Why Erasmus is the soul of European Citizenship: From Lecce to Jaén

Dear readers,

My name is Vincenzo Fasiello, I’m a 21‑year‑old Italian student, and I would like to tell you about my Erasmus+ experience.

Ever since high school, I had always dreamed of spending a study period abroad, but due to the financial costs involved, I wasn’t able to make this dream come true until I started university. In fact, I was lucky enough to join the Erasmus+ programme, which allowed me to spend the entire 2024/25 academic year at the Universidad de Jaén, in Spain.

Now, why did I choose Spain?

When I had to select my Erasmus destination, the only foreign language I spoke was English. On one hand, I was driven by an unstoppable desire to learn something new; on the other, I was looking for an experience that was stimulating yet still within my reach. For all these reasons, Spain felt perfect for me: it has a beautiful language, not too distant from Italian, and a very high quality of life.

Then came the moment of departure. The night before taking the plane to the Iberian Peninsula, I had a knot in my stomach—generated by the awareness that something wonderful was about to happen, yet at the same time something uncertain and new. I threw myself into this adventure without knowing anyone, but it was absolutely worth it.

The adaptation period lasted about two weeks, just enough time to build my circle of friends and gain some confidence with the language. Once that initial obstacle was overcome, everything went smoothly.

What truly made the experience unique, however, were the people I met along the way. It’s not about where you are, but who you are with. I believe Erasmus can certainly be considered an experience of personal growth, but having the right travel companions makes it even more meaningful. In my case, I was fortunate to connect with stimulating, curious, and open‑minded people. And since we were all far from home and outside our comfort zone, we supported each other—some of these people truly became a second family.

How does the Spanish university system work? What are the clear and evident differences compared to the Italian one?

One aspect I perceived as quite different is the teaching method: in Italy, we tend to have large final exams full of theory, which serve as the only evaluation tool. In Spain, instead, assessment is more continuous and based on intermediate activities such as group projects, presentations, and so on.

This greater dynamism also makes the relationship with professors less formal; for example, it is not unusual to address teachers using the informal “tú” in Spain. In Italy, this would be unthinkable unless explicitly requested.

An important question to ask yourself before leaving is: what motivates me to do this? What do I expect from this experience?

In my case, I decided to join the Erasmus+ programme because I felt deep inside that there was so much to see beyond my everyday reality.

It wasn’t about dissatisfaction or a sense of lack—because, in my opinion, leaving to fill inner voids would be a mistake. What pushed me to leave was curiosity: partly satisfied, partly not, because I undoubtedly still have the desire to live many more experiences like this.

In short, I would choose to participate in the Erasmus+ programme a thousand times over.

I would like to conclude this article by quoting the woman known as the “Mother of Erasmus”, Sofia Corradi, an Italian university professor and pedagogist who inspired the creation of the Erasmus+ programme. I invite you to reflect on one of her remarks during an interview with the newspaper La Repubblica, regarding the importance of cultural exchange:

“[…] Exchange is not only part of the student’s cultural dimension, but also on a human level it leads to profound growth that transforms the individual and offers them a new dimension in which to develop their potential. […]”