- Name
- Leonie
- Study Programme
- IEDS
- Semester
- 4th Semester
- Host Institution
- University of Valencia (opens in a new window)
- Location
- Valencia, Spain
- Period
- October 2025 to February 2026
What was your main motivation to go abroad?
My main motivation was to live abroad, gain new experiences, and get to know another culture not just as a tourist, but in everyday life.
When you live in a foreign city and country for several months, you develop a much deeper understanding of the people, the culture and everyday life there.
What were your biggest concerns?
At first, I had some concerns, especially about whether I would manage everything organisationally by myself. As I had to find a supervisor for my master’s thesis independently, among other things, I was initially unsure whether everything would work smoothly. Looking back, however, it was much less complicated than I had expected. I was able to overcome my concerns by simply taking it step by step.
Fun Fact
In my first week in Valencia, I really wanted to try croquetas, a Spanish tapas speciality. So at lunchtime, I chose a café where I had seen croquetas on the menu and ordered them. The staff did not speak any English and at that time I did not speak any Spanish. They explained something to me, I did not understand anything and simply replied “sí”. As I had an appointment with my professor in Valencia 45 minutes later, I thought there would definitely still be enough time. After about 30 minutes, I asked using Google Translate how long the croquetas would take. I was told it would not take much longer. Another 15 minutes later, a different member of staff suddenly came into the café on an e-scooter with a bag in her hand. To this day, I do not know exactly what happened. However, it very much looked as though they had fetched the croquetas especially for me from another restaurant or supermarket because they had run out themselves, and then reheated them for me. In the end, I arrived late to my appointment with my professor and ate the croquetas on the way there to go. Unfortunately, they were not even particularly tasty. But I still found the effort the café made for me incredibly sweet.
Would you recommend a stay abroad? Why?
One hundred per cent. It was one of the most wonderful and exciting experiences I have had so far. I got to know Valencia and Spain in a completely different way than would have been possible on a holiday. When you live in a foreign city and country for several months, you develop a much deeper understanding of the people, the culture and everyday life there. I gained an incredible amount of experience and met wonderful people.
What did you take away from your time abroad?
Above all, many wonderful memories and encounters with great people. I also experienced a Spanish winter, which felt more like summer to me. My English improved significantly as well. Another particularly valuable experience was coordinating my master’s thesis between my German and my Spanish professor. This taught me a great deal about self-organisation, communication and personal responsibility.
Were your expectations met?
Yes, my expectations were even exceeded.
Is there anything you would like to highlight about your experience abroad?
For me, the most important motto was: just do it and enjoy it. You should not overthink things, but try to stay open, live in the moment and make the most of it.
More impressions and information about Leonie's experience abroad can be found on Instagram (opens in a new window).
Impressions of Spain
