“Where did you study your master’s abroad?”

“Everywhere a bit.”

This conversation has happened to me countless times, and I always like to respond this way, with a smile. It’s not a lie. I was part of the Erasmus Mundus STEPS (Sustainable Transport and Electrical Power Systems) program, a joint master’s degree organized by several European universities, which naturally means that you don’t spend your studies in just one place. In our case, those were the universities in Coimbra in Portugal, Nottingham in England, and Gijón in Spain — cities that I am proud to say became my cities.

It feels like I could write an entire novel about each of them instead of trying to squeeze them into a few paragraphs. How can I mention Coimbra without talking about students walking around in long academic robes like they belong at Hogwarts and eating pastéis de nata with a view of the Mondego River? How can I mention Nottingham without talking about the English passion for football felt in every pub, the legendary Nottingham Forest by the River Trent and the even more legendary English breakfast? And how can I mention Gijón without talking about San Lorenzo beach, which disappears and reappears twice a day with the tides, about fiestas, siestas, and the famous sidra — the local apple cider that must be poured from a height before you can drink it?

So instead of talking about these cities in detail — because I would easily get lost in memories of them, just like I actually got lost in their streets during my first days there — I will talk about the people and the experiences.

One of the best things about the Erasmus Mundus program is that, as the name suggests, it is a global project, not just for Europeans. Our small world included people from Argentina, Venezuela, the United States, Spain, Montenegro, Serbia, Eritrea, Lebanon, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines — quite a diverse group, as you can imagine. And that’s not all. Add to that all the people who came to those cities on a “regular” Erasmus exchange, and suddenly you have the whole world around you, just waiting for you to extend your hand and say: “Hi, I’m Aleksandar from Serbia.”

Every beginning is slow and filled with uncertainties — especially if you are a procrastinator like me who applied for a visa too late and ended up arriving a week after the semester had already started. But then you begin meeting people, and you quickly forget why you were ever worried in the first place. Because people are what make this experience so meaningful and unforgettable.

Looking back now, those first contacts seem almost absurdly awkward and clumsy — shy greetings to people who would soon become a very important part of my life. People with whom I would go to lectures, prepare for exams, and work on projects, but also share sunsets, celebrate Thanksgiving with dishes from all around the world, run into the ocean in January, and share both the happiest and the hardest moments in the following two years. In one word — friends. Perhaps even more than that, when you are so far away from your previous life, these friendships carry even greater significance. I still find it incredible how people from completely different parts of the world, cultures, languages, and traditions can fit together so naturally, as if they were always meant to end up in the same place.

Studying within different educational systems was also a unique and challenging experience. These systems were completely different from the one in my home country, and also very different from one another. In Portugal, the focus was on homework assignments; in England, on writing academic papers; and in Spain, on projects and laboratory work. Each city contributed in its own way not only to my education but also to the way I think and approach problems. It would be a lie to say that it was always easy, but when you go through everything together with your friends, and along the way someone brings freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or a slice of jamón serrano appears at just the right moment, everything seems manageable.

After that, the only real limit was how much free time we had. And we really tried our best to spend every free moment traveling, socializing, and just enjoying life. Whether it was crazy trips, tables full of food, drinks and people, crazy nights out until sunrise, or simply sitting in beach chairs like retirees — all those pictures still hang on my wall. It’s impossible for me to look at them without a smile on my face (and an occasional tear in my eye)

If you’ve heard how much a single Erasmus semester can mean to someone, imagine what four Erasmus semesters can do to a person. Four times as many adventures, four times as many fond memories, four times as many people…

It is often said that the only bad thing about Erasmus is that it eventually comes to an end, but I tend to disagree with that.

How can we speak of an ending when we are still in touch regularly, when we still organize reunions, when I know I have a place to sleep in almost every major city in Europe (and beyond), and when I am a proud host in my city for so many people?

Oooh no, my Erasmus didn’t end.

My Erasmus has only just begun…

                    

Updated on Thursday, 16/04/2026

My name is Lan Batič, a student at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and a member of a team currently running our second solidarity project. I first heard about this opportunity during a DiscoverEU trip, where I immediately recognised it as a chance to broaden my horizons and step outside my comfort zone. The more I looked into it, the more I realised it was a truly unique experience for young people — one that offers a glimpse into a world that might otherwise remain distant or unfamiliar.

The opportunity gave me and my team the support we needed to turn our idea of improving young people's lives into something real. Along the way, we developed our organisational skills and got to grips with the financial side of running a project like this. That part was the biggest challenge for me personally, as it was the least familiar territory at the start. Being faced with a large amount of information and responsibility taught me just how important teamwork really is. It was precisely our collaboration and mutual support that helped us navigate the challenges more easily.

To any young person considering getting involved, my advice is simple: just try it. It is an incredible opportunity for personal growth, gaining hands-on experience, and making a genuine contribution to your community. Looking back now, I am proud of what our team has achieved. We successfully completed one project and are wrapping up a second just as successfully — and I truly believe we have brought something valuable to our local community. Something that would simply not have been possible without this experience.

There was also plenty of fun and enthusiasm from the young participants at our events. As a little anecdote — at two of our board game evenings, we introduced a game called Root. It was an instant hit, with participants immediately diving into its complex rules. At the very next session, everyone at the table was stunned when one of the young participants arrived completely prepared. He had written down the best strategies, knew all the rules inside out, and had mapped the optimal path to victory. Naturally, he won in just a few moves — which was all the motivation the others needed to come better prepared next time. On the day of that second event, in the spirit of fair play and by complete mutual agreement, we temporarily banned the tactic he had used, giving the other players a fair chance to first understand the game and learn how to counter that strategy.

Updated on Wednesday, 15/04/2026

During her volunteering project in Spain, Makbule assisted blind people in their daily activities and participated in many trainings. Back home she supported volunteers who came to Austria first as a mentor, later as a European Solidarity Corps project coordinator for four years. 

In 2025 she started the solidarity project 'Töpfern auf Rädern - ClayConnects'. It offered free pottery workshops for young people with fewer opportunities and from marginalised groups. These workshops provided new means of self-expression and a tool for non-violent communication. 

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Tania came from Italy to volunteer in Austria when she was 18. During almost a year, she supported and accompanied people with disabilities in their everyday lives with Evangelisches Diakoniewerk Gallneukirchen Austria.

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"During my voluntary service, I supported the residential group team as best I could. I accompanied and supported people with disabilities in their everyday lives. I believe that working with me has made my colleagues more open-minded to working with EU volunteers."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"Voluntary service was my first experience of living independently, without my parents, and my first long stay in a foreign country. Thanks to this experience, I found my career path and, what's more, I found a new home here. After my voluntary service, I completed my training as a certified social worker for people with disabilities in Gallneukirchen and continued to work in the same residential group alongside my training. That’s where I’m still working."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"I believe that voluntary service is an important opportunity for (young) people to try something new and learn about new things. It offers the chance to immerse yourself in a perhaps unfamiliar field, take on a challenge, find new friends and build a network. And sometimes it might be the place where you will stay, find a job/your passion and start a family."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Laura-Elise volunteered in Spain in 2024, where a forest-fire had destroyed a large part of the forest. She helped to replant trees with other volunteers from around Europe.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"The most memorable part of my volunteering wasn’t a big event, but the small, everyday moments in our shared house. We had one big living room where, despite speaking different languages, some only Spanish, others only English, everyone gathered each evening. Someone would be knitting, someone singing, the dog resting by the fireplace, and yet no one ever felt alone. I built a special bond with two eighteen-year-olds from France and Greek Cyprus; at 26 I sometimes felt like the big sister. We worked and hung out together, and I later visited one of them during a project in Cyprus. It felt like we’d created a mini-family where everyone could be themselves. We also had team-building moments with documentaries and group discussions, developed a walking route about the region, and were interviewed for short videos at the end."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"Our engagement had both direct and long-term impact. We joined a project that welcomes volunteers every year in short two-week teams, and the local community now immediately recognises European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteers, remarkable in a village where almost no one passes through except bike tourists. We worked on reforestation, knowing a new forest will grow there in a few years, which gives a strong sense of sustainability. We also lived with local Spanish youngsters participating through youth centres, often in vulnerable situations. They spoke little English, so communication was sometimes creative, we couldn’t even wake them calmly because we didn’ t know the Spanish word for it. But they were part of the same warm, home-like atmosphere, and for them too the living room became a safe mini-community. The experience strengthened my belief that ESC meets young people’s need to reconnect after Covid. The friendships last: volunteers who later came to stay with me, and people I visited again."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"Volunteering has truly given direction to my life. I did my first Erasmus+ exchange at 17-18 and never really stopped. European Solidarity Corps (ESC) became a consistent thread, and now I even support ESC volunteers myself, turning my passion into my job. Professionally, it shaped how I work with young people, challenge stereotypes, and create safe spaces. I pay close attention to project structure: introductions, exploring the local area, step-by-step activities, and a clear ending, which I now apply myself. 

Personally, ESC made me more open and empathetic. I learned to listen to people from different cultures and developed calm confidence with new groups. That helps when young people feel lonely, as I actively create ways for them to connect, for example, a list of “things you still want to do before you leave.” ESC shaped me as a professional and a person: curious, patient, and always ready to make others feel welcome."

Laura-Elise and project participants replanting trees, 2024

Volunteer planting a tree

A group of volunteers replanting trees

close

chevron_left

chevron_right

3 Media files in this gallery

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Alice volunteered in Germany from September 2003 until July 2004 with Lebensgemeinschaft Sassen und Richthof. She learned to speak German and discovered anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy and a tool helping to support people with intellectual disabilities.

🎤How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"Volunteering gave me confidence, helped me get to know myself better, introduced me to Germany, and taught me German, which I still use in my work from time to time. It also introduced me to anthroposophy. I discovered a unique approach to supporting people with intellectual disabilities. I met people who devote themselves to those who are more vulnerable, always with respect. I try to carry this kindness and respect for everyone into my everyday life."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"Volunteering matters because it shows us that we can thrive by helping others. It broadens our horizons. It allows us to discover another country and another culture. It helps us take a step back from our own lives, our country, our studies, and our future profession."

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come?

"I hope this volunteering programme continues for many years to come and enables young people from all social backgrounds to have an experience abroad and make friends for life."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Elizabet volunteered in 2021 in Sumy, Ukraine with CanYouAssociation. The volunteering was a deep immersion in non formal learning, gained by mentoring volunteers, managing administration, leading some youth clubs, supporting summer youth camps, and both participating and helping preparations for trainings.

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

Volunteering was the masterclass in practical reality that my formal education wasn't—and I say that even with a Bachelor’s degree in Nonformal Education. It shaped my professional path in a concrete way: after finishing my project, I became one of the first officially recognized youth workers in my country under new legislation. I doubt that would have been possible without the guidance and example I received during my volunteering experience. On a personal level, it pushed me to question the thought patterns I used to fall into. More broadly, it taught me to examine life without immediately trying to fix it—to accept reality as it is, and work with it, not against it.

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

Volunteering is important because it's one of the few truly reciprocal forms of work. It gives what you give into it. It addresses tangible needs in a community while forcing the volunteer to move beyond abstract ideas and engage with complex realities. it connects bitovism with idealism somehow. You learn practical skills, see systems from the inside, and develop a clearer, less romanticized understanding of both problems and solutions.

🎤 What is your birthday wish for the 30th anniversary of EU supported volunteering — and for the next 30 years to come?

Happy 30th! My wish is that this programme keeps giving more people the same raw, life-changing experience it gave me—that chance to live in the messy, beautiful reality of another community, learn by doing, and discover that the biggest shifts often happen within yourself. Here's to 30 more years of building real connections, not just projects.

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Aleksandra volunteered in Poland from April 2024 to April 2025 with CYM Horyzonty. CYM Horyzonty works to create a world of understanding and inclusion by promoting tolerance, solidarity, and active citizenship through non-formal education, social, and cultural initiatives such as courses, workshops, cultural programmes, language learning, and social inclusion initiatives, that engage youth, elderly people, and marginalized people from the local community of Poznań.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"One of the moments I’ll never forget from volunteering was just spending time with elderly people in Poznań. It was the little moments that really stuck with me. Sitting with them, listening to their stories, sharing a laugh, or even just being there quietly, made a bigger impact than I ever expected. Some of the connections didn’t even need language at all - they were about being present, sharing a smile, or holding someone’s hand. Seeing how much it meant to them to feel seen and included made me realize that even small gestures can leave a mark and change someone else’s day or even life."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"Volunteering has honestly changed the way I see the world - and myself. On a personal level, it’s taught me patience, empathy, and how to really connect with people of all ages and backgrounds. Professionally, I’ve learned to organize events, explore my creativity, and work with teams in ways I never imagined, but the real growth went beyond skills. Volunteering showed me the impact one person can have, even in small ways, and reminded me that listening, learning, and being there for others can be just as important as achieving something on your own. It’s made me realize that life is richer when you give a little of yourself, when you step into someone else’s shoes, and when you see a community come alive because of shared effort and care."

🎤 Why do you believe volunteering is important?

"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention." - Oscar Wilde

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Ivona volunteered in Portugal in 2024 for 12 months. She volunteered in a youth centre called Psientífica at the 'Centro de Juventude de Águeda'. The support organisation in Croatia was Udruga ZUM and with Psientifica, Ivona helped to organise activities for young people at local and international level, using non-formal education methods.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"I will never forget my arrival in my hosting town. I was overwhelmed with many different emotions: excitement and hope, mixed with fear and sadness about leaving my home. I would be lying if I said that I never doubted my decision to embark on this volunteering journey and move to a foreign country on my own. 

Conflicting thoughts were swarming in my head and every step of the way to my destination, I felt tempted to turn around and go back to the safety of what I knew. In that moment, I struggled to remember all the reasons I had chosen to volunteer. While sitting on the train to Águeda, I made myself a promise: I would try. I would stay for at least a week and then decide whether to remain for the full 12 months. I still remember that moment today. I was brave in one of the most challenging times of my life; I believed in myself and my ability to grow, and that courage rewarded me with the most beautiful and transformative experiences I have ever had."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

Together with other volunteers, I recognized the need for a safe and welcoming space for young queer people in our host town. The town was conservative and we had to find creative ways to spread the word and encourage young people to visit the youth centre. Only a few felt confident enough to join us at first, but they soon became our most engaged participants. We began organizing hangouts and creative workshops where they could share their perspectives and express themselves without fear of judgment. Gradually, word spread among the local youth and our small group started to grow. As attendance increased, we felt a stronger responsibility toward the participants and introduced educational activities which they received with enthusiasm. Starting with almost no support, we eventually built a vibrant community of nearly forty young people passionate in LGBTQIA+ rights. They continue to meet and support one another even today, long after the volunteers completed the project.

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"The biggest impact of my project – and what helped me grow the most – was the power of community among the volunteers. Volunteering project is an adventure in itself. You begin alone, throw yourself into the unknown and try to understand who you are and what you want to achieve in this new chapter of life. I was one of seven volunteers with whom I shared responsibilities, a flat and much of my free time.

 At first, I felt scared and lost in a new country, far from everything familiar. We volunteers were all very different, yet we chose to be open, to welcome and respect one another, and to care for each other. I realised that home is much more than a place. I found home within myself because I allowed myself to be vulnerable with “strangers,” to love and be loved without expectations, to help and be helped. This stayed with me even after the project ended and we went our separate ways. My fellow volunteers are the greatest gift and the most transformative part of my entire experience."

Ivona and fellow volunteers during her project

A creative workshop

Psientífica event promotional material

close

chevron_left

chevron_right

3 Media files in this gallery

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026

Ivor volunteered from May 2014 to May 2015 in Sicily with Associazione Culturale Strauss, supporting the local community in Mussomeli, and in particular children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"The most unforgettable part of my volunteering experience was the first few months, which felt like a complete break from everything I had known before. Living independently in Sicily was both exciting and overwhelming, as I adapted to a new culture and environment. I was deeply impressed by the lush landscape, the beauty of small towns, and the richness of local traditions. 

Sharing a home with volunteers from different countries broadened my perspective and encouraged openness. This intense period of discovery—of place, people, and myself—marked the beginning of lasting personal growth and a changed worldview."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"My engagement contributed directly to supporting the local community in Mussomeli, particularly children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. I assisted in teaching English in local elementary and high schools, led creative and recreational activities and provided care and companionship to children from problematic family situations at Casa Vanessa. In addition, I participated in activities such as park maintenance, ecological initiatives, and youth-oriented community projects. 

Through these actions, I helped ease everyday burdens within the community and supported social inclusion, education, and well-being, which made my work feel genuinely meaningful and socially valuable."

🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life?

"Volunteering was a major turning point in my life - a moment I will always look back on as the dividing line between “before” and “after.” It contributed significantly to my personal growth by strengthening my independence, adaptability and intercultural awareness. Living abroad pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop resilience, strong communication skills and a deeper understanding of different cultures. 

Professionally, I improved my organisational skills, teaching abilities, language competencies (especially in Italian and English) and digital skills. Above all, the experience reshaped my outlook on life by reinforcing the importance of community, solidarity and giving back. It taught me that personal growth is deeply connected to making a positive contribution to others and to society at large."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026