Hi! My name is Sabine and I\u2019m studying a double degree in Law and Business (Economics). I went on exchange in semester 2 of 2024 with the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain.<\/p>\n
From my first year at university, I have always wanted to go on exchange. I love to travel, experience new places and cultures, and see new things. The idea of taking a single suitcase and a backpack and jumping on a plane to go and spend 6 months on the other side of the world was captivating\u2026 and kind of terrifying as the reality of it came ever closer. I wasn\u2019t sure I would ever get to go on exchange, with COVID, changes in study plans, and personal health concerns, but suddenly I was going, and I had to get things organised fast.<\/p>\n
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\nOne piece of advice I will give at this point in the story is to make sure you actually read your emails. When the email says, \u201censure you submit your visa application 8 weeks before you leave\u201d, you should probably endeavour to do that. Luckily for me, I got my visa back surprisingly quickly (with no shortage of anxiety).<\/p>\n
My travels started well \u2013 I didn\u2019t forget anything, I survived the 10 hour lay-over, and I was able to do a little travel before the start of semester. However, I got very sick a week before my classes were due to start and spent my first couple weeks in Spain confined to my bed. This was one of my biggest challenges while on exchange, as I had transitioned out of Aussie winter (sick season) and into European winter (extra sick season), and it felt as though I was sick all the time. Another piece of advice! Be prepared for things to go wrong. Know who you\u2019re going to call when you need to see a doctor and know how to ask for Panadol in the native language.<\/p>\n
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\nSickness aside, my experience on exchange was absolutely wonderful. I met so many amazing people from all around the world, including Germany, England, Ireland, Japan, Guatemala, Poland, Italy and many more. I quickly developed a routine, cycling to class, enjoying the city and exploring various hobbies. I went to dance classes and learnt Basque routines, I went rock climbing and managed to hike some of the Camino de Santiago. I made lots of friends who were always keen to meet up, try some new food or just hang out at the library. The University of Navarra has such an enormous exchange population (1\/3 of the university), and we were all in similar boats. It was a little bit like being back at school \u2013 we were all thrown together, experiencing similar changes in life, and we all wanted to make some friends.<\/p>\n
The university was quite different to my experience with QUT. Many classes don\u2019t allow laptops, preferring pen and paper, which I honestly found quite frustrating. However, all my classes were interesting and engaging, with enthusiastic professors. The campus environment was what really made the university experience for me. Lots of cafes with very cheap coffee (ranging from 80c-$1.50) and many comfortable places to study and chat with friends.<\/p>\n
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\nSpecific advice for exchange in Pamplona, Spain:<\/p>\n
– A lot of people at the university speak English, but a lot of people in the city (and especially in cafes) don\u2019t. Immerse yourself in the experience and try to learn a bit of Spanish. It\u2019s way more enjoyable when you can actually talk to people, and it\u2019s immensely rewarding when one day you realise you just had a whole interaction in Spanish.
\n– Pamplona is a pretty small city. Walk everywhere you can and get a lay of the land. I walked almost everywhere, and it didn\u2019t take me long to feel very well acquainted with the city.
\n– Try to get an apartment with other students (through a company like CoHousing). I stayed at Home and Co in a studio apartment about 30 mins walk from the city centre. I don\u2019t mind walking and there is a pretty good public transport system, however it can be a pain having to walk 30-40 mins late at night or when you need to get to university early in the morning. In hindsight, I would have preferred to live with other people. It\u2019s nice to have someone to walk home with, make food with, or to chat about your experiences with.
\n– Be prepared for the culture shock. I wasn\u2019t expecting much culture shock going to Spain, and was quite surprised by how different it is. Nothing is open before 10am. Don\u2019t try to go grocery shopping on a Sunday. No, you can\u2019t order dinner before 8pm. I thought I would never adapt to the late nights, or the idea of having a siesta in the afternoon, but now I\u2019m struggling to shift back.
\n– Be wary of the chicken.
\n– Do your best to make friends with some of the local students. There are so many secrets about Spanish life and living in Pamplona that you\u2019ll never learn if you only stick with other exchange students.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m about to return home and resume my normal life in Brisbane and I can definitely say I\u2019m going to miss Spain. I learnt so much about myself on this trip and came to really appreciate and enjoy Spanish life. I look forward to going back one day and experiencing more of the country, hopefully getting down south in the warmer months. If you\u2019re considering going on exchange, I would absolutely recommend Pamplona.<\/p>\n