Tell us about yourself.
“Hi, my name is Caitlin Kiddie and I’m from Edinburgh. I am studying Anthropology and Spanish at Queen’s University Belfast and as part of my course, I had the opportunity to live abroad in Spain for one year.”
Where did you go and why?
“My Erasmus took place in Alicante in Spain, where I studied at the University of Alicante (UA). This was my top choice as it was important to me to live in a coastal city to experience a different lifestyle; Alicante is also the sunniest city in Europe! I liked the prospect of a smaller city to allow me to engage with the local community and although I had concerns about its touristy reputation, I quickly realised this was not the case. In the local neighbourhoods Spanish was necessary in the supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and public transport.
Alicante is also very popular for Erasmus students, and this really made my experience. In first semester alone, there were 700 students all hoping to make friends and explore Spain.
Making international friends
“This international aspect became the theme of my year abroad. I arrived with a goal to expand my cultural awareness, not only of Spain, but globally. In September, I didn’t know anyone which challenged me to build new relationships.
I shared a typical Spanish apartment with girls from Australia, Mexico, France and Belgium. From there, this circle only expanded thanks to the incredible Erasmus Network (ESN) who organised activities and trips almost every day. It was on these trips to Spanish festivals, waterfall excursions and tapas tours where my flatmates and I met wonderful people from Germany, Canada, Italy and funnily enough, Scotland. These friendships were by far the best thing I gained from my year abroad.”
The most exciting part
“The most exciting part about studying abroad was the opportunity to travel. The study experience offers lots of free time to explore, so after spending a few months exploring Alicante and its neighbouring coasts my friends and I decided to make the most of this freedom. I travelled to different places in Spain including a trips to Bilbao, Mallorca, Barcelona and a road trip around Andalucía.”
“While I also explored different countries such as Portugal, Germany and Morocco. These travels stand out as some of the highlights of the year and allowed me to learn so much about other cultures and my own independence.”
Spanish culture and daily life
“Spanish culture is very different to the UK. Life is much more relaxed and slow-paced. In Alicante, this meant social gatherings on the beach, heading to the local market to buy fresh fruit and pastries, going to the gym with views of the marina, spending lots of time in creperías and watching every sunset and sunrise possible.
The day does not end after school or work at 5pm and in the evening the streets are still filled with kids playing and people enjoying tapas and drinks. Spain also has lots of cultural festivals such as Carnaval, las Fallas in Valencia and the Semana Santa processions over the Easter period. It was amazing to take part and observe these experiences of Spanish tradition.”
Mindset
“A crucial part of this experience was developing what I have termed the ‘Erasmus Mindset’. This encompasses the skills you learn along the way including confidence, communication and independence but also the ability to be spontaneous and make the most of every opportunity. This mindset extends beyond Erasmus and is something I am aware of now that I am back in Belfast.”
“The personal growth from my year abroad continues to push me to say yes to things I wouldn’t have considered before and enjoy every moment. These are skills important in academic and professional spheres but also on a personal level in the way you view life and those around you.”
