The beginning of my first Exchange experience in... Kielce, Poland!

This is the story of my first exchange experience.

All my childhood I had dreamt about it! I dreamt about the opportunity of studying and living in a foreign country, meeting new people from other countries and their culture, using another language than my mother tongue!

Unfortunately, my parents weren't wealthy enough to let my dreams come true. :(

One day, it was around 2003/2004 I went to the university and saw an advert about ERASMUS Program. Five minutes later I knew what I really want, so I started research about the requirements which need to be fulfilled to get qualified on Erasmus Program.

For those five minutes I imagined myself in a different country chasing everything I dreamt about! But, I wasn't lucky enough..

People responsible for the exchange programms told me that I should have finished at least the first academical year, which literally meant to pass all subjects.

At this point my world has collapsed. All my hopes disappeared, because at that time I wasn't able to pass so many difficult subjects in one year... I had problems with Maths, Accounting and some other classes which I don't remember now. I studied computer and management at University of Technology in Beja, Portugal.

So, my dreams at that time stayed just dreams!

Few months later, the regulations about going on Erasmus Program have changed. When I heard the rumors about that I went to the exchange program's office to ask about new conditions to participates in Erasmus Program. They said that it is possible now to participate without complete all the subjects from the first academical year, but it was not the end of great news! They also said that they provide financial aid to go there!

I saw that my dreams are about to come true!

So, I signed up for the list of candidates going to an exchange program! After this I felt really, really big sensation and anxiety...

I was so happy about this opportunity, because they provide financial help to go for the exchange, and for me it was the first step to make my dream come true.

But, at the same time I started being nervous and restless... I started thinking about being alone in another country, studying with new people with different culture, in different language... 6 months seemed to be very long time out there... I was scared... But I was happy!

Time was passing, things were happening... Finally, after couple of days/months they selected me to go. After receiving this information my previous fears started becoming bigger.

I was so scared that at the first time... I rejected the offer... YES, that's true... I rejected the opportunity to make my biggest dream come true.

But it showed that the exchange program's office didn't give up on me and they sent me all papers and details about my future adventure, I didn't expect that! So, one week before the deadline to decide to go, my coordinator called me (that was during summer holidays! ) and she asked me why I gave up... I didn't know what to say, what kind of good excuse give her, but something inside me was telling me to go! Probably she felt that I was hesitating because she said 'Come one, buy a ticket and get ready for your adventure! Paperwork was already been sent' - that convinced me!

So, I started being more confident and I decided to buy the ticket! At the end of the day, I didn't give up!

When I was buying the ticket my doubts were still there, but I said to myself 'if you don't try, you will never know. And you will never break your stupid doubts and personal insecurities. So I started preparing my baggage!

Today I am so proud of myself that I bought the ticket and I decided to chase my dreams. It was my first exchange program experience and I really loved it!

From six moths it became a year!

That's my story!