Giuseppina comes from Italy but is currently living in Brussels, where she works for the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU), an organisation working to empower school students and defend students’ rights all over Europe. Giuseppina started being a school activist in her hometown when she was 14 and in 2009, through her first Erasmus youth exchange, got to learn about the power of European solidarity and Civil society thanks to the incredible women activists that she met and exchanged with.  

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I have always liked to be considered an explorer, but not long ago I realised that I would like to explore other countries, not only Romania, so I decided to go with the Erasmus+ programme to Turkey, for a year.

Little did I know at the time that this experience would transform me in every way, from visiting different cities in Turkey (Antalya, Cappadocia, Ankara, Edirne) to spending nights with the families of my native friends, where I discovered their customs and traditions.

Excitement, joy, many surprises - this is how the university year started for me in Istanbul. The whole experience really transformed me, gave me the opportunity to grow and most importantly, helped me to see society in a totally different way, as I had the opportunity to interact with young people from different cultures, from different countries, young people like you and me, who set off on their adventure called Erasmus+.

The Erasmus+ journey gave me the opportunity to make new friends in an international environment, which is why this is an experience I will always remember fondly. I learned to cherish every moment, even more so towards the end of each semester, when I had to say goodbye to many of my Erasmus+ colleagues and friends.

One of the biggest challenges, however, was adapting to the national language, as the vast majority of people in Turkey does not speak English, so I took a Turkish language course. This made my friends and the people I came into contact with on a daily basis really happy, some of them even insisting on teaching me new words.

Because the whole experience changed me radically, I decided to go during my Master's studies again with the Erasmus+ programme. This time I chose Oslo, Norway as my destination. This study mobility has contributed to a better understanding of different teaching methods, improved my range of knowledge, brought me new friends, but most importantly, it has helped me to grow, both professionally and personally.

My whole Erasmus+ experience has been something like a dream, and if I had to define it, I would say it has been truly MAGICAL. I loved it so much that I will be applying a third time to go on a study abroad mobility during my PhD studies.

Once Erasmus, always Erasmus!

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

In early 2018, I took part in a European Voluntary Service period in Brussels, Belgium, with support from Alliansi Youth Exchanges.  This programme has since been renamed the European Solidarity Corps. For seven months, I worked for the disability organisation European Network on Independent Living (ENIL), examining how the EU's principle of free movement is realised for people with disabilities.

While I was already 28 when I volunteered and I even had experience of living abroad through my university studies, volunteering in a foreign culture was still in many ways a unique experience that you cannot fully compare to anything else.

My interest in international volunteering had already been sparked some ten years earlier after a friend of mine came to Finland as an EVS volunteer. I selected ENIL as my target organisation not only because the job description was interesting but also because no other organisation had at that time expressed its ability to accept volunteers with disabilities. I was also nervous because I had hit the same brick wall so many times when looking for a place.

Once I got there, I found myself firmly outside my comfort zone: Brussels as a city is anything but accessible. It took me a long time to learn to live a life I was happy with. Despite all the practical difficulties, volunteering in Brussels taught me a lot about not only how EU decision-making works but also myself and my strengths. I often had to abandon my preconceptions, both the good and bad.

Even if everything does not go as you might have hoped in advance, you are also personally responsible for having a successful volunteering period. Although it is often a unique opportunity, you should not expect that everything will be handed to you on a plate. In general, to immerse yourself in something new, you need to give up the old and familiar, at least temporarily.  You must tolerate uncertainty and also be prepared for the fact that sometimes things go very wrong, despite the best efforts of all parties. You can get over this, too, as long as you learn from it and move on. Support is available in problem situations, but you must also grasp it.

Personally, I got a lot out of volunteering in a foreign country. Soon after returning to Finland I joined the EuroPeers network, in which people who have participated in various Erasmus + programmes or the European Solidarity Corps share their experiences with young people interested in these opportunities. I also served for a year in the network's international steering group and gained valuable experience of how a large international network operates in practice, not to mention making new friends. Ever since that time I have wanted to promote young people’s internationalisation and the idea that everyone who wishes to do so should have access to international experience, regardless of such factors as their economic background or disability.

Although many things happened while I was out there and it was not all fun and games, I gained plenty of unique life experience and skills for the future, both in terms of life in general and my career. If you have the right attitude and you are prepared to make your own luck, the experience will be unforgettable and at best shape your ideas of the world, as it did in my case.

 It is natural to be nervous about something new and even scared. However, you should remember that if you let the fear take over and never dare do anything different, you will not achieve much in your life. Not even things that you might have enjoyed if you only had believed in your abilities and trusted life to carry you.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I am a student of a Bachelor’s in Computer Science program at the University of Luxembourg. Originally Ukrainian, I moved to Luxembourg with my parents when I was 15 and that is when I had my first chance to explore the international European community. After finishing high-school, I decided to go to the local University but was also curious to explore life in other countries. That is why I was highly excited that an exchange semester was a part of my University’s curriculum.

I chose to go to the Sorbonne University for my mobility. The academic program of my host University was not the main factor motivating my choice, however. I was interested to explore French culture outside of stereotypes, deepen my language skills and understand the mentality of my peers in France. But most importantly, I wanted to immerse myself in the lifestyle of Paris. An Erasmus exchange semester is a great opportunity to challenge yourself in order to see what life has to offer outside of the country or even the city you live in and rethink your values. In my point of view, it is difficult to just know what you want - you have to try it!

My own Erasmus experience was noticeably shifted since the Russian attack on my native country, Ukraine. Since then, I focused on spending time with my fellow Ukrainians by volunteering, going to protests and simply coming together to support each other and unite around our culture. During these four months, I was able to explore a powerful Ukrainian community in the very heart of Europe, which has become the centrepiece of my experience. By the end of my Erasmus, I have appreciated Luxembourg in new ways, but also discovered a life full of wonderful people, energy and purpose in Paris, considering it as a destination for long-term living.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Hitika is a PhD student in food science at the TU Dublin. She’s from India and has previously worked as a food analyst. She’s currently part of the ALEHOOP project that aims to reduce the EU’s dependency on imported proteins by exploiting the alga and plant residual biomass and waste through the circular bioeconomy. These will then be converted into sustainable, safe and healthy alternative proteins for animal feed and food additives.
 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

At the end of March, I was a part of a miracle, it was not just because supporting the youth group, but it was fruitful personally for me, too. I must be grateful for the Youth of Europe Association and The Change is in You organization provided me a chance to make myself better. The youth exchange which was organized in the city of Petrich gave us an opportunity to experience the beauty of this land, make friendships and meet with different cultures, which were the main part of the evening sessions.

The period, what I spent there supported me in my work, improved my personality, revealed the areas what I must increase, contributed to see the world across different glasses and make a chance to connect to people who suffer with the same problems day by day. During the activities and I became one of the members of this community, where I could make mistakes bravely and gave something special of me with pleasure.

I would like to say many thanks to the people, who offered me the opportunity of this "travel". Since the returning I am trying to show to the youngsters (I am working with) that feeling what I experienced during those days and sharing with them the essentials and benefits of being a member of an international family.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Lydia Hilebrand studied Communication and Publishing. With her four co-founders Sarah, Jessica, Laura and Elena, she started &Töchter, a book publishing company in 2019. One of their main goals is to show how exciting literature can be. Their published authors cover topics like sustainability and anti-racism from different and intersectional angles and the books are printed in a climate friendly way in Austria. 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I’m Simona, a lawyer and local councillor in a small town in the province of Brescia, Italy. I took part in the “Europa in Comune” project with many other young people: a truly enriching experience! The project, promoted by the municipalities of Sarezzo and Cinisello Balsamo (both Eurodesk network multipliers), and financed by the Erasmus+ Action Ka3 programme, aimed at activating young people in decision-making processes through meetings between youth and local administrators, using the structured dialogue methodology.

Together we explored issues related to “active citizenship”, a term we often hear but which, in practice, is difficult to explain and understand. We asked ourselves the reasons why the younger generations do not actively participate in the life of their countries, and we promoted several local initiatives, aimed specifically at involving young citizens in decisions and events. Being able to discuss this issue with my peers made me aware that we too often assume that involving other young people is easy. In fact, it is necessary to think TOGETHER with young people in order to create real collaboration.

The current distance between representatives and the represented requires important actions to make the role of the citizen effective in the shaping of common local, regional, national and European policies.

That is why I invite all young people to take part in the political life of their municipalities or cities, to actually and effectively live their citizenship.

Active participation opened up a world for me, which I could not even imagine before. Have faith in yourself and embark on this new challenge. I guarantee it will be worth it!

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

In July 2021 I started my volunteering experience at Teilweise, a youth centre in Salzburg. From the very beginning, I was accepted by my colleagues as an equal. I was allowed to take on many independent tasks and was included in planning and decision-making processes.

My main task was to organize the open space together with my colleague Oliver. During this time our door is open to children and young people between the ages of eight and twenty. They are allowed to come and just "be" with us, to take advantage of the offered gaming possibilities and engage in activities we have to prepare in advance.

During my time at the youth centre, I was able to organize a number of different activities and events and attend a number of interesting workshops, such as a graffiti workshop, a workshop in which we built wooden boats with the children, and the Lego robotics workshop. Once a week I participated in our public sports-workshop held in the park.

It was exciting to see how multifaceted and diverse youth work is and how much one can learn from the young people. I was able to learn a lot about different cultural practices, such as games, and also develop my skills in communicating with people speaking different languages.

I learned a lot during my time in the club and I can say that it was a very valuable and beautiful time for me and I am very grateful for the experience.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Avanti stands for the sustainable development goals, gender equality, and aims to make the world a better place for future generations. Avanti wants to encourage more young girls and women to code in order to bridge the gender gap in education. 

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026