The 2 millionth Erasmus student 
Yesterday's enemies, today's friends
Mr. Thomas Hörzer: Erasmus study mobility from the University of Graz, Austria, to the University of Poitiers, France
Erasmus helped Thomas Hörzer on his way from his alma mater in Graz, Austria to the medieval French town of Poitiers, where he studied history for a semester.
"My Erasmus semester was a rocky ride from start to finish – but what a ride! When I arrived in Poitiers, I didn’t know anyone; I couldn’t speak French and didn’t even have a flat. In fact, I found myself couch surfing at the beginning of my course. My first lecture at the University of Poitiers was another memorable experience. It was called "Spanish History in the first half of the 20th century". I remember its title so clearly because that’s about all I understood of it.
But things changed fast over the six months I lived in France. My circle of friends spread rapidly across the university campus. The Erasmus bureau helped me find somewhere to live. My French improved rapidly, so following lectures became easier, too. I took on new modules, including a course in French Civilisation, which turned out to be one of the highlights of my semester. It made a bridge between my studies and the world I woke up in every day.
My warmest memories are those of the times I spent with my Erasmus friends. We set off on road trips across France and lived it up in the bars and weekly Erasmus parties in Poitiers. One night, while I was out with a French student, an American, a Canadian and two Germans, we stopped and realised how lucky we were to be talking together, rather than pointing guns at each other as used to be the trend in Europe until just a couple of generations ago. To me that’s the essence of the Erasmus programme. It’s about getting to know other people and learning from other cultures. I’m delighted to have been a part of it."
Thomas Hörzer (Austria) was selected as the 2 000 000th Erasmus student for his impressive career - starting off as a blue-collar farm worker, attending evening classes to get access to university, and for being a special needs student due to a heart transplantation for which he needs regular check-ups at a close by transplantation centre.
