From Laois to Logroño: The Erasmus Experience

ERASMUS+ is an EU programme that aims to promote travel for study and work experience in other countries.

This programme is open to students in school and higher education. For many third-level students, the option to avail of a study year abroad via the Erasmus+ programme is incorporated into their course.

I myself have just returned from Toulouse, France, where I have spent the last nine months studying law in Université Toulouse Capitole. This year served as the third of my four-year degree in Law and Business at University of Galway. As I study Legal French as part of my course, an Erasmus year was mandatory.

Though I approached the year with a certain degree of trepidation and unease (and while an initial adjustment period proved challenging at times), I can now look back fondly on a year of unique experiences and have had the fortune of meeting a plethora of fascinating people from all corners of the world.

While reflecting on my time abroad, I found myself curious to compare my own experience with that of other Laois students. Perhaps I was not alone in my early feelings of isolation, perhaps different cities offered different opportunities, and perhaps some simply did not enjoy the experience at all. Pursuing this curiosity, I took the chance to speak with three other Laois students who have previously completed study periods abroad through the Erasmus+ programme.

Noah Fingleton from Ratheniska studies Product Design and Technology in University of Limerick. Last year, Noah spent five months studying in Sitges, Spain at Vilanova I la Geltrú UPC. This period from February to June 2024 served as a European project semester in Noah’s course.

When asked what he found most challenging about the experience, Noah said: “Well, there were may be a few challenging hangovers. Sometimes the day when you weren’t busy the boredom could get to you, and you’d miss home the most those days when you had nothing to do. The Sundays were always tough, because everything closed.” Quiet Sundays aside, Noah spent the rest of his days in Sitges balancing studies and various extra-curricular activities.

“I learned Catalan out there,” he said. “It was a really basic level, because no-one in the class knew any Catalan. It was cool to know a small bit because the Catalonians really prefer you making an attempt to speak the language, so even having it in the shops was useful.” Outside of the classroom, he discovered a local GAA club, which provided a perfect escape from day-to-life in Spain.

“I couldn’t believe such a small town had a GAA club and we showed up to training one Wednesday night. There were maybe four or five Irish lads playing and the rest were all Spanish.” One specific question I had for each student was if they found a difference in themselves upon returning to Ireland.

Noah’s response was impressively introspective: “I was always eager to live abroad when I was older, and now that I’ve done that, I feel I have a good sense of what it might be like to live abroad after college.” 

Eddie Critchley from Portlaoise studies English and Creative Writing at University of Galway. Similar to Noah, he spent the spring semester of 2024 studying in Logroño, Spain. My conversation with Eddie left me with the impression that Logroño offered fewer opportunities than those available to Noah in Sitges.

“Logrono itself was not much of a city and there was very little to do. There were about 15 churches and one nightclub, so that’s the vibe of the town”, he confessed.

Sensing a commonality between my own experience and Eddie’s, I asked if he found it difficult settling in a new city.

“Definitely. Just being away from home for so long, you just have to fend for yourself and you’re not a train journey away from home anymore. You get to know yourself a bit more.” In response to my question on a sense of growth upon returning home, Eddie revealed how his time in Logroño had granted him a newfound sense of appreciation for life in Ireland.

“Just prioritising different things. Seeing things in a new light. Coming back to Portlaoise or Galway, you suddenly see it with new eyes.” Sintija Vaiciulionyte from Portlaoise has just completed a degree in Law and Business at University of Galway. Having studied Spanish as part of her course, an entire academic year in Spain was mandatory. The year abroad saw her studying at the prestigious Universidad de Salamanca.

Wanting to compare Sintija’s longer mobility to that of Eddie and Noah, I once again asked whether she found it difficult adjusting to life in a new city. Her response was unabashedly honest: “I’m such a homebird and I think Erasmus made me realise that. All I could talk about was my home and Laois and Electric Picnic! That was literally at the heart of every conversation I had.” Relating to Sintija’s reminiscing about life in Laois, I asked if she had any advice for future students facing into an Erasmus year. Her answer may well provide some solace to many a homebird: “Try as best as you can to go out with a positive mindset. No matter what you’re leaving behind, whether it’s family, friends or a relationship – if you go out with a negative mindset, you’ll be less open to embracing the opportunities.” Finally, Sintija considered whether or not she found a change in herself after nine months in Spain.

“I suppose it made me more independent and just more aware of how the world works outside of Ireland.” Having taken this time to listen to other Laois students’ thoughts on Erasmus and reflecting on my own, I have come to the realisation that Erasmus, like any opportunity in life, can be whatever you decide to make of it. For any prospective Erasmus students, I would urge you to appreciate the chance you have and tell all of Europe about Electric Picnic!