I spent the last week of cold Polish November on a study visit in the sunny Italian town of Vasto.
I visited many institutions such as the city hall, the job centre, the archaeological museum, and the adult education centre there. I learnt and saw how the Italian work system looks from a practical perspective. Moreover, I explored the breathtaking Di Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, and walked through the historic part of the town.
During this project, I met people who are beautiful not only on the outside but also on the inside, coming from Poland, Spain, Italy and Turkey.
It’s another project that confirms my opinion that age does not matter and I, as a 23-year-old little man, can get along with an experienced adult who is 40 years older. Another project which opens minds and changes lives – keeping with the Erasmus+ motto. Another chance to make amazing memories that will stay with me for a lifetime. Delicious food, colourful clouds during the sunrise, sincere smiles and tears of happiness during the last dinner in the Renaissance castle Castello Caldoresco, Italian songs accompanying us during the meal, unique seashells on the beach, calm waves of the Adriatic Sea, narrow streets on a labyrinth plan and walks to the store.
I am extremely grateful to LEVEL UP for the opportunity to participate in such a project and to the Italian organisation that hosted it at the highest level. I would also like to thank Tomek, who, like a dad, introduced me to this project and accompanied me in these unforgettable moments
Additionally, during the project, I visited Rome and the Vatican, so it only took five days to end up in two countries, walk 50 km, drive 600 km with views of the Apennines, meet people from four countries and eat four Italian pizzas.
I highly recommend the international trips as I learnt the most from them. They are an opportunity to do things you’ve never done, try new flavours, learn new languages and cultures, and create beautiful memories that will stay with us forever. Travelling is for everyone, but I link it to the phrase “The earlier the better.”
Julia, YOUropean, Vasto
This study visit was the second one for me under the same project, I participated in the first one in Spain two months earlier. For this reason, I had some idea of what it could look like, and I knew most of the participants and organisers beforehand.
One of the greatest values was an opportunity to see the vibes of a relatively small Italian town without tourists (at least during the visit), how local institutions work there, how Italian employees work and what they do afterwards. It was a really nice opportunity to get to know everyday life a little better, in a place that I probably wouldn’t visit if I went on a standard holiday. Such a visit is a nice reference point when it comes to the culture of work in a given place – how it is to work in various institutions (public and private) and how certain issues are approached there.
I enjoyed the opportunity to see various things that were presented to us, live – for example, the visit to the scenic park (we were guided by the person who had previously given a presentation on the subject of local environmental protection programs), or visiting classes at an adult school.
As I mentioned before, although I probably wouldn’t visit this town as a tourist, it still made a big impression on me – especially the views and the atmosphere of Italian streets. I think I experienced the biggest “wow” effect when I visited the garden of the archaeological museum – very charming and overlooking the sea. I’m guessing there are plenty of such places in Italy- charming but not necessarily well-known. Italian cuisine did not disappoint either.
For me, this trip (and the one to Spain) is also a nice point of reference – in March, as a coordinator, I will be responsible for a similar visit of partners in Poland. I am grateful to the organisers for their hospitality and ensuring we would have nice experiences – on the other hand, it is obliging for us once we become the hosts. Many thanks to Julka who turned out to be a great companion. Being able to share memories with someone cool makes them even better, thanks 🙂
Study visits (and other similar projects) are a great opportunity to meet the local community “behind the scenes.” Different people may learn completely different things, but I believe that even seeing what everyday life is like somewhere else, in another culture (it doesn’t have to be very far away) may give you a nice perspective.
Tomek, YOUropean, Vasto
