Our podcast journey
Making Europe Real: Brussels Experience - Alessandro and Girgia from Italy
Our podcast journey through Europe continues in Italy, where Alessandro (17) and Giorgia (18), two graphic design students at SFP Canossiana in Treviso share their personal European experience.
They were "very nervous" before departing for Belgium. Their primary concern? The language barrier. Like many students, they feared their English skills wouldn't be enough to foster real connections.
The breakthrough came through non-verbal collaboration. One of the most memorable activities was a team-building exercise involving spaghetti, marshmallows, and paper. By building physical towers together, the students built social ones too. Alessandro and Giorgia formed a lasting bond with a group of Greek students—a friendship that continues today via digital chat.
For Giorgia, the visit to the European Parliament was more than a tourist stop; it was an emotional realization. "It made me feel much more included in the European Union," she shares. "It’s no longer just something you read about in books; it’s a place where you belong."
They describe the Erasmus experience as a "small vision of the world," offering a glimpse into different customs and lifestyles. Despite the constant sirens and the crowded streets of Brussels, they were struck by how calm the people remained—a sharp contrast to their expectations of a busy capital.
Listen now to the full episode to discover more!
