The songs we think of when we remember our time studying or working abroad. Songs which celebrate our time in Europe We made a playlist of songs that transport us back to the time spent studying or working abroad. No matter how many years have passed, these songs are an instant reminder. View the playlist on Spotify The memories that go with each song "Bagno a mezzanotte" by Elodie, chosen by Signe Olander We used to always listen to this song in the car - it's a terrible Eurovision-like song but it was a big hit in Italy that summer! Signe studied abroad at European University Institute, Fiesole, Italy in 2022 "Bones" by The Killers, chosen by Mona Montella This is one of my all-time favourite songs from one of my favourite albums. I listened to it a lot while writing all my English Literature essays, when I stayed late at the library Mona studied abroad at the University of Reading in 2017 "J't'emmene au vent" by Louise Attaque, chosen by Lucy Clark I remember hearing this song when I was in a group of French-speaking people, and finding it amazing that they knew all the words to the song, despite the fact they were French-speaking and it is a French song - my brain found it a weird thing to compute for some reason! It made me realise how much of a multicultural place France is and the wide range of people around the world who speak French. Lucy studied abroad at Toulouse III Jean Jaures, France in 2018 "Graceland" by Paul Simon, chosen by Becca Lloyd I discovered this album in the summer before I went on my year abroad and listened to it a lot over that year. Hearing this music always bring me back to those first few weeks exploring a new place and imagining what the year was going to be like. I was amazed that it was still so warm in France when I arrived in October, when in Scotland the summer had finished long ago! When I came home for Christmas I couldn't believe how dark it was - I'd got very used to the long days (and cheap cheese and wine) in France! Becca studied abroad in Nantes, France, 2013 "Ai eu se te pego" by Michel Teló chosen by Callum Davis Every nightclub in Europe was playing this song in 2011/12. Calum studied abroad in Aix en Provence, France in 2011 "Mr Jones" by Counting Crows, chosen by Helen McMillan I should have spent my Erasmus year immersing myself in French culture and embracing the language, instead I spent it hanging out with American students, playing poker and listening to a lot of Counting Crows! This was evident when it came to exam time..... Helen studied abroad at Université de Caen, France in 1998. "To the Moon and Back" by Savage Garden, chosen by Lesley Balharry This song immediately transports me to a very late night, grungy Greek bar in the small town of Arta where I spent a year TEFLing with my now husband, after graduating from Edinburgh. 26 years later, all I can remember are the very rickety stairs leading up to the bar, the grand piano in the corner, the shot glasses of raki that would mysteriously appear every time we looked like we might be thinking about leaving, and the fact that this song was always played at least once every evening. Yia mas! Lesley worked abroad in Greece in 1997 This article was published on 2024-06-24
