Asociación Mundus is ready to go! We have successfully resumed the VET hosting activities under Eramsus+ KA1. The first group after the pandemic hit and the adverse lockdown in Spain has arrived. Mundus, the companies and the students are taking extra security measures, and new protocols are being implemented in order to guarantee the best conditions for all the participating individuals to be safe. But... what has changed in this new normality of international mobility? Check it out!

Arriving to Zaragoza

Students take a COVID test in their countries one week before coming. In order to be sure that every student or teacher coming to Spain is healthy and traveling is safe for them and their colleagues. If any of the students presents any COVID-19 symptoms before traveling, they would have to be tested negative before joining the group; otherwise they cannot travel.

The students and teachers are tested upon arrival in Zaragoza before going to the companies. Mundus takes care of providing a quick COVID-19 test for the participants, so as to be sure they remain negative them before they go to the companies.

On arrival training. The contents and methodologies of the On Arrival Training have been adapted to this new era. A session on COVID-19 measures, prevention and “what to do if…?” have been included in the program. Moreover, each student receives specific guidance depending on the type of company they are going to be carrying out their traineeship at.

Safety measures

At Mundus Activities

• Specific protocols have been created and implemented for the team
• A remote temperature measurement device has been installed at the office
• Our trainers and companions wear shields and masks when working with participants
• The follow-up by Mundus coordinators is more exhaustive than ever
• Cultural activities and joint sessions have been adapted to the situation (masks, social distance, open spaces, limited social gathering…)
• Mundus team has been tested for COVID

At the companies:

• Companies are aware of the mobility protocols. They have adapted their own ones to each specific position, for the students and their staff to be safe
• Students only go to the companies once they have been tested on arrival
• Every student receives a kit with an Individual Protection Equipment

At home:

• The protocol emphasizes the overall safety measures, highlighting the need for cleaning hands regularly, using masks and alcohol, and maintaining social distancing, in order to to keep the facilities clean of COVID
• The cleaning services at home are reinforced
• There is a specific protocol on how to act at the accommodations if a participant is tested positive.

What do the protagonists say?

We have accompanied the group of 20 students and techers coming from the Varna School of Trade G.S.Rakovski. We have come with them to check out how the experience of spending one month doing their traineeship period in Zaragoza is undergoing. Teachers, students, comanies and Mundus' staff have shared their impressions on how they see the new normal after a six months break.

Georgi - Student

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP. I make my internship in Bauhaus Zaragoza. It is a very big shop and I work for the administrative area. I am mainly entering information for the stocks they receive, I compare the delivery notes with the order notes, and I help with other small tasks.

WHICH IS THE PART THAT YOU LIKE THE MOST? I like the work experience the most, because I get to know people working in my field, I get to gain more aptitudes. At the company, they show me how to do everything. Besides, when I'm not at the company, I love exploring the city, getting to know the culture and seeing the people here, how they live. I've even learnt some words in Spanish already!

WHICH ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THE NEXT ERASMUS+ STUDENT? I would tell them that this is a great experience. Everyone needs to separate from their parents for a while, so they experience living on their own for the first time: learn to live alone, do your own laundry, get some cooking skills... It's amazing!

Aleksandar Ivanov Pavlov - TEACHER

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS COMPANION? We check the accommodations every morning, we make sure the students are on time to their positions, we accompany them to lunch, try to answer their queries...

HOW ARE YOU FEELING SO FAR? I think it’s plenty of emotions being here; I am happy here, and I can see the students are very happy too with what they are doing. 

HOW DO YOU FIND THE SITUATION REGARDING COVID? Besides having to wear the masks all the time, which I personally don’t like, I haven’t found any problem or complication at all in this regard.

Nikola Tsankov Tsvetomirov - TEACHER

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS EXPERIENCE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE STUDENTS? All this programme is made for them! They learn how to do tasks at a workplace, how to perform them and finish them in the terms they are expected. Besides, it is very important for their personal development. They learn how to take care of themselves for the first time, how to share a flat and, in general, how to be responsible in their personal and professional lives.

Pilar - FUNDACIÓN DESARROLLO SOCIAL (COMPANY)

HOW IS THE EXPERIENCE GOING WITH THE NEW STUDENT SO FAR? Very good! She is very willing, everything you explain to her, she picks up pretty quickly... Very good, actually!

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST POSITIVE INPUTS FOR THE STUDENTS? For the students, the best thing is that they know the job market outside their borders, which can differ from what they have there. And the learning of the language as well. Although they don't know much Spanish when they come and we communicate in English, we teach them Spanish words, especially when we go together for coffee.

AND WHAT IS AN UPSIDE FOR THE COMPANIES? Well, for us it's a good way to keep our English skills fresh!

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BEFORE AND AFTER COVID? In our case everything is the same as it was before. The only thing is that we have of course implemented the use of gel and masks and we try to keep the safety distance, but otherwise the experience has not changed at all.

Kike and Aga - trainers in Asociación Mundus

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU SEE IN COMPARISON WITH THE BEFORE PANDEMIC PERIOD? We are aware that we have to be more careful when taking care of the students. We have to make sure that they have understood all safety protocols, and at the same time check out with the companies that the students are safe in their workplaces. Likewise, we have worked hard to adapt all the joint activities to this new reality: wearing masks at all times, making sure the distances are kept when needed, working more in small groups...

HOW DOES IT FEEL COMING BACK TO WORK AFTER A COMPULSORY BREAK LIKE THIS? We were looking forward to coming back to work. We are passionate about what we do, we love the contact with the students and we love seeing how they enjoy and learn a lot out of this experience. We strongly believe in Erasmus+ and its capacity to influence the student's learning paths and skills, so we literally could not wait to resume the activities! Even though it is happening little by little, going back to how it was before is a relief and it makes us happy to be able to work again in something we truly enjoy.