When people hear “Erasmus,” the first things that come to mind are usually going abroad, improving their English and travelling. Before participating in the programme, I used to think a little like that too. But once it started, I realised that Erasmus was actually about much more than learning a language. Being in the same environment as people from different countries changes the way you look at the world. Seeing how things that seem completely normal to us in everyday life can be so different for people from other countries was an interesting experience.

The Erasmus programme I took part in lasted five days, and on the second day I had bought some small souvenirs for the international students. Magnets, photographs, little decorations they could keep on their desks... I enjoyed seeing how happy people were when I gave them the gifts (even if they didn't quite understand what they were), but what really caught my attention was how curious they were about Türkiye. They kept asking questions, showing interest in the buildings and objects around them and wanting to learn about our daily lives.

In fact, one of the moments I will never forget happened with a Spanish student. We were visiting a historical building in Manisa, and he wanted to use the toilet. He went in, but when he saw the Turkish-style squat toilet, he was genuinely surprised 😅. We all laughed as he tried to figure out how to use it. Afterwards, we took a selfie to remember the moment. That experience made me realise how something completely normal to me could seem so unusual to someone from another country.

I had many similar moments throughout Erasmus. Food, school life, everyday habits and even some of the words we used seemed interesting to one another (for example, our teacher once said, “Durup durup! Durup durup dinleniriz,” meaning something like “We keep stopping to have a rest.” They really loved that). While learning about their cultures, I also began to understand my own culture better. Thanks to the international students' questions, I noticed things I had never really thought about before.

One of the most important things Erasmus gave me was the courage to communicate more freely. When speaking with people from different countries, I noticed that almost nobody spoke perfect English. Everyone made mistakes, stumbled over words and got stuck sometimes, but the important thing was to keep talking. This gave me self-confidence and showed me that communicating in a foreign language was not as frightening as I had imagined. On the contrary, as we tried to communicate with our broken English, our conversations often turned into something funny and amusing.

When the programme ended, I wasn't left with just photographs. I also had friends from different countries, wonderful memories and the ability to look at the world through a slightly wider window. That is why I see Erasmus not simply as an educational or travel programme, but as an experience that helps people develop themselves, broadens their horizons and gives them the opportunity to represent their country.

Perhaps the best thing about Erasmus is that when the programme ends, you haven't only discovered new countries; you've also come to know yourself a little better.

Arda Şahsi
Yücel Cultural Foundation
Young Volunteer Writer