Mobility specification

Country:Iceland

Institution:Valgeir Sigurdsson EHF

City:Reykjavik

Program:Erasmus+ traineeship

Activity type:Traineeship

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts / Department of Musicology

Study level abroad:Master

✅Check the boxes

How would you categorize your internship?Humanities

💼How-to: Interning abroad

How did you discover this internship opportunity?MU website

Can you describe the role you held during your internship?Recording studio assistant.

What specific responsibilities and tasks did you do during your internship?I assisted the studio owner and head audio engineer with daily tasks such as bouncing files editing and post-production of music material, creating virtual instruments in Kontakt and taking care of the daily running of the studio. I also repaired cables. :)

Did your tasks align with the pre-defined conditions?yes

Did the internship meet your expectations?yes

Did you apply any theory you learned at university during the internship?yes

If yes, can you provide a specific example?I mainly used the technical knowledge from the Studio Technology course with Mr. Associate Professor Schimmel and also some knowledge from the Signal and System Theory course.

How well did you manage to communicate in a foreign language?perfectly

Do you have tips on how to make a great impression on the institution?There is definitely a better chance of getting in if one has a portfolio. At the same time be open-minded and want to learn something new.

How competitive was the selection process? Did you have to go through an application procedure?I didn't have to.

Why would you recommend students do an internship?It is certainly an excellent opportunity to test your independence, see how you can cope in an unfamiliar environment, prepare for your future profession, meet new people and make contacts.

💰And how to fund it?

What were your average monthly expenses during the internship?35000 CZK/month

Did the institution provide accommodation?no

If not, how did you find it?I was recommended to a person who rents out a room.

Did you have any unexpected expenses during the internship?no

Do you have any tips on how to save money during the internship?Shopping in Bónus, free food in the free supermarket, buying root vegetables 😅

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How difficult was it for you to adjust to life abroad?no big deal

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

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

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Straeto.is, I wrote to them to see if they would sell me a student ticket for a month, even though they don't have that option for international students and they did. I saved about 2500 Kč.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?The famous Hallgrímskirkja church, the city centre and the SWIMMING POOLS!

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Glymur waterfall (good shoes needed), a little further Golden circle, Geysir, Þórsmörk, Jökulsárlón, waterfalls.

Share your best experience:Definitely how my Icelandic crush took me to their summer cottage for the weekend.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane
Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?You have to have money to go to Iceland, (even if you can save some by restricting yourself). I would be too stressed if I didn't have extra money I had (you can't survive on a grant, unfortunately) and you want to see something, too...
The airport is in Keflavík, there is a bus there.
Don't forget insurance.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Don't come in here without a swimsuit 😁. It's also nice to stock up on cosmetics, medicines, special creams... many things you can't get here or are expensive. Pack groceries, too if you want to save extra cash. Oh, and then functional clothes - warm, waterproof, windproof - especially if you want to hike, but a good jacket will be nice for the city too.

🥳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?You will always make money somehow, no one will take away your experiences and people will either enrich you or teach you something, so pack up and go!