Turistica exCHANGES YOU!

Winds of Icelandic experiences

ERASMUS – WHY AND WHEN?

It all started with my desire to go abroad and the right timing to do so. To be honest, it was the last train of Erasmus student exchange for me to catch. I don't think it makes a bit difference when you go though, as long as you do it. I would recommend going in the 1st semester because it leaves you with the option to extend the exchange for another semester. I went in the 2nd semester of the study year 2014/15 and was left without an option plus I found the time period between applying and actually going a bit too long.

UNIVERSITY

I chose the University of Iceland because of many courses they offered in English but it turned out I had to replace all of them. Unfortunately, tourism related courses are mainly for Master's degree or in Icelandic. I ended up at the Faculty of Business Administration and even though that wasn’t my initial plan I was satisfied with the quality of the courses and lectures. They were more or less demanding but the professors were understanding and gave a good feedback.

The standards of university buildings and equipment is at high level, students can find computer and study rooms in every building, there is Eduroam wireless connection everywhere. In addition, they offer students the option of 24/7 access to one of the main building called Haskolatorg. For the price of 10€/year they can enter after or before official opening hours with their student card, study and use the computers.

There is a student dinner and a student bar at Haskolatorg. It's the only place in the city where you can get a meal with a student discount even though it's still not cheap (i.e. 6-7€ for a hamburger or 4-5€ for a soup).

The University also offers quite a big library, a bookshop, a cinema and a gym with fitness very close to the main buildings.

ACCOMODATION

I have been living in a private flat paying a rent comparable to renting a single room in Portorož or Ljubljana. It was really easy to find a room, university sent us a list of offers and contacts, I sent the landlord an inquiry e-mail and it was settled. The cheapest option would still be to stay in a student dormitory for which you need to apply separately.

My flat has been located 20 min walking distance from the university and 30 min walking distance from the city centre. I usually walked everywhere but you can also take a city bus for 2,5€/drive. Another popular way of transportation is cycling. It can be quite challenging during the winter time but people don't seem to worry too much about it.

ICELAND

I came to Iceland in January when days were short but getting longer and left in May when sun literally never went down. It's hard to say what's harder to cope with. You can't really get used to it but it has its own magic, especially with the phenomenon of Aurora Borealis in the winter and the colours of the »night sky« in the summer. Along with this challenge there are always weather conditions to be considered. This year we have had snow and low temperatures well into April while in January the temperatures decreased only down to -5°C. It can only get depressing when strong wind and snowstorms don't allow you to leave the city for weeks.

Another strong aspect I've been warned about all the time before living in Iceland are the costs and the height of prices. I can confirm that mostly the prices are one of the highest in Europe but it also depends on the particular good. The prices of rent and transportation are generally very high but the price of food can be comparable even with Slovenian supermarket prices, depends where and what you buy.

Iceland is big considering the proportions of its cities and has a lot to offer, especially nature-wise. As a young volcanic island it's full of extraordinary natural phenomena like geothermal areas, mountains, waterfalls, lava fields, caves, glaciers and volcanos, archipelago, fjords and basalt cliffs. Exploring the nature is undoubtedly the number one thing to do when you're staying there.

REYKJAVIK

Reykjavik is a small but vibrant city with a lot of cultural activity in the form of festivals, live music, exhibitions, etc. The city centre offers a lot of bars of different kinds and also a lot of restaurants with various kinds of food, from fish and chips to Vietnamese, Italian, French or Scandinavian cuisine.

I would call Reykjavik a city of sculptures as you can find progressive variations of sculptures behind every corner. Generally, artistic forms are diverse; there are a lot of art galleries and exhibitions. Another display of a strong artistic movement is in the form of graffiti all over the city centre.

Many bars offer a lot of live music, concerts and DJ sets and at the weekends during the winter you can find more people out on the streets at 2 a.m. than at 2 p.m. The city centre really comes alive at night.

CONCLUDING IMPRESSIONS

My Icelandic experience has no doubt been positive but also challenging. As beautiful as Iceland is it's also as tough and I would dare to say- not for everyone. As much as it sounds like a cliché you can't overlook the weather or the prices. You need to be prepared and bear in mind that the nicest things often aren't the easiest.

Neža Cerar,
student of UP FTŠ Turistica