I was 16 when I first took a part in an Erasmus+ Project. It located in a small-town Kaunas/Lithuania as a project among highschools. Since I was just a teenager back when I was there, the project became my turning point in life.
One thing I love about those kinds of projects are the way they change our mindsets inevitably without us noticing it until we come home back. I had never met anyone out of my milieu before the project. As a person grew up in a small town, I’ve had a considerable epiphany thanks to my Erasmus experience.
It was the first time I met someone from another continent, culture, religion and environment. At this early age it gave me comfort as well as anxiety of being away from my comfortzone. However, one thing I didn’t know back then was meeting these people was about to become my new comfortzone.
Kaunas is a small city; it was nothing like the city I grew up. Since even the weather was different, it was inevitable for me to change something in myself.
Our project’s theme was ‘’Life in Europe’’. Everyone wrote plays and display their writings. I have participated in writing a play and having a role in that play. I did not it was in me but thanks to the sincerity of the people in the project, I was able to reveal my talent at it –which I am so thankful for.
With the new perspectives, I have learned looking at situations not only with my own eyes but also in people’s eyes. I have also learned that to emphasize on something doesn’t need you to experience it, you may take off your lenses at look at it from someone’s gaze.
I am so grateful that I get to experience this amazing program at a early age. I hope everyone will have that chance and have a wonderful and ever-lasting friendships and lessons for their lives.
Sibel Maden
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