To make the most of my time in Europe, after my internship in Malta, I flew to Spain and continued my studies as an Erasmus student in Universitat Autòmona de Barcelona (UAB).

UAB is the best university in Spain, according to The World University Rankings 2015-2016. In Europe, UAB ranks the top 100. And it is located in one of the most popular international cities: Barcelona!

At UAB, I majored in Tourism. Back at Bournemouth I studied Events Management. As these two majors are related and belong to the same field, UAB recommended that I study in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management. They also offered me six English courses to choose from. I also chose one Spanish language course on campus.

Do not worry about being lonely in Barcelona! There are many international students and it is really easy to find other Erasmus students like you and me. And Furthermore, the Spanish are really warm-hearted and talkative; however, most of them are not good at speaking English. You just need to be patient and understanding!

Besides studying at UAB, I also had a fantastic journey through Spain. I like the food and architecture as well as the art and history here. Since September 2015, I have almost traveled round the whole of Spain; I’ve seen the beautiful views and learned about the cultural history of Spain, which is so impressive! Spanish spend a lot more time socializing out on the streets; I have enjoyed going to markets and seeing food being cooked outdoors.

If you are a fan of FCB, you cannot miss the chance to see a football game on Camp Nou!

I am really grateful for the precious chances Bournemouth University has offered me. What’s more, I have also received Erasmus funding from June to next February of 350-400 euros per month, which to some extent, relieves my financial pressure. Thank you, Bournemouth University, for the unforgettable experience you have given me!

By Liyuan Zhang