04.11.2025. More and more students are taking advantage of the opportunity to gain their first professional experience not only in Germany, but also in other European countries. Two students from our upper school completed their BSO internship in Europe during the autumn holidays – and in doing so, they not only got to know new working environments, but also new perspectives, new people and new routines outside their own comfort zone.

These personal accounts impressively demonstrate what mobility within the framework of Erasmus+ can mean for young people: independence, confidence in their own abilities – and the feeling that Europe can really be experienced. We are delighted to be able to share these individual impressions here!

"I did my internship at a primary school in France. My exchange partner had already visited me in February and also went to school with me. Now I was staying with her.

She lives an hour away from Paris, where I went to school with her father. At first, I had some difficulty communicating because I hadn't spoken French for a long time, but by the end of the week it was actually going quite well.

At school, I helped the children with their schoolwork. In French class, it was quite difficult for me to help the children because I lacked some vocabulary and the corresponding grammar. But in maths, English and the other subjects, it worked quite well.

The children were nice and understood that I don't speak French perfectly. Once, I didn't understand a girl, so she tried to explain in English. She only managed a few words, but I thought it was sweet that she tried.

What particularly surprised me was that lessons at the primary school I attended lasted until 4:30 p.m. In return, the children have every Wednesday off school.

When my exchange partner finished school, we sometimes did things together."

"I completed my two-week internship at a tourist office in Cherbourg, France. Most of the time, I helped local people from Cherbourg, but also tourists who had travelled there, and entered their country of origin into a programme.

Most of the time, they asked about possible activities in the city or monuments, but also in other regions in Cotentin. The office had lots of different free brochures in French, English and German, so my German skills were also very helpful. I handed these out on request and mainly helped English- or German-speaking tourists and provided them with information about the city.

I was also able to communicate in French for questions that weren't too specific and had the support of my colleagues when necessary. I was able to learn many new French expressions that you don't learn in class.

I helped sell local products and souvenirs at the cash register, but also restocked the shelves. When I talked to my colleagues, we also came to the conclusion that German tourists always leave the office door open when they come in. To my surprise, this cliché actually turned out to be true.

What I particularly took away from this experience is that work in a tourist office is very seasonal, but nevertheless very varied due to the different wishes of tourists/customers."

"My arrival in Schlierbach was marked by a mild dose of educational realism: I travelled one stop too far and ended up at a neighbouring point on the map. Fortunately, the distance was less than ten kilometres, so a few minutes later I was picked up by car and taken directly to my destination. The community is small, and getting lost there is only possible out of academic curiosity or after venturing too deep into the surrounding forests.

The school day was organised with almost mathematical precision. The start of lessons at 7:54 seemed like a subtle attack on circadian rhythms and the strict 8:00, while the end of lessons at 15:26 revealed a subtle sympathy for structured time chaos. At least the workload is distributed in such a way that no one has to stay until late afternoon; the school closes at 3:30 p.m. The 45-minute lessons were particularly striking: after the hour-and-a-half German blocks, they seemed like short bursts of energy. Nevertheless, the pace of work remained high, and contrary to my expectations, I got used to this unusual rhythm. Particularly noteworthy are the six hours per week dedicated to independent learning.

This concept seemed to be a well-thought-out way of offering pupils of all ages space for relaxation and self-organisation, rather than leaving them to sit around during long breaks. The workshops on offer ranged from chess and meditation to electronics soldering and dog walking. The range of activities was more reminiscent of a university elective fair than a traditional school. The school's infrastructure created an impressive contrast that could easily be included in cultural studies textbooks. The complex consists of two parts: a historic monastery building and a modern new building that almost looks like a carefully polished fragment of the future. The transition between the two areas felt like a brief leap in time between a quiet past and a precisely constructed tomorrow.

Overall, the time in Austria proved to be intense and demanding. Five-minute breaks left little room to catch one's breath, and the architecture of the old school wing made finding the classroom on time a minor navigation test. The placement of classes such as 8B next to 2A defied all intuitive logic. It easily took two minutes to find the right room on the map. The school system combined discipline, room for independence, excellent facilities and a remarkably high proportion of theology, which seemed as unfamiliar to someone without prior experience as political debates do to us."

From March 30 to April 5, 2025, 14 students from the upper secondary school of the Carl-von-Ossietzky Schulzentrum Bremerhaven (CvO GyO) took part in an Erasmus+ group mobility in Thessaloniki, Greece, together with their teachers Dr. Angela Hoffmann, Daniel Ehlert, Marcus Siebs and Sabine Wieczorek. The “Water Unites” project focused on the ecological and social importance of water - and turned into an impressive week of European cooperation and personal development.

Research meets encounter. Together with students from the Second Lyceum of Kalamaria, the participants worked on scientific issues relating to water quality, climate change and sustainability. In an interdisciplinary workshop, they developed presentations, carried out measurements and reflected on the relevance of shared environmental responsibility. “It was exciting to see how similar our questions are - even though we come from different countries,” said Ana after the joint project work with Greek young people.

Micara added: “I would never have thought that an Arduino workshop could be so much fun - especially when you write the codes together with someone you didn't even know the day before.”

Experiencing Europe together. In addition to the technical work, the focus was on cultural exchange and experiencing Europe. During the Greek language lessons, the city rally through Thessaloniki and the visit to the EU workshop, it quickly became clear that Europe means more than borders and politics - it thrives on togetherness. “The Greek students welcomed us immediately. We laughed, learned and even discussed politics together. I have rarely felt Europe so directly,” Franziska reported. The joint garbage collection campaign on Kalamaria beach was particularly impressive for many: “It was nice to realize that environmental issues concern us all - no matter which country we come from,” said Lili.

Small anecdotes, big memories. In addition to scientific curiosity and European solidarity, there was no shortage of fun and adventure: whether it was the first flight (“Michelle still mourns the lost cheesecake on the plane”), getting lost in Thessaloniki's old town (“We just followed the cats - and actually arrived at the hotel”), or the hotly debated cookie test (“The cookie from Cookie Man was honestly the best of my life,” said Hülya) - this trip left lasting impressions.

One conclusion in many voices. Even if the technology didn't always work smoothly, the participants managed to find creative solutions - a strong sign of problem-solving skills and teamwork. “After five days of failed attempts, we were finally able to take measurements - I was just relieved,” said Leonie. And she put it in a nutshell: “I learned more about Europe in that week than in a whole school year.”

Conclusion: “Water Unites” - and so does Erasmus. “Water Unites” was not just the title of a project, but a European principle come to life. It showed how young people can learn together across national borders, take on responsibility and make friends - on an equal footing and with a view to a shared future.