I found my apartment COMMISSION FREE via http://barcelona-home.com/en/, there were no problems here either. I lived on Gran Via de les Cortes Catalanes, Rocafort metro station, a wonderful area, but the Gracia district would have been even better, from here it is also a stone’s throw to the university building.
At UAB I chose the subjects “International Marketing”, “International Business”, “International Finance” and “International Economics”. In terms of content, you shouldn’t have too high expectations, because personally I’ve hardly learned anything really new, since I’ve heard everything somewhere, but is it really about the teaching content during the semester abroad ?! 😉 I can highly recommend the lecturer Myriam Hikimura, she is a very nice personality and has the best balance of fun and content, which is also properly presented. I would try to avoid Paola Rocchi and Gabriel Izard, as their lessons are really unstructured and the English is largely incomprehensible.
The building of the program is in a great location near the famous street Passeig de Gracia with many restaurants etc. The technical equipment is unfortunately not in accordance with the requirements of the UAB (1 copier for approx. 150 students, defective projectors and laptops) definitely still improve. The classes are pleasantly large with around 25 students, but you have to consider that it is more like school than university (participation, queries, project work). All in all, it’s good about UAB, the city is actually the really essential part of your stay. Check liuxers to see more reviews from current students.
Barcelona is really a wonderful city that you fall in love with faster than you think. The summer holiday atmosphere that you experience every day until mid-November is something really special. After class, just lying on the beach can do a lot. When it comes to restaurants, bars and clubs, Barcelona can cater to all tastes. My favorite restaurants were the Cup & Cake, Cafe Federal, Kibuka and La Flauta, all of which are not cheap in terms of price, but in relation to what they offer they are perfectly fine. The coolest bars were the Boca Chica, Bobby Gin Bar and the Cyano. In terms of club technology, every musical taste is covered, from mainstream house, underground electro, techno, deep house to hip hop. We always had the best evenings in the Sutton, the Werk it and the Opium.
At first, I recommend doing the city tour and the more extensive tour with one of the city tours, as you can get a great first overall impression and pick out your favorite sights, which you can then take a closer look at later. I really liked the Mont Juic, when the sun is shining you have a perfect view of the whole city and the harbor. On Fridays from 7pm you can always marvel at the “Magic Fountain” with an impressive visual and acoustic show, which you shouldn’t miss.
I made trips to the beaches of Sitges, a very lively, pulsating little port town with many restaurants, about 30 minutes by train (7 €) from Barcelona. The best beach was in Castelldefels. The beach is very long, very wide, so perfect for beach volleyball, etc., and has many inexpensive beach restaurants.
Of course, you have to take care of your wallet and other valuables, which you should leave completely in Germany. Never have more cash with you than you need for the day, or take a credit card with you, as you can pay the smallest amounts with it almost everywhere in Barcelona. Taking a taxi in Barcelona can hardly be avoided after 12 o’clock at night, as the metro is closed from then on. Taxis are generally cheaper than in Germany and are very numerous. However, you should be careful when some drivers “find their way”, as they occasionally use one or the other kilometer detour, speak up if you think you are being driven in a detour. Avoid walking alone through the Rambla and the harbor area at night, as it is sometimes really dangerous there.
In conclusion, I can really say that the time in Barcelona was enriching, exhilarating and unforgettable, and I definitely don’t want to miss this experience and can recommend it to anyone who wants to broaden their horizons and have a super great time.
