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My feeling and advices about my Erasmus Year in Scotland

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More than a year ago, I did not want to go abroad because going to Erasmus meant being far from my family and my friends, far from my home, far from my country. My friends from my university year in Montpellier, who were doing their Erasmus year when I had to decide whether or not I wanted to leave, advised me to leave because it is an exceptional experience. Being half convinced, I still applied and asked for England, Scotland and Ireland as destinations.  Then, I was taken for Scotland and I am delighted because I was able to discover an extraordinary country and culture. It is already March 2019, I have been here for 6 months and I realize that the year is almost over. It went by at an incredible speed. Erasmus allows you to discover so much on a cultural or personal level. If I had to advise you, I would tell you not to hesitate and to go to Erasmus because it is a unique experience, which will only happen to you once in your life. In addition, you are entitled to signific
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Helpful documentation

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To accompany you throughout the year and to find out as much as possible about the country where you will spend your Erasmus year, you will need to obtain documentation. For Scotland, I recommend some of them in this article. Mobile applications - 'Circuit' will be useful when you want to do laundry. In many student residences, the laundry works with the mobile application or Circuit card to pay for your machine (various programs available from £4.5). The application will therefore allow you to recharge the balance of your Circuit account to make your machines and dryers. - 'Scotrail' or 'Stations' will allow you to search and know the timetables and train stations according to your destination. Scotrail being the train network company in Scotland. - 'UWS' is the application linked to my university. Then, if you are studying at UWS, I advise you to download it to make it easier to access the university's portal (see more in the article
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My tips for students

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Open a bank account Knowing that in my country the currency is in euros, I therefore had to ask my bank advisor for information about the use of my French bank card abroad to know the costs in case of withdrawal, payment... He advised me to open an account directly in Scotland, as this would be easier to use on a daily basis. However, many of my French friends have taken the 'international option' in France to be able to use their French card in Scotland without having to pay too much extra. I therefore advise you to check with your bank to find out the best possible options. Personally, I use the 'Revolut' application which allows me to convert euros into pounds sterling free of charge. It is very fast and very easy to use. My Revolut account is linked to my French bank account with which I can make instant transactions. The only costs that this application can generate for you are the manufacturing of a physical credit card (€7). The standard subscriptio
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The budget

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As you can imagine, life is more expensive in Scotland than in France, but personally I expected a greater difference. For example, there are some things you can find in Scotland more cheaper than in France. Academic scholarships Of course, before going to Erasmus, I applied for scholarships to enable me to finance my year abroad (rent, transport, shopping, travels, etc.). For my part, I was able to receive the Erasmus scholarship, which varies according to the country where you are leaving. As a scholarship holder, I was also able to receive the 'Aide à la Mobilité Internationale' (AMI) scholarship and the' Crous' scholarship from Montpellier. As you have been or will be informed, you will only be able to receive 70/80% of the scholarships (Erasmus + AMI scholarships) once you have started studying at your university abroad. Then, you will be able to collect the rest by returning the requested thesis of your academic year from your country of origin. To give y
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Things to do in Scotland

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There are many other things to visit around Glasgow and Scotland. You won't have time to get bored! Other cities  The South of Scotland is rich in small towns of character with a charm that is just as different from each other. In the surroundings of Glasgow, you can visit: Lanark/New Lanark is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (50 minutes from Glasgow Central Station)   Perth was the former capital of Scotland in the Middle Ages. If you like castles, you should visit the Scone Palace, located only 3km from Perth.   Ayr, a former commercial port with France and the West Indies, is now a city transformed into a seaside resort. There is a long sandy beach where you can walk along the sea in peace and quiet (1 hour from Glasgow Central Station).   Troon, a small seaside town, which exudes a lot of charm and is surrounded by vast green golf courses. Very good coffee shop'Bhaile' (45 minutes from Glasgow Central Station).   Oban is nicknamed the "gate of the islands&q
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Things to do in Glasgow

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City centre The city centre of Glasgow is very lively and animated. To do shopping, you have several options: Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street are the largest shopping streets in the city (pedestrian streets).  At the junction between Sauchiehall and Buchanan Streets, there is Buchanan Galleries shopping centre with about 100 shops. Downstream from Buchanan Street, Princes Square is a beautiful shopping centre that features high-end shops, coffee shops and restaurants. Even if you do not want to go shopping, this is still a place to visit for its very pretty 19th century architecture. Finally, located at the corner of Buchanan and Argyle Streets, in the heart of Glasgow, is the St Enoch shopping centre. Buchanan Street Buchanan Street Map of places to visit in Glasgow West End The West End district is my favorite place in Glasgow.  You can visit the famous University of Glasgow, which inspired J.K. Rowling to imagine the Hogwart
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The life in Glasgow

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Behaviours When I arrived in Scotland, the first thing that caught my attention was the friendliness of the people. Scottish people are very friendly and pleasant, I have rarely seen people so nice with strangers. As a foreigner, you may encounter difficulties, so you can ask the Scots for help, they will be happy to help you. Scottish people have an important notion of respect. It is a quality I have seen a lot of in their daily lives, in the stores, on the street... and it is very nice to live in a respectful climate like this. The language Expect to have difficulty understanding Scottish people when they speak because, whether they are elders or young people, they all have a very strong accent. This is not like the academic English we have been used to listening to and learning in school since we were very young. If you have trouble understanding what they are saying, don't hesitate to make them repeat it, they won't take it badly! Weather Coming from the south
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