Questions for Marion - Both groups

To show our appreciation of Marion's incredible effort to write on the forum even though she is sitting in a warm country whilst we freeze in Angouleme, this thread is for your questions for Marion that hopefully she'll answer.

First question. What have you liked the most about your Erasmus experience so far and why?

Hi Marion, we are very happy to take news from you. We hope you are spending a great Erasmus time. My question will be short (it happens) - what are the things that you still need to improve to live your everyday life ? (Yes I said short).

Ok, I am here !

Admin wrote:To show our appreciation of Marion's incredible effort to write on the forum even though she is sitting in a warm country whilst we freeze in Angouleme, this thread is for your questions for Marion that hopefully she'll answer.

First question. What have you liked the most about your Erasmus experience so far and why?

Hi CEPE !
What a lovely topic this week !

First, it is not very warm in Granada (even if I am in South of Spain !). I have to buy shoes, wollen scarf and two pullovers with long sleeves ! (Fortunately, I have my gloves !)
In fact Granada is located next to the Sierra Nevada (mountains) ; thus the city is situated "high in the mountain", contrary to the other cities like Malaga.
People come to Granada to ski ! We can see people walking in the city in ski suits !
We can see snowy mountains from the downtown !
One week ago, we have had snow ! (but it was exceptional...)

First question : What have you liked the most about your Erasmus experience so far and why?
In fact, for the moment I don't kown...I think it's to early...I will answer completely the question in June !
I admite, I am a little afraid of failing my exam...So, I study all the time because they are lot of things to learm (and not because of the language). I have to choose my class and I am afraid of choosing the wrong class ! And this is not easy !
For me, I believe the beginning is a little hard (The second semester just started in the end of January).
I have to adapt myself quickly to the University organisation, the other students (Spainish and Erasmus) and my new life...I think it will be better in few weeks...

Wissam wrote:Hi Marion, we are very happy to take news from you. We hope you are spending a great Erasmus time. My question will be short (it happens) - what are the things that you still need to improve to live your everyday life ? (Yes I said short).

Hi Wissam !
The second semester in Angoulême is OK for you ?
What are the things that you still need to improve to live your everyday life ?
First, I still need to improve my spanish language...I am a little afraid of speaking in public because of my terrible "french accent" ! I understand the lesson and what is happening around to me but it's very difficult to maintain a long conversation, my brain get tired very quickly....And when I am tired, I don't want to speak Spanish, I just want to speak french !!

Then, I still need to develop "my ease in expressing myself" (because I'm a little bit shy , and it's already difficult in my own language, so in foreigner language...) Moreover, we have lots of "workshop" or "works in groups"...

I think, there are lots of things that I have to improve but this one are the main ! I hope I have answered your question !

hii, my question is: What do people from all over the world bring to you as a culture, way of living, cooking ..? or what did you learn new thanks to them?

Virginie Auclair wrote:hii, my question is: What do people from all over the world bring to you as a culture, way of living, cooking ..? or what did you learn new thanks to them?

Hi !!
On the one hand, in a global vision, I really think that people from all over the world, (with other culture and way of life, as you said) permite to be more open minded and more tolerant. To "see differences like a source of wealth" because there is lot of people that "see no further than the end of his nose". It's important to know that there are not "good or bad" culture, all culture are magnificent.

On the other hand, I am going to answer you with more specific point of you. First, Granada city, Spain, is the last Muslim city of Spain before the "Reconquista" by chiristian people in 1492. In this way, lots of edifices or structures have a muslim influence (like the Alhambra). The city brought me this part of history or culture that I didn't know.

There are lots of "souk" in downtown :



Moreover, which surprised me is that Spanish people "touch" a lot and the physical distance is less far that in France. It's not an agressive gesture, it's their lifestyle ! The fact remins me that all civilisations are different. Here, people are more in the street to night, they eat ONLY HAM. All this anecdote remins me/us that I/we are not alone in this planet, and I think it's very important.

Hello Marion !
Happy to see that you enjoy your time in Granada. I've already done an Erasmus really close to Granada, in Jaén (I don't really advise you to go there, there is only a castle to see and it is nothing comparing to the wonderful Alhambra) and it was one of the best experience of my life. Andalusia is so amazing, full of beautiful landscapes and sightseeing. My favorite thing was going outside in a bar to drink somethng and eat tapas, TAPEAR ! But I missed so much French dishes during my time in Spain, especially CHEESE.

So my question is : What do you miss from France ?

I wish you the best for your Spanish adventure !

Nolwenn Lautredou wrote:Hello Marion !
Happy to see that you enjoy your time in Granada. I've already done an Erasmus really close to Granada, in Jaén (I don't really advise you to go there, there is only a castle to see and it is nothing comparing to the wonderful Alhambra) and it was one of the best experience of my life. Andalusia is so amazing, full of beautiful landscapes and sightseeing. My favorite thing was going outside in a bar to drink somethng and eat tapas, TAPEAR ! But I missed so much French dishes during my time in Spain, especially CHEESE.

So my question is : What do you miss from France ?

I wish you the best for your Spanish adventure !

Hi Nolwenn !! I hope you are well !
As you said Andalusia is so amazing ; I wait March to go to Alhambra because I want to see flowers for spring. Today, I went to Monachill (really close to Granada) and as you said with so beautiful landscapes ! I went with "Best life experiencies groups" for Erasmus student (usually I prefer to avoid the kind of groups but here we went in the mountain, so I prefered be on a group ; en fact it happens that some people get lost...)





And yes, I eat tapas ! and JAMON, JAMON, and JAMON.
And yes, like you said, I miss so much french things ! First, it's french "viennoiserie" like pain au chocolat/chocolatine and croissant. Here, in Granada, cakes (pasteles in Spanish) are really bad. Then it's also CHEESE (there are only "pasteurized milk cheese")!! Here, cheese and dairy product (milk) are in general pretty bad... My spanish teacher said me that in Andalucia, there are not cow (or very few) because of the climate. So, milk and dairy product come from the North of Spain... So, I miss en general french food...
To conclude, I miss the language !!! In fact, the french miss me !!!

Hi Marion, I hope everything goes well for you.
My question is: what do you plan to do during your school holidays? (Traveling in Spain ...?)

I wish you the best!

Gendry Marceline wrote:Hi Marion, I hope everything goes well for you.
My question is: what do you plan to do during your school holidays? (Traveling in Spain ...?)

I wish you the best!

Hi Marceline ! Me too, I hope everythings goes well for you in Angoulême !

For my school holidays, I don't know yet !  

My school holidays are during " la semana santa" in March. First, I tought stay in Granada, because I have so much work, but I think I will go to France to see my family (I have some presents for them and I need to pick up summer clothes !).
And my family want to visit me also but I don't know when !

I don't have other holiday, just in June after my exams. So, I think, I will visit Andalucia during June like a "little road trip" !  
First, I think, I will leave Granada to go to the Mediterranean coastline. I would like to visit Almeria, Malaga and Marbella.
Then, I would like to go to Cadix, Seville and Cordoba ; and return to Madrid to fly to France. But maybe I plan too many things !!
Moreover, I afraid of feeling myself a little " far away from Bordeaux" and maybe in June, I would like just return in France....

Hi Marion, glad to see that you enjoy a lot in spain for your studing life! So have you got some friends there?  Are they kind and where are they coming from?  After class what do you do for the amusement?
And enjoy your wonderful life in Spain!

TIAN Zhekun wrote:Hi Marion, glad to see that you enjoy a lot in spain for your studing life! So have you got some friends there?  Are they kind and where are they coming from?  After class what do you do for the amusement?
And enjoy your wonderful life in Spain!

Hi Zhekun !!
Are you OK in CEPE ? The second semester it's not too difficult ?

Now, I can imagine what is living and studying in a foreigner country like you, Mayra and Eunhae !! It's so difficult and strange !!! Sometimes, I feel a little lonely in this big Andalucia and so far from my family...Moreover, aeroplane tickets are so cost...

Here, in Spain, people don't understand my name and they can't pronounce it !! They said "Mari", "Maria", "Mario", "Maron", Maryam",  "Maryan"....

To answer your question : First, as you know, I am with Clémence in Granada.
On the one hand,  it's a little difficult to make friends in Granada because I am in a BIG BIG University (like a big american campus with thousands and thousands students...). And it's not like the CEPE ; I am not in the same class with the same students all the time... I change all the time...it's make difficult to make friends...

On the other hand, (unfortunately) Spanish students don't speak with Erasmus... and they don't want to work with us because of we are "Erasmus" and so "less effective". And for me, it's very difficult...
Thus, student Erasmus stay with student Erasmus, and Student Erasmus work with student Erasmus, it's very bad....

To conclude, I meet lots of wonderful Erasmus students ! they come from German, France (lots of french people here, and it's very bad for my spanish language...), Italy,....and Asia too !

Marion Le Moullec wrote:

TIAN Zhekun wrote:Hi Marion, glad to see that you enjoy a lot in spain for your studing life! So have you got some friends there?  Are they kind and where are they coming from?  After class what do you do for the amusement?
And enjoy your wonderful life in Spain!

Hi Zhekun !!
Are you OK in CEPE ? The second semester it's not too difficult ?

Now, I can imagine what is living and studying in a foreigner country like you, Mayra and Eunhae !! It's so difficult and strange !!! Sometimes, I feel a little lonely in this big Andalucia and so far from my family...Moreover, aeroplane tickets are so cost...

Here, in Spain, people don't understand my name and they can't pronounce it !! They said "Mari", "Maria", "Mario", "Maron", Maryam",  "Maryan"....

To answer your question : First, as you know, I am with Clémence in Granada.
On the one hand,  it's a little difficult to make friends in Granada because I am in a BIG BIG University (like a big american campus with thousands and thousands students...). And it's not like the CEPE ; I am not in the same class with the same students all the time... I change all the time...it's make difficult to make friends...

On the other hand, (unfortunately) Spanish students don't speak with Erasmus... and they don't want to work with us because of we are "Erasmus" and so "less effective". And for me, it's very difficult...
Thus, student Erasmus stay with student Erasmus, and Student Erasmus work with student Erasmus, it's very bad....

To conclude, I meet lots of wonderful Erasmus students ! they come from German, France (lots of french people here, and it's very bad for my spanish language...), Italy,....and Asia too !

Yes it's not so kind to hear that, but compared with you, we are apparently more lucky... In CEPE there's always the warm-hearted classemates who works with us, but anyway, the experience ERASMUS is a quite different and very exploitive, be more courage for your Spain life! 

Hi Marion ! You must know that your amazing powerpoint miss a lot in class... 

I hope that you will quickly acclimatize and enjoy this adventure ! The city looks really nice, you will make me regret to have not left with you !! I see that you have already answered many questions so I just wanted to ask you if you were going back to Angoulême in the second year or if you plan to spend your life in Granada? 

Enjoy for us !!!

Hi Marion, I hope you are enjoying your time in Granada ! I miss you a lot !
Spain is not so far from France but its culture could be very different. For example, on the first time I've been in Barcelona I was shocked by the differences between the French and the Spanish behaviors in restaurants or on the streets. Spanish people are very nice and open minded but also very loudly in public haha !
What is the cultural difference that shocked you the most since you are in Andalusia ?

Florine Bouchet wrote:Hi Marion ! You must know that your amazing powerpoint miss a lot in class... 

I hope that you will quickly acclimatize and enjoy this adventure ! The city looks really nice, you will make me regret to have not left with you !! I see that you have already answered many questions so I just wanted to ask you if you were going back to Angoulême in the second year or if you plan to spend your life in Granada? 

Enjoy for us !!!

Hi Florine ! Thank you ! I hope all is Ok in Angoulême.
I admite, It's a little difficult to acclimate myself in Spain. On the one hand, the city is really nice but on the other hand, it's little difficult to integrate myself as foreign student in this ENORMOUS University !

To answer to your question :
Spend my life in Granada ? I don't know... people are a little weird here !.......They think because of you are a foreign people or because of you don't speak very well the language, you are a little stupid person or an idiot !? It's very destabilizing !

In this way, I don't think so... but I would really like to improve my spanish language because, (in fact), I don't speak spanish a lot with other students. I am afraid of not speaking very well spanish when I am going back to France !
Then, I would like to finish my master 2 in Angoulême because I am very interested by the design of communication & packaging specialty.

To conclude, Andalucia is very a long way from France and FRENCH FOOD miss me so much !!!!

Eunhae Park wrote:Hi Marion, I hope you are enjoying your time in Granada ! I miss you a lot !
Spain is not so far from France but its culture could be very different. For example, on the first time I've been in Barcelona I was shocked by the differences between the French and the Spanish behaviors in restaurants or on the streets. Spanish people are very nice and open minded but also very loudly in public haha !
What is the cultural difference that shocked you the most since you are in Andalusia ?  

Hi Eunhae !
How are you ? Now, I know what is studying in foreign country, so difficult and weird !!!
Here, people are more in the street and outside of their house ! As you said, they are very loudly in public, they speak very, very, strong and very quickly. They don't wait the end of your sentence and they finish your sentence in your place, it's a little unpleasant....
Moreover, people, here, are very expressive, they speak with lots of big gestures and face expressions ! (like Almodovar's movies ! )
People "touch" other people so much, it's a little destabilizing because in France, we don't touch other person !

Here, in Granada (Andalucia), there is a "particular" spanish accent a little difficult to understand. People don't pronounced the "s" in the end of the word and they "eat" the end of the word in general !

In fact, I find Andalucia a little different from North of Spain (I went to Barcelona and Bilbao a few years ago) and here, it's more like a "hot country" or "South country"), closer to Africa than France. I don't know how explain that....a strange personal feeling...
In Barcelona, I was stocked because people were very "dirty", and in the city, it smelled very bad (frying, urine, dustbin,...) whereas, Granada it's rather clean !

Good luck to you for this second semester in Angoulême !  

Marion Le Moullec wrote:

Florine Bouchet wrote:Hi Marion ! You must know that your amazing powerpoint miss a lot in class... 

I hope that you will quickly acclimatize and enjoy this adventure ! The city looks really nice, you will make me regret to have not left with you !! I see that you have already answered many questions so I just wanted to ask you if you were going back to Angoulême in the second year or if you plan to spend your life in Granada? 

Enjoy for us !!!

Hi Florine ! Thank you ! I hope all is Ok in Angoulême.
I admite, It's a little difficult to acclimate myself in Spain. On the one hand, the city is really nice but on the other hand, it's little difficult to integrate myself as foreign student in this ENORMOUS University !

To answer to your question :
Spend my life in Granada ? I don't know... people are a little weird here !.......They think because of you are a foreign people or because of you don't speak very well the language, you are a little stupid person or an idiot !? It's very destabilizing !

In this way, I don't think so... but I would really like to improve my spanish language because, (in fact), I don't speak spanish a lot with other students. I am afraid of not speaking very well spanish when I am going back to France !
Then, I would like to finish my master 2 in Angoulême because I am very interested by the design of communication & packaging specialty.

To conclude, Andalucia is very a long way from France and FRENCH FOOD miss me so much !!!!

I think it's the same in many countries. If you don't speak French well in France a lot of people think you are an idiot or simple too.

Do you have an evening free where you could take a spanish class and therefore mix with a different group of people which may kill two birds with one stone?

Admin wrote:

Marion Le Moullec wrote:

Florine Bouchet wrote:Hi Marion ! You must know that your amazing powerpoint miss a lot in class... 

I hope that you will quickly acclimatize and enjoy this adventure ! The city looks really nice, you will make me regret to have not left with you !! I see that you have already answered many questions so I just wanted to ask you if you were going back to Angoulême in the second year or if you plan to spend your life in Granada? 

Enjoy for us !!!

Hi Florine ! Thank you ! I hope all is Ok in Angoulême.
I admite, It's a little difficult to acclimate myself in Spain. On the one hand, the city is really nice but on the other hand, it's little difficult to integrate myself as foreign student in this ENORMOUS University !

To answer to your question :
Spend my life in Granada ? I don't know... people are a little weird here !.......They think because of you are a foreign people or because of you don't speak very well the language, you are a little stupid person or an idiot !? It's very destabilizing !

In this way, I don't think so... but I would really like to improve my spanish language because, (in fact), I don't speak spanish a lot with other students. I am afraid of not speaking very well spanish when I am going back to France !
Then, I would like to finish my master 2 in Angoulême because I am very interested by the design of communication & packaging specialty.

To conclude, Andalucia is very a long way from France and FRENCH FOOD miss me so much !!!!

I think it's the same in many countries. If you don't speak French well in France a lot of people think you are an idiot or simple too.

Do you have an evening free where you could take a spanish class and therefore mix with a different group of people which may kill two birds with one stone?

Hi mister Admin !
That's reassuring what you said about other countries ! Because, here, I really have the impression that people think I am an idiot because I need time to analyse the question and answer !

Ya, it's exists like "intercambio" (exchanges) with other students (Erasmus or not), but it's was generally in bar/pub, with lots of people, noise, music ; unfortunately not easy to speak the language !
It's exist Erasmus organization : I don't really like a lot the kind of organization because there are only Erasmus students (with lots of FRENCH people !), not so good to practice the language ! Because, we speak french....

However, before the start of the school (29th of January), I came to Granada the 6th of January to practice the langage with a"Language organization" (link to the University but not "in" the University)and I met other students (Erasmus or not) very nice and the social contact was easier. They came from Australia, United States, Korea, Spain, Latin America .... and I still contact with us !!

By the way, with Clémence, we found an english lessons ! There is ONLY ONE english lesson in all the University of economics ! It's not like a "traditional lesson" but more a business and cultural course. We learn about "social relationship model" inside the firm. (I don't know how explain that...)
Don't worry Mister Admin, I will try to write on the forum !! It helps me a lot with the language.

Marion you're a crazy girl !!! Ah ah..!

I wonder why you went to Spain ? For their cultures ? to improve you language ? Why not an Anglophone country ?


I imagine that english miss you with the "best teacher in the world"
That's why you participate in the forum and you found (with Clemence) an english lessons.

I hope everything goes well for you there !! May the weather favor you and you have fun

Gwenaelle Hatchi wrote:Marion you're a crazy girl !!! Ah ah..!  

I wonder why you went to Spain ? For their cultures ? to improve you language ? Why not an Anglophone country ?


I imagine that english miss you with the "best teacher in the world"  
That's why you participate in the forum and you found (with Clemence) an english lessons.

I hope everything goes well for you there !! May the weather favor you and you have fun  

~See you soon Marion~

Hi  Gwen !
In fact, first, I wanted to go with Erasmus programme, because in my anterior studies I can't. I have already done several internships only in France, so I would like have  an "international" part in my CV.

Then, I didn't have the nivel to go to an English-speaking country and it's very difficult for me to speak english in public . So, I can't choose the kind of country.
Moreover, I still love spanish language (I still was more at ease with this latine language in secondary school and high school). And, Spanish miss me so much ! For real, this Erasmus, was more to improve my language than for the spanish culture.

To conclude, in the University of Granada, there is only one english course and first I didn't have english course in my learning agreement. In view of my level, I can't stay 6 month without english !
In this way, I prefered continue to participate on this forum... moreover the forum completes my english course in Granada because we don't write a lot...

After some coldness, it's the return of summer weather !!!!

Hey Marion, how are you?

I read all your answers and all I could think about was "it's so relatable". Specially about people thinking you're stupid and slow and also about the part where you don't want to speak another language in the end of the day when you are tired. It's never easy to be a student in another country, but it makes you learn so much about yourself. All I can say is stay strong

My questions are about the education system in Spain. Is that harder? Do you have exams and TDs like in France? What are your favorites subjects?

I miss you!

Hey Marion

I don't have much more than my comrades to say, or to ask... I just hope that you enjoy your Erasmus trip, instead of all difficulties you can encounter... I did mine in a country with a totally new language (I'm glad norwegian speak english so well), and I can understand how hard it is to speak with locals...

Do you go to ESN's events ? It's a great organism for Erasmus students, to meet people and to discover the country where you are!

Mayra Fernandes wrote:Hey Marion, how are you?

I read all your answers and all I could think about was "it's so relatable". Specially about people thinking you're stupid and slow and also about the part where you don't want to speak another language in the end of the day when you are tired. It's never easy to be a student in another country, but it makes you learn so much about yourself. All I can say is stay strong

My questions are about the education system in Spain. Is that harder? Do you have exams and TDs like in France? What are your favorites subjects?

I miss you!

Hi Mayra ! I hope you are well !
Ya, in fact, I didn't think it's was so difficult to be a student in another country !
Thank for your encouragement !

First, the education system in Spain is a little different from France. Relationship between students and teachers is less complicated than France. Teachers mingle with students (there is not this "freezing and impersonal" distance between them). It's was little stange for me at first...

Then, courses are very very interesting (I admite a little more interesting than in France.... ) ! I think, it's not harder than in France, just different. I understand courses and language but it's very difficult for me to "give back" quickly all things I learned in courses ! That scares me a bit.....

In fact, we have few homeworks but lots of TD in group ! And it's difficult to integrate myself in a group of spanish students...

In this big faculty, all teacher work in this way : we have "normally" notes (not on .../20 but  on .../5 or on .../10)
- 40 % of this notes are TDs (named practica in Spain) : this courses are required field and in 1/2 class. If we are not here we have "points in less" (I don't know how...).
- 60% of this notes is the final exam in June : courses to prepare this exam are optional (named theoria in Spain).

It's a little complicated because, sometimes, we don't know if it's TDs or lessons ! It's not very clear...

To conclude, I have 5 subjects with 6 ECTS each : But my favorite is "Merchandising", because, it's about consumer behaviour in supermarket ! I love that