Jasmina Spahic
Age: 23
Home University: “Dzemal Bijedic” University of Mostar
Host University: Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
Exchange period: Winter semester 2019./2020.
Did you ever feel like you're living your
dreams? I most certainly did, not so long ago. My first Erasmus experience was
to a country I felt the connection with ages ago on a high school trip. I knew
someday I'll live there, not in that particular city, but the country for sure.
When I decided to apply for my exchange all I asked was a city in Spain. And
then I heard the name of a city that stole my heart, Almería. All the pictures
I've seen online seemed like a fairy tale. I couldn't believe that something so
beautiful exists. On September 6th, I left my hometown and went on my first
solo adventure. No family, no friends, no acquaintances.
I had more luck than other people, therefore
it wasn't hard for me to relax and allow myself to enjoy the trip. Students who
were in Almería before me gave me some great tips on how and where to find a
place to live, flatmates, what to do first and so on. One of my flatmates,
Emina, was from Sarajevo and we met up for coffee once. José Jesús, a student
from Almería who was on his Erasmus here in Mostar helped me with everything
else (I'm forever grateful for everything you did for me and my friends!!).
Thanks to him, I knew I'm going to be safe and everything is going to be
alright. His brother, Sergio, came to the bus station, picked me up and took me
to my new home (You should've let me help you with that suitcase. You carried
25 kilos to the third floor like it's nothing!). Emina was already there, so I
wasn't alone.
It's odd how you can get along so well with
someone so different from you. Emina and I spent a lot of time together and we
travelled to so many cities and countries. I don't have a younger sister and
Emina is probably what I would want her to be like. (I'm hoping for a reunion
with Ivana and Mara as soon as this quarantine ends.) I also met my two best
friends for life in Almería, Naara and Irmak. I miss our nights at Tio Tom,
those long and deep conversations about anything and everything. I miss
complaining about all the tasks and professors we had, too. Even though it was
a short period, I'm glad we created bonds that are going to last for a
lifetime. Thank you, literature professor, for cancelling the very first class
because that's how I met Irmak. Thank you, ESN Almería, for the integration
weekend trip, where I met Naara. And linguistics course where I met a girl who
taught me so many important life skills, Adrianna. Also, thank you, German
course for bringing us all together.
Courses at University of Almería are mostly in
Spanish so you don't have to attend them, but if you study English, like I do,
then you have no excuse. I had classes every day and I didn't mind. The bus
ride was dreamy. You drive along the beach! How can anyone not look forward to
it?! The overall organisation at university wasn't the best, but if I could go
again I sure would. The scholarship wasn't paid monthly but in percentages. If
you don't spend it all at once, it's more than enough. Groceries were cheaper
than what I expected and monthly rent was around 200 euros with bills. Monthly
bus pass was less than 30 euros and sales at the mall were amazing! Life in Almería
is something that everyone should experience. My whole stay there felt like
being in a movie that I'll never forget.
I'll never forget the beautiful sunrise I'd
see every morning while drinking my first coffee. Tostadas, sunny days, tapas,
tinto de verano and calimocho, botellons and La Clásica. Or that bench we'd go
to enjoy the stunning sunsets on the beach. If you want to learn how to enjoy
your life to the fullest, fall in love with a new culture, learn (or improve) a
beautiful language and find a new home, I suggest you pack your bags and go say
hi to my beloved Almería.
