Going to the internship in Graz was a wonderful experience. It all started when I realized that I was done with the exams and that my studies had come to an end. I panicked and decided to apply for Erasmus, which is mentioned to students every year. And so I applied, waited impatiently and finally received an E-mail that I had received a scholarship.
Before I applied, I was already in contact with Professor Schilld from the University of Biomolecular Sciences in Graz. Arriving at the University, I was fascinated by the appearance of the university, the campus and the equipment of the laboratories. The labs I worked in were BSL 2 and 3 degrees, and we did experiments with E. coli and Vibrio cholera. This internship taught me how to work independently, how to write a protocol and how to design an experiment. I also got excellent mentors who would sometimes let me make mistakes so that I could come to explanations and conclusions on my own. I also perfected my skills in handling instruments in the lab and became independent and confident in my knowledge and skills.
In addition to working in the lab every day, I also made friends with whom I still speak today. We travelled together on weekends, hung out together during the week and explored the charms of Graz. The city is wonderful and I would recommend it to everyone. Like Osijek, Graz is a student city, so everything is full of young people who sit and hang out at a picnic in the park, ride bicycles along the river and wander around the city in the evening with lots of events. Everyday events, socializing with students from all over the world and stories about their studies and their country encouraged us all to visit each other after Erasmus. This Erasmus mobility motivated me to apply for another one and to explore another country for a couple of months and make new friends who will mark this period of my life.
