This person is also called a mentor. His/her ward is called a mentee. But who are we talking about? We are talking about a student who has decided to help an exchange student arriving to his/her country under the Erasmus+ programme.
How to become a mentor? It is very easy. You just need to follow a website or fanpage of your local ESN section because they organize recruitment every semester so that you can become a mentor. Usually the only thing you are required to do is fill a form. Except for being asked about your personal data and contact details, you will be asked about your interests, hobbies, command of foreign languages, how many foreign students you are able to help and why you want to become a mentor. You can also indicate a country which you want your mentees to come from. The aim of this is to be matched with the other person in a best way possible.
So, how to be a good ESNbuddy? First of all, you need to contact your mentees as soon as you get matched. Do not put it off as they may want to ask a lot of questions and you are usually the only one who can answer them. You should ask them when they are arriving to your country and if they have already found accommodation. It is common that you will have to help them find it.
You can also be asked to pick them up from the airport or the station when they arrive. Apart from this, it’s worth taking them to a restaurant where they could try some traditional food. It will be an exceptional occasion to get to know each other and answer all the questions they wish to ask. It is vital that you read some stuff on manners in their countries. In this way you will avoid making any blunders. You should pay special attention to gestures because a gesture which means something positive in our country can offend foreigners. At the same time you should inform them about stuff which is thought to be insulting in your country and about things which can make them pay a fine such as crossing the road on a red light or drinking alcohol in public places. You should also ask if they need help to register for their classes. It is often done with an online university system and it can cause problems at the beginning. Also, they may need help to buy a personal ticket to be entitled to use public transport and to create a bank account. What is more, it is worth reminding them to buy an insurance policy if they have not done it in their own countries and show them university buildings where they will have their classes, especially if they are not located in one place. Except for that, show them around the city in which they will be studying for the next few months. Also, it seems to be a great idea to teach them a few basic phrases in your language. It may happen that they will be attending a course in this language so they may ask you to help them do their homework or explain to them some grammar rules.
It is good to be in a frequent contact with your mentees. One of the reasons is that they may face unexpected and unpleasant situations such as a hospital stay and for sure they will need your help there. Another one is that you can just spend time together in a nice way and teach each other your languages. It is worth attending events organised by your local ESN section together.
Is there anything that should not be done by a mentor? Obviously it depends on the situation and you should just use your common sense. In this way you will avoid unpleasant stuff.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that being a mentor has its benefits. You can help someone, pick up a foreign language, get to know to a foreign culture and make international friends. Therefore, we encourage all of you to send your application.
Author: Weronika Kisiel