It was the 3rd of May outside the 1st GEL of Edessa school when they finally arrived, the 24 students with their 10 teachers. All that anticipation, the waiting, the anxiety all of us felt vanished. Finally, we were going to meet the people we heard so much about, but knew so little. What we all felt cannot be described into words. Once we saw them we all went and hugged them. That was the start of a new strong friendship.

Wednesday  and Thursday (4th – 5th May) 

Wednesday was the first day at school. Each group presented themselves, their school, we got closer to the other students and we worked in groups on the theme of fake news, by making group presentations. After that, we took a tour around Edessa and showed our visitors the natural beauty of our city. We went to the waterfalls, the herpetarium and other beautiful sites of Edessa.

On Thursday, we worked again in groups on the topic of hate speech and attended an interesting talk about our safety on the internet. The best part was the trip we took to the thermal baths in Pozar. It was a great opportunity to relax and have fun at the same time.

Friday and Saturday  (6th – 7th May)

Finally the day that everyone was waiting for: Friday! We left in the morning for Thessaloniki. Laughter, music, little games, conversations and even some snoring filled our trip and just like that we arrived at our destination. We visited various historical monuments of Thessaloniki. Of course, we had free time, which everyone used as he wished. On Saturday, a big party was held. We had fun, danced and ate the great food made by our mothers!!! Then the day that no one wanted to come arrived so soon… Sunday. It was the most depressing day, the day we shared our last hug, the day we said our goodbyes.

My experience

I can assure you that Erasmus is not just a simple programme, it’s way more than that. It is a great opportunity to meet people, make new friends, and socialize. Also broaden your horizons, learn about cultures and things you might have never heard of before in your life. To sum up, it was one of the most unforgettable experiences I have ever had. It is very nice to introduce people to your everyday life. I wish not just our classmates, but every student in this world to participate in this programme.

Even you reader, if you have not participated in a project like that, then what are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate, go for it.

Author: Maria Tsiligianni, Greece