Gabija's Erasmus+ experience

Recently I participated in an Erasmus+ youth exchange project “Street Culture for Education and Inclusion” in Tallinn, Estonia.

Step out of your comfort zone – a phrase I have heard hundreds of times before and always thought it sounded cliché. Ironically, the most valuable lesson I learnt in this project is that it is crucial for improvement and personal growth. I could say that this was one of the most emotionally challenging experiences I have ever had, but that is exactly why it was so beneficial. Even though it was my third international youth exchange, the day before leaving I was having second thoughts and doubts, because it was my first time travelling alone, without people I knew before. Travelling alone helped me boost confidence in my social skills and encouraged me to interact with new people more than I would have done if I had travelled with friends. Now I can honestly say that stepping out of my comfort zone was the reason I not only made a lot of memories but also realized a lot about myself as a person. 

Besides, throughout the week in Tallinn, I explored seven cultures! In the workshops related to the topic of the exchange, we had to look for links between our countries with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. During our free time, we discussed all kinds of topics from our favourite foods to political views and issues that we experience as young people in our countries. I realized that regardless of our differences, there are kind people all over the world, who will accept you for who you truly are. Making friends from foreign countries encourages me to travel and learn about other cultures as much as possible!

Updated on вторник, 17/02/2026