Student interview‑ Erasmus+ Internship in Belgium

Interiew with Andres Salumets, Ecotechnology

Why did you choose to go to Belgium?

There were a few reasons why I chose to go to Belgium. Since I was looking for an internship position and there was an opportunity at VIVES was the first reason. We had already visited VIVES with our program for a study visit and the impressions from the trip were good. Also, the internship qualified for a scholarship from Erasmus+ which really helped.

How was the study life compared to the one in Sweden?

Since I was doing an internship then the study life for me was not like for a general university student. But what I picked up from observing other exchange students was that studying and going to university was more intense than Sweden.

What was your accommodation like?

I was living in a student dorm, which was located 10 minutes walk from the city centre in Kortrijk. The room I was living was quite small, but enough for a single student. In the room, there was a place for clothes, a study table, a single bed and a small fridge with a small freezer compartment. There was also a bathroom with a toilet included in the room. Every floor had a common kitchen and the basement had the biggest kitchen/common area, where students could gather.

What experiences do you take with you?

I got a lot of insight, how academic researchers perform their work and what does their everyday life look like.
I met a lot of interesting people and made friends from different parts of the world.
Also, it was strange to experience the lockdown, because of the Corona pandemic.
But in the end, it was a positive experience and I learnt a lot. I highly recommend others doing an Erasmus+ traineeship!