Why to study in Macedonia

Introduction!

 Hey everyone, my name is Asad Ali Baig, I'm from Rome, Italy, and I have done an Erasmus exchange year program in my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management at University American College Skopje. I've lived one whole year in Skopje, and I have learned a lot about myself and about the subject area I have studied.

 Why to Study abroad in Macedonia?

  Macedonia is home to Alexander the Great; Conqueror of the ancient world and birthplace of Mother Theresa. It has an incredible history with many historical places to visit and a bright future. With a major revamping of the capital city and the country’s developing economy, there’s a lot to like about the future of Macedonia.

   There are Universities both new and old for foreign students to study and countless options for traveling and other extra-curricular activities. The country is within easy striking distance of paradises on the Aegean and Adriatic seas, but Macedonia’s matchless beauty and wonderful east-meets-west culture might just keep you within her borders.

How did I spend my exchange year and why did I choose University American College of Skopje (UACS)?

Studying abroad is an amazing yet challenging opportunity, at first everything seems new, weird, and exciting. It takes a few months to settle down until you start becoming familiar with everything and how everything works. It almost feels as if it was just yesterday when I was on a plane not really knowing what to expect but excited for what the future had for me. Now I'm back home with a ton of memories, e-mails to answer, and a lot of stories to share. I don't even know where to start now that I'm writing about my experience of being an exchange student at UACS for a whole year.

     I arrived in Skopje in the first week of October and I had to live the first day in a hotel and then on the next day, I got an apartment on rent near my University. Initially I was living alone in that apartment but later my friend joined me then we lived together for five-six months. In terms of accessibility for an international student, the difficulty I had was getting to grips with the Macedonian language and I was alleviated by the difference in living costs compared to Italy. It was a breath of fresh air to be able to get on rent a generously sized apartment in a great area for a fraction of what I would have paid back home. I found public transport, food, and other basic commodities to be very reasonably priced too. I became more responsible since I started to pay the bills of my apartment and my phone.

 I chose UACS because I wanted to go somewhere, I have never been before to experience something new. Moreover; It gave me an opportunity to earn a Double Degree instead of only just one Degree, that too from one of the best internationally accredited institutes. The administration and teaching staff at the university were very cooperative and helpful to me as they knew I was an exchange student. I joined the UACS Erasmus Student Network which I would highly recommend joining as there are ESN groups throughout Europe. This made it easier to meet people and make new friends that have now become friends for life. It also allowed me to meet other students who were also visiting UACS on Erasmus and who came from different parts of the world. This meant that not only was I able to experience Macedonian culture but also numerous other cultures as well.

 Student life at UACS was fast-paced and varied both inside and outside of class. I took classes in Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, and Management, as well as a wide array of other modules. Adapting to the different methods of assessment and teaching styles in each class was a challenging but very rewarding experience.

Conclusion

 Overall, I would say, It was not easy for me to come out of my comfort zone and leave my family, city, and country to live all alone in a different city and country miles away from the home but I am glad it was an amazing experience full of fun and what made it that worthy was mainly the people I have met there, from the University staff to my classmates, everyone was so welcoming, kind and cooperative and the country is so beautiful and affordable.