A lot of things had have happened, but the feeling of fun and excitement during my summer term at Varna University of Management still lingers in my heart. As an undergraduate student, it is a life-changing opportunity for me to participate in Erasmus+ Student Mobility since I get to study in a prestigious school in Bulgaria.
However, it wasn't that easy. I admit it was quite challenging for me in the beginning because a diverse group of people surrounds me, and adjusting to that kind of environment was harder than I thought. Fortunately, I met many newfound friends from various countries such as India, Mozambique, Albania, Cyprus, Iran, Uganda, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Portugal. We even had our regular gatherings where I got to taste an array of cuisines from different countries. Thus, these people eventually became my comfort zone during my hard times and the pillar of my happiness until today.
During my 6-months stay in Bulgaria, the learnings I had did not stop from the four corners of our classroom. Instead, it happens every day since people with different cultures, backgrounds, and behaviors surround me. I learned to speak their basic terms such as Zdrasti (Hello), Dobur den (Good afternoon), and Blagodarya ti (Thank you). When I met my Bulgarian friend, he roamed us around Dobrich to taste their Banitsa, Moussaka, and Shopska Salata, traditional Bulgaria foods. Furthermore, their way of shaking their heads to mean "yes" had me confused in the beginning. Still, eventually, I adopted it, and I feel like a Bulgarian now. I also celebrated Baba Marta at our university, where we made bracelets which we are to give to people we love and care the most.
Above all, this Erasmus+ Student Mobility allowed me to discover other cultures, which is essential for me as a tourism student. They indirectly taught me openness and appreciation towards diversified environments.