REPORT ON ERASMUS PROGRAMME INTRODUCTION The aims of this report are to: 1. give an overview of the Erasmus programme 2. comment on one improvable aspect 3. give some constructive suggestions to change the situation As prepration for this report, I interviewed a cross-section of students from my university who took part in the Erasmus programme recently. Furthermore I returned to Venice two months ago after being in France on the Erasmus programme. For that reason, I obtained some information also from my personal experience. THE ERASMUS PROGRAMME At present, the Erasmus programme is a very good opportunity for students to go abroad for one semester or one academic year and attend classes at a foreign university. There are, indeed, many advantage: improving a language, meeting new people from all over the world, living abroad, becoming more independent and descovering a new culture. ONE IMPROVABLE ASPECT While the students interviewed liked the programme, and in particular loved the experience of living abroad, the general feeling was that they did not spend many time with local students and locals in general for the folowing reasons: - they did not have many chances to meet locals - local students usually live together - they did not know the usual places where locals met up - language and cultural barrier Most students I spoke to would have liked to meet locals and spend more time with them, instead of going out always with other Erasmus students. RECOMMENDATIONS In my view, the host university should organise some events in order to get local students and Erasmus students known each other. They should set up: -a speaking club to give the opportunity to learn our improve languages -excursions to show students around the city or even the country -debates about international problems in which all students can take part.

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REPORT ON ERASMUS PROGRAMME

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The aims of this report are to:
1. give an overview of the Erasmus programme
2. comment on one improvable aspect
3. give some constructive suggestions to change the situation

As prepration for this report, I interviewed a cross-section of students from my university who took part in the Erasmus programme recently. Furthermore I returned to Venice two months ago after being in France on the Erasmus programme. For that reason, I obtained some information also from my personal experience.

 

THE ERASMUS PROGRAMME

 

At present, the Erasmus programme is a very good opportunity for students to go abroad for one semester or one academic year and attend classes at a foreign university. There are, indeed, many advantage: improving a language, meeting new people from all over the world, living abroad, becoming more independent and descovering a new culture.

 

ONE IMPROVABLE ASPECT

 

While the students interviewed liked the programme, and in particular loved the experience of living abroad, the general feeling was that they did not spend many time with local students and locals in general for the folowing reasons:
- they did not have many chances to meet locals
- local students usually live together
- they did not know the usual places where locals met up
- language and cultural barrier

Most students I spoke to would have liked to meet locals and spend more time with them, instead of going out always with other Erasmus students.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

In my view, the host university should organise some events in order to get local students and Erasmus students known each other. They should set up:
-a speaking club to give the opportunity to learn our improve languages
-excursions to show students around the city or even the country
-debates about international problems in which all students can take part

Italian students vs unemployment: who is going to win? Everybody knows it is a hard time for students in Italy. In this period of crisis, unemployed is rising as never before. Recent studies showed that a third of the country's young people are unemployed. It is easy to understand that the atmosphere between young people in not so relaxed. Most undergraduates in my country feel a bit unsure about their future employement prospects. Although, this not certain situation gives them more motivation to do their best. They understood the importance of being the best at doing something, does not matter what it is. They have never been so determined to achieve their goals. They are motivated to study and obtain their degree. Most of them, indeed, think that it is extremely important to keep on studying and to obtain a master degree or even a Ph.D. They are aware that the higher qualification you have, the greatest possibility there are to get a job - and why not a good one. In their opinion it is also important to have experience - better in another country - and to be always ready and flexible for any changes or variations. They believe that they need to be prepared to adapt theirselves in each kind of situations because the world is changing very quickly and your future plans could change from one day to another. But almost all of them agree to keep hopeful and confident - it is essantial to believe in yourself and in what you do. Hovewer, some undergraduates in my country see the situation very differently. They feel very negative and are likely to consider only the bad side of the situation. They think that nothing will change, and so it does not matter that they have a degree or not because anyway there is no work - and according with recent statistics, they are not so wrong. They are likely to behave in a passive way and avoid all possibilities their university offers such as Erasmus, Overseas project, internships and so on. They do not want to spend any time, money or energy to make things better. Clearly there arguments on both sides, but one thing we can be certain of is that economic and employment problems will not go away in the near future.

Essay: Use and dangers of social media It is generally thought that we live in a world that is changing very quickly. Tecnology is now part of our lives: computers, mobile phones, Internet, social networks have changed our lifestyle. In particular, the use of social media has become very popular in the last few years. Consequently, we need to be aware of the use and dangers of social media. As far as my experience is concerned, I use social media every day and I find them extremely useful. On the one hand I can keep in touch with my friends from all over the world, find new people to practise languages with, share pictures, videos, music and opinions; on the other hand I can always be informed about news, events and job vacancies. If I do not know something there is always the right social media that can help me to find out what the answer is. However, I believe that social media has their dangers which might be encountered by the unaware. In a recent study, students from the University of Venice, Italy, were interviewed about social media. The interviews showed that all of them make use of social media and agree with their usefulness. By the way, most of them admitted that he/she uses social media at least 2 hours a day and thinks life would be harder without them. Moreover they recognised that they prefer to solve problems by using social media. For example they do not ask someone for the right direction but they simply find it out thanks to social media. As a result, contacts with strangers are usually avoided, keeping away any possibilities of interaction. Besides this problem, a few of them are aware that most of information in the internet is not reliable. In fact, everybody can share their opinions and give their contribute by writing articles or giving information that can not be trusted, as they are not written by a recognised source. To sum up, social media can be very useful if they are used consciously. In fact, we should always be able to solve problems by ourselves or with people's help and enjoy a place or a moment without sharing a photo on social media.

Article How should a good and capable teacher be in American students' opinion? A website collects and updates judgments that college students give about their teachers. The amount of these marks is one of the most important factors in order to orientate future students' choices and employ new teachers in case there is a vacancy. The educator Lorenzo Milani said: don't ask me what you need to do to teach well, but how you need to be. American students seem to agree. They do look at the teacher's knowledge of the subject and his organisation skills, but for them it's worth more the passion , the sense of humor, personal availability and umanity. In the United States of America these characteristics appear the foundamental traits of the professor who is able to catch the eye of his students.

Story He began, instead, to feel hungry and around two o'clock he came back to the cabin to take some bread and some cheese for him and the man. The moon lit up the cut forest as if it was day. The two men were eating sitting one in front of the other and, then, Guglielmo offered a cigarette to the charcoal buner. But he preferred to light his pipe. Up to that moment they had exchanged just around ten words, all conserning what to do. But now a sort of conversation began, also because there was a break in the work since the warm of the oven was assured. Giglielmo asked him how many years he has been doing that job. "Forty" replied the man. " "Since I was eleven. I began going with my dad. He had taught me everything I know about this job."

Article about Juno When she collected(/picked up) the Oscar for the screenplay of Juno, everybody was open-mouthed(/agape): Diablo Cody, 29-year-old, a stripper past and a golden future in the Hollywood industry, made her appearance (/showed up/turned up) on the Academy stage with a short spotted skirt, earrings with skull and a huge tatoo on her right shoulder, representing a woman in bikini. Even though (/However), nobody better than this girl, who cuts her fringe by herself, represents, today, the American dream. The first screenplay of her life, written on the tables of a Starbucks Coffee, became the movie of the year: Juno, 130 million takings, won the "Festa di Roma" and then the Oscar. Taken and adapted from "La Repubblica", 14 March 2008

Story Ettore went out from Bianco's house. He wasn't happy but relaxed, he felt like he has already been working there for a long time even if it has been just for two days. At Bianco's he worked until ten and he needed to kill the two hours that still remained before the morning turn at the chocolate factory. He went down to the bar and he saw two farmers entering into the biliard room. A waiter brought the aperitives, the two men took off their jacket, put the top of the tie into their shirt, kept the hat on their head, chose the cues as if they were choosing guns for a duel. All of that without talking, without looking at each other, just making grimaces because of the smoke that was going up their nose from the cigarettes that they have never taken out from their mouth. Ettore offered to keep the points in a gesture. The two men asked to bring him a glass of red wine and they passed him some cigarettes. Around two times there was disagreement about the points because Ettore was distracted, he was trying to image the face that that old fascist would have that evening.

Story The smuggler came at my tend to sell me some soap. I bought three yellow bright pieces for one dollar. When he saw that I liked spending money, he took my arm and brought me at Foucauld's tomb. He spoke the thirty-word-French of nomads crossing the Sarah, the one I learned quickly as well. He showed me, by pointing it out by his gun, the landscape. He told me that what I saw - and I saw the sun rising in that infinity of mountains and valleys where now I see it setting down - it was not at all the great beauty of Hoggar. If I wanted, he would bring me to see a secret and fascinating place for other ten dollars and a tank of petrol for his jeep. I went there because one of the first things I've been taught is that nomads don't kill and don't steal from foreigners if they are their guests, was it only their Toyota.