Erasmus+ mobility: tutor Antonella’s point of view
We had the pleasure of talking to Antonella Battaglia, former teacher at CentroModa Canossa, who accompanied some students during their three-week Erasmus+ mobility programme in Valladolid this summer. Here is a short interview with her about the experience.
How many years have you been accompanying students on mobility programmes? Can you tell us an anecdote or something that surprised you during your stay in Spain?
This was my first time as a tutor, and it was a thoroughly positive experience that enriched me greatly. The thing I found most bizarre about Spain was the working hours: the day doesn’t start before 10 a.m. and in the afternoon there is the famous “siesta”, so life moves very slowly compared to the pace we are used to in Italy. Another aspect that surprised me a lot was the fact that few people spoke English fluently: I often found myself sketching out sentences in Spanish or gesturing to make myself understood.
The moments I will always cherish are those spent in Parque Campo Grande, a huge park in the city centre where animals such as peacocks, ducks and squirrels live in freedom. Both the children and I greatly appreciated this green lung within the city.
Do you think it is important to offer these projects in our centres? Why?
Personally, having been a student myself who had the opportunity to do an internship abroad, I find it a valuable experience that should not be missed and that allows you to grow a lot from a personal and professional point of view. You find yourself having to make yourself understood in a language that is not your own, in a different country with different customs and traditions, far from home and your comfort zone. Furthermore, working abroad, even for a short period, offers the chance to get a glimpse of how the world of work functions outside your own country, giving young people the opportunity to choose other scenarios in the future. So yes, it is an experience that I highly recommend doing at least once in your life!
Last question: Erasmus in three words?
Adventure, knowledge and culture.