Choosing to apply for an Erasmus+ semester is a very important choice for any student that decides to go this way. Today, I will talk about what inspired me to apply for 2 Erasmus+ scholarships, and why you should too!
But first…
All you need to know about the Erasmus+ programme
Erasmus+ is EU’s programme intended to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe, which has a budget of €14.7 billion, providing opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, and gain experience abroad.
Merging seven prior programmes, it has opportunities for a wide variety of individuals and organisations. Individuals Erasmus+ has opportunities for people of all ages, helping them develop and share knowledge and experience at institutions and organisations in different countries. Organisations Erasmus+ has opportunities for a wide range of organisations, including universities, education and training providers, think-tanks, research organisations, and private businesses.[1]
The best example I could have had of this programme!
Honestly, what motivated and inspired me the most to apply for this experience was my mother, Alexandrina.
At the age of 46 years old, when she was studying her Master’s Degree, she was on an Erasmus semester, from February to May 2011. Within the LLP-Erasmus, she attended a training stage in the Laboratory of Biotechnology of Algae at the University of Huelva, Spain.
My mother’s personal photo archive
My very ambitious, young spirited mother managed to be one of the best students while also travelling and discovering a lot of amazingly beautiful places like Sevilla, Cordoba, Malaga, Granada, Punta Umbria near the Atlantic Ocean (in Spain), Villa Real de San Antonio (in Portugal).
She had a big group of friends and colleagues from all over Europe: Poland, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, France, and Turkey.
My personal conclusions about the Erasmus+ programme
After seeing my mother being so brave to go in another country to study and travel, I was very inspired and decided that I will do the same when I will have the opportunity, during university. And so I did!
I truly believe that this programme is such an enormous opportunity for every student, but unfortunately, many of them are not very informed on this topic or still have a lot of doubts about an Erasmus+ semester or what it means. Personally, I will ALWAYS encourage all students to never say never, and to try to apply, to get out of their comfort zone and discover new countries, cultures, cuisines, places and, of course, people!
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