Interview with Erasmus+ student Ignacio Carrasco Camacho

Erasmus+ Student Ignacio talks about his experiences as an exchange student at the VMI.

Why did you choose to do an Erasmus+ internship (at the VMI)?

“Because it meant having the privilege of getting to know a brand-new culture for me, a new country, new traditions and especially a teaching system different from my home university. All in all, it was a huge challenge for me and I am so happy that I got this chance to travel abroad after three years “locked” in my country at the core of the COVID-19 pandemic as my university started to reactivate its international mobility programs after two years."

What were some of your personal highlights during your time at the VMI?

"I would say the first fortnight since I met quite a lot of people, well over my expectations in a very short period of time. The first time my Erasmus buddy invited me over to his place would be another good memory to bring back, my gig at the Club 1019, my birthday, the final concert at Porgy and Bess Jazz Club, and the last ever day when I went for the last time to the university to say farewell to the staff thereof."

How did the music training at the VMI differ from the education that you received at your home university?

“At large, it was very different in Vienna compared to my home university. The studying pace was slower in the beginning and I was not assigned as much homework as in my university. As the semester went on, though, I felt like everything was changing and suddenly I started to be busy studying my repertoire for my lectures as well as learning things on my own, which I would not do that much back in my home country.”

Would you recommend other students to do an Erasmus+ exchange in the course of their studies?

"A hundred percent. This trip has changed my life in a lot of ways and even though it was too tough for me, since this was my first experience studying abroad, in the end it was definitely worth it and I will be thankful for it forever. The most important thing to do when you arrive at your destination is to plug into it and establish brand-new social ties as soon as possible so you can always have anybody to rely on who stands up to you through thick and thin from start to finish."