Mobility specification

Country:Portugal

Institution:University of the Algarve

City:Faro

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2023/2024

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts / Department of Romance Languages and Literatures - Portuguese

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?neutral

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?For example, history of media in Portugal I took for 6 credits, in the Czech Republic for 5.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The immediacy with which students interacted with teachers. Sometimes they shouted at each other so much that I didn't know if they were arguing or just talking.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, but it's not much. A couple of orientation days at the beginning of the semester, about 2 picnics and a couple of organized trips.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:17000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Just walk the streets and look at the posters, connect with other students and search together or look at local housing sites.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Not really.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?No.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?neutral

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

And what about transport outside the city?neutral

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?There are buses in Faro and they have their own pages, they are cumbersome, unclear and they get stuck, but after a few hard searches you get oriented.

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?Beach, small historical centre, library with park, harbour.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Along the Algarve coast, the sea, the cliffs, the castles...

Share your best experience:In April I went on a trip to the island of Berlenga, which is beautiful. It has a castle like a fairy tale and we found a completely different fauna and flora than on the mainland.

💅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

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?The airport is far from the city, you can't walk there. Taxi drivers are ready to take anyone even at night and there is a bus, although sporadically overnight.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Nothing extra is needed, sunscreen can be bought locally.

🥳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 lot of work, but it was worth it.