Erasmus Plus and local life: immersion in a new daily routine
When you set down your suitcases somewhere as part of a European mobility program, a number of situations arise. You may be prone to culture shock. In other words, you may become distant from the people you meet, for fear of a new culture far removed from your own. But you can also be ultra-sociable, open to meeting new people during your studies or internship, and still struggle to connect with the local fabric. Because Erasmus Plus and local life don’t necessarily go hand in hand! Take a look.
It’s not uncommon in European urban centers to find yourself out of step with local life. Isn’t it said that cities are secretive and that you have to go out of your way to find the places frequented by the local population, etc.? Sarah, on an Erasmus Plus exchange to the University of Madrid in 2019, recalls that the first difficulty lay in getting to know the locals. ‘I had a lot of support from both the sending and host universities. Right from the start, the Erasmus Plus community mingled and came together through events such as Welcome Day…. On the other hand, the downside of all this is that I haven’t found any proposals for unifying moments with the Madrid students.’ She continues: “Fortunately, after an unfortunate experience with accommodation, I opted to share with locals. Totally the way to combine Erasmus Plus and local life!’
Read more:
- Erasmus Plus in a shared flat, with a host family or on your own: what you need to know
- How to avoid property scams in Spain?
A roadmap to anchor yourself in local daily life
- The choice of accommodation, as in Sarah’s case, can be a good way of establishing yourself in local life.
- Learning the language plays a big part!
- Erasmus Plus groups and associations help with many requests. But have you thought about Tandem groups on social networks, in companies or at universities? They put locals in touch with foreigners for language-related encounters.
- There are plenty of ways to meet new people in your host neighborhood.
- Enrolling in a sporting activity or course of some kind also has its advantages.
- Get off the beaten track: cafés in less central neighborhoods, concerts, lectures, group hikes…
And you’ll see that when Erasmus plus and local life come together, the experience of European mobility is all the stronger for it.
Read: How about not coming back? A guide to extending your Erasmus Plus
