University of Reading (RDG)

I stayed in a host family, near the Reading University campus. The location of the house was perfect. The family, 2 people of about 60 years, was really kind to me, and I could use all the facilities, like the kitchen, the washing machine, the iron, etc. Moreover, I stayed there with a German girl, who was also studying at the university. Therefore, I could practise my German with her. She was also very kind. The main problem was the fact that such an accomodation was quite expensive. However, I have to admit that the cost of life in United Kingdom is high for a foreigner in any case.

Well, for a Belgian, going to Britain without enjoying pub crawls would have been a nonsense, and there are enough pubs in Reading in order to make this a reality. I like to dance in nightclubs, and I have to admit that the best nightclub I have ever spent the night in was just near Reading, in Calcot exactly, just outside the motorway. Its name is the "Utopia", where the atmosphere is always fantastic!

Having already good knowledge in English before I went to Reading, the Erasmus stay allowed me to improve, on one hand my oral English thanks to speaking to my host family and local people, and on the other hand my vocabulary of business English during the courses.

I believe the best way to enjoy the life at Reading university is to join English student clubs. Personally, I joined the photography club, the athletics club and the "chess and bridge" club. In such clubs, you can meet local and foreign students and make them become your friends. During the time I spent in these clubs, I had great fun and very nice moments. It is also a way to discover how English students live and enjoy life during their spare times. Finally, if you would like to enjoy short trips in England, Scotland or Ireland, you can do it for a 3-day or a 1-week experience in groups of about 20 people sharing a minibus. For Scotland, the company is called "Haggis", for England, I don't remember, sorry, and for Ireland, it is "Blarney buses". With Blarney, I had a great experience in Ireland. I recommend it to everyone.

I definitely think that United Kingdom is a very expensive country. Everything has a high price, and I think that the most inconvenient thing is that the cost of transportation is so high. The best cost-saving tip I can give is to get or buy a student card that allows you to benefit from lots of discounts concerning, for instance, transportation, travel, student activites, sport, etc.