Hola!
My name’s Nicola, I’m originally from Aberdeen and have just finished my second year at the University of Edinburgh studying Spanish, Portuguese and European Union Studies which means it’s almost time to embark on the biggest adventure of my life so far: my year abroad. After many months of exam panic and filling in forms and then a summer which has gone by so unbelievably quickly, I’m almost all set for my Erasmus semester in Málaga. Reality still hasn´t set in yet but I’m sure it soon will and I’ll be sure to tell you all about everything in Málaga as it happens.

I´ve already booked my plane ticket, a one way ticket to Spain, such a strange and exciting feeling. I’m flying out with my dad in less than a week now to have a couple weeks to find accommodation and adjust to the city before beginning Spanish lessons. I’ve been recommended just to go to the city and find accommodation instead of setting anything up beforehand but the thought of this does terrify me. However I think this challenge adds to the excitement of it all. There is also the thought that my whole life for 6 months will have to fit into a suitcase with a 20kg luggage limit!

Not dwelling on this though I am thinking more of the life that will confront me once I reach the capital of the Costa del Sol. When I mention to people that I´m going to Málaga everyone always mentions the weather! As one of the hottest places in Europe of course that will be a bonus but I am more interested in researching the sights there and of course the people that I will be sharing my time with. As I am studying Spanish my main aim is to improve my language skills as much as I can and I´m sure that I will have no problem doing that with the locals and also with meeting other Erasmus students. I am hopeful of meeting many Spanish people who will help me both with the language and showing me the local area and am preparing myself to be confident with my language skills. Making mistakes and being corrected is the only way to learn and so I hope once I am out there I will try my best at conversing with the locals.

Luckily Málaga University organises Spanish classes for just under a month before University classes start, as I´m sure most other Spanish Universities do as well. They group you into classes depending on your level of Spanish so I´m very relieved to have them and I´m sure they will help a lot. So that means more paperwork to apply for the Spanish course. The forms for Málaga have been relatively straightforward and they haven’t asked for learning agreements or anything which I´ve heard some other Universities have requested, so I haven’t had to chase too many people up for signatures. At this stage I can definitely say all the paperwork´s been worth it.

Now all that´s left to do is to try and see as many friends and family as I can before I leave and get my bags packed. The next time I´ll write I´ll be in Málaga. Eek exciting (: