Mirthe in Pamplona, Spain

Mirthe’s Erasmus Experience at UNAV, in Pamplona, Spain.

Today, we’re featuring Myrthe, an ICM student from Leuven, Belgium, who had an incredible semester at the Universidad de Navarra (UNAV) in Pamplona, Spain. Check out her story to see what she experienced and learned during her time abroad!

• What was your first impression of the host country and its culture?

My first impression of Spain was that the people are so open and enthusiastic to share their culture, of which they are very proud (and with good reason 😉). Even in Pamplona, the rainiest city of Spain, you can feel the warmth of this very welcoming community.

• Can you share a memorable cultural experience you had during your Erasmus stay?

On Thursdays, my friends and I joined hundreds of locals, students, and tourists for Juevinxtos. The word ‘Juevinxtos’ consists of ‘jeuves’ (Thursday), ‘vino’ (wine), and ‘pinxtos’ (the Basque equivalent of tapas). In other words, juevinxtos is a weekly occurrence where everyone comes together in the streets of the city center to eat, drink, and socialize. For students, it is often also the start of a night out 😉

• How was the academic environment at your host university different from Thomas More?

The biggest difference between TM and UNAV is definitely the size of the campus and classrooms! UNAV’s campus is even officially recognized as one of the biggest parks/botanical gardens in Pamplona! And for me personally, the courses I took in Spain were also on very different subjects than the ones in Mechelen, but that was my own choice 😊

• What challenges did you face while on Erasmus, and how did you overcome them?

The most challenging part of my semester abroad I think was the first month there. I was having an amazing time, but I was struggling a bit to balance everything: I still had (online) exams and presentations for Thomas More to do, as well as getting started in my new classes. On top of that, I didn’t want to get left out of the fun and socializing, so I also had to make sure to participate in events and gatherings. Of course, doing laundry, going grocery shopping, and cooking took up a big portion of my days as well, but that is the case for any student living away from home. Basically, my motto this semester was “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”, but I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way!

• How did this experience help you grow personally and academically?

On a personal level, this experience really gave my self-confidence a much-needed boost! I made so many friends and went on plenty of adventures; I realized that I AM a social person and that I AM capable of planning and doing things by myself. On an academic level, I got to figure out what I do and do not like studying, and which things I’m good at. I picked pretty diverse classes; from Screenwriting, to News Design, and Strategies in Fashion Communication. This confirmed that I love the more creative and practical classes, which is very helpful to know with an eye on my future (study)career.

• Looking back, what is your most cherished memory from your Erasmus experience?

It is really difficult to pick one favourite memory, but if I had to, I’d probably say the karaoke nights. AEP – the most amazing association for internationals in Pamplona – organized a few of these throughout the semester, and there would always be so many people, all open and enthusiastic to meet new people and have a great night together. This is where I met some of my closest friends on Erasmus! Nothing better than great music and great people!

• What will you miss the most in Belgium after your Erasmus experience?

I will miss absolutely everything ☹ The beautiful city (& la ciudadela!!!), the university and its amazing professors, but most of all my incredible friends! I became so close with my roomies, my classmates, my karaoke friends, etc… I was sobbing every time I had to say bye to any one of them! But I’ll tell you what we all told each other: “It’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you soon!”.

• Do you have any tips or advice for future students considering Erasmus?

One tip I want to share is to not worry too much about the location of your Erasmus, because what makes this experience great is the people there! I personally focused on good universities with courses that I liked first, and only then did I look at where those were located. When I told people I was going to Pamplona, they asked me if I wouldn’t rather go to Madrid or Barcelona, and I’m sure an Erasmus experience there would’ve been great as well, but it is a completely different vibe. What you need to know is that in a smaller city like Pamplona, the (international) community is way tighter-knit, and that is the most important to me. And you always have the weekends and breaks to visit those other cities!