Mobility specification

Country:Lithuania

Institution:Vytautas Magnus University

City:Kaunas

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2022/2023

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?manageable

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?They did not place as much emphasis on literature as MUNI. I didn't even have to read the required literature for some courses. However, the lectures were more of a listening experience, and I missed the more active involvement of the students in the classroom.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, there were some introductions or, for example, joint dinners where everyone brought food typical of their country.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:10000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Probably bedding expenses at the beginning of the accommodation. It's more worth it to run to the store than rent from the dorm.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Some cafes have special offers at certain hours, once a month (I think Wednesday) there are free museums, Chinese restaurants outside the city have huge portions for low amounts.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?with gestures

How does public transport work in the city?I've seen better

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Connections are clearly written on information boards - you can understand them even if you don't know the language. A ticket is bought every month for €5. If you travel more than €5, you travel the rest of the month for free. A word of advice - it doesn't pay to buy a monthly card if you arrive at the end of the month. You won't spend that €5 in two days and forfeit the rest, then you'd better buy single tickets from the driver.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?yes

How do you rate the availability of healthcare?mostly fine

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Castle (although it's just a tower), street-arty (Yard Gallery), Aleksotas Observation Point, Botanical Garden, Laisvės Alėja.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Trakai, Vilnius and Marijampolė.

Share your best experience:Joint trips with Erasmus friends - it's not important where you go, but who goes. For example, we were in Druskininkai, which is a totally backwater town in Lithuania full of mostly pensioners, but it was a mega trip. During the day we did stuff for school or work and in the evening we went for a picnic in the park or a walk in the surrounding mountains.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?I was expecting to get more sleep on the way, but I hardly slept because of the stress.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?It was colder than I expected - it was still snowing in March/April, so warm clothes are essential.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?It was a challenge - at times I wanted to walk home and at times I didn't want to come back - but it was worth it.