Erasmus studying programme is not just about the studying in different country and exploring new cultures, traditions or meeting new people. Erasmus program also can be great opportunity to do some voluntary activity, to show social feelings towards the others in different country. It is a chance to show human feelings and that is why ESN organises socials events too. ESN always prepare some social activities for students with the aim to show that Erasmus people have got SOCIAL power and are ready to help other people, animals or nature itself. Nationally organised week called SOCIAL ERASMUS WEEK is week full of social events, activities and is widely popular amongst Erasmus students and ESN members. This term it was organised on 7-13th of November 2016 and ESN KE prepared Blood Donation, Erasmus in School, ECO Kosice and Dog Walking.

Blood Donation is always popular for the reason that your blood can save someone´s else life and it takes just a few minutes of your time. Erasmus in School was this time organised in Sanatorium  centre in Barca which is attended by children who have got problems with behaviour or suffer with attention disorders. Erasmus students visited them and prepare presentation about their countries and later after they were playing funny games together. Kids were very happy and Erasmus students left the centre with positive energy and big smiles on their faces. ECO Kosice event was about helping to clean surrounding of Bankov. Forrest was full of rubbish and Erasmus students helped non-profit environmental organisation KOSAKT, o.z. to collect it. They collected about four full bins of trash even it was very cold day. Even more windy and cold was Sunday, but it didn’t effected around 25 Erasmus students who visited dog shelter with dog´s food and take dogs for little walk on event Dog Walking. 

Erasmus students were happy to join those activities and passionately helped everywhere it was needed. Big thanks goes to all of the participants for showing that THEY DO CARE about SOCIAL ACTIVITIES too. We asked some of them about their opinions about SOCIAL ERASMUS WEEK. Let´s check it and maybe it will persuade you that next time you will join them too.

Author: ESN KE: Natália Uramová and Erasmus students in Kosice 2016/2017

Photos: ESN KE

 

Justine Dollez -TUKE, Cambrai, France and Benjamin Joly- TUKE, Calais, France

First I gave my blood during the blood donation ! I always do it in France so it was important for me to do it, especially when ESN gives us the opportunity. Then me and Benjamin participated in Dog Walking because I really love animals and those dogs need love because they are always alone. We had time, it's was normal to do it even if it was freezing outside!!! We enjoyed a lot these activities! Giving my blood is something which can help people who need it. And it's free to give love to dogs.the dogs made me and Benjamin very happy and all the people wanted to take „their“ dogs home J. I hope at least I help someone that week!! Maybe my blood will help to save somebody's life in Slovakia ! And of course the dogs were really happy too. I think we are lucky to be fit, to have a good health and be able to wake up every day. Everyone doesn't have this luck. We should enjoy each day of our life and help the others as often as we could. Thank you ESN KE team for taking care of us all the time and for doing a lots of activities every weeks ! Reason why our Erasmus is amazing is mainly thanks to you!! So, we wanted help others little bit too and Social Erasmus Week was great chance to do it!

Simona Nicoletti- UPJS, Foggia, Italy

I joined the event Erasmus in School. We visited to sanatorium, where we spent time with children. We showed them presentation about our country (Italy) and we played all together with them. I chose it, as I like children and as Medical student I attended a project in some nursery schools, so I was happy to visit those with some family problems. I liked it very much! I only see positive aspects as it was an opportunity to know a different place and aspect of life in Slovakia. It was a moment of shared love. We made those children happy, laugh and try to speak English with us :) They needed to see some young people and spend some moments in a different way. I think it's very important to take part in SOCIAL activities, as we can help others, or improve our knowledge trying different experience, improve the quality of life and become more sensitive. I'm very happy to be in Kosice and have joined some events of the Social Week. Volunteering is an important part of my life and I was happy to do something here too! Thanks to all ESN guys.

Vivien Lopez Perez-UPJS, Punta Umbría, Spain

I went to a school with children that have some difficulties cause of their "life style" and there in sanatorium we participated in some games to entertain the kids, we showed them some interesting things of our countries which I think can positively influence them and give them some new information about the world that surrounds them. I hope I made them happy at least for that day. I think it is very important to do social activities cause every day society is more and more cold and does not react to this type of injustice. I had a lot of fun and I think it is very good idea to involve foreigners in this type of activities to create a great social atmosphere during your Erasmus stay.

 

Georgica Gheorghe-TUKE, Breaza, Romania

This semester I choosed to participate in 2 social activities namely : Dog walking and ECO Kosice. Why? Booth activities were in open space (I like to do long walks and I like animals), also because of previous experiences from last year social Erasmus, because I wanted to meet new people and to create new friendships and last but not least important because I care about the environment (I have been a student on a program that encourage friendly relations with the environment) and I care about the life of animals which need our help to have a better life! Booth activities were interesting and make those days joyful. I have the opportunity to see autumn in it true beauty. Even that on Sunday was so cold, the energy of the dogs give me enough “fuel” to feel worm and to enjoy the experience! Ps: I like you Blaki- the dog that I meet there!!!

If I like the SOCIAL WEEK? Definitely it is a great opportunity to enjoy Erasmus life. This represent a great way to meet people with the same interests and passions. And feel great to help the people and animals in need! This activities show that they are a truly involve with local communities and that they want to make a better world word everybody. I enjoy every moment! It is so nice when sometimes we do thinks that are totally different from our daily activities! Positive things: I meet new people with the same interests like me, joy of help, fantastic autumn scenery. Negative things: I am so sorry that people that promise to be on ECO Kosice didn’t honor their promise; some activities didn’t get enough attention and that results in low number of participants what is sad.

 

Marie Merete Mäeots -TUKE, Tallinn, Estonia

I chose Blood Donation and Dog Walking. I chose them because they sounded the most appealing and the timing was the best. I enjoyed both activities, but blood donation was a little rough and it was very well organised. Also for dog walking, there was too much waiting because buses go to shelters just few times a day and it could’ve been better if we would know how much time it takes (because a few people wanted to come but weren´t sure if they could make it back to their dorms in time), but otherwise both were amazing. I am positive that I helped and made someone happy. The dogs were very happy and in return they made me enormously happy too. I think it is important to participate in Social Activities and I just hoped the weather would’ve been better so it would’ve been possible to enjoy even more activities. It makes other people happy and also yourself, so it’s a win-win situation. Also gave me inspiration to go and do more social stuff often (like Do Walking). I enjoy every minute of those activities, and now I am sorry that I my Erasmus mobility is ending and I would not have the opportunity to participate in such a nice and helpful  activities! THANK YOU ESN KE!!

 

Andrés Martínez Redondo-TUKE, Huelva, Spain

My chosen activity was Dog Walking and I chosed it because I really like animals and I wanted to feel the experience spending time with them. I really liked this activity, but I would put the day of Dog Walking in the middle of the week, not in the weekend because weather that day was extremely terrible, freezing cold, windy and we all couldn´t enjoy it so much while mainly there were Italian and Spanish people, so you can imagine how we felt. But ESNers looked like they feel cold too. I think that we made happy a lot of dogs, and workers of that place also, of course. Well, it´s important to do social activities during your stay, for personal development I guess. Always you could get something good from that activities. I don´t have more to say, just only try only one activity during your Erasmus stay to experience something another.