Veronika Novotná

Long-term individual mobility

• CITÉ SCOLAIRE ROBERT-BADINTER • BLOIS • FRANCE •

It was March 17th, and I was setting off with a suitcase bigger than myself, boarding a bus to Paris. Even then, I had a feeling I would never forget the following ten weeks…

Thanks to Erasmus+, I had the opportunity to spend two and a half months in my dream country—France—exploring its culture and improving my language skills. Throughout the stay, I was cared for by a fantastic family who gave me a cozy home in their house with a big garden and lots of pets and animals. I shared a room with their 15-year-old daughter—my exchange partner—who was to leave France with me at the end of my stay and spend one month with my family in the Czech Republic.

I experienced the beauty of the typical French countryside and its traditions, got a taste of everyday life as a student at a French lycée, and made many memories at family gatherings or during shared sports activities. I visited around ten stunning castles—a fairly common feature in the region—and several large, historic cities, including Paris itself.

We asked...

Why would you recommend your classmates to participate in the Erasmus+ programme and what advice would you have for them?

The Erasmus+ programme gave me a truly unique life experience. I don’t think I would ever have been able to arrange something like this on my own. It was absolutely worth it! The stay helped me become more independent, develop my language skills, get to know another culture, and build many new relationships. I definitely recommend taking advantage of such an opportunity if you ever get the chance. My advice? Don’t be afraid! You’re going as a student to a new country, and no one expects you to fully understand their culture, language, or even rules. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and explore. :)

How would you describe your typical day?

On every school morning, my exchange partner and I would wake up at 6 a.m. and get ready to catch the bus. A typical breakfast consisted of a baguette with jam or butter. By 8 o’clock, we were already sitting in class and the morning lessons would begin. Exactly at noon, the school bell rang, and all the classes rushed at once to the overcrowded school cafeteria for lunch. In the afternoon, I would either play board games with the youngest daughter in the family or go with her to triathlon practice, where all the (even if somewhat younger) athletes warmly welcomed me. Dinner—almost at night—took place at 9 p.m., always with the whole family gathered around the table, and we would talk about the day.

What were the biggest challenges you overcame during your stay?

Despite the promised support from my exchange partner, I didn’t receive much help and had to manage everything myself from day one—and in French. I blindly studied the French timetable and tried to communicate with each teacher to confirm whether I was in the right class. During my first PE lesson, my exchange partner left me completely on my own. Not knowing any classmates, I ended up joining a not-so-friendly group, and their teasing quickly turned into bullying. I had to deal with the situation—again in French—with several teachers, and things eventually calmed down.