Evelyn

Evelyn is one of the participants in our Erasmus+ mobility project and, through our collaboration with Eslövs Folkhögskola, she recently completed a month's internship at a nursery in Palermo, Italy. 

What motivated you to go to Italy for an internship?

First of all, I didn't have much experience working in nurseries, so I wanted to gain a broader perspective and see how things are done there. 

Tell us a little about yourself: what have you studied and what were your expectations for the internship in Italy?

I have studied to become a nursery assistent at Eslövs Folkhögskola. I didn’t have many expectations beforehand. I had been told that they didn’t speak much English there, so I thought I would mostly observe. I expected that I might get the chance to plan and lead some activities or games.

In the end, my expectations were completely exceeded. I was given a lot of responsibility and had several opportunities to organise activities for the children. 

Was it difficult to communicate with your colleagues because of the language?

I had two colleagues who spoke English, so that worked out very well. I also used Google Translate from time to time. The others were very welcoming and tried to communicate by speaking some English and using body language. It actually worked surprisingly well. 

Did you manage to learn any of the language?

Yes, a few words and phrases. 

What is your best memory from your internship?

One of my favourite moments was when the children began to feel safe with me and trusted me enough to come to me if something was wrong. Sometimes they would come and sit with me and give me a hug. It was so lovely, even though we didn’t always understand each other.

The children also wanted to teach me Italian. There was a girl from Ukraine who didn’t speak Italian either, but everything still worked very well, both for the children and for me. It was a wonderful experience. 

How was your stay in Italy?

The accommodation was excellent. I lived in a spacious flat near the harbour, and the owner lived one floor above. Everything I needed was there, and they were very welcoming.

Did you feel adequately prepared before going to Italy? Is there anything you wish had been different?

Perhaps I would have liked a little more information about what was expected of me and about the nursery itself. Otherwise, everything was great.

Was there anything that didn’t live up to your expectations?

No, not at all.

Would you recommend this experience to other students?

Absolutely!

One of the best things about this experience is that I gained new perspectives on how things work in other countries and can compare them with how things are done in Sweden. For example, in Sweden we are not allowed to leave children alone, whereas in Italy the children were given more independence. 

This has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. The nursery even told me that I would always be welcome to come back.