'I believe I can fly' by Claudia

I wake up with a start, confused for a moment to hear a voice calling for me in English: where am I?

As I wake from my stupor I cannot help but smile: Cyprus, I am in Cyprus as an international student of the most famous exchange program there is. I am an Erasmus student.

At first when I wrote my name on the list of people interested in the exchange, back in my home university, I did not really know what I was getting myself into.

All of the people that went to study abroad for a semester or a year with this program go all emotional and enthusiastic while talking about this experience and it was them before any academical reason that got me here.

Now I understand them.

When I see Khy from Germany always early and I remember my ex-boyfriend telling me that if God had wanted for him to be on time he would have made him be born in Germany, when I see our spanish friends singing and dancing with their typical gioia di vivere, when the friendly and beautiful italians chat their way everywhere etc... I feel like I am seeing the world as I never did before, as if the life I was living before was only a small fraction of what it could be without me ever noticing.

How was it possible?

But here, here where truth and stereotype mix, where we learn how to cheer in every possible language and we are all brothers, no matter where we are from, here where we share our experiences, knowledge and ideas I learned that everything I thought as too difficult or crazy to consider is possible and that my possibilities are truly never-ending.

Traveling as a volunteer, learning two new languages, go and talk in the European commission, work in the radio? Someone has done or is doing just that!

Only Two months ago I arrived in a hotel in Nicosia all alone with a big luggage and the ripetitive sound of my voice in my head saying: "what are you doing here???"

Now I am happy I did not run away or let something as stupid as concern stop me: this is the first step into a new exciting life, because this experience will change you.
It is a challenge and a struggle, a reward and a party all mixed together.
If you can, if you feel you are ready to grow, if you are up for fun, learning and living, really living and discover the true meaning to the word...

Join Erasmus.

If you are strong enough to fly, you will never regret it.

Claudia
ESA Board Member 2010 / 2011