Do you know that feeling ? The one that tells you that you are leaving something behind? Usually it emerges when you are going on vacation and you packed in a hurry (not me at all , ahem ...). It can be your swimsuit, a book, or a pair of socks. Nothing irreplaceable.
Tomorrow, I am leaving Ireland. And that feeling won't leave me alone. But this time, I believe it is more than just a piece of clothing that I am leaving behind. It is a piece of myself. Or is it ?
Before going on Erasmus you will probably hear a lot of things about that experience: good and bad things. Although I believe the amount of good stories will most likely exceed the bad ones. Now I have to be honest, I am currently overwhelmed with nostalgia. This should give you a hint on what kind of stories I would tell.
First, you have to understand that Erasmus is not just an experience, it is a journey. It starts when you set foot in the country you are going to spend one or two semesters in. For me it was Ireland, Co Limerick to be more precise. My first weeks were dedicated to discovering. Discovering the land, the people and last but not least, the university. Oh and by the way, no matter how much you enjoy travelling, partying etc, don't forget to work because even though it feels like you are on vacation, you'll have to justify your grades at your home university/school, so keep that in mind.
Before Erasmus, I was feeling a bit lonely and short on options to meet new people. This semester abroad opened my eyes on the diversity of human beings you can meet in a lifetime. Thinking that the few ones I met were actually a fraction of humanity amazes me even more. Now I have friends from parts of the world I have not even visited yet. Truth is, you are going to spend more time with Erasmus students than any others. I do not mean that you are not going to meet locals, you will have to go to class at some point, but you are most likely to travel with people who have not seen the country. So even though I went to Ireland, I rather feel like I traveled through a dozen countries at once. Besides that, meeting all these lovely humans had me understand that I do not need to kill myself inside to fit in a group of people whose values I do not share. This Erasmus semester was truly liberating for me. Who knew I could be whoever I want to be ? And if it does not please someone, then we are just not meant to be friends.
The reason why I wrote so much about the people rather than classes, Guinness pints, trips and the weather (*wink*) is because I think that they are the ones making the Erasmus experience what it is: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Actually I just realized that. My roommate left this morning and all the other ones, before her. So I have been truly on my own for only a day and I understand now. I understand that it is the sharing part of this adventure that made it so unforgettable. I built memories that will stay with me my whole life. More important: I grew up.
To my Erasmus friends. For all the good craic.
