ERASMUS CHANGING LIVES OPENING MINDS fOR 25 YEARS

Julien
Pea
‘Erasmus accelerates opportunities and emotions’
Home institution:
University of Franche-Comté, France
Host institution:
University of Birmingham, England
Field of study:
English language, arts
and civilisation
Duration:
9 months (2003)
Before starting his Erasmus exchange, Julien Pea had planned to become an
English teacher. This all changed. ‘On my return I knew I wanted something
else. I wanted to make myself useful to new students arriving at my home university.
So I started an association to support international students.’ This led
to voluntary work for the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and his appointment
in 2006 to a national position. In this role his team bid for and hosted the 2008
Annual General Meeting of the International ESN which welcomed over 500
student representatives to France.
During his time abroad, he decided to live with local rather than international
students. ‘This gave me a different perspective on British life. It helped me to
see the cultural differences, understand accents and recognise the many ways
that misunderstandings can occur.’
Today he works at a European Information Centre in France. His experience of
Erasmus continues to inform his work and his voluntary activities with ESN.
Looking back it is clear that the exchange changed his career plans and aspirations.
‘The social benefits of Erasmus, and there are many, make you look at
things differently. It made me want to do more. It provided opportunities for
me; it informed my career choice and my perception of myself.’
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