[jacalata]

I was an Erasmus student, and some of what you describe definitely happened. A combination of factors like all the local students arrived before semester started and got the nice dorms, so all the foreigners were together in the old dorm without kitchens. All the local students had social groups and weren't looking for new friends the way other exchange students are (none of us were first years). We spoke French among ourselves because not everyone spoke English, but when we first arrived socialising in French was difficult, especially in groups, and other foreigners are much more patient and forgiving of that. I actually ended up making friends with a bunch of locals by joining a soccer team, but even there half the players were other foreigners. I wouldn't describe it as terrible at all, but everyone has an opinion.