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An Autumn in Vienna

Eytan (BA English with Creative Writing) spent the Autumn term at the University of Vienna and writes below about his time abroad.

I’ve just spent the last term studying at the University of Vienna, in Austria. Vienna is a beautiful city; though this may seem a platitude, the intensity of its beauty is remarkable – it’s an extraordinary city simply to walk around and exist in. This applies to the city as a whole, but also in particular to the university; entering the main building for classes, one is surrounded by history – a wrong turn takes you up a staircase with a plaque remembering a philosophy professor who was assassinated there a hundred years ago. I spent a lot of time working in the arcaded courtyard – a sort of Valhalla in the middle of the building, with a huge tree and plenty of deck chairs, ringed by busts of past professors, including some famous names.

What was wonderful about Vienna was the diversity of interests available; even though my mediocre German precluded me from certain spaces, there was still a vibrant intellectual culture available to English speakers. For instance, the Nonstop Kino programme is relatively cheap and offers access to all films at more than a dozen cinemas – I only learned after coming here that Vienna is home to some of the most impressive film archives in the world. In my time here, I’ve been able to see very rare avant-garde films, international and popular films, plenty of classics, all with a single subscription, and in beautiful film halls: the Gartenbaukino here has been described by a famous director as “the most beautiful cinema in the world”, while the Historic Hall in the Metro Kinokulturhaus is beautifully ornate; closer to a theatre hall than a cinema. Vienna’s imperial, opulent past is tangible in the city, especially in the central district, the Innerestadt; even supermarkets sometimes have golden glosses or marble busts. Likewise, as regards diversity of pursuits, the University offers an exceptionally diverse range of modules – I was able to explore topics and possibilities that were entirely novel to me. Read More »

Summer Term in Rotterdam – pt 2

Part two of Lucy’s experience of her term abroad at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

I gained more self-confidence in spending time alone; I am leaving my study exchange with a newfound appreciation of my own company. I gained new cultural skills after being immersed in a new country and enrolled in such as diverse international university. Plus, I am super proud of the personal accomplishments I have achieved by living and studying abroad.

Honestly, at first, making friends at uni was hard. I’m a social person but I found that as I started in the last term of uni, everyone had their own friendship groups. Plus, I tended to stick with fellow Goldsmiths friends who were also on their exchange. However, once I was there a couple of weeks I hung out with new people. On my first day at uni, I joined a society’s meeting and hung out with them and once I met them, they invited me to other society events such as exhibitions and gigs. This was a good way to meet new people and I had a lot of fun with them.

My top tips for students:

Get a bike (this is Netherlands specific).
Spend time doing things alone and make opportunities for yourself.
Attempt to learn the language.
Get out your comfort zone.
Remember you are living in a new country and that’s an achievement in itself.
Don’t focus too much on uni, try to prioritise immersing in a new culture and enjoy it too its fullest.

Overall, I can’t write down everything that I did over the last three months, but my leaving message would be: you are so privileged to be able to do this during university so make the absolute most of your time, it’ll go faster than you’d expect so simply have fun!

Summer Term in Rotterdam

Read below Lucy’s experience of her term abroad at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Part one of two!

I ventured to the vibrant and modern Dutch city of Rotterdam from April- June. I studied at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where I enrolled on three modules: Intercultural Communications, Digital Marketing and History of Dutch Culture; all three were theory-based subjects which I found fulfilling. At Goldsmiths, I study Journalism which is practice-dominated so, during my time abroad I was able to work on my academic skills from a new international perspective. I recommend looking at how the modules are assessed and make sure you are interested.

Depot building in Rotterdam from Museumpark

I enjoyed the quality of life in Rotterdam, everyone cycled everywhere. I rented a bike for the duration of my trip, which had a multitude of benefits from saving money on public transport to keeping me fit. If you are wondering, Rotterdam is super safe to cycle in. Plus, cycling around made me feel super Dutch as it is a huge part of their culture! I used the app SwapFiets (not sponsored) to rent my bike – they dropped it off at my house, fix any damages that might occur (free of charge), and you pay monthly.

Greece: A Term in Peloponnese

Erin, TaP student, spent the Autumn term in Greece at the University of the Peloponnese. Read below about her experience.

It was definitely enlightening to be part of an education system outside of the UK, where I felt that this particular university had a wide range of courses to choose from in the Theatre department. The breadth and depth of each course was something I greatly appreciated and it delved into topics I did not study in London.

The location itself is great. Very scenic, quiet town, with plenty of good places to eat. The highlight was the friendliness and kind hospitality of the people there, who made the experience that much more enjoyable. The students are motivated, helpful and participative in class. The schedule is busy, but you always feel like you are learning a lot and making good friends along the way.

‘Say yes to everything!’ – A Term in Madrid

Isabella, BA Media and English student, writes about her term abroad studying at CEU San Pablo Madrid.

What were the highlights of your experience abroad?

Getting to live in another country! Madrid is such a beautiful, friendly, fun, interesting city. The number of international students and the design of the city makes it really easy to meet people, and there’s plenty to do. There’s also loads of opportunities for cheap travel around Spain which I ended up taking full advantage of – the train to Valencia to go to the beach in a heatwave, Barcelona for Halloween, Mallorca for my birthday and Sevilla for flamenco!

What was your daily routine and how did it differ from being at home?

I had much more classes there, so I spent every day apart from Thursdays in University, often starting at 8am, and sometimes finishing as late as 7pm. However, it was really rewarding once I settled into the routine. On my days off I would be exploring the city, trying new food and spending time with my friends.

What were your top challenges while abroad?

The style of school is very different. It is far more attendance orientated, and practical and group work focused. There’s a lot of exams as well which I’m not used to! At times the language barrier could be challenging, but more often than not was fine. I was at a private university also, so there were some cultural differences with the local Spanish students.

What did you gain from your experience abroad?

I gained so much from studying abroad. I’ve gained close friends all over Europe, and the world! I’ve explored most of Spain, especially small parts that you wouldn’t really visit otherwise. I had a great political and economic journalism teacher, who worked for the EU and set up meetings and talks with companies, and people actively working in European Parliament which was extremely interesting and beneficial.

Meg in Norway (Part two)

Meg wrote about their term abroad at Kristiania University (Norway) as it was happening – read part two below.

It’s super important to maintain a routine whilst living somewhere that is so unfamiliar. Steps I took to help with this was to find a regular place to visit that isn’t your flat! So, for me it was a coffee shop just down the road from where I lived. Having a base that isn’t where you live is super important as it can make you feel like you know the city more. It’s also super important to not isolate yourself from the locals. I learnt a few phrases in Norwegian like ordering a coffee, how to say hello, bye, and thank you! A lot of times it was a funny conversation starter as they knew I wasn’t Norwegian, and I made quite a few friends that way! I would also say try not to imagine yourself as an exchange student. Yes of course, do all the touristy places, but making friends with people that are native to the city will give you a much richer experience, and make you feel more at home!

Here are some photos of the coffee place I will miss dearly!! If you end up going abroad to Oslo, you’ve got to visit it, it’s called Papegøye in Tøyen! (formally called Neongrut).

Meg in Norway (Part one)

Meg wrote about their term abroad at Kristiania University (Norway) as it was happening – read part one below.

I’m Meg! I’m a popular music student at Goldsmiths doing their undergrad and I have just finished my first semester of my second year, abroad in Norway! If you would’ve asked me when I started at Goldsmiths that soon I would be living in Oslo, I would’ve laughed, as it’s not something I had ever pictured myself doing. Upping, and moving my life across Europe? Sounds hella stressful, and don’t get me wrong, it definitely was when I was preparing, but that’s nothing compared to the six amazing months I spent here. I knew nothing about Norway or Oslo before I went, and now I’m sitting in my favourite coffee shop in the city, drinking the best coffee, and writing about how much I love Oslo and don’t want to leave!

Ella’s Term in Vienna

Read Ella’s (BA Criminology) blog about her term abroad at the University of Vienna with helpful tips for other students wanting to study abroad at the end!

Vienna was one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been too. Vienna has the most incredible architecture which was one of my favourite parts of the city. The pictures below demonstrate my regular walk home from university in the evening and buildings I’d walk past:

Some of highlights of my trip included:

Christmas in Vienna: I was there for December/January time when it snowed, there was also beautiful Christmas markets which Vienna is known for. The markets had amazing food from all over the world and sold other items such as ornaments, gingerbread, candles and other Christmas decorations. The Christmas market was located at one of the most beautiful buildings in Vienna, Rathausplatz (a public plaza, 2 minutes’ walk from the university).

The people I met while studying abroad: I made an incredible group of friends that I’m still in touch with that I hope will be friends for life. I’m planning a visit to go back to Vienna in the summer to see some of them! You meet such a variety of people that come from across the world, this really gives you a chance to get to know different cultures and try new foods. Meeting friends really makes your experience abroad, there are also lots of events you can attend to meet people so best to do your research and look at for those! Read More »

France: A Term Abroad

Gufran Elhrari, Politics and International Relations student, spent a term abroad at Sciences-Po Toulouse university in France during the final year of her BA. Read about her experience including tips for other students wanting to go to Toulouse.

Toulouse is a lively city filled with history, restaurants, and amazing people; staying there for a couple of months was amazing. My highlight was meeting new people and being able to experience something I haven’t before. I have never studied abroad; therefore, this experience was incredibly special to me. Moreover, with Toulouse being in the South, it was possible to explore other cities near the coast. Some friends and I were able to visit other cities, including Marseille and Montpelier, which were incredibly beautiful and worth a visit. The university also offers student trips under Mondus, a student-led programme where we visited Carcassonne and enjoyed the beauty of old architecture, the beautiful castle, and the church. It was worth it.

Throughout my study abroad, I created a daily routine for myself that was different from being at home. I was living right in the city’s heart; therefore, I walked everywhere rather than taking public transport. Toulouse is huge. However, the centre is small and easy to navigate if you get lost in the small but beautiful streets. In London, I live with my family; therefore, trying to create a routine while being alone was challenging. I would also make my own meals and study at home. However, Toulouse has some of the most excellent cafes with the most delicious pastries and desserts; therefore, most of my studies were spent in cafes.

Term Abroad at Gothenburg University

Read Imogen’s experience studying abroad for a term at the University of Gothenburg – one of the MCCS department partners. Includes very helpful tips at the end!

I studied at Gothenburg University in Sweden between March and June 2023. Gothenburg is the second biggest city in Sweden and the only one with its own English name (Göteborg in Swedish)! I am studying BA Journalism at Goldsmiths but studied sociology modules in Gothenburg, which focused on social movements & activism, complementing my home studies well.

This placement was full of incredible experiences but a few that stand out include visiting the 100-year-old Lisberg theme park, lake swimming, a boat tour of the city, pub quizzes with my flatmates and concerts at the city’s 400-year anniversary festival. I also got to experience lots of ‘fika’, a Swedish tradition where people meet friends for a hot drink, something sweet and a big chat. Usually this ‘something sweet’ is a giant cinnamon bun, which can sometimes be the size of a dinner plate!