Giorgio, Laura, Anna, Isabella, Marco and Mariella are six students from the Istituto Salesiano Don Bosco di Brescia who had the opportunity to spend a month of mobility in Coimbra thanks to their school’s Erasmus+ Accreditation. They were hosted by our partner Mondego and during their mobility or at the end of it, the students told us how their experience in Portugal went. Here’s the story of Marco.
“Hi, I’m Marco and I don’t know how to write this report. I don’t know which style I should use. I don’t know what to say and how to say. I chose to tell you, my curios reader, the summary of each week, with positive and negative things. However, I have to precise one thing: if I had the choice to go again, I’d pick the same plane to Porto. I would definitely like to relive this experience again. In fact, talking about the issues doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. It means I care about it and hope it can get even better in the future.
Before writing my experience, it’s better tell you in general which Erasmus I did. On 7th July 2023 me and my group took the plane from Milano Malpensa to Porto. From Porto we went by Flixbus on Coimbra, where we would have lived this experience.
First week
We came here on Friday, so in the weekend we explored the city and its restaurants. With us there was our group leader. Of course, it was a funny experience. On Sunday we went to Aveiro, the Portuguese Venice and we stayed at the seaside. There the waves were around 2 meters high.
On Monday we met a woman of Mondego, who proposed an introductory group activity. After this, we went to our workplace, Exploratório UC de Coimbra. A woman, Raquel, presented us the place and how it works for kids. But something was missing: what had we to do? She told us that we would do a period of observation for the first week there.
On Tuesday our group leader had to come back to Italy. With her I understood the importance of a good group leader, like her: she is practical and very sociable. In the rest of the week, at work it was a bit difficult because we were struggling with the language. Luckily the staff was very warm and hospitable. For example, on Friday 14th was my birthday. I thought that nobody would remember it. In the morning when I came in the radio, they remembered that was my birthday: lots of people came to say “Happy Birthday!” and they started singing.
Second week
In the second week Catarina, our Inside Tutor, told us that the period of observation was ended. So, after the staff have been watching us, she asked us what we liked to do. I asked for office work, in the Communication or Design field. I know that in the university I won’t do that, but both the activities are very useful for any job. So, in the morning I watched how the communication of the Exploratório works.
On Tuesday afternoon I started a Design work with Rita, a part-time designer. She has been doing designer works for 20 years and I was very happy to work with her. On Wednesday we went to sea in Nazaré and it was very cool. The day after during the morning we moved bamboo sticks on the Botanic Garden of University for a big project: building an open place for kids.
The day after Raquel proposed a new activity so I started one of the most beautiful project of my student life. I had to think the rules and the gameplay of an Eco board game and after this, doing its design. Little spoiler: this project I have been continuing in Italy because I liked it very much!
In the weekend I went to Porto with my group. We visited the city for two days and it was very cool. Unfortunately, each group person had some different opinions how a group travel has to be. In fact, another person and I lost the group because it wasn’t clear where we should go. It was one of the reasons why we argued that day. I said this not to accuse my group or anything, but because everyone is different, so I warn you reader that these problems could happen.
Third week
On Tuesday a very friendly girl of our group left us to go to JMJ. I continued my work, doing research. My first game was for eco energy. So, I created something similar to Monopoly, but to win you need Eco points and the money are just an instrument. In this part I was advantaged because it was my physics program of this year. The second game was on invasive plants, and it was more complicated than the first one. In the workplace I was very, but very happy and I was sad when I had to go home: I was doing something that I appreciated and I was learning new things, on nature and on computer.
Fourth week
In the last week, I was filled with excitement as I embraced the Erasmus experience as if it were my everyday life. During work I was very happy to be with the staff and continuing research and at home I was with my friends and my family in call. When I was in the city during the night, for example in the restaurants, I was with them. I started to hang with other Italian people, someone of Tuscany and other from Puglia.
On Friday, in the morning, we talked to Catarina. She appreciated us and she said there are few people that work like us and she enjoyed that if something wasn’t ok for us, we just said it. She looked at our works and my second game of plants didn’t pass, because it was very unrealistic. Obviously, she was right, I didn’t do enough research. The only thing made me nervous was that I haven’t had enough time anymore to repair my mistakes, because I started this project too late.
However, in the afternoon my first game was finished and me and the staff played it. Ok, I’ll say it: I was delighted about it. After playing, we did an aperitif with all the staff: if I had a company, I would like to have this staff. In fact, sometimes they argue each other but in the end they always find a solution and after they go to drink and to eat together. In the evening I went outside with a colleague of mine with her friends.
The day after I went to Lisbon to visit the military Museum. After I saw that, I can say it: Erasmus project is better than JMJ or other crazy adventure, because here I am owner of my time and of my experience. In the evening I met another time some of colleagues of mine with their friends in the Anastacia’s concert. It was very amazing! And this is what I mean with “owner of my time”.
Conclusion
In my opinion Erasmus + is a very important experience and a lot of people should do it, because it shows who you are and who the other are. What are you going to do with problems? What are you going to do if something isn’t like you imagined it? I can say for sure that this experience helps to choose the person you would like to become in your life. Thank you, crazy reader, for the attention. I hope you will find yourself with this experience”
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