Erasmus, controversial topic. Probably many of you know really famous phase “Erasmus Orgasmus”. Some people say that Erasmus is the greatest experiences, some say it is just waste of students’ time. What is the truth? How has Erasmus changed my life? Is it worth It?
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How does Erasmus look like?
I decided to write this blog post in order to show you how Erasmus has changed my life. If you don’t know what Erasmus is, I am sending you to Wikipedia. Let me explain what has happened in my mind, body and life after Erasmus experiences. But let start with a little bit of background.
Where did I go for Erasmus?
In 2012 I left Poland to live for one year in Sevilla, Spain, one of the most beautiful places on the world. If you would like to learn more about Sevilla, check out my blog post Why you will regret visiting Sevilla? It has been one year full of great memories, experiences and lessons.
What has happened in one year?
Are you wondering how Erasmus looks like? In real life? I will let you have sneaky look into my Erasmus life.
Erasmus is about parties
Yes, Erasmus is definitely a party time. You have fun, meet new people and experience life. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. It is just your time of life when you are young and free.
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Erasmus is about learning languages and cultures
You learn a lot! Trust me! You meet new people, you learn how to speak English, Spanish and any other languages. You experience how people live differently, how they spend free time, how they party, how they deal with hot or cold weather, how their habits are different, how they imagination about world is different. Have you ever experienced Spanish siesta, or Spanish habits of being always later or everything start later?
Erasmus is about travelling
Yes, you travel a lot. How you can sit down at home when you are in different country? You use every weekend to see new places, to explore sunsets on the beach, to taste new drinks and food, to get lost in little streets, to meet random person and ask for direction, you live to the fullest. That’s what life should be about.
Erasmus is about hard work and hard study
You work and study hard. At least that was my case. I was experiencing Erasmus life without financial support from parents, so I was working hard to afford life. Also study is not easy. Studying in different language, with different rules, in different university, with different students, in different culture. Do you think it is easy? Not really, it is hard work. I remember Christmas, when I was studying my materials in Spanish to pass exams in English. Guys, trust me, I have never worked that hard like during Erasmus.
Erasmus is about lessons
Erasmus life is not easy. Especially when you are first time abroad, first months can be horrible. You miss home, you miss family, you miss friends. It is not easy at all when you are struggling with finding apartment, cannot understand foreign language, have difficulties to understand your teachers or classmates. It is a proper lesson about adult life. Additionally, I was working during my Erasmus remotely for polish company and locally for Spanish agency after my classes. Trust me, it was hard but worth it.
How does Erasmus change life?
Erasmus changes a lot. We used to say “Erasmus once, Erasmus forever” and I totally agree with this phase. Nothing is the same anymore, maybe it sounds funny, but it is a truth.
How did I learn speak English and a little bit of Spanish?
As I mentioned above, Erasmus is about learnings. You study languages at school but you never really practice them. Then you leave outside of your country and you have language barriers, that’s exactly what has happened to me. Thanks Erasmus I was forced to speak in English all the time and now I don’t have any issues to communicate in this language, even my English is not perfect, it is good enough to live around foreigners. I also learnt Spanish, I had to. Spanish people don’t speak English very well, I was forced to learn a bit Spanish and till now I can communicate in this language. Do you know where did I learn Spanish? During the PARTIES! When guys came to me speaking in Spanish and I didn’t understand, step by step I learn what certain words mean. Imagine now, I never left for students exchange, do you think I would be here, where I am now?
How did I learn more about world and start travelling?
Thanks Erasmus I have been already in the countries like: Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Ukraine, Morocco, US, UK, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Australia and so on. I travel solo, on budget, without any help. Do you think I would have enough confidence without Erasmus? I don’t think so. Erasmus opened my eyes on the world, I understood that world is my home. Moreover I understood that I can make close friends with people from every single part of the globe. Currently, I can just have one call and meet my friend on the another part of the world. It wouldn’t happen without Erasmus. And travelling just become really easy now.
How did I get much more confident?
Erasmus increases your confident and awareness. And it is one of the most important points for me. I have been always shy and never believed in myself. Erasmus helped me cross my limits, showed me that “I can and I will do it!”. Erasmus pushed me for travelling, for meeting new people, for getting challenges, for being better myself.
How did I improve my career and get much better job?
And we are coming back to points above. Increasing confidence, improving languages, meeting people from different parts of the world. All of it and much more will have beneficial influence on your life. It is only you who can decide what you want to do with it. Because of all these experiences, I was brave enough to leave Poland, to try myself and my knowledge outside of the country. Because of Erasmus, I got encourage to work as freelancer with international clients, to apply for job in Global Magento Partner, to push further with my career, apply for business trip to Asia, to travel, learn and experience. Do you think, that would happen if I wouldn’t go for Erasmus?
How did I gain much more weigh?
And last point, not that great like last one 🙂 Spain gave me additional kilograms, because of delicious food and drinks. You are outside of your country, of course, you will have to try everything, everyday, without limit. But lucky me, I came back to my shape couple months after Erasmus 🙂
Tips before going for Erasmus – What I need to know?
- TIP1: You will never have home again
Yes, you will never feel like at home anywhere anymore. Your heart will be divided between countries, friends and family. You will always miss someone or something. But no worries, now your home is everywhere on the globe. - TIP2: You will have post-Erasmus depression
Yes, it exists for real. If you enjoyed Erasmus to the fullest, then trust me, your depression will take around 3 months and you will cry almost every day. But hey, it will go away at some point and your memories will last forever. - TIP3: Talk to your teachers before going for Erasmus
To make your life easier after coming back to your country, talk and make agreement with your teachers before deciding to go for Erasmus. I was smart enough to have clear understanding what subjects I can pass in Spain, what I will need to pass in Poland and how to not lose one year. It was extremely important for me as I don’t like wasting time. So agreement was that I will replace subjects from Polish University with similar subjects in Spanish University. Two of the subjects I will pass online. After Erasmus, I came back to Polish University for my last half a year, with no remaining exams, just passed my final exam and finished my study. I highly recommend it to you.
Erasmus is one of best experience in life if you use it in proper way. You can improve your career a lot, make your life much more easier, make your travelling that easy as going to another city in your country. Use it! Go, learn, work and experience! Life is about people and experiences!
From this point I would like to thank you so much to my professors who helped me with making this decision. Big thanks to Tomasz Libera and Remigiusz Gorecki, because of you I changed my life for better.
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P.S. The author and resource of first picture unknown.
Zaneta loves challenges so deciding about career path she has chosen typical male industry. Woman who codes. Every 1-2 years she lives in different part of the world. Gym dates is something what she specialised in. Healthy lifestyle, extreme sports and motorbikes have stolen her hear years ago.
1 Comment
This looks like a wonderful experience. I’ve heard of Erasmus mundus scholarships before, not sure if you’re talking about the same thing!