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My Erasmus Traineeship in Italy

A Journey of Growth and Discovery

As a second-year master’s student at the University of Leadership in Open Education, I was eager to explore opportunities that would enhance my academic and professional development. The opportunity to participate in an Erasmus traineeship presented itself in January 2022 when I attended a Zoom workshop organized by our university’s international office. Little did I know that this workshop would mark the beginning of one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Departure from Nigeria

The Application Process: A Test of Patience and Determination

Inspired by Erasmus’s possibilities and experience, I decided to embark on the application process. It was a challenging journey, requiring patience and determination. The decision to choose between continuing my studies and pursuing a traineeship was not easy. However, I was fortunate to have the support and guidance of Jana Begus, our international office coordinator. Her advice played a crucial role in helping me make a decision I now consider one of the best of my academic and professional career.

After two months of navigating various application stages of receiving the institution, I finally received the much-anticipated approval. However, the journey was far from over. I faced numerous challenges, including multiple rejected applications and interviews. Despite these setbacks, I remained focused on my goal.

Choosing Italy: A Decision Aligned with My Aspirations

After so many searches, applications, and interviews I had to choose between two exciting destinations, Croatia and Italy, for my five-month Erasmus internship, I carefully weighed my options. I decided Italy was the best fit for me considering my future goals and aspirations. I was offered a European Project Manager Intern position with Extramus, a role that aligned perfectly with my academic background and professional interests.

I am deeply grateful to Prof. Suzanna Loshkovska, Prof. Tijana llic, the international office coordinator Jana Begus, and the dean of the School of Engineering and Management, Prof. Dr. Imre Cikajlo, for your invaluable support all through the process. Their guidance in completing the Learning Agreement, an essential component of the Erasmus Traineeship documentation, ensured my preparedness for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

EXTRAMUS is an organization renowned for its expertise in project execution. With a proven track record, the organization has consistently demonstrated its proficiency in successfully planning, managing, and implementing a diverse range of projects. Their capabilities extend to various areas, including the development and execution of Erasmus+ Traineeship programs. The organization’s commitment to excellence is evident in its ability to deliver impactful projects, contributing to the enhancement of the educational journey for higher education students. 

The first picture at the Extramus office

I choose EXTRAMUS and the European Project Management Traineeship program because it is aimed at building trainees who would be able to write projects under different titles, receive grants, and successfully conduct, control, and execute the projects. The EU Project Management serves as a crucial mechanism to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of projects funded by the European Union.

The goal as a Project Manager trainee was to develop skills and gain hands-on experience in Project Management. I was aimed at identifying problems, and opportunities to formulate project ideas. This involves writing proposals that meet funding standards, developing skills and knowledge for the development and management of projects funded by the European Commission, building partnerships, developing project scopes, aims, and objectives, and monitoring and evaluating projects and processes, along with reporting and the preparation of project documents and reports.

The traineeships provided me with the opportunity to acquire practical skills and hands-on experience in Project Management. It served as a bridge between my academic learning and practical application. It will help me to apply theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting and understand the dynamics of the international professional environment. I will also apply the knowledge and skills gained to conducting my Master’s thesis project. The formal training sessions, workshops, and mentorship programs will contribute to my professional development, which includes learning how to use project management tools, methodologies, and best practices.

Preparing for a New Chapter: Embracing Italian Culture

While waiting for my visa approval, which took several weeks, I dedicated myself to preparing for this new chapter in my life. I immersed myself in learning about Italian culture, values, and language. This preparation was not just about being ready for the professional aspects of the traineeship but also about embracing the cultural experience that comes with living and working in a new country.

International Dinner

The Journey Begins: My Arrival in Italy

On April 15, 2024, I embarked on my journey from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Nigeria, filled with mixed emotions, excitement, and anticipation. The next day, I arrived in Rome, Italy, where my professional adventure truly began. Coming from Africa, I had to consider the food and other basic stuff I would need before finding an African store and settling into Italian food and culture. It made my luggage heavy and challenging to move around at the airport and station when I got to Rome, and in the process, I lost two of my luggage, which I later found with the help of the police and a good Samaritan. (Lesson learned: Pack lightly 😜).

Missing my train due to moving my heavy luggage was another epic moment of my journey to my place of internship. Waiting two hours wasn’t funny, as I was exhausted after a 12-hour flight and over 10 hours of layovers and train transit but I didn’t have a choice šŸ˜‰ ( Lesson learned: Ask for help, it’s better to get a NO than not trying).

Moving around the small town of Terranova Da Sibari wasn’t easy in the first days as I didn’t have mobile internet to use the map. I remember missing my way on the second day I arrived, but thanks to Simone and other Erasmus guys I ran into on my way home from the supermarket.

The traineeship experience was filled with many good and bad memories, but I appreciate the learning experience and the opportunity to explore.

Goodbye to Julia from Poland

My European Project Manager Experience

The five months of my traineeship were interesting, transformational, and fulfilling. The overview of my internship tasks and responsibilities includes:

1. Project Identification and Assessment

One of my initial tasks involved working closely with my team and supervisor to assess the viability of various problems that could be addressed through new projects. After discussions and evaluations, I identified a problem suitable for project initiation. This process sharpened my analytical and problem-solving skills, allowing me to contribute effectively to project ideation.

2. Project Proposal Development

After identifying the problem, I drafted a detailed project proposal titled “MathMates: Empowering Children with Dyscalculia through Open Education.” The proposal encompassed the project’s objectives, scope, methodology, timeline, budget, and expected outcomes. I meticulously applied the SMART criteria to set clear and actionable objectives, which would guide the project to success. This task enhanced my ability to translate ideas into structured and feasible project plans.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

Collaboration was a key aspect of my internship. In partnership with my supervisor, I identified and engaged organizations that could contribute to the project. One such organization was Inercia Digital, a VET center (SME) based in Huelva, Spain. We met with their representatives to discuss the project idea and formulated a participation plan aligned with their expertise and interests. This experience deepened my understanding of stakeholder engagement and the importance of building strong partnerships for successful project implementation.

4. Involvement in Project Closure

During my internship, I was involved in the project closure phase of an ongoing project titled “Empowering Young Women with Digital Competences: A Gender Equality Initiative.” My responsibilities included:

  • Final Deliverables: I participated in a week-long workshop in Huelva, Spain, which served as the final deliverable for the project.
  • Resource Release: I prepared dissemination material (Article), to share the project outcomes and lessons learned.
  • Post-Implementation Review: I organized and led a workshop on “Artificial Intelligence for Professional Use,” where I shared and discussed the lessons learned from the program in Spain with other interns.
  • Public Communication: I provided a written interview about the program’s outcomes, which would be published on the organization’s website and social media platforms.

These tasks honed my project closure skills and allowed me to contribute to the project’s sustainability and dissemination.

5. Proficiency in Project Management Tools

I learned to use project management collaboration platforms such as Trello and Asana. These tools facilitated task management, team collaboration, and workflow tracking, ensuring that all project activities were executed efficiently and effectively.

Erasmus Project Workshop in Spain

Exploring New Horizons: My Visit to Slovenia

Having been an online student for the past two years, one of the highlights of my Erasmus traineeship was the opportunity to visit Slovenia. This trip was professionally and personally enriching. I visited the university in Vipava, where I had the privilege to meet in person the dean of the School of Engineering and Management, the school secretary, the international office coordinator, the student office, and other university staff and students. The international office coordinator, Jana Begus, gave me a free tour of the school and the beautiful surroundings of Vipava, after which we had lunch with Helena Å krl (the secretary’s office) at one of Vipava’s finest restaurants.Ā  It was an invaluable experience to connect with these individuals and gain deeper insights into the university’s operations and values.

During my time in Slovenia, I also took the opportunity to explore some of the country’s most beautiful destinations. I visited Ljubljana, the charming capital city, as well as the picturesque Bled Lake, known for its stunning scenery. The cultural richness and natural beauty of Slovenia left a lasting impression on me, adding yet another layer of growth to my Erasmus journey.

Visit to Bled Lake
Visit to UNG
Visit to UNG

Reflecting on My Experience: A Transformative Journey

Looking back on my Erasmus Traineeship experience, I can confidently say that it has been a transformative journey. It has enhanced my academic and professional skills and broadened my cultural horizons. The Erasmus Traineeship decision has proven to be one of the best I have ever made. I am excited to see where this experience will take me next and how it will continue to shape my future endeavors. The lessons I have learned, the friendships I have built, the connections I have made, and the skills I have developed will serve me in my future career.

As I continue on this path of growth and discovery, I encourage other students to consider the Erasmus Traineeship as a valuable opportunity for personal and professional development. The challenges are real, but so are the rewards.

Goodbye Photos

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Greece, University of Creete

I was lucky to visit the University of Creete for the CreteLing summer school. It is a linguistic summer school where well-known scholars teach classes for two weeks. There were introductory and advanced-level classes. For example, in my custom schedule, I combined an introductory neurolinguistics class, the science about mapping language functions onto the brain areas, and an advanced morphology class, the subfield of linguistics focusing on the meaningful components of words.

It was a nice opportunity to know more outstanding people in my field both students and professors from all over the world. The bonding went smoothly because we could share the meals and nice summer views of Crete, its gorgeous hills and sea. Now I have people from different countries with whom I can discuss linguistics and have a good laugh.

Students also could present their works during the poster session. I participated in this activity and received a lot of useful feedback. Now I feel ready to present my work at real big conferences, I became much more confident and inspired after the summer school poster session.

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Geisenheim – The heart of the Rheingau

If you’re interested in wine, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the grape variety ‘Müller-Thurgau’. It was created at the same location where you’ll find Geisenheim University (HSG) today, a place that lives and breathes wine. They offer various programs related to wine business, wine production, beverage technology, and agriculture, to name a few. UNG and HSG cooperate, and in the summer semester of 2024 I had the opportunity to study in Geisenheim with the Erasmus+ program. I recommend you do as well!

Considering I don’t speak German, the program most suitable for me was ‘International Wine Business’, given in English. Essentially, this program is focused around the business and marketing side of wine, as opposed to the production. Seeing as my major is viticulture and oenology, this provided a great opportunity to diversify my experience. HSG is used to receiving students from abroad, and everything from the enrollment process to getting settled as I arrived was streamlined and easy. The provided assistance really takes a lot of pressure off, and makes the experience much more enjoyable.

‘International’ is not just in the program name – the majority of the students were from abroad, and I studied with people from Bolivia, South Africa, Georgia, and Canada, among others. A decent part of the class was made up of German students as well, resulting in a lovely mix of cultures, languages, and personalities. Social gatherings both within and outside of the university were frequent, fun, and interesting. Since we all shared the same interest in wine, conversations could go from football (European Championship during this time) to phenolics without skipping a beat. Weekly gatherings by the old wine barrel on campus, where you could always get to know new people and new wines, was especially memorable.

Lectures were similar to what I’m used to at UNG. There was a MiTeam equivalent where all material was uploaded and easily accessible, and I never had trouble understanding what was expected of me. The professors were competent, helpful, and passionate. We had a fair amount of guest lecturers from various parts of the wine industry, something that is always interesting and brings new perspectives. One thing that differed considerably from UNG was the amount of tastings and masterclasses. We had an average of two tastings per week, and I have tried more wines in one semester at HSG than five semesters at UNG. I believe this drastically improves the students’ ability to understand wine, and is something I would love to see more of at UNG. In addition to tastings, I had the opportunity to join several day trips to other wine regions.

Daytrip to the wine producer Dr. Bürklin-Wolf in the Palatinate (Pfalz).

Geisenheim is a cute, small town in the middle of the wine region Rheingau. The region is overflowing with wine producers, and there are several in walking distance from the Geisenheim town center. The railroad that runs along the Rhine river provides access to the rest of Germany, and Frankfurt Airport is only an hour away. One stop with the train gets you to Rüdesheim, a beautiful historical town with lots to see and do. And if you’re craving a bigger city, the same train will take you to Wiesbaden in less than an hour.

View over the vineyards. Rüdesheim to the left.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Geisenheim, and when I return to Slovenia it is with more experience, new personal and professional relationships, and a broader, deeper, and more diverse understanding of the wine industry. I encourage you to seek out the same experience if you get the chance!

Rheingauer Dom in the center of Geisenheim.

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Girona- Illustrating Stories

Med bivanjem v Gironi v okviru programa Erazmus, sem se udeležila prijekta z naslovom “Illustrating Stories”, kjer smo se osredotočili na risanje in ročno izdelavo interaktivne fizične kjige. Cilj projekta je bil skozi ustvarjalni proces združiti pripovedovanje zgodb in umetnost v unikatno obliko knjižnega izdelka. Delo je vključevalo vse, od prvotnih skic, do končne realizacije knjige, ki je bila oblikovana tako, da bralcu omogoča interakcijo z zgodbo na fizičen način.

Prvi dan smo se spoznavali in se pogovarjali kaj bomo delali med naÅ”im druženjem. Nato smo si začeli zamiÅ”ljati ideje. Mentorica je poskerbela da je od vsakega izvedela vsaj začetno idejo, saj se je tako najlađje pripravila da nam lahko čimbolje pomaga v nadaljnih dneh.

Drugi dan smo imeli organiziran izlet v Barcelono, kjer smo si Å”li ogledat znane umetniÅ”ke stavbe. Ideja tega je bila, da nam da navdih za naÅ”e nadaljno delo. Pogledali smo si Casa MilĆ ,v Casa Amatller, Casa El Calvet in Sagrada FamĆ­lia. Vse smo si ogledali od zunaj saj nismo imeli dovolj časa, da bi Å”li na ogled vsega tega.

Sreda in četrtek sta bila delavna dela. Risali in ustvarjali smo od 09:00 -16:00. Vmes smo imeli pavzo za kosilo, ki nam je bilo priskrbljeno. Vsako jutro smo se podpisali in si nato lahko zbrali naŔ meni. Bilo je za vsakega nekaj.

Petek pa je bil dan, kjer se je printalo in delalo ročno delo. Učilnica je bila polna lepil in Ŕkarij. Vsak je izdelal svoj lasten, unikaten izdelek. Po kosilu smo imeli predstavitev naŔih del pred vsemi in podelitev priznanj oz. potrdil prisotnosti. Na koncu smo naŔe izdelke poslikali v skupinski fotografiji. Odslovili smo se z toplimi nasmehi in naslednji dan smo se odpravili domov.

Vesela sem da sem lahko bila deležna tega imenitnega programa, saj mi je prineslo mnogo novih izkuŔenj in prijateljstev. Hvala Erazmosu za to čudovito priložnost, hvala Gironi za toplo gostoljubnost in hvala naŔi Ŕoli za omogočen izlet.

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LASALLE, College of the Arts, Singapore

When I think of Erasmus, the first question I ask myself is, why didn’t I go earlier?

All I knew about Erasmus was that you had to fill out a bunch of paperwork before leaving, but few people talked about what actually happens once you get there. It’s not just about meeting new people, cultures, and food, but also discovering yourself in various situations. In my case, on the other side of the world in a different time zone.

In Singapore, I had the opportunity to discover many fascinating aspects that define it. Some of them include efforts to preserve nature and coexist with technology, hospitality towards diverse cultures, and the encounter with various cuisines that I enjoyed during my stay.It was also exciting to see a city where a jungle and a botanical garden are seamlessly integrated into an urban environment.

One interesting thing I realized while I was there is that no matter where I go, I will find people with similar personalities to those I already know at home. This might help those who worry about not finding friends there. Also, you will have the chance to interact with people you would probably never talk to back home. So, I suggest leaving your prejudices behind and giving new acquaintances a chance to change the possibly wrong opinions you might have had about anything. Sometimes it’s nice to know that you were wrong.

As for LASALLE College of the Arts, where I had the opportunity to stay for two weeks, I have nothing but praise. This includes the professors and staff, as well as the students who participated with us in TropicalLab, and with whom I continue to keep in touch even after Erasmus, as well as with the other participants of TropicalLab.

I hope the photos express what words fall short of describing.

If you have any questions about my stay or are considering a visit, feel free to contact me via email at ana.evtic@gmail.com or through my Instagram profile @anaevtic — I’d be happy to help. You can also check out some videos and photos from my trip in the “singapore” highlights on my instagram profile.

Thank you, Erasmus, for making this possible, and I hope there will be more experiences like this in the future.

https://www.lasalle.edu.sg

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