This Monday, May 9, we celebrate Europe Day.
A historic date which recalls the “Schuman declaration” in 1950, and which marks the foundations of the European Union.
The Erasmus program arrived later, in 1987, and enabled millions of young people to go and stay in Europe (studies, work placements).
In 2014, the program becomes Erasmus + and is aimed at a wider audience.
Thanks to him, nearly 10 million people have been able to go abroad.
20 Minutes
asked its readers to share their Erasmus experiences.
AhErasmus… Everyone remembers the adventures of Xavier Rousseau (played by Romain Duris) in his crazy roommate in
The Spanish Inn
, by director Cédric Klapisch.
Who hasn't dreamed of taking a plane ticket to Barcelona at the last minute and also experiencing this
vida loca
?
Traveling, learning a foreign language, studying on dream campuses, but also frenzied parties, friendly and romantic adventures… Our readers, lucky to have left with this program, have very good memories of it.
In 1993, Rose-Marie left her native Belgium to travel to Cadiz in southern Spain for three months.
At the time, going abroad was not as simple as it is today: “We didn't have the Internet, it was a real break, a real adventure”.
There, she learns to live in Spanish, discovers another way of teaching, and forges new relationships.
“I met a Frenchman who became my husband and with whom I had two children.
The latter feel deeply European.
“For her, there is no doubt that this experience completely changed her life: “There is a before and an after Erasmus.
»
Culture shock
This program is also an opportunity to confront each other, to discover different cultures.
In 2010-2011, Séréna left for Scotland just after an LLCE license with the desire to improve her English.
Arrived in an unknown land, she finds herself in a roommate with Scottish women and a Welshman.
They invite her to a first party, and are surprised that she “comes out dressed with, in addition, a coat in the middle of December!
For this southerner, it's a real culture shock.
It takes three months for the young woman to understand their accent, but soon enough, she “dreams in English” and “become bilingual”.
In addition to the language, she discovers the habits and customs of the country: “The Ceilidh, Gaelic dances.
Squash, a drink with a taste of washing up liquid.
Haggis, a traditional dish…”
Clotilde went to Finland in 2008-2009.
Even today, she thinks that “it was one of the best years of my life”.
She meets other foreign students with whom they share their stories, “like this Polish student who remembered seeing his parents queuing to buy food during the communist era.
She immerses herself in Finnish culture, with its saunas and this respect for people that she particularly appreciates.
The “love stories”
Our readers also remember from these stays the à la carte courses, like Chloé.
Having left for Madrid in 2017-2018, she only enrolled in the courses that interested her, namely translation.
She finds "a real pleasure" in this system of studies, and manages "never to have anything on Fridays".
For Thibault, “Erasmus was a breath of fresh air in my studies, which were starting to become monotonous”.
Going to Germany allows him to meet other students and experience crazy evenings: “I have never experienced such evenings again, everyone taking turns sharing their culture, their food… and their alcohols!
»
And of course, what would Erasmus be without its flirtations, romances, and babies?
In 2011, Margot went out to a nightclub with her friends to celebrate her birthday.
She bumps into Simon.
"Today, ten years later, we are married and we have three wonderful children," she says.
Olli, Finnish, spent a year in Lodz, Poland, from 2000 to 2001. He met a Frenchwoman: “I've been living in France for twenty years now.
We have two "Erasmus children", a debt for the house, and a dog!
“, he laughs.
Clémence also has no doubts: “THE best memory of my Erasmus is meeting my girlfriend!
We've been together for four years… I hadn't planned on finding love in Spain, or settling down there permanently!
“
To be continued
…
Economy
Doing your higher education abroad, a departure to be well prepared
World
Erasmus: The European Union wants to facilitate the mobility of apprentices
Company
Erasmus
foreign students
study
European Union (EU)
your life your opinion