At the beginning of April 2025, twelve drama students took part in an Erasmus+ group project that began in Saint-Malo, France. In six mixed groups with students from Lycée Jacques Cartier, they developed the first concepts of video projects and started collecting data on the theme Theatre and Society through street surveys. The project also included participation in an international high school theatre festival, where young actors shared experiences in workshops and performances with peers from France, Canada, Mauritius, and Spain.
Three weeks later, the second part of the project took place in the Czech Republic, where French–Czech teams worked on finishing the videos. Students learned to edit, add subtitles, animate, and present their work. A major highlight was the chance to meet renowned authors during the Creative Africa: Islands and Continents festival, and even an unconventional Prague tour with the organization Pragulic. The project culminated in a final evening at Beseda Studio: alongside the screening of student videos, audiences could see stage performances – the French students presented Croisades by Michel Azama, while the Czech group performed their own adaptation of Jiří Havelka’s The Owners.
The Erasmus+ project showed that theatre is a powerful tool for learning, dialogue, and self-expression. It was an intense and enriching experience that would not have been possible without the support of our Erasmus+ coordinators and host families in both France and the Czech Republic – a heartfelt thank you!
What was the most difficult part of working together?
-Václav answers
The hardest part of working with the French students was that they kept changing our agreed plans and didn’t respect our ideas about how the project should look or what should or shouldn’t be included. They also ignored the roles we had assigned earlier and wanted to do everything themselves so the project would look exactly the way they wanted. On the other hand, when it came to collecting information, working with them was fine – for example, in Prague they really tried to gather responses, even though the language barrier made it difficult.
What was the nicest thing about living with a host family?
–Will answers
Noem’s family lived in a small house with a garden. All the children had their own rooms, and I also had a separate room. I especially appreciated the fact that my room even had its own shower and sink, which gave me privacy that I really valued. Beyond the facilities, what stood out was how kind the whole family was to me and how quickly they welcomed me as one of their own. They often asked if I needed anything or if they could help with something. Thanks to this, I didn’t feel alone, and it also encouraged me to speak French more, which definitely helped me improve.
How did you divide the tasks?
–Linh answers
We were a group of four – two French and two Czech students. Each of us was supposed to know our role and complete it. But the French students didn’t communicate with us at all, so there was no real cooperation. Eliška and I (the two Czech students) tried to explain their tasks, but they didn’t understand, so in the end we just told them to translate and add subtitles to the videos, and we would finish everything else. In the end, most of the work fell on me, with some help from my sister, because Eliška didn’t have time.
What message would you like to send to your host school or family?
–Veronika answers
I had a wonderful week with my host family and I hope the French guests enjoyed their stay here in the Czech Republic just as much.
“Dear family, thank you for the amazing week I was able to spend with you. It was so kind of you to take such good care of me and to make sure I enjoyed my stay. Thank you for the trips, the meals, and all the activities – it was truly a packed week! I brought home so many beautiful memories from France, and I hope this wasn’t the last time we saw each other. Thank you so much, and see you soon. 😊”
What did you gain from teamwork?
–Matyáš answers
I learned a lot of useful things from teamwork. It was my first time working in an international group, with people who had different native languages and very different levels of English. It was interesting to try to communicate in English, but also to use a few words and phrases in the native language of our French partners. The project itself was very engaging. Since I like everything related to video and I’m also interested in journalism, it was both fascinating and educational. That’s probably all I can say.
What souvenir should everyone bring back?
–Veronika answers
In my opinion, the most valuable souvenir – and the best one – is definitely the experiences and new knowledge you gain. Still, besides that, I think food typical for the country is the best tangible souvenir. Food souvenirs often come in beautiful packaging with text in the local language, and by bringing them home you also share a piece of your experience with your family, who get the feeling of being part of the journey. Plus, food doesn’t take up space on a shelf just to collect dust – you eat it, it reminds you of nice moments, and you can buy it again on every trip without it ever being “too much.”
How should you prepare to really enjoy the stay?
–Adéla answers
For me, the answer is clear: you really need to know French well. I’ve learned twice now that just a few basic phrases are far from enough. You need a solid vocabulary, otherwise you’ll be as lost as I was. Everything else can be worked out or adapted, but no one can help you much with communication. And as I found out, not many people there speak English, which makes things harder. Especially if your host family doesn’t speak English either – then you can’t even arrange something simple like when they should pick you up or drop you off.
LIGHTS, CAMERA,
ERASMUS!