisoara?

Yes, it was quite hard to find accommodation.

How much does it cost to live in Timisoara?

Life is very cheap compared to western Europe. Everything is half the price as in France or Germany for instance.

You can eat for 5€ in a restaurant. A pint of beer is less than 2€. Bus ticket for 0,50€. Accommodation for about 150-200 €/month depending on the type of accommodation.

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

Romanian is a Latin language, so if you speak the Latin language such as Spanish/Portuguese/Italian it's quite easy to use understand some words.

However, not everyone speaks English, which makes communication a bit difficult sometimes!

I don't know about the language courses.

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

I travelled by plane, but it was quite expensive. There isn't any low-cost flights from Marseille, not direct flights.

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

It depends on your mood. There are many cool places to go to by the River.

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

The "Timisorena" restaurant is really good, cheap and serves mainly local food for local people. Plus they have their unfiltered beer.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The Banat museum is interesting with different houses from Romania. There's also the communism museum to visit.

And of course the cathedral.