Tereza Vrbacka

Short-term mobility

• IES Sierra de Gador • Berja • Spain •

In February 2026, as part of the Erasmus+ project, I travelled to the Spanish town of Berja. I flew from the Czech Republic together with Adriana, a classmate from my year. At Malaga airport we were picked up by our host friends. I stayed with Ivana and attended school with her at IES Sierra de Gador, mainly joining English lessons and giving a presentation about the Czech Republic together with Adriana. At the same time, students from Ireland, Italy, and France were also in Berja as part of Erasmus.

I spent my free time mainly with Ivana on various trips around Berja and the surrounding area. The school had also prepared lots of activities for us, including fun programmes at school and excursions to significant places in Andalusia. I visited Granada, Almeria, and the Cabo de Gata beach.

The Erasmus project gave me many new experiences. Thanks to it, I gained greater confidence in myself and my abilities. This experience helped me become more assured in my language skills and problem-solving. I am also very grateful to Ivana and her family, who immediately welcomed me as one of their own.

We asked...

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

I would definitely recommend this experience to others. Thanks to Erasmus, I discovered a new country and its culture, practised my spoken English, and above all met many wonderful people with whom I am still in contact. Erasmus will help you broaden your horizons both linguistically and in terms of building connections with people. Don't worry if your language skills aren't perfect - having to use the language is the fastest way to learn it.

What were your first impressions upon arrival to your family and school?

My first impressions right after arriving were very positive. I had already been in contact with Ivana beforehand, but I met her family for the first time at the airport. The first meeting went brilliantly - her whole family gave me a warm welcome and immediately included me in the flow of their household. I also had a very good impression of the school from the start - on the first day the headmaster welcomed me and helped me find my feet.

How would you describe your typical day?

I mainly attended school during the first week. My typical day started with waking up, having breakfast, and walking to school with Ivana, which started at 8:10. I joined some subjects, mainly English. Each lesson lasted 60 minutes - they had three subjects in the morning, then a 30-minute snack break, and three more subjects. School finished at 14:40. In the afternoons I usually spent time with Ivana, Adriana, and her host friend Ana. In the second week I mainly took part in school excursions around Andalusia.