Why did you chose to go to school abroad?

First of all I chose to go abroad because I always been adventurous. I wanted to go far away from Denmark and experience a completely different culture than the one we have at home. Moreover I had a wish to be at one destination for a longer time, instead of a quick journey. By doing that I became a lot more familiar with the Vietnamese culture. It was just my luck that I was able to combined this travel experience with my interests in communication, journalism and social media.

What was the biggest experience?

Personally, I think the greatest experience was trying to live in Vietnam and getting as deep under the skin of their culture as we did. Because we were taught communication, journalism and social media at the school, we found it natural to have an investigative approach to the country and its culture. The country is very different from what we are used to, so there was many questions, and it was generally incredibly exciting to delve into it. 

What were the biggest challenges?

In general, most Vietnamese people are not very good at English, so you could quickly run into some language barriers. In addition, the country has a communist government and not the same freedom of speech that we know and are used to here at home. Therefore we had to tread a little carefully when having the investigative approach. For the same reason, it could also be difficult to get people to open up.

But after all, Vietnam is just a big and beautiful country, and it is difficult getting to see everything you want.

What did you get out of the stay?

I think I got a lot out of it. As I said, I have gained an insight into Vietnam and their very different culture, but in addition I have also gained an incredible number of experiences and friends for life. You quickly become very close when you travel and experience so much together. In addition, I have learned a lot about communication, journalism and the whole media industry in general, which has helped me get closer to finding out what I want going forward.

Would you like to go abroad again, e.g. for work or during your education?

I will definitely go abroad again. I'm not done traveling around and experiencing a lot of different cultures. I could also easily imagine taking a semester abroad when I start studying at some point.

Did your stay at the school help prepare you for your further education?

The stay at the school has definitely helped to prepare me for my further education. First of all, for better or for worse, I have gained insight and knowledge about the media industry, which I did not have to the same extent before. In addition, the teachers have given us some tools that we can use for both applications, entrance exams and in teaching, if we are lucky enough to get in. In other words, I feel better prepared to step into an industry that is incredibly exciting, but at the same time known for everything being tough and competitive.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

At the end of an experience as profound as an European Solidarity Corps project, it is inevitable to look back see what you have experienced and what you have achieved.

Two years have now passed since I decided, after completing my degree in intercultural mediation, that it was time to put my books aside and get down to practice!

Salzburg was the perfect city for me to do so: I had been here before and had already fallen in love with the city (and the ‘Christkindlmarkt’).

After one year in Austria, I can say without a doubt that even the longest study programme would not be enough to get to know a new culture and that it is always worth immersing yourself in a different reality.
Sure, it could be quite shocking at first, at least it was a bit for me. In my case, however, it was less about a culture shock and more about a ‘thermal shock’. I remember travelling from Italy to Salzburg at the end of August, convinced that it would still be summer in Austria...and yet...what a cold!

This little anecdote just illustrates that we usually think what we think is normal and universal...well, maybe it is not after all. Anyway...even if the cold is my first memory of Austria and even if, because of the pandemic, I wasn't able to fully experience my volunteer year, this experience has certainly enriched me personally. 
At akzente, I was able to contribute to the promotion of cultural exchange and to the organisation of various events, such as ‘Demokratie Atelier’ or ‘Girls Day’, which are aimed at promoting the basic principles of the European Union. This has undoubtedly changed my perspective on the EU, as well as giving me a new hope for the future. 
So, I was able to experience this ‘cosmopolitanism’ on the one hand, and on the other hand I also experienced the Austrians‘ (or at least Salzburgers’) attachment to old traditions and their country.
After a year, I am no longer surprised when I see dirndls or lederhosen on the street (and I think they are soooo beautiful!!!) but I can hardly imagine wearing a pacchiana (the Italian traditional dress) in everyday life...

And one piece of advice? Never say to an Austrian, that mountaineering is not quite one of your passions.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My experience with LevelUP Greece, traveling on a DiscoverEU Inclusion Action project named "The Greek Getaway!", was more than just a journey to the countries of the European North. We traveled to three Scandinavian nations: Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, spending a week and dividing our time equally in each country.

Our team had the opportunity to explore not only foreign countries and cultures but also our own capabilities and, ultimately, ourselves. My experience was multifaceted. To begin with, I managed time and a budget with a group of five people, none of whom I had met before. It was also my first time managing digital money. Additionally, conducting practical research for our needs and wants was crucial, and I learned to consider all variables for the well-being of my group. This included food, transportation schedules, and the opening times of tourist attractions.

It is important to mention the great beauty we witnessed in these countries. Traveling by train allowed us to see the Swedish and Norwegian countryside, which was remarkable. Furthermore, we used alternative means of transportation, such as electric scooters, with which we explored our surroundings quicker and in motion. The main cities we visited were all beautiful in their own ways: Copenhagen for its traditional architecture and museums, Stockholm for its excellent transportation system, beautiful metro stations, and greenery throughout the city, and Oslo for its blend of modern and traditional aspects, along with its green spaces, gardens, and statues.

I want to emphasize the importance of communication and emotional intelligence during this journey. Traveling with five other adults would not have been as functional and smooth without direct communication skills. Moreover, I value my interactions with the locals even more, as they were a significant part of my experience. Some locals shared with me that people in the North tend to be more reserved, and they found our interactions refreshing and heartfelt. We exchanged ideas, emotions, and feelings, and overcame language barriers. While English was our main language of communication, I was bold enough to ask locals to write Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian phrases in my pocket journal, which I used whenever possible. The locals were all so kind and hospitable, making me feel like a part of the European community. Despite being separated by sea and thousands of miles, I discovered a deep connection between us that I had not known before.

This, I believe, is the spirit of discovering Europe, and I am truly proud that I had the opportunity to travel and experience this journey in such a vivid and fulfilling way. It felt like a dream come true.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

After being awarded a DiscoverEU ticket by the European Commission, I wondered how I should use this experience. Having pondered, I decided to try my luck visiting all of the locations of the European Space Agency as I am a massive fan of astronomy and space exploration.    

My route would go this way:

• Start of Travel – 9.7.2022
• European Space Agency Headquarters [ESA] – 11.7.2022 (Paris, France)
• European Centre for Space Applications [ECSAT] – 12.7.2022 (Harwell, United Kingdom)
• European Space Security and Education Centre [ESEC] – 13.7.2022 (Redu, Belgium)
• European Space Research and Technology Centre [ESTEC] – 14.7.2022 (Noordwijk, Netherlands)(Participation in Euroscience Open Forum) [ESOF] – 15.7.2022
• European Astronaut Centre [EAC] – 18.7.2022 (Cologne, Germany)
• European Space Operations Centre [ESOC] – 19.7.2022 (Darmstadt, Germany)
• European Space Astronomy Centre [ESAC] – 22.7.2022 (Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain)
• Centre for Earth Observation [ESRIN] – 25.7.2022 (Frascati, Italy)
• End of Travel – 27.7.2022
   

During the time of my travels, I had the opportunity to explore all these Agencies and learn about the different projects and missions each one is responsible for.

When visiting the European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands I was amazed by the size of the facilities. I had already considered it to be the largest of them all. Nevertheless, I believe that one could likely spend months viewing everything at the enormous complex and still be left with new things to discover as with nearly 2.500 employees ESTEC dwarfs all other facilities.

Another Agency that I was really looking forward to visiting was the European Space Operations Centre. In a way, I’ve been looking forward to my visit to ESOC the most out of all of the other ESA establishments, in large part due to popular media and always having had sort of a childish dream to perhaps one day work in a control room. Being in ESA’s main control room was certainly breathtaking for an avid fan of space exploration like me. There are many things I wasn’t able to see as with many other establishments of ESA, ESOC is simply too large to be experienced within a single day.
 

The summer heat was a struggle during my visit to Spain. During my tour at the Centre for Earth Observation located outside of Madrid, I had the chance to see how to operate the telescope from the computer interface within the observatory and opened the viewport to expose the telescope to the sun and make a solar observation. We did the observation and moved onto a small office pod nearby where we were more protected from the heat as the interior of the solar observatory was quite hot.  

All along my travels, I had the opportunity to meet people which I deeply admire. In my visit to the Centre for Earth Observation, I was particularly happy to have the chance to meet with people working at the department of ESA’s Planetary Defence Office, the NEO (Near Earth Object) Coordination Centre (NEOCC) as it is something that I’d personally be interested in doing once I’ve completed my degree. I wholeheartedly wish to return one day to talk more in-depth about these topics with these experts in the field but alas time passed swiftly.

This experience has fulfilled my dreams and helped me to better understand how I could go into the field after my studies. Having the chance to visit all these ESA establishments has been really rewarding and I have learned a lot. What's more, travelling by myself through the continent has enabled me to grow personally since I had to face many difficulties and unforeseen situations which I had to overcome to continue with my travels. 

Overall, I feel really lucky to have been able to experience this and I am really grateful for everyone who made it possible and took the time to show me around the different ESA facilities. 
 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Last May we took part in a project named “Navigating Chaos 2.0”, in the framework of the Erasmus+ programme - Key Action 1 - Mobility projects for youth workers. It took place near Sofia, in the Bulgarian Red Cross training center, a magical place surrounded by nature. 

The aim of the project was to help us improve our way of facing and navigating chaotic situations -which can be found at work, in social life or within ourselves – through the use of tools and activities including effective communication, problem-solving, decision-making, leadership and team building. 

We found ourselves returning to our everyday reality somewhat puzzled, but certainly more aware of ourselves and others around us.

The project was completely funded by Erasmus+ and we met amazing people from Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Latvia, Romania and Serbia.

We stayed only nine days but it felt like a month. They have been very tiring but enriching days and words cannot fully express what this project has meant to us. We can simply say that it challenged, tested, helped, filled and emptied us, opening us up to new points of view.

We will never forget the practical lessons, the team games, the dynamics and the relationships we managed to create.

This is the right experience for you if you are looking for something new that will make you take one or more steps outside your comfort zone, and at the same time make you have fun and learn.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026