MY ADVENTURE IN GERMANY

Day 1: Arrival and meeting my German friends

My adventure began with the thrill of landing in Germany, a country full of history and technology. I arrived in a pretty beautiful city and the truth is that I felt quite good about the language since everyone there knew English. In the afternoon, we visited Frankfurt, a city full of monuments. It was incredible to hear so many mixed languages, but German was always present. In the end we arrived with the families and that night they received me with a typical German dinner and taught me some words in German.

Day 2: First impressions

The next morning  was a family day and the first thing we did was go to Mainz, where we were met by a guide to visit some of the most important monuments there. That day was incredible since we went with two more children from the exchange and with our teachers from Spain and Germany, who took us to a typical restaurant there. In the afternoon we went to a beach bar that was next to the river, which also helped us to meet the other teachers and practice a little more English. Night came and I went with my family to a small restaurant and they showed me a little about their town. That night we played board games at home and I learned new things about Germany

Day 3: Culture and international connections

The third day was a perfect balance between learning and socialising. In the morning, each country had to give a presentation that we had already prepared before about us and how technology is used in our school. Then, we had a small meal all together and met new people and made quite a few friends. In the afternoon, we participated in a small outdoor activity and each group shared something typical of their country, from food to music. It was an enriching experience to be with people from so many cultures(from Germany, France, Poland, and us), and I realised how privileged I was to be there. It got late and we went home. That night I was very tired after the long day, so we went to sleep since the next day we had to go to class.

Day 4: First technology classes

The fourth day was intense. We had to get up early because we had to take a bus to go to school, but I loved it since I talked to other people and improved my level of English. When we arrived we had two classes and I could see how technology was very important there, especially in the chemistry class that took us to a laboratory that impressed me a lot. In the afternoon we had small classes in groups about technology and, although some explanations were technical and I could not understand well, the teachers made them accessible to everyone. We found it very interesting since we learned a lot of new things both from artificial intelligence to how to use it. The best thing was working in international teams because it was fascinating to hear ideas from people with different perspectives. In the afternoon, we got together with everyone from the exchange due to the fact that the next day we were leaving and we did a lot of things that night.

Day 5: Reflection and farewell

The last day was full of emotions. In the morning, we said goodbye to the family and it was quite sad. When we arrived at the station, we went with everyone from the exchange to do a small boat route which was very beautiful. I was impressed with where they took us to eat because it was like a palace full of history and we sat on the terrace to eat and say goodbye to our new friends. It was time to return to the station and it was very sad, even though we would see them again. On the train we talked about the experience and how technology connects us, but also about how our cultural differences enrich us. We all agreed that the Erasmus program had not only taught us new skills, but also to adapt and be more open. We arrived at the airport and, despite some unforeseen events, we managed to get on and head to Spain.

This Erasmus showed me that learning is not only in the classroom, but also in people and experiences. I am grateful for this unique opportunity to grow personally and professionally!