My name is Roos and late 2020, I moved to Helsinki for my European Voluntary project. I work for a ngo as a program assistant, with my role being to help volunteers coming to Finland and going abroad! It’s very interesting and nice. An office job mostly, but with different kinds of tasks still: from answering questions and helping with getting a visa to organizing trainings and helping with communication tasks.

When looking for a volunteering project, I mostly searched for projects in the north. Simply because I’m a big fan of the winter! During my first month here I already saw the northern lights dancing in the sky and the first winter really was a proper winter, frozen sea included! There weren’t just people walking on it, but also playing ice hockey, cross country skiing and biking.

Next to spending time in another country and getting to enjoy winter as much as I get here in Finland, a great thing about volunteering through the European Solidarity Corps is the fact that you get language lessons. Learning the local language really makes it easier to live abroad. My favorite word in Finnish? Korvapuusti! Korva means ‘ear’ and their word for a cinnamon bun therefore  literally means ‘twisted ears’. Quite funny – and really delicious.
 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My name is Alicia and when I was 16, I joined a youth exchange for the first time. We had to leave from the airport in the middle of the night and it was super cold, and we were very nervous as well. It wasn’t like anything I had done before, it was way out of my comfort zone. However, I got bitten by the youth exchange bug and have been working on – and have gotten Erasmus+ Youth funding for – our own youth exchange since then.

For eight days, together with young people from Slovenia, Moldova, Cyprus, England and of course the Netherlands, we got together in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. We stayed in a hostel that used to be a prison, which made it a very pretty and interesting place. The exchange was called ‘From your passion to your dream job’ and we explored many diverse topics and did different kinds of workshops like cake baking, photography and writing resumés.

Together with three friends, who also were part of the youth exchange in Slovenia, we are now counting down to our own youth exchange, together with a partner from Finland. It’s been postponed because of Covid, but I can’t wait for it to finally happen!
 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I'm Tom (25) and after doing my European Voluntary project here in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, I decided to stay. I have been welcomed with open arms and very much enjoyed working in the two youth organizations where I was working as a youth worker. The one organization focused on kids from 10 to 15 years old, and the other on younger adults from 18 to 25 years who are having a hard time. I really enjoyed the variety in tasks: organizing excursions, workshops, playing sports and games and simply spending time together. Very rewarding.

When deciding on moving to Slovenia, in the middle of the pandemic where traveling wasn't as easy as we're used to and my love for biking was growing bigger and bigger, I decided to bike all the way from the Netherlands to Slovenia. I crossed 6 countries and biked 1486 kilometers in 24 days. It was an easy decision: I enjoy riding my bike, and not only having the start and finish point, but a whole trip in between... Of course it wasn't all easy, but it was so worth it.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My name is Richelle, I’m 27 years old. I studied German in the Netherlands to become a high school teacher and did part of my studies in Schwäbisch Gmünd in Germany as an Erasmus student. After finishing my bachelor’s degree, I started working as a German teacher and student coach and then realized… this isn’t what I want to do yet! I didn’t feel like working fulltime, and because I studied to become exactly what I had become, there weren’t many other options for me at the time. Other than starting a master’s degree. Easy choice! Though I didn’t want to do this in the Netherlands and as such, started looking abroad.

As I had the time of my life during the four months studying abroad in Germany, it didn’t take too long before I figured I’d go back to Baden-Württemberg. Back to Schwäbisch Gmünd! The city stole my heart and I also liked the school a lot, so in September I moved across the border again to start the master ‘Germanisitik und Interkulturalität/Multilingualität’ at the same school I did my Erasmus exchange at a few years earlier.

It’s great to be back and also to get the opportunity to explore more of Germany while living here. I’m thinking of doing my internship in Austria or Switzerland maybe, but anyhow I know I’ll have more job opportunities after finishing this adventure abroad! It’s a win win win.
 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My name is Lesley, I’m from Luxembourg and I was in Tenerife for 2 months. I was volunteering in a little town named Arona for the Atlantic Whale and Dolphin Foundation (AWdF). They run a conservation and research program and call volunteers all over the world to go on whale watching boats and do some observation work to study the behavior of the cetaceans. We went on boats almost every day to do 3 different types of work. We had the datasheets where we had to write down the behavior of the whales and dolphins. Then we had the cameras with us to make pictures of the fins. It’s the only way to identify them because every fin has particular nicks on it and after we compare the pictures with those at home, we can identify which whale or dolphin it is and give them names. Finally, the third mission on the boats is hydrophone, where we put a microphone under the water to listen how they communicate and how the ferries around them have an impact on their communication. The main goal of this project is to make people and the captains of the boats aware of the big impact that the ferries and other boats have on the cetaceans.

Besides that, we had other projects like eco-tourism, where we would go randomly around the Island to find attracting places where the tourists could go instead of the most popular places. We had a creativity workshop to create posters, flyers and stickers to prevent people from going to the zoos and animal parks but also to educate the tourists on the boats. In addition, there was a group working on conservation and a group working on the education for the schools in Tenerife. I had the chance to join the group working on the London Eco Film Festival and I’m still working on it even if I’m not there because I wanted to be part of it. We had a lot we could do and it was amazing.

I stayed in a house with about 30 other people coming from different countries but the main language we were speaking was English. We were up to 6 people in each room so it was difficult sometimes, to have your own space and fit all your stuff but it was amazing to already have a group of friends because you are in the same room. It was challenging to be in a place that’s not so “luxurious” as it is here in Luxembourg but I didn’t have a problem with that personally. We had a place we could call home and we could be all together.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My name is Philipp and I did a vocational training as a carpenter. For my internship abroad I wanted to go to a country where wood plays a central role. There are many forests in Finland and the timber industry is the third largest industry there - so it was just perfect.

I went to an inter-company school in Finland. There the trainees build houses, which the school then sells! The Finnish master craftsman explained to us trainees what had to be done. He didn't speak English, so others had to translate for me. What helped me: in theory I already knew how to do it from vocational school in Germany. To do all that in practice now - that was great!

The other trainees were younger than me, 16-17 years old. They don't get paid for their training, you could sometimes tell by their motivation. Nevertheless, we got on well with each other and mostly worked in pairs.

I stayed with a host family - the best host family you can have. There was a programme almost every day so that I could get to know Finland. The typical Finnish sauna was also prepared for me on the first evening. Frisbee golf, also typically Finnish, was something I had to google first. My guest brother often took me along. The principle is like playing golf, but with a frisbee and a basket.

Because the Finnish trainees have a 28-hour week, I had plenty of time for sightseeing. For example, I visited Helsinki and the national park Nuuksio with great old trees and many lakes.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

If you see an opportunity, take it! Me joining in youth exchange project in Poland came just because of this saying that I live by. I have no hesitation in saying that it is the best decision I have ever made. Becoming a part of Erasmus+ Project ″Cultural Understanding Leads to Unique Relationship Evolution″ in October had a great influence on my self-growth this year.

While looking for words to briefly describe this project, the first ones to come to my mind are: teamwork, cultural differences and incredible friendships that were made through-out the 7 days’ time. Since it was my first time participating in youth exchange the expectations were pretty high, but everything was fulfilled with a bunch.

Most of the activities the participants did were bonding tasks and projects through which we presented our culture, history and the life of the youth in our countries. I got a taste of Irish, Romanian, Slovakian, Latvian, Spanish, Polish cultures and experienced the native languages of the participants which did nothing but broadened my horizons and built a strong knowledge about different parts of Europe. Moreover, speaking English on a daily basis provided a grand tool for improving my oratorical and grammatical skills.

I feel a need to mention that the very essence of the project were the people and the great energy we created. Everyone made lots of memories that most likely will never fade away. The best moments of that week - celebrating my 16th birthday with newly made international friends, travelling alone and many more will often stay in front of my eyes.

In conclusion, during the mentioned week in Poland I had the time of my life. Despite me being scared to go, I took the opportunity and did it. Hopefully, you will never miss out on similar projects as well.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Nina's name is familiar to many of those involved in international activities under EU programmes. Through Villa Elba in Kokkola, she has participated in numerous youth exchanges and seminars. She also serves as a EuroPeer, a young person who has participated in EU programmes and who, through her personal example, wishes to encourage other young people to be adventurous and open-minded and embrace internationality.

Myllylä, who is studying civic activity and Christian child and youth work, lists the countries she has visited through EU programmes while stroking Toivo, the cat sitting on her lap: she has been to EuroPeer training in England, EuroPeer meetings in Estonia and a youth exchange in Slovenia. Her latest youth exchange was quite recent, in fact: Myllylä only returned to Finland from Portugal a short while ago.

“The theme of this meeting was ‘different is good’”, Myllylä says.

On youth exchanges the participants reflect on a theme that interests young people, including youth culture, sustainable development or human rights. At the meetings, young people from different countries plan and come up with ideas for the activities based on their interests. For example, Myllylä has participated in a photography workshop where a group of young people examined how they could exert influence through photography. The activities resulted in exhibitions in Finland, Italy and Slovenia. Myllylä additionally has a passion for ballet dancing, and she has planned choreographies and organised flash mobs and dance workshops on youth exchanges. When I ask her about how long she has been dancing, the student from Kokkola gives a succinct answer.

“Always”, she laughs.

Open-mindedness pays off

Myllylä's best memory of youth exchanges dates back to 2019. That time, too, the destination country was Portugal, and the theme of the youth exchange was sustainable development and reducing your personal carbon footprint. Myllylä says it was fantastic.

“We learned about different ways of reducing our carbon footprint, for example growing our own food, and studied the soil to find out which plants would grow best where. We made everyday products like soap, deodorant and toothpaste ecologically and without harming the environment. We also did yoga and meditation”, Myllylä explains.

Aged 22, Myllylä learned about these activities in 2011 from her cousin, who was working at the Finnish National Agency for Education. It was love at first sight. Her first trip abroad was a youth exchange in Slovenia. Young Myllylä was nervous about travelling outside Finland for the first time.

“I had never been abroad before my first exchange. I was nervous about the airport terminal and what you could take with you through the security check.”

The trip was worth it, as Myllylä subsequently got hooked on international activities. She says that they have given her wonderful memories and that she has made many new international friends through them. You may even run into people you have not really kept in touch with at seminars and similar meetings, and you just carry on from where you left off the last time. It feels as if you last met yesterday. 

"All the highlights of my life and my best memories and moments have been associated with the international exchanges," she says.

Myllylä has a word of advice for young people going on youth exchanges.

“Do not dwell on being nervous. Just go out bravely!”

Myllylä lives as she teaches. Her favourite trip to Portugal in 2019 did not sound very attractive at first. According to the advance information she received about the trip, only outdoor showers and toilets would be available, and an ecological vegan diet would be followed at the meeting.

“I was really prejudiced and said to myself that yeah, this is probably not going to be a good exchange, it will be awful. But I faced my prejudices and applied for the exchange to challenge my preconceptions”, Myllylä says.

“I'm glad I did, because it was my best exchange ever.”

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Getting empty wine bottles thrown at you for some reason in the street, getting a job offer on the train, accidentally joining two protests, exploring an unknown city during midnight with a group of foreign hostel people and changing your itinerary plans last minute... Just a couple highlights from my recent DiscoverEU trip, where I visited Berlin, Lyon, Rome, Prague, Warsaw and a lot of cities in-between. Hi, I am Paulius and I did my DiscoverEU trip alone on the summer of 2021.

Since the days went by and the day of departure came closer, the whole thing seemed more exciting and more scary. The excitement part is understandable: new people, new places, different culture, language barriers and so on. But the scary side? It‘s you and only you „against“ the whole Europe. You‘re responsible for your own plans, mistakes, accommodation, food. But also... You can choose where to go, when to go, who to go with! It‘s the freedom, the freedom of choice and I chose to follow this path.

I met some incredible people: from an Erasmus student, that studies at my own country, to a sailor, who has sailed the Atlantic ocean 4 times! The places and views were spectactular: from the Old Town of Prague, narrow streets of Rome to the mountains in Switzerland! The trip made me realize how lucky we are when we are so young and have this amazing opportunity of exploring Europe on our own!

During this trip I also had a lot of time to think about myself on trains, during walks and to prioritize different things in my life. The DiscoverEU trip is definitely once in a lifetime opportunity, so take it, don‘t miss it! But... The Interrail ticket is worth getting another time and that‘s why it‘s not only once in a lifetime experience!

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Hello! My name is Filippos, and I am 22 years old and I am from Greece.

In 2018, as soon as I finished school, I had one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, utilizing the Discover EU programme!

I travelled by train from Italy to Madrid, and Ι discovered various European cities! This travel provided me with a learning experience like no other and pushed me out of my comfort zone.

The most important experience for me was the opportunity I had to explore different cultures! I became more open-minded, and I realized how much we have in common with the Italians and the Spaniards! Happy people, with intense culture and -definitely- perfect food! 

Together with my classmate Nikos we lived 10 unforgettable days, travelling, listening to nice music, and hanging out with young people from different European countries!

What stood out was our stay in Barcelona. We visited museums and got to know great works of art by Gaudi! We also made friends with whom we have kept in touch until today, and we hope that they will visit us in Greece soon!

This trip will remain forever engraved in my mind and my heart!

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026