IRO UNMO Blog: BedBugz

At the beginning of July, the six of us from our university packed our bags and set off for a week that would become one of the most memorable experiences of our student lives. Our destination was Almería, a sunny city in the south of Spain, and the reason was the Erasmus+ Summer School.

Although we study Information Technology, this exchange gave us the opportunity to step outside the usual boundaries of our field. We had the chance to learn from professors from different countries and explore topics such as From Idea to Market and Distinguishing Facts from Opinions. It was refreshing to learn about something completely different from what we were used to, especially through new, interactive and fun ways of learning.

But what made this exchange truly special were the people we met. During the week, we met students from Japan, India, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and many other parts of the world. We worked on projects together, learned from one another, shared our experiences and, perhaps most importantly, made friendships that now literally cross continents. Suddenly, we have friends all around the world, something that sounds like it belongs in a movie, but happened to us in just seven days.

And then there was Almería. After university, the day wasn’t over, it was only beginning. The beach, the sea, huge waves, palm trees and the sun that seemed to have absolutely no intention of going to sleep. In Almería, summer really does feel like it lasts a little longer than elsewhere, and with the sun setting around 10 p.m., we constantly had the feeling that the day simply refused to end. We could probably describe the whole experience in one sentence: “Never Ending Midnight Sun.”

Another special part of our stay was our friend from ESN Almería, who welcomed us like a true local host. He showed us around the city, took us to some of its most interesting landmarks and introduced us to its rich history. Thanks to him, we didn’t just visit Almería, in those few days, we truly got to know it.

And wherever we looked, there was something beautiful to discover: the sea, the sun, palm trees, old towers, fortresses and lively streets. Even a simple walk to university could feel like a little sightseeing adventure.

This exchange gave us so much more than just a week in Spain. We learned new things, met people and discovered cultures we might never have had the chance to encounter otherwise, stepped outside our comfort zones and, perhaps most importantly, got to know ourselves a little better.

And the six of us? I think we became much closer during those seven days than we ever expected. We shared every moment, from lectures and projects to beach days, walks, laughter and those conversations that somehow always lasted much longer than planned.

The only thing we were missing was a few extra hours in the day. Because when there is so much to learn, so many people to meet and so many places to explore, one week is simply not long enough.

Would we pack our bags and go back to Almería all over again?