Andra Dobre works in the communication department of the National Agency for Community Programmes in the Field of Education and Vocational Training and is passionate about education. This interview was led by Ana-Ștefania Diță, who is a student in Journalism at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucharest. The interview was curated by Sorin Mărghitaș, editor at EURACTIV Romania.
Andra Dobre on the Erasmus Experience: “Learning is Something That Will Stay With Me”
How did you end up going on an Erasmus program? Was it something you wanted, or did it happen unexpectedly?
I wouldn’t say it was unexpected. I wanted it. I first heard about Erasmus when I was in high school. I studied intensive French in the Mathematics-Computer Science department at Gheorghe Lazăr National College, and the school had projects, so I already knew about these inter-school programs. Back then, Erasmus mobility programs, especially university studies, were more well-known, just as they are today. Since high school, I knew I wanted to participate in an Erasmus mobility program at some point.
When I started university, something happened in 2006, I believe, when Romania hosted a Francophonie Summit. I was a student at the time and found out about it from former high school classmates. They were looking for French-speaking volunteers. I applied, along with my boyfriend at the time, but because he didn’t complete his online application properly, he wasn’t selected for an interview. I, on the other hand, took my time, wrote more, and shared my experiences, so I passed the interview. For a week, we were trained by Romanians from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Canadians. It was an intense and comprehensive training, from which I learned a lot. After that experience at the Francophonie Summit, I knew for sure that I wanted to go on an Erasmus exchange – it was a defining moment.
Did you participate in Erasmus programmes through youth organisations or just for studies?
Unfortunately, I only benefited from the academic side of Erasmus and did not engage in non-formal learning projects. I had to study mobility while studying Law. In my third year, I spent a semester in France at the Université d’Orléans, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Management. Later, I attended another Erasmus mobility program – a summer school with zero grant funding. This meant that the program didn’t cover my costs because I was already working for Erasmus+. Later, when I started a master’s degree in History and Philosophy of Culture in 2022, during the pandemic, I attended another summer school in France, in Aix-en-Provence.
Why did you choose France over another country?
I chose France because I spoke French very well, and since it was a university-level program, I thought it was the best choice. At the time, the way universities promoted these programs made them seem somewhat elitist. Today, I see things differently because what the European Union actually wants with Erasmus is to make these programs more accessible. The goal is to reach as many students and pupils as possible, not just the best ones. I met many students in France, for example, from Spain, who didn’t have an advanced level of French but took it as a challenge, a learning experience, and an opportunity to improve their language skills.
How was your first Erasmus experience?
It was challenging because I left without having accommodation arranged. I went with a classmate and close friend. When we arrived, a fellow student who had already been there for a few months let us stay at her place, but we slept on the floor. It was a learning experience, for sure. Being born and raised in Bucharest, I had never lived in a dorm; I had always stayed at home with my parents, sheltered. In France, I found myself on my own and had to manage everything. We bought some mattresses from Carrefour, I remember, and eventually, we found an apartment in the city center. Ironically, we rented it from a student who was leaving for her own Erasmus exchange in Bilbao.
What are the differences between a student going on an Erasmus exchange through university and one participating in a youth organization project?
I think volunteering can be more challenging, and I mean that in both positive and negative ways. The learning process can be more intense. In a university setting, things are structured – you know you’ll attend classes, earn credits, and have a clear institutional framework. On the other hand, volunteers have a lot of freedom. For example, in Timișoara, volunteers from FIT and the European Solidarity Corps helped renovate hydroelectric plants and transform them into youth centers. You can do amazing things. I wish I had experienced a volunteer programme as well.
What did you learn from your Erasmus experience?
I learned that it will always be more than what you planned, deeper than what you imagined. My initial goal was to improve my French and study law in a country whose legal system heavily influenced Romania’s. But beyond that, you learn how to interact with people from different cultures – whether international or French students – the local culture was different. Professors were incredibly polite, almost excessively so. One thing that shocked me was how they held the door open for students to enter the lecture hall. That never happened to me in Romania.
France is also a country with many rules and a highly formal culture. Even among students, I noticed differences. I remember we quickly became friends with a French student from a mixed family – her father was British, and her mother was French. She sort of adopted us, and we would have meals together. Interestingly, even among themselves, French students used formal language until they became close.
Did you love Erasmus so much that it influenced your career choice, or was it pure passion?
Looking back, I wouldn’t say it was purely coincidental. In just a short time, I will have been working at the agency for 15 years, so it’s clear that I love what I do. It’s much easier for me to promote Erasmus programs since I am a direct beneficiary of them. I wasn’t fully aware that my Erasmus experience influenced my career, but in 2017, the French agency invited us to a celebration in Paris at the Odeon Theater for Erasmus’ 30th anniversary. That moment made me realise that exactly ten years earlier, in 2007, I had taken the same flight to Paris for my own Erasmus exchange. This time, I was going in a different role. Everything connected, and it wasn’t random. It’s something I truly believe in, and regardless of whether I continue working in this field or not, learning is something that will stay with me.
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