My name is Ellie O'Connor, I am a final year Commerce international with French student here at Cork University Business School in UCC.
Fortunately, through this course I was given the opportunity to study abroad. I decided to choose Commerce International at CUBS at UCC as a course as I could not pass up the incredible opportunity to travel during my third year of college.
I spent my Erasmus in Strasbourg, France, attending EM Strasbourg Business School. Spending 9 months studying in EM Strasbourg and having the opportunity to study in a French university was invaluable! I learned a lot during my time there. It was my first experience studying abroad. Even though at times it was challenging being the only non-native French speaker in the classroom. The lecturers in EM always had great patience and were there to support us. EM was a hotspot for international students whether they were from the United States, Spain, Italy, England, or Germany, which was only across the border.
Strasbourg really lived up to its reputation of being ‘the capital of Europe’ as well as a hotspot for travel! Strasbourg is the home of the European Parliament so has a mix of French and German cultures and the most unbelievable Christmas Markets!
I fully stand by the statement that ‘Erasmus friends stay with you forever’. I was so lucky to have made such incredible friendships along the way. I loved how exposed I was to different cultures and people from all walks of life, and we had great fun tackling the Erasmus journey together. This summer I visited friends I made in Strasbourg in Nice. It was amazing to spend time with them. Undoubtedly there will be many more trips.
I had incredible travel experiences throughout the year, including Paris for the Rugby World Cup, Barcelona, The Hague, Toulouse, Zurich and Lyon for gaelic football competitions. Also Munich for Oktoberfest which was one of the big highlights of my Erasmus.
I highly recommend an Erasmus year. It has allowed me to enrich my comprehension of French language and culture, alongside a deepened understanding of the global business landscape. My best piece of advice is to join a society or club! I had the pleasure of playing Gaelic football with Strasbourg Football gaélique GAA club, a sport I had never played before but now I can't imagine the year without that warm and welcoming community. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and make the most of it, you'll be home in no time!
To learn more about Commerce International, check out the programme page here.