Travel magazine: the globetrotter’s life

Vol 28, Issue 22, 10th April 2026

This Erasmus experience is particularly defined by travel. Indeed, once you arrive, you want to discover everything, whether it’s your city, the surrounding area, your new country, or neighboring countries. All of this is done in large groups or smaller groups, depending on everyone’s desires and preferences.

There are two “options” when organizing trips. Either there’s a specific destination you want to explore, and you plan the trip accordingly, or you find an inexpensive flight, bus, or train and you go without hesitation, even if you hadn’t initially considered that destination or it didn’t particularly interest you. Speaking of travel organization, this is a major point. In fact, organizing a trip sometimes takes longer than the trip itself. Since there are usually a large number of people going, the planning can be quite time-consuming. Large meetings are organized for this purpose. And these planning processes can take a long time, from finding common ground among everyone, choosing the cheapest option, selecting activities, and so on. But ultimately, this time spent organizing is well worth it for the trip itself.

Having been here in Kouvola since the end of August, I’ve had plenty of time to explore Finland and the surrounding areas. Within Finland, I’ve visited several cities: Kouvola, Porvoo, Helsinki, Kotka, and Rovaniemi. A special mention goes to Porvoo, which was one of my favorite places in Finland, a small, authentic town full of charm. I had a pleasant time in each city, as it’s always enjoyable to discover something new, but it’s true that my best discoveries weren’t in the cities of Finland, but rather in nature, whether it be the forests or the lakes. Indeed, I was able to visit national parks like Repovesi National Park and Nuuksio National Park. I also spent a truly Finnish weekend near Turku. We stayed in a cabin on the edge of a lake, right in the middle of the forest, paradise. I also had the chance to explore Finnish Lapland twice. The first time was to visit Santa Claus Village during the Christmas season, and the second time was for a week with my family. It was one of the best trips of my life, and one of the most immersive experiences.

I also had the opportunity to discover two other countries, specifically two capital cities. First, Tallinn, which I visited three times. Being very close to Helsinki (only two hours by boat), Tallinn is very accessible. I was very surprised by this city. I didn’t expect it to be so charming. The architecture is unique but very traditional in the old town. Among all my visits to the Estonian capital, I was able to explore the Old Town, the street art district, the KGB Museum, and some typical restaurants. If you’re ever near Estonia, I highly recommend a trip there. I also had the chance to visit Stockholm twice. It was my favorite trip. I loved this city. First of all, it’s very large, which allows you to discover a multitude of things. Moreover, it’s a city full of charm thanks to the Old Town, which is typical and very colorful. There’s also the more modern part where you can shop and browse for clothes in secondhand stores and find souvenirs. Stockholm is also a very culturally rich city with all its museums. I was lucky enough to visit the ABBA Museum, which is an interactive museum (karaoke, trying on outfits, dance classes, etc.). I loved this museum, which immerses you in the world of this famous group. I also did typical tourist activities like visiting the subway stations (very impressive and a nice change of pace) and eating the famous meatballs at IKEA.

Ultimately, I can only say thank you to this Erasmus experience, which allowed me to have memorable moments that I won’t soon forget, as well as broaden my knowledge of different cultures and my open-mindedness.