My experience in Erasmus+
When I was first contacted to participate in
Erasmus+ I felt a little bit apprehensive, but after deciding to do it, there
was no turning back – I definitely had to go. Otherwise, I would regret for the
rest of my life having missed the opportunity to take part in a unique experience.
In Alsfeld, we stayed with a host family, which
can be an awkward experience because you are not familiar with their habits,
food, language … but I was lucky – the family I stayed with was very welcoming,
nice, and friendly, always trying to make me feel at home. Now I see Denise, my
host student, as a sister, because she was always there to help and support me
whenever I needed it, and believe me, there are lots of obstacles to overcome
when you are staying at a foreign country.
One of the very first things I noticed was the
way they greet each other; actually, I had already been told that people here
in Germany don’t kiss each other on the cheeks but with a handshake, but when
the host family arrived at the hotel to pick me up, they all gave me a hug and
a kiss. Back at home, however, her brother and sister gave me a handshake. When
I gave them the gifts I had brought from Portugal, Denise and her parents gave
me a big hug.
In my opinion, food here in Germany has a much
stronger flavour than in Portugal; too much spices, sauces and salad dressings.
They don’t eat fish or soup or at least I’ve never seen them having those at
any meal, but it was ok because I can do well without those things. Meals time
is also different: breakfast and dinner are more or less the same but dinner is
at 17h or 18h and they don’t have a hot meal, just some sandwiches.
Germany is quite a cold country, at least in
winter, and we are not used to it, but it’s bearable because there’s no wind
like in our city, Aveiro. German people seem not to mind the cold, which can be
seen by the clothes they wear. I
actually had to sleep with a hot water bottle and ask for an extra blanket.
Asfeld looks like a fairy tale city, and I
noticed it more in the girls’ bedrooms and on the landscapes. Another
interesting thing I noticed was that young people are very independent from
their parents; they don’t mind other people’s opinions either, they just want
to feel good about themselves; it’s so different from Portugal, where everyone
worries about what other people may think or say about them.
I loved the field trips we took, especially the
visit to the salt mine, but at the end I just wanted to breathe fresh air. I
was already feeling a headache for being 800 metres below; however, I loved the
music and light show in the crystals room and the fact that they put so much
effort and care on people’s safety, namely at the time of the explosions. The
other trip to B-Braun Company, almost an industrial city in the Health Care
field, was also interesting. We could notice how much developed and evolved
factories are in relation to the Portuguese ones. It’s easy to understand why
workers feel so motivated to work here.
In conclusion, I would like to say that I will
never forget my “German sister”, Denise, because, right from the beginning, she
knew I was not so good at English, but she never let that become an obstacle
between us. Thank you all so much for this unforgettable experience!
Ana Filípa, Portugal
