My Erasmus experience

21st to 25th Ochtober 2019 - Lithuania

It isn’t easy to talk about such a good experience just in a few words, but I will try. About a week before leaving for Lithuania I knew who was going to be my host and a week later I could say that I got the best. 

My hosting family was one of the best parts of this journey, they were so kind and always worried if liked everything. Also, they taught me some interesting things, such the difference of the names and nouns according to be a man, a single women or married women, or the importance of basketball in their country comparing to football in ours. 

Another important part are the friends that I made that although I might not see so soon, it feels that we will always be together, united by this wonderful experience. They showed us cool places and were really nice and lovely to receive and helped us getting to know a little bit more about Vilnius.

About the city itself, it´s quite different from ours: much bigger, has more urban art - that makes it so beautiful -, different food such as the beetroot soup and food without salt, and at the same time so calm and good to walk around, in which the good weather helped. 

Finally, I´m really glad to have been able to be part of all these moments that I won´t forget in the next times. It was a different way of learning and improving myself and at the same time get to know such a different lifestyle.  

Beatriz Simão Figueiredo

17 years old

Last Thing

I knew that Erasmus would shape me and change who I was. I knew that it would be a new experience and of course I knew that i would meet new people. But I never could imagine how much it changed who I was and especially that I would encounter so many amazing people and I would get attached to them so quickly. I felt truly at home there, a felling that's scarce for me. 

It was amazing being part of such a beautiful and amazing culture and living with them. Every day we did something new and exciting. like Visiting the breathtaking castle of Trakai or visiting the old town. 

Well, of course that the goodbyes were heartbreaking and tears were shed but it’s part of the journey which proved to be the best week of our lives

Francisco Huber

16 years old

This project in which I signed up, allowed me to acquire a new looking of our world. I tried to enjoy this experience the best way possible, this opportunity helped me to practice my English and be less ashamed to communicate.

The positive aspects I have to say about this experience are undoubtedly the possibility to experiment new teaching methods, listening to a new language daily, developing soft skills such as adaptability and problem solving, but the most important was the contact with our hosts families that were very welcoming, with other cultures and to value the well-known expression "leaving our comfort zone".

In my opinion the Erasmus Program gives us a unique opportunity that should be made by the most of students. My experience as an Erasmus student exceeded all my expectations and it was a very enriching experience, not only as a school level but as well as personal level. With this experience I met new cultures and made a lot of new friends.

In the end I can say that I'm a lucky one, able to do the Erasmus + program, and I look at the experience as something constructive. It was a week that pass very fast, full of moments that I will always remember with much affection.

Inês Androniak

17 years old

My week at Vilnius was an adventure to never forget!

It all started at the airport when after a few months I was finally reunited with my good friend from Lithuania. I couldn’t be more excited to spend a week in such a lovely country.

Once I stepped outside it just took me some minutes to see the warm colour of the country and instantly fall in love. As I absorbed the beauty from the leaves falling into the ground to the buildings that have such a splendid architecture I was completely amazed by the arrangement between them.

Throughout the time I had the chance to visit most of the surroundings of the city, as also a lot of monuments, like churches, towers, the three white crosses, and many more, but it didn’t end there, I was able to go to some museums of modern art that made realise how much art is something that unites people around the world and with the activities made in the project I was able to find and explore new soft skills that had already an impact in my school development.

Sadly, like everything that is good, the week was over in a blink of an eye, and it was time to say goodbye, but hopefully the goodbyes were more like “see you soon”. And after all the promises to come back, I left full of good memories but mostly amazing friends that now I have around the world and I couldn’t be more thankful for them.

Ačiū tau už viską!

Margarida Gomes

17 years old

My week in Vilnius was an experience that will fill my mind whenever I look back on my high school years. We are very lucky for being able to participate in such interesting projects. 

At first I was nervous, as it was my first time abroad with school, but as soon as I met my hosts, all of those insecurities vanished. They were so welcoming and kind, delving me into their daily routine, their history and culture, sharing with me their lovely corner of the world. 

When at the Lyceum I was very impressed with their teaching method, with all the things that students are able to explore and develop. The teachers were very helpful and attentive, which allowed the activities to flow smoothly without any problem. 

Besides all the new things discovered, from the food, to the nature, music and language, what comes first in my heart are the friendships I made. The people who filled my week with enjoyment, adventure, curiosity and love, those who spread the sparkle in these lasting memories. 

Every day seemed to last forever, as they were so full of new experiences, but the week went by with a blink of an eye, as we found ourselves saying farewell to these people who had become part of our Lithuanian lives. This was an opportunity that spread my horizons, taught me to dream higher, and showed me that the world is not as big as that, that others can be reached, we are not alone, and truly we are all connected. It was an inspiration and will certainly influence the course of my life, I am not the same I was before this week, now I carry a bigger luggage, I have grown, and I can only be grateful for that.

Maria Catarina 

17 years old