If you have Facebook ESN Alcala is a good place to start, lots of Erasmus students post that they need accommodation and lots of Spanish/ Erasmus students will post their available accommodation.
Also on Facebook Erasmus Accommodation for any place, not just Spain...
Most things are within walking distance. Otherwise it costs 3 euros on the bus to Madrid but then you also have to get the metro afterwards. The metro is usually quite cheap though.
Oh here are the directions from the airport to Alcala:
1.Ask for directions to the metro (it is within the airport and takes about 20 minutes maybe more to walk there)
2. You need to get the metro to Nuevos Ministerios (line 8) that's 2 euros
3. Once there you need to get the Cercanias train line 2 to Alcala( the train will probably be called Guadelajara or Chamartin, Alcala is usually one of the last stops, so check it's there!!) this is about 3 euros.
If you join ESN Alcala they organise (so far) lots of events for Erasmus students, which is great because you can meet lots of different people from various parts of the world. HOWEVER if you're looking to make friends with other spanish people chances are this is probably not the best place to do it. It's not impossible to make spanish friends but usually on Erasmus themed nights you're more likely to find people that aren't spanish.
A night out in Madrid is one thing every one should experience, however BEWARE; because clubs are expensive costing as much as 20 euros a time, also going for a night out in madrid is not for the faint hearted, clubs in general (even in Alcala) don't get busy until 2 or 3am and if you are in Madrid, the metro's don't start again until about 6:30 meaning you'll HAVE to stay in Madrid until that time.
Things to do, things not to do
By all means make friends with all types of people but don't limit yourself to people that speak the same language as you, otherwise you won't be practicing the language enough, try and strike up a conversation with a local you'll be surprised at the results.
There is a carnival at the beginning of March where EVERYONE dresses up, make sure you do to :)
Most shops close at 2pm here until about 5pm- including the Erasmus office and certain university facilities so if you need something urgently before 2pm make sure you get there an hour early.
When we arrived at the end of january it was cold and to a certain degree still is cold now, make sure you take a coat and suitable shoes with you. (Don't expect it to be warm because it gets warmer starting from about the end of march, if you turn up with no coat the spaniards will look at you like you're crazy!)
Try and travel, this is the perfect opportunity! Go to different spanish places even, because as the song goes "there are no beaches in Madrid".
ESN ALCALA- facebook- trips/accommodation
Eramus accommodation-facebook- accommodation
www.esn-uah.org
Make sure you buy those universal plug adapters, I haven't seen many (any) english to european ones here. Take about ten copies of your passport and 10 passport photo's, because it is likely you'll be asked more than once for each of these. Get here two weeks early so if you run in to any problems with lessons, atleast you can sort it out before term starts.
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