Erasmus experience in Wroclaw, Poland

Why did you choose Wroclaw as your Erasmus city?

My first choice was Sweden. It seemed the perfect option, so I started researching the university, the culture, methods of transport etc. However, I was shocked by the high cost of living in this country, so I began to reconsider Sweden, thinking perhaps it is not the "perfect location" to spend my Erasmus year.

Life in Poland is much cheaper than Sweden. That is to say, you could consider some things gifts if compared to the cost of everyday objects in big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. This was my main reason for having Wroclaw at the top of my list. Also, through Googling this city and reading about it on blogs, I saw that surprisingly it was highly recommended. Luckily I was awarded my first option and so on the 12th September I set course for my new city.

How long was your scholarship? How much grant money did you receive?

If I remember correctly, the maximum length was 10 months. You could spend this time how you wanted. In my case, I chose to stay in the same city for the year.

With regards to the grant money, these vary depending on the region to which you belong. For example, in Madrid, you only receive the EU grant. For those going to Poland, you get two payments of over 5 months - it comes to €200 a month or €1000 in total. You get 80% of the grant at the beginning of your Erasmus and the other 20% when you return.

In other regions, such as Galicia, in addition to the EU grant the Xunta de Galicia awarded us a scholarship (which, in my case, arrived after I had already finished my Erasmus in Poland). It starts from a fixed economic base of approx. €800, which may increase when factored in your academic record. I received €1200 which I made extensive use of in the summer. So don't worry, you will profit even if you get the money late.

How is student life in Wroclaw?

Out of all the Polish cities, Wroclaw is one that receives the most Erasmus students every year. Thousands travel to this city to enjoy what will be the best year of their lives. On this basis you can imagine that the student life is incredible, especially if you live in student accommodation.

Also, with the help of ESN, the university has many activities oriented towards students that promote joining together, team spirit and new social relationships.

Would you recommend this city and the university to other students?

I would 100% recommend this city to all students doing their Erasmus at any point in their lives.

In my case I study Advertising and PR, so I attended Uniwersytet Wroclawski, and I would also recommend it. The classes are very easy, which is why we took Master's subjects. Above all, you will learn to loosen up as you will be practicing academic English on a daily basis.

Most people don't think of the Erasmus year as intellectual or academic. I agree, to a point. However, this experience does give you the opportunity to grow as a person and to meet incredible people with whom you will form friendships that will probably last forever (I hope).

What do you think of Polish food?

The food is absolutely AMAZING. There are many typical dishes you should try, like Pierogi. Pierogi is dough filled with different ingredients, cheese and meat being the most typical. There are many ways to make them and they all taste completely different. Now you know, you must try it!

Source

In addition to being so cheap to eat out, there is evident abundance of food. The portions served are incredible.

Was it difficult to find accomodation in Wroclaw?

My accomodation, as mentioned in one of my blog posts, was provided by the destination university. However, it's not usually difficult to find a flat, but I would always recommend student residences.

If you want to know more about student accomodation in Wroclaw, click here which will take you directly to the blog post on this topic.

What's the cost of living in Wroclaw?

Living in Wroclaw is very cheap. The only problem is that everything is so cheap that you're always saying: "why not, I'll buy it", and your receipt at the checkout ends up being quite long. But in general everything is very cheap. The only things that are a little more expensive are clothing, make-up, electronics etc. However, these aren't considered basic necessities.

How was the language? Did you attend any language courses during your stay?

It wasn't necessary to learn Polish as all the universities offer classes in English. However, the university offers free Polish language courses to students.

I went the first couple of weeks during my stay, and learnt the basics so I could "survive", as, although the young people speak English incredibly well, the older generations only speak Polish. But no matter, as I said in a previous post, everyone can understand one another through gestures.

What's the cheapest way to get to Wroclaw from your city?

As things are, Galicia is where God left his shoes (i. e. it's in the middle of nowhere). Thus, whichever combination you take you will arrive at Wroclaw in a few hours.

I took various routes when I returned to Galicia. I will write a more detailed post dedicated exclusively to explaining all this, but for now here are some options that I used:

• SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - MADRID (Ryanair) / MADRID - KRAKOW (Ryanair) / KRAKOW - WROCLAW (PolskiBus)
• WROCLAW - BERLIN (PolskiBus) / BERLIN - OPORTO (Ryanair) / OPORTO - GALICIA (by car)
• WROCLAW - LONDON (Ryanair) / LONDON - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (Ryanair)

Any recommendations for places to eat in Wroclaw?

First and foremost I suggest Kurna Chata. You can eat all typical Polish cuisine here, from Pierogi to ribs and chicken wings that, my God, were so delicious!

There are also many pizzerias near the Kredka and Olowek residences, that in addition to being super cheap are excellent. The two most popular are Bravo and Remont, both next to the Grundwaldzki, one of the city's main shopping centres.

As you can see, there is hardly anything negative to say about Wroclaw. DON'T FORGET TO ENJOY IT!