UQ Program: Bachelor of Arts
If you're thinking of going on exchange, my advice is DO IT! It's a fantastic experience that allows you to see into and share a different way of life. I spent five amazing months in Salamanca, in the Castilla y Leon region of Spain and made some really close friends that I hope to keep for life. The best thing about exchange is you meet like minded people from all over who are keen to teach you a bit about their customs and languages, which are distinct from region to region, country to country. There are four different languages spoken in Spain alone!
La Universidad de Salamanca is something entirely apart from UQ. Most of the buildings are incredibly old and beautiful and, instead of being in a fixed campus like ours, are distributed throughout the city. This also means that the systems are antiquated and any processing will take time, so be organised with your paperwork. There is a lady called Natalia from the university who also speaks English and can help you with everything from finding a piso (student flat) to choosing a subject. You can contact her at nata@usal.es, she is truly lovely and happy to help.
The first few weeks can be quite difficult as you adjust to a new way of life, new friends, a new language, new home and new subjects but once you're into the swing of it nothing will stop you! Salamanca is a university city and despite being relatively small, there's always something to do, be it clubbing, going for tapas and sangria or going to the pub to watch the football. The professors are used to foreigners and will help you out with what you don't understand, or classmates can give you their notes. Most classrooms still have blackboards and are not equipped with modern resources so you will have to write everything down or come exam time you won't have much to study! That said, it's pretty easy to pass if you pay at least minimal attention and the assessment is very basic, usually one 100% exam at the end of semester. Everything is a lot more relaxed in Spain, we always make jokes about doing things on 'Spanish time', meaning that if a Spanish friend says they will be over for dinner at 9pm, they won't be there until about 10.
One thing I think is essential is to live in a piso while you're there instead of the residence halls, as you will have a lot more opportunity to meet Spanish people and learn the language, with less strain on the finances and more freedom. I lived in a piso right near the centre of the city, in the Puerta de Zamora for 235 euro a month all inclusive (internet, heating, everything) and that wasn't one of the cheapest around. I walked a maximum of ten minutes to uni each morning, had a salsa club downstairs where we had lessons and a supermarket on the corner. I lived with two Portugese people, a Brazilian guy, a Chilean girl and a Chinese girl during most of my stay and we did nearly everything together, hanging out in the kitchen every night drinking surprisingly good 89 cent wine with dinner before heading out at four in the morning. You will find yourself adjusting to siesta and eating dinner at 11pm – most restaurants don't open before 8.30, 9pm. It's a very different way of life from ours and from the rest of Europe too.
So I think that more or less sums it up. I hope you enjoy yourself as much as I have! Buen viaje!