Erasmus+ Host week in Thessaloniki through our eyes

If someone asked us what words we would use in order to describe this experience, the ones we would probably think of would be these two: life changing and unforgettable. If you are still wondering why,  let us explain the reasons that an educational experience like Erasmus + was one of the best in our school life, so far.

To begin with, just by considering the fact that -almost- fifty teenagers from six countries all around Europe were brought together and were eager, not only to cooperate, but also to co-exist, it is easy to understand the powerful effect that this program had on each one of us. Tears, hugs and goodbyes were filling the air the on last day, as the foreign students were ready to return to their countries. But as the saying goes » the beginning is half of everything». So,  the first days were the most joyful and at the same time the most stressful ones. The anticipation of meeting every single person was huge and everybody was looking forward to what the following days would bring about.  We, the students of the Greek team, had to put in action our ideas that in cooperation with our teachers we had been preparing for the last few months. Hopefully, everything went as planned and our guests seemed to enjoy their visit by indulging in the interesting history of our city. The multiple caches and trails we had created proved our dedication to the educational purpose of the program. As the week went on, our bonds became tighter making the upcoming farewell party look more and more unpleasant. Focusing on the bright sides of the week however it is needless to point out that despite the continuing geocaching and the unstoppable sightseeing and quiz solving trails, we had plenty of time to introduce our new friends to the local cuisine, the shopping centers and, of course, the Greek entertainment. On the last days of the mobility, the tension in the atmosphere could be felt and we just wished for the time to pass  by as slowly as possible. We just did not want to say goodbye yet.

Having said all these, it is truly remarkable to think that just a week was enough to bring us all together and teach us the true meaning of friendship. Despite the fact that we did not have the same mother tongue, we were able to communicate our true feelings and overcome any language difficulties, as if we had been friends for years. As if we have had been classmates forever. We learned to respect and try harder to understand each other’s beliefs. This week affected our view of the world and most importantly taught us to be open-minded citizens of the world eager for gaining new knowledge and new ideas. It is up to us, the European youth, to define the future we dream of and in our case, the Erasmus+ Geocaching MoM project succeeded in reminding us of our values. The values of being united in diversity and friendship.

Fingou Evangelia, Celine Anthopoulou