In the modern world, academic mobility opens up many opportunities for students to develop, learn and experience different cultures. Erasmus+ programmes not only facilitate the exchange of knowledge, but also become a unique and life-changing experience. One of such inspirational examples is the story of Mykyta Lapin, a 4th year student majoring in 035 Philology of Poltava Polytechnic, who, while studying under the Erasmus+ credit academic mobility programme at the Romanian university “1 DECEMBRIE 1918” University of Alba Iulia, also took part in the Erasmus+ youth exchange, which took place from 10 to 19 December 2024 in Store Klaus, Ganløse, Denmark. His story about Scandinavian hospitality, interactive workshops and unforgettable cultural evenings inspires new achievements.
“My trip to Denmark as part of the Erasmus+ programme was a real adventure, full of new knowledge and unforgettable impressions,” says exchange participant Mykyta Lapin. – “Participation in the Erasmus+ youth exchange in Denmark was an incredible experience that gave me not only valuable knowledge, but also the opportunity to immerse myself in the unique atmosphere of the Scandinavian country, make new friends and spend time interestingly and usefully.
I would like to note right away that the host organisation of this project approached every moment and every detail with the utmost responsibility. My plane arrived quite late, at 22:00 local time, and it was very nice that, despite the late time, the organiser Helmet picked me and three other participants, whose planes also landed late, up in his car, so we all had no problems finding the project venue. Right away, on the way to our house, which was located near Copenhagen in a small town, we were told everything about the project and answered all our questions, about all the nuances of our stay. Upon arrival, we were warmly and hospitably greeted, fed, and after a rather long journey, I went to bed, waiting for the start of our project.
It should be noted that the house we lived in fully corresponds to the concept of “Scandinavian housing”. Sometimes it seemed that the Vikings really lived there. The fireplace that almost never goes out, the incredible smell of wood throughout the house, the warm and welcoming atmosphere, the panoramic windows through which you can watch the forest, and how the fog envelops this forest on cloudy Danish days, all this gave a unique mood and desire to participate in the project and discover Denmark.
The theme of our project was “Girl’s power at work”. Personally, I liked this topic because it was not covered at all before the project and was quite unknown to me. Therefore, I wanted to learn as much as possible about it and gain practical experience in this area. I was not alone in my aspirations, many boys and girls, like me, wanted to learn more and understand this topic. It should also be noted that our learning process was useful and productive, full of many activities and moderately full of information. We never sat still and did a lot of activities, workshops, competitions, exercises, training, discos and excursions. Also, the lectures on this topic were extremely interesting and aroused great interest among me and the entire audience, we discussed many issues of interest to us.
Cultural evenings were one of the project’s highlights. Representatives from Ukraine, Denmark, Bulgaria, Serbia and Jordan took part in them, and each team had the opportunity to present their country and culture. These events were a great opportunity for me to gain valuable experience in intercultural and international communication. I discovered the diversity of traditions, met people from different parts of the world and had the opportunity to taste the national cuisine of different nations. It was a truly unique and unforgettable experience.
The trip was not complete without getting to know Denmark. We had a great opportunity to walk around the picturesque and cosy town where we lived and fully discover the capital of Denmark – Copenhagen. It is an incredibly beautiful city, modern, charming and comfortable. It was very interesting to communicate with the people of Copenhagen, the native Danes. They are very open and friendly, happy to communicate and come to the rescue. They also speak excellent English, so there were no language problems at all.
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to take part in such an exciting project. The whole atmosphere of Erasmus+ was surprisingly friendly and open, both for me and for all other participants. Any issues were resolved instantly, and often even before they arose. This programme has given me not only valuable experience and new knowledge, but also acquaintances with incredible people from different countries who have become my friends. This experience will remain in my memory forever, and I sincerely recommend everyone not to miss the opportunity to travel. As long as you are a student, Erasmus+ offers you unique chances to learn and discover the world. Take advantage of this opportunity!”
The purpose of the Erasmus+ youth exchange “Girl’s power at work” was to promote the personal and professional growth of young Europeans through intercultural interaction, cooperation and learning, with a focus on gender equality and roles in the work environment, to provide exchange participants with tools for personal and professional growth; to help them better understand the dynamics of the work environment, the role of gender and the concept of equality; to engage in discussions aimed at broadening the perception of gender roles in the professional world and developing mutual respect; to teach young people to rethink their own beliefs and prejudices, developing an active position for positive change in their communities; to help participants improve their leadership, communication and analytical skills, which will increase their competitiveness in the labour market.
Find out more about the experience of our students in Erasmus+ academic mobility programmes in Romania and Estonia.
It should be noted that Poltava Polytechnic teachers can participate in academic mobility programmes and internships, and students of Poltava Polytechnic have the opportunity to study abroad under the grant programmes of credit academic mobility for a semester or a whole academic year at the leading universities of Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
For more information on current internship, teaching and academic mobility programmes abroad, please contact the International Relations Department (room 320-F, interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or the Coordinator of International Cooperation of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation Anna Kostiantynivna Pavelieva (room 310-C, email: kunsite.zi@gmail.com, phone: +3-8-(095)-91-08-192).
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