Hello Paola! Tell us more about you so we can get to know you better!
Hello my name is Paola Marescaux, I am nineteen years old and I am studying Veterinary Medicine in Spanish. This is my first year here at University CEU Cardenal Herrera, and I come from Lille in the north of France. I did a first year of Animal Biology there, but my dream was to study Veterinary because I love to cure animals, so CEU UCH accepted me and I came here to follow what I love to do.
Why did you choose to study in Spanish?
Because i wanted to learn Spanish and I think having Spanish classes and classmates, listening and talking in Spanish with them makes it easier, and you get used to it, so when you go to a market or a shop or even in the class break you can understand what all the locals say.
So you already studied one year in France, what do you think about our University?
I think it’s nice because I like my schedule. During the morning on Monday and Tuesday, we have classes, all we need to know, also Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we have seminars, we are in small groups and I think it’s better because we can ask whatever we want to the teachers, we are closer to them, we can participate more and they also go further with their explanation.
In your degree one of the most the most important things are the practicals, do you like our system?
Yes of course, we have practicals in the afternoon, we can do it in the laboratory, in the hospital…I want to say that there is a new building for us, really nice with lots of instrumentals, we can see dogs, horses or cows, and we have also practicals in the farm: we can touch the animals, take a sample of them and use all the nice tools that we have.
The farm is not in the same town, but the university sends a free bus to pick us up in the University and takes us to the farm. I think it’s a really awesome thing because for people like me that don’t have a car here in Spain it would be really hard to get there.
Do you find big differences between Spanish and French universities?
I think the big difference between both universities is how closer the teachers are, for example we have here tutorials classes in the office, we can ask them whatever you want before the exams, we can also send them an email, or just go to their office in the end of a class and always try to help us, we can call them by the name, not using a title.
You come from France, a country with a much different lifestyle, how is your life here in Moncada?
The most important thing is that in France I was living with my parents and here I live alone, in my own apartment, not alone I live with my cats! I have my autonomy; I wanted to live alone in the first year to get used to live here in Moncada or Spain, I also wanted my own space, but next year, one of my best friends in France is coming to study here Veterinary so I will not be alone next year, I am so excited!
Another difference is the cost of life, the apartments are much cheaper compared to France and also the cost of the food in the market or even in the restaurants, in general life is cheaper here in Spain.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to do sports, enjoy the sun; there is not too much sun in my town in France, I go to the swimming pool, to the beach in Valencia, spend time with my friends, there are a lot of activities for Erasmus in Valencia, excursions or parties, enjoying the student life!
I want to say one thing that I like to do, I like to collaborate to help housing cats here in Moncada, there are a lot of my friends that have already taken one in their houses, and I think everybody should know this and help.
This interview was done by Jorge Navarro Rodríguez, student of 4th year of Advertising & PR
