Exchange Report

Regarding the application process at WU, I applied during the second application round. In the first round, I was still unsure whether I wanted to go on an exchange semester. However, when WU published the remaining available spots in the second round, I made the clear decision that I definitely wanted to go abroad. I then reviewed the list of remaining partner universities and found one university that seemed very suitable for me. I therefore applied only for this specific spot and was successful in obtaining it. In general, I would strongly recommend reading as many exchange reports as possible during the preparation phase. In my experience, the course offerings at partner universities often remain quite similar over time, and by reading previous reports, I had a very good understanding of what to expect in each course. This was a significant advantage compared to many fellow exchange students from other universities, whose home institutions did not provide exchange reports. As a result, they were often less informed about courses and academic expectations. The exchange reports helped me a lot to choose the courses that I want to take and also helped me choose a good area where to live. Furthermore, I would advise future exchange students to familiarize themselves with all organizational requirements as early as possible. This includes identifying which documents are needed, researching suitable residential areas, and starting the apartment search approximately one to two months in advance, etc.

Finding accommodation honestly took me quite a while, and I spent a lot of time searching. I have to admit that I was quite picky and really wanted to find the “right” place, which made the process longer. For my search, I mainly used Studapart and HousingAnywhere. I initially booked a room in a shared apartment via Studapart. Unfortunately, after I had already paid everything, I was informed that the room had been booked by someone else through another platform. This was extremely frustrating, especially after spending so much time searching. Luckily, the agency contacted me and offered me alternative rooms in other apartments they manage. In the end, I moved into one of these apartments, and it actually turned out really well. I lived in a shared apartment with four people, one shared bathroom, and one kitchen. I was super lucky with my roommates — I really liked them, and one of them even became one of my best friends in Bordeaux. We spent a lot of time together in the apartment cooked to gether and did lots of other things together, which made the whole experience even better. One thing I like to mention is that I was the first person moving into the apartment. Even though the apartment itself was really nice, everything was quite dirty at the beginning and the hot water didn’t work for the first four days. If something similar happens to you, which is possible, as I heard similar or even worse stories from many other students, don’t hesitate to complain to your landlord or agency. I did, and they gave me a small discount, arranged a deep cleaning for the entire apartment, and fixed the hot water issue. When it comes to location, I would really recommend living closer to the city center. KEDGE is quite far outside the city, and there is basically nothing going on around the campus. Most clubs are located in the north of Bordeaux (Charton), and it’s important to know that you can’t really live close to both the clubs and the university. One popular student area is Victoire, where you’ll find many student bars. Especially in the beginning, we spent almost every night there. Living close to Victoire can be very convenient, but I wouldn’t recommend living directly at Victoire, as it is considered less safe. I would also avoid living too close to the main train station. I lived in Nansouty, close to the boulevard, which was a great compromise. It’s located between the city center and KEDGE, not too far from Victoire, and felt safe and relaxed. I really enjoyed living there. There is now also a new direct bus connection to the club area, which makes living in Nansouty even better.

Overall, I would describe the teaching style at the host university as slightly more conservative compared to WU Vienna. In almost all of my courses, the assessment consisted of one group project and one final exam. The exams are usually structured as case studies. You receive a case, answer several questions related to it, and are expected to apply the theories learned throughout the course. What surprised me the most was that these exams are handwritten, and it is completely normal to write six to seven pages by hand. This was something I was not used to at WU. During the semester, the workload felt quite relaxed, and I had a lot of free time. However, this changes towards the end of the semester: in December, I had to study quite a bit for the exams. In terms of teaching style, classes are comparable to WU in the sense that they are a mix of lectures and interaction. Another major difference compared to WU is the course scheduling system. Courses are divided into morning, afternoon, and evening slots, and they always take place at the same time. As a result, many students start and finish classes simultaneously. This means that the cafeteria gets very crowded during lunch breaks, and public transport (especially buses and trams) is extremely crowded in the mornings and after classes.

Public transport in Bordeaux is generally good, though not as reliable as in Vienna. Buses being a bit late (or sometimes leaving early) is quite normal. Still, you can reach almost everything you need by public transport. I had a monthly subscription via the TBM app (important tip: enter the French country code for your phone number, otherwise it won’t work). A nice extra is a bus connection to Lacanau, a small town near the ocean. It takes a while, but costs only around €4.50 for a return ticket via the Cars 33 app. Regarding safety, I felt safe most of the time. However, during winter (especially December), the situation around Victoire felt a bit worse, with more drunk or drug-affected homeless people, which could be uncomfortable at times. Apart from that, Bordeaux felt like a generally safe city, and I personally never had any serious issues. I would also like to mention that I don’t speak French at all, but this was not a problem. I never had any serious issues because of the language barrier, and the people in general were very friendly and helpful. There are many social and leisure activities. At the beginning, the Melting Pot Student Association organizes lots of events, parties, activities, and trips, which makes it very easy to meet other exchange students quickly. Beyond that, I went to the ocean several times and did a few city trips, such as San Sebastián and Toulouse by FlixBus, and Paris by train. I would also highly recommend visiting Saint-Émilion, Arcachon and the Dune du Pilat, as well as Biarritz. I also joined an Erasmus trip to Normandy, which I can really recommend. Else, I really loved Bordeaux. It is such a cute city and truely a student town with hundrets of bars and restaurants full of students and much too many nice boutiques. (Make sure to save some space in your suitcase) The weather was another big plus. We could go to the beach until mid-October, and even in winter people mostly sit outside at bars because it doesn’t get very cold. For events, it’s important to be in the Erasmus and Melting Pot WhatsApp groups. I can also recommend parties organized by Skaliano — they were always very good. What I would also like to mention here is, that I don't speak french at all but it was still really okay. Regarding sports, I tried to join the KEDGE volleyball team, but only 20 out of around 120 applicants were selected, without much transparency. In the end, I played volleyball with students from the University of Bordeaux. KEDGE also has a gym, but I personally didn’t use it.

Going on exchange was the best decision I ever made, and I am incredibly grateful that I did it. The four months I spent abroad were some of the best of my life. I completely fell in love with the city, and the people I met made the experience truly special. I made friends from all over the world and gained a broader international perspective that continues to shape the way I see things even after the exchange.