Honestly, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had - even though I travel quite a lot. I really liked the fact that I was able to travel with my friends, so we can share these amazing memories together. Not only we were able to see new places and meet new people, we got to experience some things, we wouldn't be able to experience if we stayed at home. I was surprised that almost every train worker knew about EuRail pass and they were also willing to help us with everything we needed. We tend to rely on airplanes and cars, in that way we forget about how amazing train transport is. Not only is it comfortable and easy to use, it gives you the opportunity to meet other travelers and get a look into places you wouldn't even know existed.  Besides knowing your national background, it's important to learn about other cultures. DiscoverEU gives the opportunity to get to know locals and their way of life. We wanted to experience places as locals, so we bought food at local grocery shops, tried typical cuisine and attempted to learn at least some foreign words. I was positively surprised how kind everybody was. People gladly stopped and spared some of their time to help or talk to us. I think people don't know how easy it is to travel around Europe. The European Union is doing an amazing job on trying to connect young people from different countries, by allowing them to travel with small expenses. We are the next generation that's going to lead our governments and countries and we must step together and work towards similar aims. We can do that if we know where we come from, and where other come from and this project is allowing as to do so.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Simply hearing the word 'Erasmus' brings a lot of joy and overwhelming emotions connected to those precious, treasured memories of my teenage years.

I am Delia, 19 years old and since 2017, I've been an active volunteer at Generation of Changes Association from Comănești and I honestly confess that volunteering has been the best choice I could make. Since then, I took part in 3 Erasmus+ youth exchanges and volunteered in 2 others, all of them organised and hosted by AGES.

I see myself as an open-minded, confident and optimistic person, always eager to get involved and take any opportunity that would get me out of my comfort zone and help me grow, but things haven't always been this way. The shy, introverted and insecure girl that joined her first Erasmus+ project 3 years ago - despite her overwhelming fears and doubts - wouldn't have ever imagined that this experience could make such an impressive change. It did not happen overnight nor after the project. Instead, it signified the first step on the staircase towards personal growth. Even the projects' name, 'Be on your way' has set the 16 years old me to a new path in my life.

Why did these projects have such an impact over my teenage years and my character building process? First of all, they've shown me how much there is to discover and how learning can be so easy and fun. Moreover, experiencing all those new cultures through the ideas, thoughts and emotions shared with young people from 7 countries has brought to the surface my fiery passion for all that is multicultural and international. This contributed to the big decision I took this year: studying foreign languages in University. Second of all, I've seen how easy it is to make friends and create meaningful connections, I've learnt that I am the one responsible for my own life. With that in mind, I decided to make it awesome!

Updated on Monday, 23/03/2026

My Erasmus story starts back in 2017 when I decided to take the first step to realize a dream. I heard about Erasmus while in high school and I immediately knew that is was the experience for me. That is how, on a cold and foggy day in January, I left Romania and landed in the heart of the EU to do my spring semester at the Free University of Brussels, Belgium. In the beginning of my study mobility, it felt like diving in the complete unknown. I can perfectly remember the first days when I was trying not to get lost around the city and speaking French became my daily mission. I remember the first people I met, and who immediately became my Erasmus family. We all came from so far away, yet we were so close.

In 5 months, I got to discover so many cultures and live in another country, while gaining experience in a different educational system. As a student of foreign languages, I knew I had to do a linguistic immersion, but my mobility was much more than this – Erasmus was the best studying and multilingual experience I could have ever asked for. By the end of my time spent there, Belgium became my second home, and after I left, I was already eager for a new challenge.

That is how, two years later as a Master’s degree student, I decided to step into a new adventure by doing an Erasmus Traineeship abroad. I spent a semester as a project officer in Milan and this was an excellent way to kick-start my professional career.

Today, I can definitely say that an Erasmus mobility is a lifetime experience. It shaped my path going forward, opened my horizons, and I feel extremely lucky to have had this chance.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I first learned about the Erasmus program four years ago while volunteering at the AIESEC student association when my colleague went to Finland through it. Then I was in my 2nd year graduate study at the Faculty of Economics in Osijek. It was not a common to stay at a foreign university at that time, which is why this was an interesting opportunity for me. A year later, my best friend decided to participate in the program, which further increased my interest.

Intrigued by the impressions and experiences of others, I decided to contact the Erasmus coordinator. There was no doubt about it, I started my journey!

After careful research, I decided to go to Graz in Austria. The reason for this is primarily that it is a German-speaking area, and at that time the German language served me better than English. Furthermore, the chosen university seemed like a good decision because it has been around for many years and it employs good professors and has a large number of students from all over the world.

I would tell everyone to dare to experience Erasmus because it is a fantastic adventure that marks your life - for the better!

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My name is Danny Matev and I will tell you with excitement about my first Youth Exchange "I want to meet you" in Zatonie, Poland. I was 17 years old and with my classmates from Dr. Petar Beron Primary School - Varna we participated Erasmus+ project for the first time. I knew a lot about this programme from my sister / an ex-volunteer / and my mother /translator and youth worker/, who had already participated in several training seminars.

We had extremely interesting outdoor activities at picturesque places in the mountains, teamwork in international groups. I met young people from other countries and cultures, and got to know their life, culture and nutrition habits.

What I want to tell, and I will not forget for the rest of my life, happened to me on the train, on the journey from Šchechin to Berlin. Stacking my backpack and presenting my ticket to the conductor, I dropped my ID in the compartment. I found out I lost it at Berlin airport, a few hours later. It turned out that I could not go back to Bulgaria with the other participants. I have been in touch with my mother and our organization /SPB/, who directed me to the Embassy and Consular Office in Berlin.

I travelled alone to the point where I was greeted very warmly. I was accommodated for 1 night, and on the next day I already had a purchased ticket to Bucharest, Romania and from there to Varna.

It's an amazing story with a happy end. It turned out that my ID was found on the train by a Bulgarian guy who handed it over to the Embassy.

These moments from the Youth Exchange I can not erase from my memories, but they made me a person, thoughtful and dealing independently in different life situations. Since then, I have been constantly travelling under the Erasmus+ programme, taking part in exchanges and seminars in Budapest, Hungary; Peyerbach, Austria; Thessaloniki, Greece; Novo Mesto, Slovakia, etc.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

My name is Ivan and I`m 22 year old from Bulgaria. My participation in a youth mobility project two years ago changed my life. I was invited by the Bulgarian organization "Institute of Cultural Heritage'' as a participant. During mobility, I became acquainted with the possibilities of Erasmus+ Programme; I was inspired by many shared stories and benefits that other young people had received with the support of Erasmus+. I also learned about the Sports opportunities under Erasmus+. As a result, I have formed positive attitudes towards Erasmus+'s opportunities to participate in mobility, in sports activities, including for university mobility. I made the decision to continue my training at the National Sports Academy, in classical wrestling. I became part of the National Hearing Impaired Combat Team. At the moment I am an active athlete with medals from European and world competitions. I also won third place in the Deaf Olympics. I'm about to take part in university mobility next year.

In addition to my development as an active athlete, I also find time for volunteering with the support of the European Solidarity Corps. I am currently volunteering in a solidarity project, contributing to environmental protection to reducing waste by promoting composting in urban environments.

Thanks to my first participation in youth mobility, I realized what an important role this participation played in my personal and professional development. I will continue to participate in initiatives supported by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. I will continue to share common European values and promote the participation of other young people with disabilities towards active participation and youth initiative.

And this is the story of a young man who, despite his disability inspired by the ideas of the Erasmus+ Programme, develops as an active athlete and gives his solidarity contribution to society.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I had the great opportunity to participate in this Erasmus+ project in Vereb, Hungary. It lasted 11 days but I remember that as a month. It’s been the best experience of my life: I met people from 8 different countries and I learnt a lot from their cultures.

The project was about finding a European culture that unites every country. I had never travelled before this experience, so it has also been the first time that I could practise my English. In the first three days I wasn’t able to speak fluently and I needed time even to formulate an easy sentence, but after a while, I started speaking naturally. I improved quickly because I was in a context where I was forced to learn, I needed that to communicate, and leaving my comfort zone was the best way to improve.

During the project I participated in different workshops where, thanks to the activities, I had the time to listen to the others’ point of view and discuss about our cultures, finding differences and aspects in common. We also prepared a little show where each of us sang a famous song and danced a typical dance of our country, during a festival in a town near the place we lived.

In my opinion everyone should have an experience like this because we all have a lot to learn from other people... Erasmus+ gives you the opportunity to grow in many different ways, and create friendships all around the continent that can last forever.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026