The joint trip with the students from the French Lycee CEPMO in Oléron showed that traveling by train across Europe can be relaxing even with a group of 40 people. This was undoubtedly thanks to the experienced young travelers and the two smooth transfers in Linz and Frankfurt. The days spent together in Brussels were intense and eventful. However, the rainy weather and the unseasonably cold temperatures for that time of year were quite draining. The program was diverse, and there was also plenty of time for small groups to explore Brussels. There were guided tours and workshops at the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union. The students particularly enjoyed the role-playing experience at the Parlamentarium, which demonstrated the complexity of the process of passing new laws at the EU level. The Museum of European History was probably the most interesting part of the program, and it became clear to us the significant role the European Union plays in maintaining peace on this continent.

Even though the two-year Erasmus project with Oléron was a considerable effort, the joy of valuable experiences and the wonderful time spent together outweighs it in the end. Some of the students will reunite, and we teachers hope for more exciting exchange projects with CEPMO from Oléron in the future.