The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice

Jose Ignacio Prado Checa

24years, full year 2011/12 - Veterinary Medicine, Universidad de León, León, Spain

"It was a great experience overall. I developed myself as a person, I made lots of new friends from lots of different countries, I learnt about different cultures, I travelled to many  countries, and I saw the study methods that I did not have at my university.I also interacted with local people which helped me even more to broaden my perspective of a country so different from mine.It was the chance of a life-time and I would repeat it eyes-closed, as I consider it the best time of my life :)"

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Gerardo Couto Contreras

25years, full year 2011/12 - Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain

"What can I say about Kosice and its ESN... I dont think my Erasmus could've been any better. Kosice is a great town to erasmus at, and its ESN team is just amazing. They are all the time doing great stuff for us and helping us with everything.

About my experience there it was just great... Kosice is right in the very center of the european continent, surrounded by so many countries at just a few hours away, so we traveled as much as we could. Also, Kosice is big enough to get the best out of your erasmus experience and small enough to know almost every erasmus there, so we were all a really big family.Also I met my wonderful girlfriend during my year living there, so what can I say... My erasmus experience at Kosice was one of the best in my life, I will never forget the city and its people and everything that it gave me, Kosice will be in my heart forever!! Dakujem KE!!"

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Diana Ortega González

24years, full year 2011/2012 - Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

"Erasmus changes lives...my life, my mind and my heart. Instead of missing it each year less I miss it each year, each day MORE ! I loveee you erasmusssss! and loveeee YOUU: all of the people who took part in it !!!!!"

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Sérgio Daniel Bento Mesquita 

27years, full year 2011/2012 - Veterinary Medicine, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal

With a long academic background abroad, I had the beautiful opportunity to meet all these funny ERASMUS people, considering myself one of them at times, wishing to have my chance as well, not to just hang out with them but actually to be one student living that experience.

Soon applied for that widely intended program. I chose one totally unknown country for me back then, the furthest one from my own country (Portugal). That country was Slovakia. I packed my stuff, with some sadness said goodbye to my beloved ones, but deep inside I was hungering for that adventure, I had an amazingly high level of expectation. Meet new people, get to know this brand new country, wondering how would be my adaptation to this whole new reality...

My first impressions of the brand new home were not the best. Obviously not the comfort from my former place. Adaptation took aproximately ... few seconds? Everyone there is in the same situation, everyone has a background, everyone has relatives/friends at their homes and everyone misses them. Everyone has to face the fact we are gonna live for the next months altogether, have good times but face adversities as well. So the concept of family gains a totally different dimension. We start to get to know each other, we start to like each other, we start to learn from each other, we start to strongly rely on each other... That bond is unbreakable, friendships, love stories, all those memories stay forever. Parties? Trips? Countless... Beautiful moments, every day a story to tell when we go back home. The thing is... we can try to put down in words our adventures, our feelings during our ERASMUS period. But one only understands the true meaning of those if they went through the same program. ERASMUS changes lives indeed, it changed mine, I lived the dream and I keep on living it. It shall never fade. Neither all those memories of the people that made it happen. Thank you:) 

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Alicia Roldan

24 years, full year 2011/2012 - Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain

How could I sum up the best year of my life?

To be sincere, I was shocked the first moment I put my feet in Podhradova dorms... but in a few seconds, I met the best Erasmus mates I could ever imagine, and thanks to that, I spent the most beautiful year in my life so far.  

I chose Slovakia because it was an unknown country for me, and I think I chose well. Slovakia has many things to show to the world as incredible landscapes, charming people, wonderful food... I couldn't be prouder feeling a part of its once.

Academically, I was surprise the method they teach, but I have to admit that I learnt a lot and it was really nice studying in a different university, in a different language and surrounded by people from all over Europe.

Being Erasmus also means party a lot! and we did it! Living a proper Erasmus life was what we did!

We also travel all around Slovakia and another dozen of countries, we met people from different places and different cultures, we shared experiences and we enjoyed infinitely it!

I can say I lived the experience of my life. I met my boyfriend and some of my best friends there so, I will always be grateful to the  Erasmus programme, all the ESN people who made it possible and to all the Erasmus and non Erasmus people I met there. 

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Regina Arenas Sánchez (23 years, Veterinary Medicine Universidad de Córdoba, Spain)

The best year of my life.
When I was there, in Kosice, I was really happy with the environment of Erasmus which is created.
There were a lot of plans, activities, parties for us. Also due to the location of Slovakia we could
travel to a lot of countries, meet them and learn their history. But, is now, some months later of
finish my Erasmus experience is when I really realize it was the best year. Besides having had a great
time, I know I grew as a person, I feel more confident in different situations of life.
Finally and the most important for me was I met beautiful people, I have enjoyed and learned of
each them. We created “Podhradova family” and I feel very fortunate of it.
All can I say: Here´s to life!

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Shahin Amirjalali (35 years, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, Italy)


My name is Shahin and I am Veterinary Medicine student from Italy. I did Erasmus program in
Slovakia for 1 year and it was really wonderful experience in my life and I always suggest my
friends to do that, especially in Slovakia. I mean exactly in Kosice, because of ESN group. They
are fantastic and extremely organized, nice people and friends and they are always available and
ready to help you. As I can say they are the best and I love them. Also, nice, safe and beautiful
city, good beer, Slovak people are very nice and kind (also one of them saved me from tram
ticket controllers at first days hahahahah because I didn’t know how it worked), nice food and
fantastic nature in summer and winter. Good level of university education and I had a lot of fun
with my lovely ESN group that I will miss a lot. Thanks for everything to all, especially to my
friends Lukas Varholík, Natália Uramová, Terézia Kuliková, Daniela Matejková and to all another
lovely friends in Kosice. I hope to see you soon. Best wishes!

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Óscar David Solano Chamba (24 years, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain)


I could write about my personal development, about all the things I have learnt during lessons,
about the animals I got in love in hospital and farms, the trips, or the parties that I will never
forget… But in the end, the most important thing is the family I made in Kosice. All beginnings
are hard but (and I must be honest) I´m sure that the first day in our dormitories was the hardest
way I could imagine starting my Erasmus adventure… but they were there, my mates who made
all the troubles were easy to handle.
Of course, I have to say that the parties were incredible and that all people from ESN Kosice
were just amazing cause they really tried to make our experience unforgettable. I have no doubt
that Kosice is a great Erasmus destiny due to all the efforts from ESN… Nation2Nation nights
were one of my favourites activities and the latino parties gave us really great moments.
Maybe Kosice is not a big capital but the charm of the streets and the places that you discover
make this city one of my favourites places… I would really love to come back to Kosice with my
Erasmus family, and I’m sure we will fall in love with Kosice again.

Just Thank you Kosice!!