5 things you must do before finishing your Erasmus

Whoever you ask, everyone will tell you that Erasmus flies by - that's a fact! Maybe you've just arrived at your destination or maybe you're close to the end of your stay. Either way, here we bring you a list of 5 things you must do before finishing your Erasmus, because it would be a shame to go back home without having made the most of the experience, right? Take a look!

Learning languages

One of the most important things you should do before going back home after finishing your Erasmus is to learn languages, since it's very important that you know how to find your way around in your Erasmus destination. Not only to communicate with your classmates or flatmates, but also to manage your day-to-day life in the country as good as you can: in the supermarket, doing paperwork, going to the doctor if you have an emergency or get sick. It's essential!

"How do I learn the language?", you may ask. If English is the official language at your destination, you'll be lucky not to have to combine several languages at once to try to understand people, but if it's another language you don't know so well, you'll have to find your own way!

Whether you need to brush up on your rusty English or you need to learn at least the basics of a new language to enjoy your Erasmus, a language course in your host city is the first step. Combine it with watching series and films in the language, talking to native speakers, practising with other Erasmus students and friends, going to language tandems... and voilá, you'll be back speaking another language without even realising it!

Making friends from all over the world

It doesn't matter if you are a bit introverted, Erasmus is all about meeting people from different countries that will make you open your mind and enjoy your Erasmus every day. In your new city you'll meet dozens of students in the same situation as you: far from home and willing to live a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You'll meet people from countries you didn't know much about or had prejudices about, and believe us, Erasmus does its job in making us way more tolerant, open-minded and wise.

You will probably make friendships that will last a lifetime, so not only will you socialise and party, but you'll also share many important moments that will make you bond with those people. Make the most of those moments and go back home after your Erasmus with pending trips to visit them!

Exploring your Erasmus city to the fullest

This is a must too... You can't go home without getting to know your Erasmus city inside out! Also, if you have friends or family visiting you, you'll have to be a guide and give them a good tour of your new city, you have to be a good host!

Visit new restaurants and cafés often, go for walks in areas you haven't been to yet (be safe, avoid going out unaccompanied at night, especially in unsafe areas), and discover charming spots to fill your Instagram feed with, because we know you'll know every Erasmus bar!

Travelling around the Erasmus country and to other countries

There' s no good Erasmus experience without a few trips to discover the country and even other neighbouring countries, especially if your Erasmus destination country is small or its capital is close to the border, as you can easily travel by bus or train at very cheap prices.

Moreover, if your destination is far from your home country, you can take advantage of this to discover routes that would be difficult to do from your home city. For example, if you live in Spain and your destination is Bulgaria, take the opportunity to travel through the Balkans, Greece and Turkey if you have the chance! Not only are there routes that can be very well priced, there are also airlines that offer discounts and deals frequently, so make the most of them and travel a lot during your Erasmus!

Securing your stay against unforeseen events

No one would like to have an unforeseen event during their Erasmus, and if it's bad enough to have one in your home city, imagine being in another country! That's why one of the things you must do before finishing your Erasmus is to be sure you get a good start and have someone watching your back.

Iris Global can help you with a specialised student insurance that will cover you in case of any of these situations (among others):

• Baggage loss.
• Flight delays or cancellations.
• Medical assistance (including coverage of medical, dental, pharmaceutical and hospitalisation expenses).
• Sports coverage in the event of injury while practising sport.
• Hotel stay for COVID-19.

Stay of a relative in case of illness of the insured.

Looks good, doesn't it? Not only will you enjoy your stay much more knowing that even if you travel everywhere, go out partying and playing sports Iris Global will assist you in case of mishaps, but also the costs will be under control and you won't have to worry about paying an arm and a leg.

Remember that when you take out your student insurance with Iris Global, you get a 10% discount just for being part of the Erasmusu community with the code ERASMUSU_10.

And you, what did you do before finishing your Erasmus? We want you to tell us all about it!

Don't forget that you can find us in our Telegram group and on Instagram, come and join us!

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