My Language Learning Journey - Eduardo Camarena
Source: Eduardo Camarena
Hello, dear community!
Let me introduce to you the series “My Language Learning Journey”, where we will share with you the stories of people who have completed a mobility programme in Romania.
Today, we will hear the story of Eduardo Camarena, and learn about his Erasmus experience. He will tell us about his language learning journey and how he adjusted to Romania, his new home. Please note that we conducted the interview in Romanian, although his primary language is Spanish!
Hello, Eduardo! Can you please introduce yourself to the community?
Hello, my name is Eduardo Camarena, I am from Peru. I am 32 years old and I am a data analyst. I now live in Oradea and I really like it here because it is a very quiet, clean, and green city.
Great! And what did you study?
I studied chemical engineering in Peru and then I did a master's in data analysis in Spain. This year, in July, I finished my master's and then I came back here, to Romania, to Oradea. And now, yes, I started a new life here, very far from my country.
Oradea; Source: Pexels
How and why did you choose to come to Romania for mobility?
Sometimes, I looked for scholarships in many countries and I found the opportunity here, in Romania. And it seemed very interesting to me because here the courses or studies are in Romanian, the language of the country where you are, where you live. So I found this opportunity more interesting than the others because it has something extra, which is the language. So it's a double, how can I say, a double challenge.
But were you particularly attracted to Oradea, or just Romania in general?
I didn't know about Oradea. I applied for Bucharest or Cluj, but in the end, I don't know why I ended up here. It's something interesting.
But I don't regret it.
And yes, about Romania, yes. In the past, I didn't know much, just those things about Dracula, you know. But it's not just that, right? There are many interesting things you can learn here. For example, there are Christmas traditions. In fact, the day after tomorrow I have a tradition with a pig in the village. That's something new for me, something interesting.
Was Oradea your first experience abroad?
I have traveled to other countries, but just for vacation, but here it was for a longer time, almost two years, two and a half years in Romania. I applied through the Romanian Embassy in Peru, for the scholarship.
And it lasted two years, you said?
Yes, no, I mean the first year is the preparatory year and then the courses start, courses in Romanian. But I did an exchange. I went to Spain because there they studied data analysis.
Source: Eduardo Camarena
Did you go to Spain after you came to Oradea?
Yes, yes, yes. So one year in Oradea, one year in Spain.
And what did you like most about this experience? Did anything surprise you?
Yes, I was surprised that in Peru I didn't have, how to say, colleagues so international, meaning from many countries. And when I came here, I discovered other perspectives. And I liked that a lot.
It's another culture, I can say.
In what sense another culture?
For example, here I saw that, for example, in the Orthodox religion, Sunday for them is a day where you don't work, you don't contribute to doing anything. It's a day of rest. And that for me was something so different.
In Peru, for example, my family, my father and I, on Sundays, usually, we did cleaning. Cleaning or some work because it was a free day, but in Romania, nothing is done on Sunday.
Did you study in Romanian?
Yes, I did, in 2022, the preparatory year of Romanian and I studied the language.
And, in general, why do you think it is important for you to learn a foreign language?
In general, a foreign language helps you a lot to open many opportunities, and not just for that. Also because I can learn about other cultures, other ways of life, other cultures. That's it for me.
What was your Romanian level before and after the mobility program?
I started the mobility in December 2021, during my master's. I didn't know almost any Romanian. Practically, I came here, I started from zero. I learned in almost 8 months. I used many resources. For example, on YouTube, there are many videos about the Romanian language. And I used some language exchange applications or something like that.
And, of course, OLS as a platform where I practiced Romanian. I solved some questionnaires, quizzes, watched videos. And, yes, that's how I helped myself with the language, and by talking to people.
Well, you learned very quickly, you speak very well. I would like to ask you, what advice would you give to someone who is just starting to learn a new language?
Yes, I can give some advice. First of all, to have a lot of self-confidence.
And I think you need to find more resources. As I said before, applications, OLS. And one thing that helped me a lot was interacting with people.
I had the opportunity to work in a restaurant, so I learned like that. And more like that.
So, in principle, you feel that OLS helped you improve your language level.
Yes, sure, because I haven't found a platform so nice, so easy to learn. Because there you can find videos with explanations, with exercises, grammar. Yes, it is very interactive for me. I think it's important to have more resources. And to have the courage to talk to people. With people, with people in the store, in the market, anywhere.
And what places or experiences would you recommend to other Erasmus students?
I would recommend just to see as much as possible, it doesn't matter the city, just to have, how to say, I don't know how to say, to have the desire to learn something new, a foreign language or something they like.
Is there any advice you would give to someone who is just starting mobility?
I think you need to be open to any point of view, diverse opinions. To be open-minded.
What do you think are the challenges when starting an Erasmus?
As a challenge, for example, when you are a foreign person, it is a bit hard to stay very far from home. So, for example, for me it was a bit hard at the beginning, because I missed, I missed my family very much.
And the advice, in this sense, would be to have courage.
And how did the mobility help you grow?
It helped me because, through this mobility, I met many people, very good people, who helped me, not just with the language, with many things. And I think that's the most important thing. To meet more people and learn from them.
And you have now moved to Romania indefinitely?
Yes, that's right, indefinitely, I am married to a Romanian woman and it is very interesting, how to say, two different cultures.
Did you meet during the mobility?
No, we met through a language exchange application. Because my wife, in the past, wanted to learn Spanish, and I wanted to learn Romanian. Before traveling to Romania, I used this application. And my surprise was that she lives here. And I came right here and that's how we met.
Very nice! I don't have any more questions, unless you want to add something about your experience?
I just recommend to people who want to have a new experience, I recommend learning a new language, a foreign language.
It doesn't have to be English, because I think it's common. Yes. And as a challenge, to learn another different language, like Romanian.
That's it, dear community! If you also wish to share with me about your Erasmus experience, please comment here. I look forward to hearing your stories!
Roxana, OLS Community Manager - Romanian