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Finding
a house to live in Thessaloniki is not a problem for the
majority of the erasmus students. But a couple of
distinctions exists between the universities :
The
Aristotelio
This university offers two big
dormitories to the erasmus students. This provides
accommodation for a total of 110 Erasmus out of an average
of 150 participating in the exchange. This is really a good
thing compared to what my native university in Italy offers
to erasmus students (nothing!). But nevertheless almost 40
students are left to find their house outside of the dorm.
The "find the
house" part is devoted to
these unfortunate students.
The
smallest dorm is a building located next to the university
in Matzi street. This dorm offers single rooms with private
bathroom (thought they are really small) and a couple of
common kitchens. A total of 30 erasmus students are hosted
here. The biggest dorm is in Vassilisis Olgas street a bit
far from the university. This dorm offers mostly triple and
double rooms with a couple of singles (some of them come
with a fridge). The bathroom, showers and kitchen are in
common. Washing machines are also available for common use.
This dorm guests 75 erasmus students.
Both
the dorms are cleaned once per day by university staff. They
also have card phones and a couple of phones that allow free
calls in the city (this means internet for free if you've
got a modem and a VERY long telephone cable)
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The
Macedonia
In the university of the
Macedonia the erasmus students are hosted in two kinds of
location. The university has a couple of apartments with 4
single rooms each (at 60.000 Drx / month all included) and
occasionally erasmus students might be hosted in the suite
located into the university building at the top floor (for a
higher price).
The
apartments are equipped with furniture and the kitchen is
complete. The suite, apart the astonishing panorama, has a
sleeping room for up to 4 people, kitchen and bathroom. In
addition to the house the suite has also air-conditioning
and television. Actually the suite is intended for visiting
professors but is occasionally rented also to erasmus
students when their number does not permit to store them in
the apartments. No telephone is available in the
apartments.
For
the academic year 1999-2000 all of the Erasmus students of
the Macedonia found proper accommodation in the university
structures.
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The
TEITH
As the other universities also
the technological institute of Thessaloniki offers
accommodation to its erasmus students. It has a contract
with a former old (crappy) hotel that was turned into a
student residence. The Hotel's name is DELTA and has become
a legend for those students.
In
DELTA erasmus students are mixed with Greek students.
The price is really low (30.000Drx per month) and there are
also single rooms but the quality of the rooms is very akin
to a refugee camp made of concrete... Electric wires are
exposed, the bathroom has to be seen to believe it, there is
old moquette on the floor, all the year round there was no
water on the 7th floor (but I hope it is fixed by now),
there is a bar but there is no kitchen.
As
far as I know all the Erasmus students had the possibility
to stay in the DELTA thus only the ones that really dislike
the place decided to move to a private accommodation. Anyway
lots of erasmus students decided to stay in the DELTA so
probably it is not as bad as I think.
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Find
your house (alone?)
If you need this you are a
student of the Aristotelio ;-).
Ok, maybe you didn't find a place in
the university dorm or maybe you find that the dorm is too
dirty for you or maybe you don't like sharing your room with
others or the others do not like sharing the room with
you... anyway you have to find a room on your own. And here
the problems are going to start, you're in Greece after
all.
In the city there are really a lot of
houses for rent, the problem is just to find them and select
the best choice. Fortunately the city is relatively small
and even if you do not take a room next to the university
chances are that it will be always close enough to take just
one bus to reach it. Be sure to join someone else to help
you on your search. Probably you're going to live in a house
with enough rooms to share it with someone else (also the
costs).
About the costs: Rent in Thessaloniki is inexpensive compared to other countries. For
a house of three rooms you can pay up to 150.000 Drx per
month (~500 €) plus an estimate of 30.000 for electricity
and a lot more for phone, if you have it.
# 1 Get the numbers! You will find
that renting advertisements are hang just on the entrance to
the house where is the apartment to be rented: you have just
to pick the number. Other advertisements are posted into the
university, and some of them specifically for foreign
students are next to the erasmus office. Finally if you can
read Greek (even with a dictionary) you may also want to
consult a paper called AggelioXoros which has all the
advertisement for selling - renting houses and used
stuff.
# 2 Ask for help! For a foreigner to
understand Greek is difficult and the best way to contact by
phone the landlords is to delegate another Greek. Not all of
the landlords speak English. Either way you find a Greek
friend to help you or you can ask for help at the Erasmus
office.(If they're not too busy they will gladly give you an
hand.)
# 3 Visit your new villa... there is a
number of issues to be dealt with while visiting the new
house:
1) Greek houses rented to
students usually come without furniture. If you
find one that has also furniture that's a better
choice.
2) The closer to the center the better (and louder the
noise during night)
3) The tallest the better. This might be a unfortunate
case but a couple of the Italians rented a apartment with
rats, this is less likely to happen if you don't take a
first floor choice.
4) A rule of common sense states that if you're going to
sign a contract you have to understand it. Have a Greek
friend translate it before you sign!
# 4 Ok with the house? If not cross
you fingers and back to point 2. Do not be discouraged by
the first attempt. All of the Erasmus students of
Thessaloniki eventually found a house, also my Italian
friends found a good firm to disinfect their house
;-)
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