Filip Lamus

Long-term mobility

• Mittelrhein-Gymnasium • Mülheim-Kärlich • Germany •

In the spring of the 2025/26 school year I spent nearly four months in Germany, specifically in the town of Mülheim-Kärlich, located a few kilometres north-west of Koblenz in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. I attended the local Mittelrhein-Gymnasium and at the same time played for football club SG 2000 Mülheim-Kärlich in the third-highest German youth league.

During my stay I lived with a host family I could not have wished better for. I had great conditions there and we are still in touch today. During my stay I met a large number of new people, some of whom I still talk to and who I dare say could become lifelong friends.

At school and at football I was very well received by classmates and teammates alike, and I never once felt like an outsider. The differences between Czechia and Germany were not very noticeable. Given that Germany is our neighbouring country, the daily routine and customs there were not very different from what I am used to at home.

These four months gave me a great deal and I am incredibly glad I had the opportunity to take part.

We asked...

Why would you recommend the Erasmus+ programme to your classmates and what advice would you give them?

I would recommend the Erasmus+ programme to absolutely everyone. It is not just about learning a language but about experiences for life and becoming more independent for the future. I would recommend going to a country where you genuinely speak the local language, because it is then much easier to integrate into a real community. I also think it is best to go alone - it teaches true independence and forces you to talk to local people, improve your language, and find new friends.

How would you describe your typical day?

My typical school day was not very different from the one at GYBON, apart from the occasional longer gaps in the timetable. Do not expect dramatic changes from a stay in a neighbouring country - rather subtle differences in detail that also depend on the habits of your host family and the region. I would definitely recommend making use of both the financial support and your free time to visit various places nearby - and by that I do not mean just tourist spots, but rather getting together with local people and simply trying to live like anyone else in that area. That is the best way to truly absorb the local culture.

How did this experience affect you in terms of personal development?

This experience enriched me personally - both in terms of becoming more independent and linguistically. It truly moved me to a completely different level, and above all I gained a sense of confidence in everyday speaking and turned communicating in German into what you might call a second nature, something I no longer have any difficulty with whatsoever.