Instantes

It is crazy how fast time went by. I remember being so stressed and nervous because of all the things that had to be sorted before coming to Munich and in the blink of an eye is already time to leave. I feel very nostalgic to think about saying bye to my friends, my room, LMU, and this beautiful city. Doing my Erasmus here has been such an amazing opportunity. I feel extremely grateful for the experience I had, all the people I met, the places I got to see, and everything I learned.

The first months were very difficult for me. I got sick many times, which caused me to stay home on days when many integration activities were taking place. I felt sad and alone because while everyone else was making friends and doing fun things, I was alone and not feeling well. However, in the first integration activity I joined which was the beer garden, I met two lovely French girls; Gabi and Clara. They knew each other from Paris, but they were really friendly and took me into their group. We started going out together, sitting together in class, and getting to learn from each other’s culture, which was really fun and interesting. Later on, Eliska from Prague joined the friend group. She always made us laugh with her fun stories and with her backpack which is always full and carries everything you can possibly need. It was like the bag of Mary Poppins, or like a snail; carrying her house on her back. Last but not least, Michelle from Venezuela also became a really close friend. I was so happy to meet someone I could speak Spanish to. Michelle is very fun and sweet. We often make fun of the different words and sayings we use in our home countries and her advice has helped me so many times. I am extremely lucky I met these girls, they have made this experience so special; and now, I have someone to visit in Paris, Madrid, and Prague!

Looking back on what I learned during this time studying at LMU, I can say I am very satisfied with the courses I took. Recording a podcast was something completely new for me and definitely out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed it very much and it is something I would like to get better at in the future. I also really enjoyed learning about the media landscape in Munich as well as the role that journalism has had in different countries around the world. Dress to Impress was also a course I really enjoyed because it led me to reflect on the choices I make regarding my appearance and clothes, and how are these connected not only to my personal values but also to my culture, habits, and aspirations.

I used to think Erasmus was mainly an academic experience, but I realized it was so much more than that. There was an enormous personal growth that came with it too. My experience was a bit different from what I had imagined at first. This time living in Munich was not so much about partying and living “the crazy student life”, but it was much more about learning to be comfortable by myself, re-evaluating my habits and trying to find balance, achieving consistency (for the first time) in exercising, and discovering new hobbies such as playing the ukulele. I also appreciate a lot more my health, because this is something that was constantly affected the past months. I also learned that I enjoy a lot more an afternoon having a picnic or drinking coffee (at the English garden for example) with friends rather than going out to a club. And now I am very sure that I really don’t enjoy drinking beers. However, I do love the atmosphere of the beer gardens and this is something I will miss very much about living here.

Munich has been great in every way possible. It’s difficult to put into words how I feel about leaving because there are so many things I will miss, but the lessons I learned, the friendships I made, and the memories of this amazing time will stay with me.

Thank you to everyone who made this such a special experience. I wish you all the best!