I started looking for jobs about six months before the internship. The search was more difficult than before the pandemic, as many companies had put their employees on short-time working and didn’t want to or couldn’t take on interns. I finally had three offers about two months before the internship started: at a language school (as with my first internship in Málaga), in a hotel in the service department and at Segway Málaga Tours (https://www.segwaymalagatours.com/).

I received the offers after sending in my CV. As I had the prospect of earning some money at Segway Málaga Tours, I had never done anything like this before and it gave me the opportunity to be out and about a lot and get to know people, but also opened up office work in the area of organization and marketing, I decided to do this internship.

My boss is very reliable and was a good contact person for organizing the internship. There was also a female employee and another intern from the Netherlands. We spoke Spanish as often as possible, but it was sometimes a bit difficult with the other intern as he hadn’t been learning Spanish for very long.

I applied for the Erasmus+ scholarship about six months before the internship. The application went smoothly. The support from the FHDW International Office was also very helpful. We were always kept up to date with news, received all the relevant information in good time and were always able to contact the staff if we had any questions or problems. I also moved my internship forward by a month at short notice, which was also no problem.

No visa was required for Spain. I took out the DAAD insurance package with liability, accident and health insurance. My German health insurance was also valid for normal visits to the doctor. Taking out the insurance through the DAAD went quickly and without any problems.

My accommodation – a shared flat – was about 15-20 minutes’ walk from the city center. It was rented out by a couple who had bought a house about a year ago and were now subletting rooms. They lived there themselves, are around 30 years old, she was from Italy and had lived there for 10 years and he is from Andalusia. They were both very nice and we often did things together, such as going out for dinner or having games nights. They really integrated me and also invited me to meet up with friends. Two Argentinian boys, aged 22 and 29, also lived in the house. After a month, another Argentinian woman, also around 30 years old, moved in.

So everyone spoke Spanish, which was very good for my language development. And everyone was very nice and we got on very well with each other. The rent was €150 cold. Internet, electricity, water and things that we bought together, such as drinking water and washing powder, together amounted to €30 – €40 and €20 for cleaning. In total, I ended up spending a good €200 a month, which is also very reasonable for Spain. The deposit was €100. I found the room via “idealista”, a portal for real estate and shared flats in Spain, Portugal and Italy.

The work was a lot of fun, I was shown how to ride a Segway, how to teach and help the customers and I learned about the history of Malaga and some of the sights to tell the customers on the tours. I have conducted tours in English and in German. So I got to know a lot of people from different countries. I also had to prepare the Segways and later clean them again and get them ready for the next tour.

In the office, I dealt with customer inquiries, reservations, invoices and the organization of tours and schedules. I also carried out marketing tasks. I contacted companies offering activities and requested partnerships. I also took care of the social media content. However, everything was explained to me in detail at first and I could ask for help at any time. Over time, I did more and more independently and took responsibility for my own tasks. I was also very well integrated and had a good relationship with my boss, the employees and the other two interns.

In my free time, I did things with my flatmates, with other interns and with other Erasmus students. There are organizations like Best Life Experience and Málaga South Experience that organize excursions and events for Erasmus students. During the week, I went to the beach, did sports myself or used the Meetup app to take part in sports events such as volleyball or yoga. I also used the app to go out for drinks in the evening. I also took part in a few events via Málaga South Experience, e.g. to go out for dinner.

At the weekend, I went on day trips with the organization, e.g. to Nerja, Playa Bolonia and hiking in “El Chorro”. I also went to some cities on my own or visited them with other students. I visited Seville, Granada and Marbella. Unfortunately, I often spoke to other students in English or German. There is a lot to do in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol and the weather is still very nice in the fall. In Málaga you can stroll through the center, go to the beach, eat tapas or visit museums, e.g. of Picasso, who was born in Málaga. The Alcazaba, a Roman theater, and the Castillo de Gibralfaro, an old castle, are also worth a visit.

In addition to the museums and sights, there is a wide range of cultural activities on offer. You can go to the movies, for example, there is a film festival in Málaga every year. In addition, watching a flamenco, a typical Spanish music and dance, is a must in Spain. There is also a bullring. Bullfighting is part of Spanish culture, but more and more people, myself included, are in favor of abolishing it. One day, I happened to witness part of a religious procession. It was very interesting and exciting to see. More than 100 men carry a kind of float and it’s like a big parade. The float is so heavy that there is a break every few meters and the float is set down. I was also told that many of them have sore shoulders afterwards. It’s remarkable that there are so many men who want to take part.

There are many bus lines and also the option of traveling by train. There are various companies and websites for this, e.g. “Renfe Cercanías Málaga”, “Avanza” and “Alsa”. There are many buses within the city, but you can also get around a lot on foot or by bike. I used the Spanish supermarket “dia” for shopping, and there are also several Lidl stores. The “TooGoodToGo” app is also widely used here. I was able to use the EC card from Germany without any problems and withdraw money free of charge with VISA. I spent around €100 to €150 a month on shopping (food and cosmetics) and I went out to eat in between. That usually cost between €10 and €15.