Erasmus+ or Turing Internships Which Accommodation Type is Right for You?
Are you planning an Erasmus+ or Turing internship? If so, you might be considering your accommodation options – this piece is designed to help you make the right decision.
Did you know that there are different types of accommodation possibilities you could choose for your Erasmus+ or Turing stay? We’ll focus on giving you an overview of staying in an apartment or living with a host family during your Erasmus+ or Turing internship abroad. Whether you’re wondering what the best choice is for your needs, the pros and cons between staying in an apartment or with a host family or perhaps what potential issues could arise, read on to find out more.
The most important thing to consider before making your decision is the type of accommodation, so, do you prefer living on your own or do you like to have company when you get home from a day at work? There’s a lot to think about before you make that final decision!
The best advice when choosing between the two options — a host family or an apartment — is to truthfully think about your personality and character traits.
If you want to immerse yourself into the culture of the country that you’re staying in, it’s probably better to live with a host family. In doing so, you’ll have also more structure in your life. You’ll enjoy shared meals because you’ll eat with the family too, as a good example.
There will also be somebody waiting for you after work. You’ll likely feel more security and safety, so it’s good for you (and your parents!), if you’re younger or less experienced when it comes to living alone.
Now’s a good time to mention the independence that comes with staying in an apartment, it’s a real benefit, if you want to explore being pretty much entirely independent during your Erasmus+ or Turing internship! You’ll have to buy and prepare food by yourself. If you’re a picky eater and there is someone possibly cooking food that you aren’t sure you’ll enjoy, an apartment will likely be better for you. You’ll cook your own meals and you don’t have to worry about your selective palate! Of course, if you want flexibility to eat when you want to rather than being with a host family when you have to eat at the same time that they do, an apartment option will work better.
Another advantage of the apartment option could be that you don’t necessarily need to live alone. Perhaps you could join up with one or two students from your home country doing the Erasmus+ or Turing internship in the same destination as you? Or you could find a shared flat with either international students or even locals. Working or studying abroad can be overwhelming at times, so having others around can be a good stress-reliever but you also have your own space too, when you want it.
Finally, you will have to think about the costs involved. It could be that you can decide to live on your own, because much of the costs are included in the program, but this has to be checked separately and extra budget might have to come from your own pocket.
There are pros and cons with any experience in your Erasmus+ or Turing internship, so no matter where you stay, your experience is what you make it. Don’t think that because you don’t want to stay with a host family that you can’t immerse yourself in the country’s culture. You’ll have ample time to engage and interact with local people and the culture too. If you step outside your comfort zone, meet new people and try new things, you’ll get much more out of your experience. Go into your new environment with an open mind and try to remain positive throughout your time away.
At TravelEdventures we will help you to find the right accommodation type for your stay! We also help you with the organisation. We offer the biggest range of Erasmus+ projects and we are the perfect match for people looking for high-quality Erasmus+ project management, so if you want to get on board or delve deeper into an Erasmus+ or Turing project please get in touch with us.
If you haven’t yet decided on the accommodation type you want, we can start talking about your options, apartment or host family? Or maybe you’d rather stay in the hospitality industry, then our blog on Hostel vs. Hotel might be of interest to you.
Our guide for Erasmus+ funding applicants and our Handbook for Erasmus+ Project Management & Execution provide you with useful information regarding the application process.
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