How Accommodating

Whilst booking my plane ticket to Bordeaux felt like a massive step forward, I now even have a place to live.  This must be one of the most stressful aspects of the Year Abroad experience for any student, especially if you are going to live somewhere you have never been before.  What you need to remember is that every year there are many many many ERASMUS students who find somewhere to live!  So no matter what, keep smiling.  Things WILL work out. 

I have a confession to make though…

I didn’t have to look for an apartment in Bordeaux because I am going to live with a friend of mine from Bordeaux.  Some may call that cheating, I call it good networking! 

I can still offer up some advice on finding apartments though.  In the UK, students often find the next year’s accommodation in early January whereas it seems the norm in France (or at least in Bordeaux) student apartments don’t tend to be advertised until around July/August.  If you aren’t as lucky as me to be living with a trusted friend, people often advise that you should visit the apartments before you agree to anything.  Lots of ERASMUS students head over to the city they will be living in a few weeks in advance of their placement and stay in a hostel whilst they visit various apartments.  Like in the UK, you can find private landlords and agencies who advertise rental properties but be warned that if you go through an agency, you may have to pay agency fees which are non-refundable.  Of course you often find that the university you may be studying at offer accommodation in halls to ERASMUS students.

Don’t worry, when I get to Italy I will have to find ANOTHER place to live!  In the middle of the academic year for only 5/6 months… so I’ll be in the same boat as everyone else again.

I have yet to see any photos of my future apartment but I am still super excited, I feel French already!  I’m now starting to wonder about what I should pack.

Until next time.