Trina Radkovič, a student on the Management in Modern Business programme, completed her Erasmus+ work placement in Lisbon, where she combined gaining professional experience, discovering new cultures and personal growth. As an event planning intern at Erasmus Life Lisboa, she helped organise and deliver activities for international students while gaining insight into working in a dynamic international environment.
From Event Planning to Taking Responsibility Independently
Trina's work involved planning, organising, promoting and delivering various events, communicating with international students and creating promotional content for social media. An important part of her placement was independently managing individual events, taking responsibility for communicating with participants, organising activities and ensuring they ran smoothly. As she emphasises in her report, working independently was a valuable opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience: »One particularly important experience was managing certain events independently, as I had to take responsibility myself, plan how the event would run, communicate with participants, respond to unexpected situations and find my way through situations where communicating in English was not an option.«
The work enabled her to develop her organisational and communication skills, learn to adapt quickly to unexpected situations and gain experience working in an international organisation.
Life in an International Environment Broadens Horizons
Erasmus+ mobility was important not only for gaining professional experience but also for experiencing everyday life in a different cultural environment. In Lisbon, Trina lived with flatmates from different backgrounds, discovered the Portuguese way of life and communicated daily with people of various nationalities. The experience helped her develop intercultural and social competencies, build confidence in communicating in English and become more open to different perspectives and customs. »When you are surrounded every day by people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, you discover different ways of living, thinking and seeing the world.« Living abroad also taught her greater independence, patience and the ability to accept unexpected situations. At the same time, she got to know herself better and realised just how much she enjoys living in an international environment.
An Experience That Stays with You Long After Returning Home
At the end of her mobility period, Trina reflected on how important the experience had been for her personal and professional development. She was so captivated by Lisbon that, towards the end of her placement, she even considered how wonderful it would be to stay there longer. »Above all, I realised that living abroad really suits me and that I would gladly choose a similar experience again in the future.« The entire experience helped her become more independent, adaptable and self-confident. She also recognised the importance of teamwork, good communication and accepting different perspectives – competencies she will be able to apply throughout her future professional career.
Trina's Message to Students: Seize the Opportunity!
Trina would gladly recommend the Erasmus+ programme to other students. She understands that deciding to go abroad can involve uncertainty, but her own experience has shown her that such a decision can bring far more than we expect.
»In my opinion, Erasmus+ is not just an opportunity to study or gain professional experience abroad – it is so much more than that.«
In her view, international mobility offers an opportunity to gain new knowledge, meet people from different countries and cultures, and grow personally. Living in a different environment encourages us to step outside our comfort zones, become more independent and discover new sides of ourselves.
At DOBA University of Applied Sciences, we are delighted by the stories of students who broaden their horizons, develop their competencies and courageously discover new opportunities through international experiences. We thank Trina for sharing her experience with us and wish her every success in her future professional and personal journey.
