Katja Spieler

I have always dreamt of living in a foreign country for a period of time, standing on my own feet and getting to know other cultures first hand… The offer available at FH JOANNEUM allowed me to finally make this dream come true. Like any other student, I was concerned about missing out on something at FH JOANNEUM. However the experiences I had during my time as an outgoing student have proved unbelievably useful for the remainder of my life.

Porque Málaga? Choosing Málaga was a very quick decision for me because I have always been very enthusiastic about the culture of southern Spain. Málaga also has a great deal to offer. From the ‘carnicerías’ or ‘fruterías’ where you can buy fresh food each day to the cultural aspects such as the magnificent sights of the city and the traditional tapas bars where you can really sense the Spanish flair and zest for life. And then there is modern Málaga, which is reflected in the harbour area and in the various clubs in Málaga’s town centre. Of course, it was a bit stressful at the start of my stay. I had to find an apartment as quickly as possible and organise a Spanish mobile phone and internet connection. My fellow students and I also had to organise our own timetable at the Universidad de Málaga. However we managed to overcome these difficulties with the help of our Spanish student colleagues. It is unbelievable how people in different countries can have different attitudes to life. It is difficult to put into the words just how warm and friendly the welcome is in Andalusia. Whether the charming people working at the university cafeteria or the friendly frutería operators next door who would chat about the weather, Spanish fiestas and special varieties of fruit. I experienced the helpful approach of the locals first hand and was speechless. The zest for life of these people is truly unbelievable and after a time, you develop it yourself too!

Todos los dias sale el sol! My semester abroad was the most exciting adventure of my life. The towns I visited (including Seville, Madrid, Ibiza, Marbella and Granada), the fantastic experiences I had and the fiestas I celebrated are something I will never forget. But the friendships I made will stay with me forever, both with the locals in Málaga and other Erasmus students from Italy, France, Belgium, San Francisco and Mexico. During my stay, I had time to build a life for myself there. It was very difficult for me to leave this behind after a fantastic five months – the beautiful city and the unbelievable people. So I bid my friends a tearful goodbye at the start of July but they left me with the saying “Siempre tienes una casa aquí” (you will always have a home here!)