Anika Bansal (MF): "I came back with the best version of myself"

Erasmus+ studies in the Czech Republic

Hello! My name is Anika Bansal and I am originally from India. I study Mechanical Engineering at my home university VILNIUS TECH. With the end of my Erasmus+ program, I have just completed my second year. It was an experience worth sharing about. An experience that changed everything for me.

I did my Erasmus+ study mobility at Brno Technical University, Brno, the Czech Republic for one semester and my course was the same as at VILNIUS TECH (Mechanical Engineering). I had chosen the subjects that I found similar to the ones I have at VILNIUS TECH. But, since I still had some credits remaining, I was able to choose freely what I would like to learn. C Programming was one of them. All of my courses were in English and the best part was that all the teachers had amazing English speaking skills and exceptional knowledge of their fields and all of them were involved in projects or were reputed for their past work and publishments. The subject that interested me the most was Engineering drawing because it's the most interesting part of Engineering in general, to visualize, design, and then bring it to life.

It was overall a life-changing experience for me which I will always remember and always advice people to go for it. The process was smooth and there were some tricks and ways I learned to get there. For instance, buying insurance from my bank (Lithuanian) which was cheap, quick, and online. Also booking university's suggested accommodation beforehand which also saved me a lot of money but I also kept back up options like searching for apartments on the side. Ryanair flights and Erasmus student discount saved the day for me. If you have an ESN card, you can avail Ryanair Erasmus offer where you get free luggage and also a flight discount for 2 round trips.

This exchange was an opportunity for me to discover myself and experiment with myself. There, I wasn‘t who I always was, but actually, I tried to be how I always wanted to be. It was a new city, new people, a new chance. I used it to my advantage and came back with the best version of myself.

I would highly recommend students who are in any kind of technical field to go to this specific Erasmus+ study mobility. Why? Because the Czech Republic turned out to be everything you must‘ve heard about it. It‘s safe and cheap. Brno is absolutely a student city. Every second person you will meet will be a student for sure. It has a lot to do with and is a perfect place to socialize with people who find themselves in trouble initiating friendships as the city becomes familiar so quick that people will approach you and you will discover yourself making new and deeper relationships. I found people from every country possible including mine which is India so settling in didn‘t take me long. Everyone was kind and understanding. The Czech culture was so interesting and their love for beer is still unbeatable. I learned their language and tried to blend in just in one semester. 

I have made memories of a lifetime, gained experience which will surely be fruitful for me in the future, and learned things I would‘ve never learned if I hadn‘t gone for it. Just as my Erasmus+ went heavenly, I wanted to highlight how smooth the process has been from start to end and how much the International Relations Office of VILNIUSTECH helped me at every step. I will undoubtedly go for it again very soon. To discover a new side of you, GO STUDY WITH ERASMUS+.