“If you get the chance to study abroad, grab it with both hands and run with it” Lisa’s Erasmus+ Experience in Italy

Visiting Venice for the first time 

Lisa Scully undertook an Erasmus+ Study Abroad at Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia in Italy as part of her undergraduate course at Maynooth University.

If you’re reading this and wondering whether you should take part in the Erasmus+ programme, I hope my story inspires you.  

I participated in the Erasmus+ programme during my third year of Law at Maynooth University. My course required me to study abroad for one academic year, so I was keen to stay in Europe to be close enough to Ireland. Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia in Modena, Italy, was my chosen host university, but I decided to live in Bologna, a short train ride away. I chose Italy because I had visited it a few times with family/school and I continuously felt drawn back to the country. Plus, it allowed me to escape the Irish weather for a while.   

 

The town hall in Modena where you would often find sports cars at the front.
Fun fact: Modena is the home to Enzo Ferrari, founder of Ferrari, and I was studying in Modena while the Ferrari movie with Adam Driver was being filmed.

How did you learn about Erasmus+?
I found out about the programme from my older sister, who studied abroad in Chicago when she was in college, and I thought it was so cool that you could keep doing your degree in a different country. 

What motivated you to do it?
I was motivated to finally apply after spending my first year studying online during lockdowns and spending my second year mostly at home with health issues and more lockdowns.  

After undertaking half of my college life at home, I desperately wanted a change. At first, I didn’t even get a place because everyone in my course wanted to do an Erasmus+ post-Covid, but after a kindly worded plea to my international office at Maynooth, I was given a chance to go abroad. 

Describe a typical day on your Erasmus+ – how did it differ from being at home?
My class schedule in Italy was … relaxed. Let’s just say it was a far cry from my packed days at Maynooth! I sometimes found myself with cancelled classes, which turned into spontaneous adventures. One day, I hopped on a train to Florence. Just like that! In Maynooth, a cancelled class meant heading home. In Bologna, it meant exploring.  

Santuario Madonna di San Luca

I spent my days hanging out with my friends, travelling around towns and cities, wandering the portico lined streets, and discovering my absolute favorite bar, Cucchiaio d’Oro. Bologna felt safe, too, which was really important to me. It felt like a year-long holiday where I could just be. 

Left: the Due Torri (fun fact: they lean far more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa!).
Right: the Fontana Del Nettuno in the Centre of Bologna.

How did you make friends and network?
My Erasmus+ journey wasn’t always easy. I even thought about quitting two months in! But the people I met? They were the real highlight of my Erasmus+. My friends came from all corners of the world and became my closest confidantes. We laughed, we cried, we sang karaoke (badly!), and we supported each other through everything.  

When I moved back to Ireland, I was worried that we would all drift apart, but almost two years later, it feels like we never left. That’s the real magic of Erasmus+. 

My friends and I in San Luca, Bologna, where we frequently went for sunset picnics.

What did you enjoy doing in your host country?
Other than my friends, one of my biggest achievements was gaining the confidence to travel alone. For my 22nd birthday, I took a solo trip down south to Bari, Alberobello, Matera, and Polignano a Mare. I had never visited these places before, and it was amazing getting to experience them on my own terms. It was so liberating and empowering, and was the perfect way to finish up in Italy before heading back to Ireland. 

Visiting the UNESCO Heritage Site of Matera – made popular by the James Bond film No Time To Die.

Has Erasmus+ changed you? What lessons and skills did you take home?
Erasmus+ taught me so much more than I could have learned in my classrooms. I learned to be independent; to be confident; to face my fears. It showed me that I’m truly capable of more than I believe.  

If you’re even thinking about Erasmus+ … Just. Do. It! It’s one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, but it was also life-changing. 

Tell us what you’re doing now since undertaking your Erasmus+.
When I came back to Ireland, I didn’t want my Erasmus+ experience to end, so I joined the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). First, as the Head of Events in ESN Maynooth, then nationally, as the Interim Projects Manager, and ultimately I was elected as President of ESN Ireland.  

Being an ESN volunteer has been the greatest privilege, and, as President, I am determined to drive change for all young people engaging in mobility programmes. It has truly been incredible. 

I’ve developed professional skills, organised events that will have a lasting impact on the international community in Ireland and met even more amazing people that I feel so grateful to work with. If I hadn’t have gone to Italy, none of this would have been possible. 

The ESN Ireland delegation in Dubrovnik, Croatia, at the ESN International Spring General Assembly.

How would you sum up your Erasmus+ in a few words?
Erasmus+ was a rollercoaster of emotions, but it was the best thing I’ve ever done. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, introduced me to lifelong friends, and helped me grow in ways I never thought possible. I wish I could relive my Erasmus+ experience ten times over!  

If you get the chance to study abroad, grab it with both hands and run with it. You won’t regret it! 

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All photos are reproduced here with permission from Lisa.

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