Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Hi! I am Carla, a postgraduate student from Spain. This year I am in my third Erasmus exchange in England. The Erasmus programme has had a major impact on me becoming an adult, both in the personal and academic arenas.  If I was to describe this experience, it would be as an adrenaline rush. The uncertainty and self-doubt when packing the suitcase is diluted when you land at your destination and find out that you can bloom outside your comfort zone. This is for me what makes Erasmus an extraordinary experience. There is an opportunity to start from scratch, a blank slate on which to imprint new memories, friendships and experiences, while sharing who you are with the locals and other international students. In the context of a global pandemic, my exchange in Reading feels more like a leap of faith. I do not know how it will end and what I will have accomplished by the time I leave. But this is the spirit of the Erasmus programme after all: nothing ventured, nothing gained!