The decision

I really wanted to go to Italy. A friend recommended Bologna to me and I saw that you don't need a language certificate for the Universit¨¤ di Bologna. As I only had level A2 in Italian and didn't feel very confident yet, I decided in favour of Bologna. It was more of a spontaneous decision, without much headache.

The preparations

Beforehand, I did the A2 language course at the adult education centre in cooperation with the FHP. As the A1 course is only offered in the winter semester and I didn't yet know that I would be spending a semester abroad in Italy, I did the A2 course without a previous A1 course. That worked, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. It is difficult to both catch up on the A1 course and follow the A2 course. The application process was relaxed. After submitting my letter of motivation and CV, I received my acceptance letter after some time. To learn the language at home, I can recommend Phase 6. It costs a bit, but you can learn with the vocabulary from the books that you also use in the language course. Duolingo isn't bad either.

Travelling was complicated. I arrived just before the deadline. University started on Monday and my Flixbus left on Saturday evening. I opted for the Flixbus because I wanted to take my bike with me. I didn't have to worry about it on the bus, whereas there might be problems on the train. The Flixbus was also cheaper. I was supposed to change buses in Prague at around 9pm and then travel through to Bologna. However, the bus was cancelled without notice. I spent the night at the bus station. The next bus arrived at 10am and I was in Cesena by midnight.

The accommodation

The housing market is terrible. At best, you should start looking two to three months in advance. There aren't really any halls of residence in Cesena. Opposite the teatro verdi is the only one where you have a good chance as an Erasmus student. Otherwise, a lot is done via subito.it (like classified adverts) and you can try to negotiate a long stay for a cheaper price via Airbnb. I only found something permanent after three weeks in Cesena. Before that I stayed in an Airbnb and via Couchsurfing. For me, it worked out via Subito.

Studying at the university

There was an online introductory event for Erasmus students. However, this was only after the start of the programme and most of what was said there was already known beforehand. The organisation was very poor. It was difficult to create a timetable in advance as the website was very confusing and most of the times were not yet fixed. My timetable changed completely after the first week of university. We (four German Erasmus students) were well received by the students. The lecturers were usually rather overwhelmed by our presence, as we hardly knew any Italian and they hardly knew any English. As a result, the exams were rather improvised. In one course I was allowed to present in English, in the next I was able to keep out of the presentation as I was in a group with Italians.

Everyday life and free time

The cost of living was comparable to Germany. I spent a bit more on food as there was no canteen and I often ate out instead of at home. The best/cheapest pizza in Cesene is at Fausto, Turchi and Pizza piu. University sports were almost exclusively available in Bologna, I didn't take advantage of any of them. Leisure activities are also rather difficult to find in Cesena, but all the more so in Bologna. The surrounding area is beautiful! Whether you're heading towards the sea or the mountains, everything is easy to see.

Conclusion and tips

In hindsight, the semester was a dream. There were two phases for me: In the first, before Christmas, I didn't take advantage of many of the opportunities offered by the Erasmus programme, which I'm now annoyed about. The second phase, or rather the end, was wonderful. I can only recommend doing a whole year and not just a semester. A semester feels more like a holiday than actually arriving. Also, learn Italian as well as you can in advance and also in Italy. Otherwise, I would recommend simply making the most of your time. It really is a gift and the whole surrounding area and Bologna are amazing. And make sure you find a flat share early!