In this interview, Víctor del Amo Higueras from Madrid, who studied social work at ASH Berlin thanks to Erasmus, describes the similarities and differences between the universities.
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Víctor and I come from Madrid, Spain, where I study at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
How did you find out about this exchange program?
My home university sent us the Erasmus call for applications and I started looking around and thinking about different destinations. I saw that I could apply to ASH in Berlin and put it as my first option because I wanted to go to a city with lots of opportunities and an open atmosphere where I could discover and explore myself.
What subjects are you taking at the partner university and how do they differ from your regular courses?
I took four modules: "Society, Health and Social Work", "Pedagogical Foundations of Social Work", "Methods of Social Work II - Counseling" and "Theories and Methods of Social Work". Some of them are similar to my regular courses at my home university, others are different. For example, I had some courses that were more practice-oriented, whereas at my home university I am used to learning a lot of theory. Also, I had nothing to do with pedagogy before and found it interesting, especially sex education.
How do you find the teaching style compared to your home university?
It's similar, but the teachers are closer to the students and everything is more flexible.
Can you tell us something about your everyday life? How do the days differ from those at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid?
I have breakfast at ASH Berlin, get a coffee and go to my first lecture. During the breaks, I talk to my Erasmus friends and eat with them before going to my lecture in the afternoon.
Compared to my home university, I spend less time walking to university because I live in the Victor Jara student residence, which is very close by. In Madrid, we also only have classes in the mornings or afternoons, but never both. At ASH Berlin, you can choose your courses more freely and the timetable can be quite crazy. For example, I have three classes on Mondays and none on Fridays.
Can you compare the atmosphere on campus here with that of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid?
The atmosphere and mood of both universities are similar: the people are very nice, committed, modern and open-minded. I like it because it's small and very informal. If the university were larger, it would be different in this respect.
How have your language skills developed during the exchange program?
My language skills have improved a lot. As an exchange student, you are constantly talking to other people from other countries in English and listening to others who speak German. I improved my English level a lot because I often had to explain myself and communicate many different things. That's an opportunity you don't have in your home country.
What were the biggest cultural differences you were confronted with - and how did you deal with them?
Maybe the meal times, that some days you had to eat lunch at 12 noon, which is so far away from 2 or 3 pm, the time I usually eat lunch.
Which places did you visit during your exchange program and what did you particularly like?
During my exchange program, I visited Potsdam, Dresden, Krakow (Poland), Amsterdam and Zaanse Schans (Netherlands), Prague (Czech Republic), Vienna (Austria) and Budapest (Hungary). I particularly enjoyed Dubrovnik (Croatia) with my Erasmus friends: the beach, the islands, the sea
"I fell in love with the feeling of freedom and independence"
How has the exchange influenced your personal development?
Before the exchange, I was very scared of living alone in another country. I was nervous as the trip to Berlin approached. But since arriving in the city, I fell in love with it and felt very comfortable from the first meetings with the Erasmus students at ASH Berlin. Settling in was much easier than I thought it would be. Now I feel like I'm capable of more than I sometimes think... and I have fallen in love with the feeling of freedom and independence I experienced while studying in Berlin.
What advice would you give to other students who are thinking about participating in an exchange program?
I would advise them to take care of the formalities and everything else in good time and to make sure that they don't miss any deadlines or consult with the teachers in good time. They should also be patient at the beginning. And enjoy, enjoy and enjoy Berlin, it's a fantastic city.
Let the city surprise you!
