Erasmus

The Erasmus program has turned 25 yesterday! Happy Birthday!

I must say it is a really nice program that offers students within Europe to explore the individual countries and to get to know a bunch of interesting people from different countries. It turns out that even though we're from various countries we are actually not so different after all... we do listen to the same music and like the same movies and the love for Italian food is common all over the European continent (so it seems!).

I've been in Madrid now for roundabout two weeks and so far I've sincerely enjoyed it a lot! Up until now my best friends here come from France and Italy (not only for the food!) and, as you know, as soon as you're by yourself in a new country the bonding process with people goes a bit quicker than usually. So, we enjoy some pasta carbonara, beers or wine together and have really interesting conversations.

Yet, I feel like telling that the Erasmus program also has another side (which seems to prevail for the most part). For the last two weeks I had the chance to participate in one of the ESN (the student organization to the program - European Student Network) activities every single day. We could have gone on day trips, tours around the city, pub crawls, sport events... you name it! While it is awesome that some students organize that for foreigners coming to their university, this seems to attract a sort of people with a kind of mindset that I cannot so easily identify with or which seems to have come here with different intentions... I have got the impression that the most acquaintances you make here are rather superficial. I've had the following conversation countless times:

Random person: "So, where are you from?"

Sara: "Germany."

Random person: "Uh nice. Where in Germany?"

Sara: "Hanover, that is in the northern part of Germany."

Random person: "Cool. I've never been there. But I've been to Berlin and Munich."

Sara: "Uuhm, yes..."

BOOOORING!

And there are so many more examples where this superficialness is just part of the daily life. For instance, telling my boyfriend that I'm gonna go to the so-called "Fuck me, I'm erasmus - Party" was a bit weird... Or standing on the dance floor in one of Madrid's many clubs and having the following "conversation" with a random guy which left me a bit puzzeled:

Random guy: [speaking in the voice of Kaa, the snake from the Jungle Book] "Hey you! Why aren't you dancing?? You need to let it aaaall out!"

Sara: [starring surprised at random guy]

Random guy: "This is the time of our life! This is our Erasmus semester! Just let go of yourself!"

Sara: [starring surprised at random guy]

Random guy: "Just daaaaance! You need to enjoy life! THIS is the time of our life!"

I don't want to suggest that I don't wanna have fun while I'm here... :-) Quite the opposite! Yet, I wonder if those kind of people just don't like the life they're living at home or if maybe dancing to David Guetta and flirting with girls is what makes it become "the time of your life". The same counts for the superficial relationships you continue to uphold while you're here.

Maybe I'm not so fair, because as a matter of fact many of the exchange students leave their home for the first time and some haven't even lived without their parents yet. Obviously that would also make me be a bit more excited. Additionally, every new relationship is a bit superficial at the beginning.. yet, for me personally, that is clearly not what I came here for. And I'm glad that I've found some nice French and Italians (and Canadians, but they don't count because they don't do Erasmus) already which seem to share this point of view. :-) In the end, I'd love to see visit them when I'm in Paris or travelling somewhere around Europe. I'd like to find as good friends as I've found in Groningen, Lehrte or Vermont. And I truly believe that David Guetta can contribute to this friendship, but that is clearly not all. So, I'm gonna stay open-minded and will answer the question "So, where are you from?" with great anticipation... maybe I get surprised after all. :-)

A big hello to my friends wherever you are the moment. I'm glad that I've got so many lovely, honest and good friends in my life. :-)

Stay in touch!! Cheers from Madrid!