All international students arrive to a host university with different motivation. Some can be motivated by hoping to being improved professionally, some by the opportunity of gaining new personal or travel experiences or finding new friends.
Our days at University of Barcelona started in the 3rd week of September. I remember the first week was an International Seminar week where we had initial classes about the history, culture and politics of Spain and Catalonia. I really enjoyed these courses as we got a bright insight of those aspects which has formed the present of this country. As a foreign student I could imagine more of such courses in English all through the semester, as later on it became clear that 90% of our lessons will be held in Catalan. Anyways, this week was amazing, we really got involved a bit by the spanish vibe.
The campus is placed up on a hill above the city. It was amazing looking down from the hill to the direction of the sea and in between the city sparkling in morning lights. I remember my first impression entering the main buliding where teachers offices are located. I imagined behind these walls young and enthusiastic people preparing to be the teachers of a new, fresh and free generation. I compared my impressions to my memories I have about my home university and I found University of Barcelona amazing by its locational and environmental features.
“Anyways, this week was amazing, we really got involved a bit by the spanish vibe.”
I had 3 courses to accomplish in this semester. One English, all the others in Catalan which did not bother me, as I had no plans with these courses in the future. What made me think and motivated me was the project I had to prepare with one of my classmates about hungarian society. It opened up my eyes to such topics I had no clear opinion about before.
We had good conversations about actual political and social questions in Spain and Hungary. Compared it felt like average people live a better life standard in Barcelona than in Hungary, but I think this financial and spiritual crisis is characteristic not only in Middle-Europe now but all over the world.
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