The ERASMUS mobility program gives a great opportunity to visit new countries and know more about the studying system across the world. I have chosen Portugal as a country, where I wanted to study during ERASMUS mobility program. I have gone there for one semester and I really enjoyed this time!
I was studying in ESAD (Escola Superior de Artes e Design) and I really liked studying in there! All the facilities were on the highest level, everyone from the administration and student offices were very helpful and friendly.
This university was in Porto city, and now I can say, that this city became one of my favorites. I have never seen such a big city, that keeps its traditions and keeps going further in technology sphere. People there have similar mentality to Latvian, so living among them felt like I have visited someplace in my country, but with unexpected views and architecture. Also, I have seen the Atlantic Ocean for the first time of my life and I really liked that we had an opportunity to pick a city in such a beautiful location!
In the university studying process I have discovered many new things in Design sphere, so that will help me in future. There I have discovered new design methods, have understood new software for creating much more projects. Also, I have learned 3D Animation principles, thanks to great teachers, that gave the students curiosity to learn new and complex things.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 situation affected the studying schedule a bit, but teachers made their best to prevent much more damage from this situation. They have made online lecture schedule, so that every student could catch up all the information needed for successfully completing studies. During this time, the teachers organized a big project for us, where students from different courses collaborated with the target to make a big project, involving all the knowledge, that they had. This gave us a greatMareks Pepsis opportunity to learn, how to work in a team on the distance,  because every meeting was set online in Google Classroom, so this was new for us and for the teachers. Everyone has made their best to create a great project and it was very interesting to watch, how people with different culture background can produce unique project and fit so many ideas in one final presentation.
This ERASMUS mobility program gave me a lot of new knowledge, friends and emotions. During this time, I have become more confident in my design skills, I have learned, how to organize my ideas into the project. This is very useful experience for every student, who wants to work globally, with people from different countries and with different mentality.

Mareks Pepsis