21.1.2024 Erasmus+ long-term mobility to Orivesi
Hi, my name is Hugo. I'm 16 and I live in Quimper, France. I arrived in Finland two weeks ago for an Erasmus+ project between the high school Le Likès in Quimper, and the school of Orivesi. When I first arrived, it was so much different than in France. It was very cold but so beautiful.
I wanted to participate to an exchange during my scholarship because I think it is a chance and a beautiful opportunity. I always wanted to take part in Erasmus because it is a beautiful experience and you learn a lot of things, like new culture, you meet new people. So, when my teachers told me there was an exchange for two months, I submitted my application for this project.
The first thing I noticed was the short days. The days are really different. First, the sun is setting, during winter, at 16:00, so it is really short days here. Then, in school, the lessons are 75mins long, with 15mins of break between each, so you have more time to study or making activities with teachers.The school finishes at 14:00 because of the short days, and that is the biggest difference for me in school.
The first thing I noticed was the short days. The days are really different. First, the sun is setting, during winter, at 16:00, so it is really short days here. Then, in school, the lessons are 75mins long, with 15mins of break between each, so you have more time to study or making activities with teachers.The school finishes at 14:00 because of the short days, and that is the biggest difference for me in school.
I miss my family and friends but not that much. I keep a good contact with them with messages and video calls. I do a lot of activities with my host family, and they are really kind with me. From the first day, I was very comfortable with my host family, they made me feel like if I was in my home.
When I first arrived, I was impressed by the white landscapes because of the snow. My most memorable experience is the one-week school trip to Tallinn, Estonia, for UNESCO project. I met a lot of people and discovered another culture in addition to Finnish culture. We had so much fun during the few days. I hope I could return even for one weekend to see them again 😁.
I think I will come-back more open-minded with Erasmus. You need to adapt to the people to learn more about them and understand their culture. It's not up to them to adapt to you. So of course, you need to ask questions and go meet and discuss with people. I have already learned how to say "hello", "thank you" in Finnish.
My advice for the students who want to take part in Erasmus, is you need to be to be open-minded, ask questions and show interest. Don't be scared of going far from home because it is a really interesting and beautiful experience!
