Since I set foot in the University of Malta in 2013, I've had a number of interesting experiences but nothing can exceed being part of an Erasmus+ project. Halfway through another tiring Thursday with the usual routine of lectures and studying, my friend and I heard our names being called by a mutual friend. Next thing I know is that we were about to participate in a student exchange that only gave us nine days to prepare. Suddenly, my Thursday was not so tedious anymore. In less than twenty four hours we had booked flights and any necessary arrangements for the exchange.
A student exchange was never on my bucket list and had never given them much thought. My travel plans had always started off by getting together with a friend or two. After we would choose a city where we would find feasible flights and accommodation in the central areas. We would prefer accommodation that would provide us with free Wi-Fi. We would plan our excursions carefully and allocate enough time to see all the major sights and tourist attractions. But this student exchange has been the opposite of anything I have done in the past.
Student exchanges are a big leap of faith. It is a life-changing experience from the minute you are at the departures lounge at the airport to the minute you are back in Malta. You are going to a place you have probably never been to that is probably quite secluded from the rest of the word. Meeting people from different countries whom you do not know is part of the package. Moreover you might start with barely knowing the participants from your country. This should not make you sceptic of exchange projects. Rather, this should ignite excitement within you. Your brain should be whizzing with fictitious situations that can or cannot happen. An exchange is a step into the unknown yet a safe haven.
The exchange titled 'Health is Wealth' took place in Borovets, Bulgaria. Just until the day we arrived it was snowing, so for a group of Maltese who had barely seen that much snow before, it was already a perfect start. Staying in a hostel, fifty minutes' walk away from town with no mobile reception and no internet connection is part of the recipe for a successful exchange. We were all sceptic of this, as we are used to continuously tapping away on our electronic devices. This gives you the perfect route to escape the daily, hectic routines we lead on a daily basis. Moreover, it gives you the opportunity for face-to-face communication, something our generation doesn't do very often nowadays.
Taking part in an exchange should give you one aim: meet and interact with new people. An exchange only lasts a couple of days so your first priority is to get to know new people from other countries. Other countries and their cultures have so much to teach us and we have so much to teach them. Exchanges offer enough opportunities to allow participants from different countries to interact during workshops and discussions. However during leisure time, with grounds covered in snow, snow fights were a perfect way to break the ice between participating countries.
The next day you will probably start staying up late until the early hours talking with your new friends while exchanging common interests and talking about your personal life back home. After a short while you realise that your life at home seems so distant and might immediately find yourself reluctant to return back to it. You like your new friends and start spending time with them during the day. You will soon realise how much you do not need a internet access on your mobile phone.
Halfway through the exchange you will have made a network of friends - the other food lovers with whom you promise to share so many recipes after the exchange. You spend your time talking endlessly about traditional and favourite dishes. There will be the participants who want to learn Maltese but find it challenging to do so. For the music enthusiasts, the fun comes when you meet a participant who has identical music tastes as you. During the exchange, you sing and dance even if you have no voice left and feel ready to drop. After the exchange, contact is easy to maintain as you probably cannot stop sharing your favourite songs and artists.
Pictures an essential part of any holiday. They are the best preserve for memories just as we preserve food in jars. Jason, one of the Maltese participants is a photographer who made sure to capture every moment and every memory. When everything is over, nothing is as nostalgic as lying comfortably on your bed, listening to some good music and looking at all those random pictures and videos. Since most of the participants had their own cameras, weeks after the exchange, new photos are still surfacing in our emails and social media. Every photo has a story to tell and looking at photos now brings back a flood of nostalgic episodes and incidents.
Another ingredient for a successful exchange is the leaders who host the exchange. 'Health is Wealth' leaders were a few years older than the participants hence were quite emphatic. Most of the time during the day was spent discussing the topic of health. But the organisation of the various workshops and seminars was innovative and creative and was not tedious and boring. They soon became our friends who joined us during recreational activities and free time that was dedicated to making friendships.
By the end of the exchange, sad smiles and tears will appear on most faces. Although it has only been a week you would have gained new friends and new experiences. Thanks to the luxuries technology allows us, maintaining contact is very easy. The only disappointment comes when you realise you will never meet all together again in the same circumstances. It is seems unbearable going back to the lecture room after you have worked in groups and come up with so many innovative ideas. Before parting ways the participants handed out invitations to visit each other's cities and countries. In fact we can't wait for our new Bulgarian and Polish friends to visit us in Malta for their next holiday.
Luxurious hotels and boutiques please the mind but student exchanges and youth programmes are worth more to your mind and soul than any luxurious holiday. The other Maltese participants, some who I did not know before, others I knew a little, are now the closest of friends. Moreover, I made new friends from other countries - which gives me an excuse to catch a flight and take a holiday in the near future.
During your post-secondary education, keep an eye for such opportunities. Every opportunity you miss might never come again. Education is not all about the time we spend sitting down during lectures and the endless hours of studying. These initiatives, that are often funded through the European Union, allow us students to educate ourselves while experiencing different cultures and meeting new people. Opportunities for youths enhance our journey to reach our goals and fulfil our dreams. Youth projects give you something to talk about, long after it is all over.
Photo credits: http://jasonvella.tumblr.com