They studied in Montpellier
- Thi Hue Duong, Vietnamese student, winner of the Eiffel Excellence Programme, student at UPV in 2020-2021
- Erasmus students - West University of Timisoara, Romania
We thank you for all the study, friendship, assistance and constant support you gave us during our Erasmus + mobility period at Paul Valéry University.
In particular, we would like to convey to you our gratitude for what you - the French - have passed on to us all over the past few days: a truly impressive example of humanity, solidarity and national dignity. In a moment of great suffering, you have shown that France is still standing up for essential human, social and civic values.
France has once again proved to be a landmark, not only for Europe, but for the entire world. For all of this, we thank you and express our support in these difficult times.
We will definitely continue to defend the same core values as you, completely convinced that these events have made us all stronger and more united.
- Claire Rhoades Brown - University of Birmingham
Montpellier is a lovely city, and I have had a great time here! I liked the very friendly atmosphere amongst students, and the fact that the university offered several classes which were appropriate to my level of French, and relevant to my degree in England... for example, media studies. It was also very interesting to learn the southern French accent! - Fernando Martín Pérez - Universidad de Cantabria, Spain
I went to Montpellier without really knowing what I would find there. This is a fabulous university facility, framed in a city that masterfully combines modernity with a wealth of precious historical heritage. In addition, the surrounding Cathar country is a plunge into history, Béziers, Carcassonne, Montségur... The beauty of the Languedoc, with its fine urban areas, including the great city which hosts the Paul Valery campus. It was a pleasure to spend time in this town.
They went abroad
- Nadia Sawadogo - Humboldt State University, USA
"The exchange year was, without a doubt, the best year of my student life! In addition to meeting true love, I visited many magical places and made some unforgettable and improbable encounters! I can never thank Judith and Andrée enough for everything they did to make this experience possible. Discovering the way things work on the other side of the Atlantic, trying to understand this immense country, wanting to find this need for a change of scenery elsewhere, on other continents... are all reasons that lead me to encourage all those who do not yet know that travel really does broaden the mind (and keeps us young)!"
- Adèle - Università degli Studi di Salerno, Italy
"I'm doing my Erasmus period in Italy, in Salerno... a small town between the sea and the mountains, not far from Naples. The fact that the city is small means you can get to know it quickly, and not get lost in it! All the Erasmuses here soon meet up! The Erasmus community here is actually one big, happy family! The ESN association takes particularly good care of us all, with organised trips, parties, themed events and outings. The "problem" is that there are 150 Spaniards here, and in the end you hear as much Spanish as Italian spoken! I have, however, met some Italian friends with whom I practice speaking the language, especially through the tandem project. I met an Italian guy with whom we are exchanging language lessons. It's an interesting experiment. Campania is a great region. The landscapes are beautiful and culinary specialities delicious! There are also many interesting sites to visit, such as Pompei, Paestum, Herculaneum... The fact that Naples is really not far (30 minutes by train, and only 6.50€ for a round trip), is really convenient. When you get bored in Salerno, you can go shopping in Naples, visit a museum, see an exhibition, or have a fun Erasmus evening... As for the university, my classes are in Italian but some teachers kindly suggested that I could take my exams in English, if it was easier for me. (Mastering English is absolutely necessary in Erasmus, because it is everyone’s common language... at least a little!). I could expand more, but my tandem is waiting impatiently for me to finish my email, as we still have our work cut out for us (ah, that’s a good expression to teach him!)."
- Celia - Universität Marburg, Germany
"My name is Célia, I have been a Modern Letters Degree student at PVMU for two years, and thanks to Erasmus, I am doing my third year in Marburg, Germany. I arrived at the beginning of September, and gradually discovered the difficulties of the language, the university courses, as well as the German culture - especially during the Christmas period!
My first weeks were quite intense, but I did not encounter any major problems, for the simple reason that everything was very efficiently taken care of by the student volunteers in the Erasmus Office, and the teachers from the Language Centre. I took a four-week intensive German course before starting in October at the Universitätstadt Marburg. Since then, I have been attending classes and enjoying the beautiful city and its surroundings, thanks to a free public transport system for all students in Hessen.
I have found that it is very easy to integrate another culture, despite the language barrier, especially in a city like Marbourg, where, as in Montpellier, the vast majority of the population is made up of foreign students.
Such a wide variety of nationalities means we make some fantastic encounters, while deepening our language skills and learning more about the country’s culture. I am aware that time passes very quickly, and I have already been here for over three months... with many more to come, from which I hope to draw maximum personal and intellectual enrichment.
I have just one thing to say to students who are planning to go on a mobility year: go for it!"
