Hi all! I'm doing an Erasmus semester abroad in USA, Washington State at Saint Martin's University. As you might tell from the name, it's a catholic university, which means there are monks living and working on campus! It's definitely a new experience, both culturally and academically.

The spring semester starts January 13th, or the nearest Monday to it, and ends May 10th. Classes normally weigh 3 credits each with the maximum of 6 per semester (5 for internationals). I think the biggest difference here that took me a while to get used to is that classes are mostly for discussions & we study more on our own. We read, talk and write a lot!

Washington is the northwesternmost state in USA after Alaska. It's rainy here now but still quite warm, around 45°F. We're in Lacey, a small town in the western side of the state, very close to Mount Rainier between several national parks. It's a two-hour drive from Seattle - and public transport is free! There are lots of stores and restaurants within walking distance of the campus as well (yes, you can walk around the city). There's a small forest surrounding us which gives it a very cozy atmosphere.

The campus itself consists of 4 dormitories, many lecture halls, the main building, the library with study and tutoring options, a (mental) health center, a gym, Marcus Pavillion where all the basketball games happen and the TUB, which is open 24/7 and is basically a game room with a karaoke setup. There's also a small building for handicrafts.

I live in Parson's Hall, you can see our kitchen and lobby in a photo! (It's the best one, we have a whole store and more inside the dormitory.)

Students can join clubs and/or work on campus, and there are many activities that are planned throughout each week for everyone to join in. So far we've had movie nights, arts and crafts, mental health days and so much more! On top of that, the highlighted weekday is Wednesday, when students are encouraged to wear red and we receive free donuts. There are also special events like Father Peter's monthly homemade pizzas or the Valentine's dance. I'm very excited for Pasifika Night where I'll be helping with the decorations.

The OIPD is the department that takes care of international students specifically and they also organise trips for us, usually based on requests. They've already taken us to several big cities, a museum and a theatre. We went to Los Angeles during spring break but we planned that one ourselves.

I hang out with the other international students A LOT, it's very easy to find something to do as the campus is pretty big with many beautiful community spaces and possibilities. The local students are friendly and sociable, it's easy to start a conversation and get to know them too. There's a lot of diversity and it adds so much to the local life. The faculty staff are kind and welcoming and always do their best to help, too.

I'm definitely enjoying so many aspects of my time here, I'm even learning how to cook properly! But when I don't feel like it there's the cafeteria with many meal options at hand. I think my favourite snack here are the cookies - sounds so simple but they're the best.

See you back at SLU soon!

Clara Lobão

Have you ever thought about studying abroad? Let Clara’s experience inspire you to take the leap!