“It will shape you as a person for the rest of your life” Elizabeth’s Erasmus+ Experience in France
Elizabeth Sheriff
Rennes, France
Elizabeth Sheriff, an NUI Galway graduate, experienced an amazing Erasmus+ mobility in Université Rennes 2 with lots of memorable moments such as “singing in the metro surrounded by the most amazing people after a night out and having a crowd gathering around us joining in.”
An Amazing Experience!
If Elizabeth could give advice to any prospective Erasmus + students, it would be to keep an open mind “and don’t expect everything to go smoothly, things will come up, things happen and that is what makes the experience amazing because you learn how capable you are. Try everything you can it’s an amazing experience.”
If there was anything Elizabeth wished she could have known before heading off, it’s “simply that you won’t know everything and that you can’t prepare for everything, and that is okay.”
Challenges
Elizabeth was 27 when she went on Erasmus+, and as a mature student, she faced some key challenges, particularly around managing her husband’s health and co-ordinating with his medical team in Ireland. Thankfully, they overcame the challenges. Elizabeth feels that maybe there could be more information available for mature students who are travelling as part of a family. Thanks, Elizabeth, this is something we will take on board!
Comfort Zone
Going on Erasmus + pushes you out of your comfort zone, and is all the more rewarding as a result! As Elizabeth recounts: “you have no idea how much you can grow when you are thrown into a situation that is out of your depth. You dive right in and learn to swim, and it is the most incredible feeling which will shape you as a person for the rest of your life.”
Just Do It!
Erasmus + can be summed up for Elizabeth as follows: “Just do it, you will never regret it, but you will regret not doing it.” We couldn’t agree more, it is life-affirming! Thanks so much for speaking to us and telling us about your unique experience, Elizabeth!
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