Erasmus+ as an opportunity to be your true self!
Teemu, EstoniaThere is a magical bubble around Erasmus+ projects, you are not living in the real world when you're there. Everyone is exceptionally open and honest and it is truly a safe space to be your authentic self.
Growing up I was always quiet and reserved. I had friends and I spent a lot of good times with them but I never felt like I could be 100% my true self. The place I found where I could be myself, and where I really found out who I truly am, is Erasmus+ projects. Throughout the years I've taken part in more projects than I care to count in almost every conceivable role, from youth participant to youth leader to participant in a training to being a facilitator or trainer in one. I consider myself extremely lucky and privileged to have had the opportunity to gain all the knowledge and skills that I have through the Erasmus+ programme.
My first experience with Erasmus+ or Youth in Action as it was then called was when I was 15 years old, living in a small town in Finland. My mother worked in a local youth center that was going to host a youth exchange and one of the Finnish participants had to cancel at the last minute and I was offered the spot. I thought why not, I like speaking English and while the theme wasn't something super exciting for me, environmental art which would later become a huge part of my professional and personal life, I decided to say yes and participate in a youth exchange with Spanish young people, who were all several years older than me, as were the other Finnish participants. That was probably the single biggest decision I've ever made in my life, as it set the course for my life going forward, both professionally and personally.
After participating in this training and interacting with people from a very different culture my eyes were opened to a whole new world. I was in high school at that point not having any idea what I would do with my life. Thinking that if these kinds of exchanges are even a small part of youth work then that's what I want to do with my life. So I very quickly started working at the youth center with my mother and dived head first into the international work that they did. I found my own voice and personality through interacting with people from all around Europe and beyond as well as learning more about non formal education than I ever could have learned sitting in class listening to lectures about it.
I have definitely improved my knowledge and skills in the youth work field through all the trainings I've attended but the most important and lasting impact the program has had on my life are the meaningful connections I've made with people throughout the years. Most of the people I consider to be my closest friends I've only ever seen in person a few times because we live on opposite sides of Europe but are forever connected through our shared experiences. Many of these friends have also become important work partners in developing new projects, which also gives a great reason to meet the people again and create all the more shared experiences.
Truly the best thing to come from all my Erasmus+ experiences is my personal growth, in which all the people I've met in my travels have played a role in their own ways. There is a magical bubble around Erasmus+ projects, you are not living in the real world when you're there. Everyone is exceptionally open and honest and it is truly a safe space to be your authentic self. People will disagree and discuss all manner of topics that they wouldn't dream of talking about without judgement. Because of this bubble it's hard to explain what is so special about these "seminars" "trainings" etc. it is something you simply have to experience yourself and it really can change your life for the better in a big and lasting way.
After all the wonderful experiences I've had in the E + programme I am an adamant evangelist of the values that it represents and try to foster a similar atmosphere in my day to day life as only exists in the magical bubble that is created when people come together under the banner of unity through diversity. So the quiet reserved young man has been transformed into a confident, open, still occasionally quiet, youth worker through the power of Erasmus+.
Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026
