I lived my dream through the DiscoverEU program.

Hi, I’m Myrto a twenty-year-old student from Greece, and alongside my best friend, I got to live my dream through the DiscoverEU program.

I remember watching documentaries with my mother when I was young, about the trains of Europe, and thinking to myself ‘Oh to be on that train and see the views with my own eyes’. So, after learning about the program through a friend, I knew I had to apply to make my dreams come true.

After thinking about it a lot, I and my friend decided to travel for fourteen days through Croatia, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland, staying on average, two to three days in each country. Long enough to fall in love with the locals, the museums, the parks, and landmarks in every country.

Although I loved every destination, I must admit that Croatia won my heart. The country’s stunning natural beauty, incredible food, and unique culture were captivating, but most importantly we met the kindest people whose hospitality was unmatched. We were fed fresh fruit by a lovely old lady (grandma, as we refer to them in Greece) during our train ride to Rijeka who did not speak English, but still communicated through the language of love and giving. We were also helped by a journalist when we had to board a bus, suddenly in the middle of our train ride, due to construction on the railway. A very frightening experience as we did not know what was going on in the beginning, but fortunately he guided us through the chaos.

These experiences and difficulties were what made my journey unique and memorable. The challenges of this experiment made me stronger, teaching me how to best work under pressure and think of solutions while working together with people from different backgrounds and ethnicities. As a result of my interactions with the locals, I steadily realized that I am not just Greek, I’m also European.

This journey was so much more than what I had dreamt about. So, I must thank the European Commission for creating this opportunity for me and so many other Europeans who want to challenge themselves. And to those of you who are hesitant to take the step and participate in the program, I urge you to live a life you are proud of, and that for me, means making your dreams come true.

Updated on Friday, 31/05/2024