10 tips to make the most out of your Erasmus Year Abroad

I'm about to start my final year of my degree in Spanish and Portuguese and having finished my year abroad, I thought it would be useful to write down some advice and also to reflect on things I wish I had known before my year away.

1. Pack wisely

I struggled massively with how I was going to pack my whole life into one 25 kilo suitcase and how I would manage to take everything I needed from my room to sustain me for five months. Turns out I didn't need that much stuff. I packed way too many unnecessary things which resulted in a struggle with my suitcase and having to throw out many things at the end of my placement. Here are three categories you should LIMIT in your case:

- Toiletries - as much as I thought I couldn't live without my Argan hair oil and body butter, you really can find equivalents for your favourite products in Spain and Portugal, so don't waste valuabe packing space on shampoo, moisturiser etc. 

- Makeup - I am a self-confessed makeup addict and own way too many eyeshadow palettes for my own good. I brought five palettes with me and only really used two of them on a regular basis. Identify key products you need (foundation, concealer, powder, blusher, bronzer, highlighter, eyebrow product and one or two eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks) and leave the rest at home. You seriously don't need that glitter pot you use once in a blue moon or all four of your Naked palettes. Plus if you do run out, Spain and Portugal have pretty good cosmetics shops (Kiko is the one). I also found with the heat, I didn't do my full makeup routine every-day so I didn't go through my products as quickly as I would at home. 

- Clothes - No, you don't need 50 tops, 20 pairs of jeans and your entire shoe collection. Pick a few staple items of clothing that you can mix and match. Your suitcase should (roughly) consist of:

Five tops

Two pairs of jeans

A few skirts/dresses (casual and going out)

Three or four pairs of shoes (trainers/sandals/boots)

Fashion in Spain and Portugal is on point so if you're anything like me, you will buy plenty of clothing when you're out there and you don't want to have to choose between your new Bershka coat and your five year old reliable boots. 

2. Sort out your documents

Buy a transparent document folder to store all your important documents, passport, driving licence etc. This way, all your important documents will be together and you'll be a lot more organised when registering at the uni or signing the contract for your accommodation.

Remember also to bring passport photos with you as this is required in Spain and Portugal for many things, eg. a mobile phone plan or an ESN card. 

3. Take as many photos as you can and write about your experience

This may sound like an obvious one but when I arrived in Portugal, I took photos of the main spots in my city and didn't really bother to document my time away. I haven't got one photo of my apartment or the local café I went to every week. In Spain, I changed this - I started writing a blog every month, detailing my trips and experiences and I took photos of the streets where I lived, food, train stations etc. I now have two scrapbooks with my photos from Spain and Portugal which I will treasure and be able to look back on in the future. Your 60 year old self will thank you when they can annoy their grandkids with photos of paella and the cute cat in your first apartment. 

4. Get out of your room

Living abroad can be overwhelming at first and it's easy to stay in your room Skyping your family and watching your home shows on Netflix. But this is an experience of a life time! Force yourself to socialise and take part in new activities, even if it's just going for a walk in your new city or cooking a dinner with your flatmates. You won't remember the night you spent eating Doritos in your room by yourself, so push yourself to do things and have new experiences. Try to do something new every week and tick things off your bucket list (go on that hike even if the thought of walking for five hours makes you want to curl up into a ball.)

5. Travel as often as you can

You don't know if you'll have the opportunity to travel so much when you have graduated. Explore your host country as much as you can. Transport links in Spain and Portugal are generally pretty good and you can get a train or bus to many different cities. Go on weekend breaks or even day trips to different cities and towns and make the most of being in a different country. When I was in Portugal, I travelled to Porto, Lisbon, Aveiro, Fátima and Guimarães and in Spain, I took trips to Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Alicante, Granada, Malaga, Seville and Cordoba and also explored the region of Murcia where I lived. It may also inspire you to travel more in your home country!

6. Speak the language

Seriously, do not worry about embarrassing yourself and making mistakes, force yourself to speak the native language and learn more about it. Make friends with the natives instead of sticking to other english people and talk with cashiers, waiters and the bus driver. It's worth it to make the effort and if you are studying a language degree, your language skills will come on in leaps and bounds and you'll even learn a few colloquial sayings and swear words which will make you feel snazzy when you return to your home uni. Also, it's well known among Erasmus students that a few drinks will basically make you fluent. 

7. Prepare your liver 

I did not realise how much partying there would be in my year abroad. Find out your limit (you definitely don't want your new flatmates holding your hair back as you throw up around Lisbon as I did). Also, say yes to impromptu drinks because it may end up being one of the best nights of your life. You don't even have to go out all the time - having spontaneous bottles of wine with my flatmates and climbing up onto the roof with the guitar or making cocktails with your Spanish friends will become treasured memories. 

8. Eat all the food

You're not going to be able to eat such amazing paella or drink authentic sangria at home. Before I went away, I was such a fussy eater. Living with a family in Spain forced me to try new foods and get out of my comfort zone of plain food. Try the typical dishes of your country or region even if they may scare you (I ate a cold squid tentacle and lived to tell the tale). Also, socialising mainly revolves around food and drinks, so go for those churros with your flatmates and don't force yourself to stick to a boring diet. You may put on a few pounds but you will regret it if you don't try the gastronomy. 

9. Don't get stressed about bureaucracy

Spain and Portugal are awful when it comes to opening a bank account or setting up a mobile phone plan. So have patience and don't let yourself get too worked up about it. It took a month for me to receive my housing contract so I was stuck without a bank for ages but it all worked out in the end. 

It's also another reason to make sure your documents are sorted and you have all the copies you need. 

10. Be aware of siestas, Sundays and public holidays

Spain and Portugal aren't like home. A lot of places close on a Sunday so your city will seem like a ghost-town. Make sure you've went to the supermarket before it closes so you're not left without dinner! Also Spain constantly has public holidays where everything grinds to a halt so maybe on these days go for a long walk to explore the area or get your uni work and cleaning done!