Romania Erasmus+ Youth Exchange Experience

Hello, I'm Samet Şirin. I'm a fourth-year student at İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University's Faculty of Medicine. I participated in the Erasmus+ KA151-YOU (Youth Exchanges) program through the Innovative Sustainable Development Association. I had an unforgettable week-long experience in Targu-Jiu, Romania, in July 2024, with a project called Eco Pulse.

Targu Jiu is a quiet city in Romania, located approximately 300 km from Bucharest. We arrived by car from Bucharest. Initially, I thought the city was small and ordinary, but as I explored, I was captivated by the warmth of the people and the beauty of the city. The Romanians were incredibly hospitable, especially regarding our accommodations and the food. Meeting such friendly and talkative people who were open to communication made the experience even more enjoyable.

In the project, we were joined by participants from Romania, as well as Greece, Armenia, Lithuania, and Poland. We participated in social events together, had the opportunity to learn about different cultures and introduce ourselves to them. This process was also a great opportunity to practice speaking English. I hadn't spoken English for so long before, and even upon my return, I was still using English words. This experience greatly improved my language skills.

As part of the project, we participated in numerous social and educational activities. During the ecological tour, we spent a day immersed in nature. We discovered various plant and animal species and observed the beauty of nature up close. Cultural evenings were also held. These events, which showcased each country's culture, traditional cuisine, dances, and games, were both fun and educational and were greatly appreciated by all participants.

At the end of the project, we provided feedback on the positive and negative aspects of our seven-day experience. It was remarkable that the organization prioritized this evaluation process and wanted to improve future projects.

This project was an unforgettable experience for me. I realized how valuable it is to communicate and spend time with people from different cultures. I also realized how effective such an event can be for improving my English language skills. My advice to everyone is to not hesitate to participate in such events. These types of projects offer a wonderful opportunity to experience new places, experience different cultures, and contribute to your personal development.