Going abroad: a semester in Bulgaria

Conversation with Raphaël, exchange student at the New Bulgarian University, Sofia

What was your first impression when you arrived in Bulgaria?

At first – and I think this is true of many exchange destinations – you’re a bit lost, you don’t necessarily have the same points of reference. Very quickly, you want to discover more about this new environment and these new towns. So it was mainly curiosity, I’d say.

Why did you choose Bulgaria for your exchange?

I was certain that I wanted to stay in the European Union. And Bulgaria being one of the countries that joined the European Union most recently, I wanted to go and discover these ‘new’ countries that you don’t necessarily hear about. And it turned out to be a great discovery!

How did the courses go?

When you go on Erasmus, you have the advantage of being able to choose your courses. In other words, you can choose the courses that interest you, from 1st year of Bachelor’s to 2nd year of Master’s. This means that you can take courses that are really at the heart of your interests.

At the New Bulgarian University, we often find ourselves in very small groups in the classes. When there are five of us in front of the teacher, it forces us to be active and ask questions. What’s more, the university has a French political science department, so there are lots of French programmes on offer.

Have you had the opportunity to travel in Bulgaria?

I have indeed been able to travel in Bulgaria and neighbouring countries. They are very diverse countries, with lots of mountains and plains, but also access to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

The climate is continental and very changeable: it’s very hot in summer and very cold in winter, but the temperatures remain fairly dry, so it’s always very pleasant. You can walk around Sofia in a T-shirt until late October, sometimes early November. It’s really very pleasant. There are lots of parks in the city, lots of terraces in the parks and so on. It’s a great way to enjoy the good weather.

Why choose Bulgaria for your exchange?

Bulgaria, and the city of Sofia in particular, is really nice because it has so many green spaces. If you’re a keen hiker, you can take the bus up to Mount Vitocha. If you prefer skiing in winter, there’s also a ski resort there.

The city is similar in size to Lille. You can get everywhere on foot without too much trouble, and there are plenty of things to do. Public transport is very efficient, and student fares are as low as €7 a month.

In terms of budget, Bulgaria is very attractive for students. Unfortunately, Bulgaria is one of the poorest countries in the European Union, so we have a very good standard of living, and we can travel, go out, go to cafés and so on.

When you’re a French student in Bulgaria, the ambassador welcomes you to the French Embassy. And as political science students, we also have the opportunity to attend some very interesting lectures at the Institut Français – it’s also a great opportunity to network.

Finally, going to Bulgaria is also an opportunity to discover a new language, Bulgarian. Bulgaria is, according to the Bulgarians, where Cyrillic writing was invented. So it can be an opportunity to learn a new alphabet, a new language, and to familiarise yourself with new sounds that are very similar to other languages in the region, such as Serbian or even Russian.

In general, would you recommend that students go on an exchange?

I recommend that all students who can – not just ESPOL students, but all students in France and around the world – should go. But to go without expectations. If you set yourself goals, you’re bound to be disappointed. If you go without expectations, you’re bound to be fulfilled. And I’m convinced that there’s no such thing as a bad exchange! You can only benefit from discovering a new place and the opportunity to meet new people. The further you travel, the more you change culture, people and personalities you meet. The more you come face to face with others, the more you gain from the experience. It’s an experience I can recommend to everyone.

So off you go on an exchange and a journey!