I Met 30 Strangers. Now I Call Them Family

What really happens when you join an Erasmus+ youth exchange for the first time.

It starts with a nervous flight

Your suitcase is packed with more “what ifs” than clothes. You are about to meet 30 people from countries you have never been to. You do not know the schedule. You do not know the food. You barely know the name of the city you are flying into.

And yet, you land. Someone is holding a paper sign. The first awkward handshake happens. You sit next to a stranger on the bus and ask where they are from. Ten minutes later, you are talking about your favorite music and bonding over your mutual confusion.

That is how it begins.

It only takes one day

By the time you unpack your bag, you are already learning people’s names. You find yourself in a circle, doing icebreakers and laughing at accents. You share your story. You hear someone else's. You realize you are not that different after all.

Somehow, this group of strangers becomes your crew. You eat together. You learn together. You get lost together in a new city. You help someone find their charger. They help you process something you did not expect to feel.

One day in, and it already feels like something big is happening.

This is more than just a project

It is not just about the theme. Sure, you are learning about sustainability, mental health, digital storytelling, or whatever the topic of the exchange is. But the real learning is in the people.

You see how different cultures approach the same issue.You hear real stories that change your perspective.You reflect on your own habits, assumptions, and goals.

And you do it all through games, challenges, workshops, cultural nights, and late-night conversations that go way deeper than expected.

You learn from each other in a way that no school or Zoom call could teach.

You start to open up

You came to learn. But you end up sharing things you never planned to say out loud.

You talk about your fears, your goals, your dreams. You tell someone how lost you felt last year. They nod and say, "me too." You see vulnerability, kindness, and raw honesty — not just in others, but in yourself.

People are crying during reflection circles. People are singing during breakfast. Someone is learning to say thank you in six languages. Someone else is helping you dance for the first time.

You do not remember exactly when it happened. But suddenly, this group feels like family.

It ends too fast

Ten days feel like two. Suddenly it is the last night. Everyone is hugging. No one wants to sleep because this might be the last time you are all together.

You write notes to each other. You swap Instagram handles. You try not to cry during the last circle, but you fail. And that is okay. Because everyone else is crying too.

This was not a camp. This was not a school trip. This was a life chapter.

What stays with you after

You go home, but you are not the same. You walk differently. You speak with more clarity. You feel connected to people and places you never expected.

You keep the notes. You replay the inside jokes. You message people randomly just to say you miss them. You remember someone’s laugh when you hear a certain song.

And even if you never meet all of them again, you know it was real. These people, from 5 or 6 different countries, saw you. And you saw them.

"For the first time in a long time, I felt completely myself. And completely accepted."— Participant, 19, Latvia

This is what Erasmus+ is really about

It is not just a program. It is a space where connections happen. Where strangers become close. Where borders disappear and something human takes their place.

You do not need to be loud or popular or perfect. You just need to be there. The rest takes care of itself.