When I first heard that my school could participate to the Erasmus+ program I felt very excited. Some experiences stay with you for your whole life, and I knew that Erasmus was definitely one of them. That’s when I decided to declare my participation and thankfully I got accepted to visit one of the most beautiful countries, in my opinion, Italy!

Travelling to a country I have never visited before in my life, meeting new people from different cultures with different or indifferent mindsets, habits, and characteristics in general, but also stepping out of my comfort zone while also having the opportunity to talk about my culture, is definitely one of the things that made this experience unforgettable.

More detailed, one of the things that seems hard for many people, especially students of my age, is having to adapt in different environment but also problems and situations that may occur at the time you are spending there. For me though, that was not a problem. Maybe it’s because I like facing challenges and difficult situations, or maybe because I was so happy that I got the chance to be there that nothing could stop me from having the best time of my life.

Another part of my experience was learning about other countries and their cultures, as I already mentioned before. Each and every one of the countries that took part in the program surprised me with their traditions and lifestyles. Especially, Somma Vesuviana had some interesting secrets to teach me that I could never have guessed. I learnt a lot about their music too, traditional Napolitan music, folkloristic music from Somma Vesuviana, and many other things related to their traditional instruments. If someone knows one thing about me, it is that music is a big part of me, so talking about the thing I love most with other people that loved it as much as I do, made me feel thrilled!

Every morning in our trip we worked in school, although it never felt like “working”. We discovered a lot about AI, its ethics and its uses, collaborating with students of every country and seeing their way of thinking. Also, their facilities and buildings were great, if you consider that their school included a chemistry and biology lab, a planetarium and other extraordinary features that every student could use, something a science lover like me was really impressed and intrigued by. Although everything I mentioned was fascinating to me, one of the most memorable parts that is noteworthy was socializing and making new friends.

Personally, I loved how none of the students were not biased and were open to communicating to everyone no matter their appearances or their origin, without making assumptions about someone. That is part of the reason I made so many friends that still up to this day I talk about only with admiration and love. I have to admit that going from seeing them and chatting with them inside or outside school every day, to talking to them through social media and having the feeling of nostalgia, was by far one of the hardest things I had to face on our trip. But that’s something I will never regret.

Overall, thinking back at my whole experience in this project, I feel very delighted that I had this opportunity, because through the Erasmus, not only had I discovered a new country, but I also discovered new parts of myself, feeling the excitement throughout every inch of my body. And I am so grateful for that. That is why I encourage everyone to take part in a program like this at least once in their life. Thank you for reading!

Written by, Olga Hasta.