Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

Host Language is Spanish, but locally obviously spoke Catalan. While understanding Catalan posed little problems, speaking and writing were very difficult. I didnt enjoy the classes we were given, and found them badly taught, so on finishing the basic course didnt advance. otherwise my spanish improved a lot, although perhaps not due to academia.

Although language of instruction at graduate level is English, a basic knowledge of Spanish and/or Catalan is useful as administrative matters are usually dealt with in those languages. Furthermore, most positions as teaching assistants require the ability to lecture in Spanish.

When I came to Spain, I was a little bit afraid of speaking Spanish because I hadn't speak it a long time and so I was not used to it. In Barcelona there are many exchange students, so there is an intercultural flair, you can improve your German, English, French, Spanish and a lot more. I had an improvement of my English and Spanish skills and I also had a language tandem where I explained the German grammar to spanish students.

It was a positive experience, the course only had 10 studens therefore there was a lot of student iteraction with the professor as well as discussion time. We also conducted projects that allowed us to interview local students on certain situations.

If you don`t want to learn Catalan, you have some problems to connext wiht the hom students. But with Spain you will not get problems to live in Barcelona. All the people, except some older, speak also Spain, so you could communicate as well.

if you are aware that you want to be in spanish situations, you are able to, but it is easy to go with the other english students. Catalan is spoken alot around the area, its the official language of the U.