Järvamaa KHK hosted five foreign students from vocational schools in Germany and Sweden as part of the Erasmus+ program in January-February. Students got practical experience at the school's practical base and two big Estonian farms. There was also time to get to know Estonian culture and nature.
At the end of January, five foreign students majoring in agriculture and animal husbandry arrived in Estonia, four of whom were from the German vocational school (BBZ am Nord-Ostsee-Kanal – Europaschule) and one from the Swedish vocational school (Uppsala Yrkesgymnasium Jälla).
According to feedback from foreign students, typical cow farms in Sweden and Germany are more similar in size to JKHK school farm, where the number of animals is limited to a few hundred heads, that's why in the large farms in Türi and Pärnu County, the students got a good culture shock, working for the first time in such large farm complexes - with several thousand animals.
Järvamaa KHK also organized joint cultural trips to Estonian nature and cities for foreign students. During the internship period spent in Estonia, the students were taken to the Jägala waterfall, the Mukri swamp and nature trail in Raplamaa, in addition, the foreigners took part in a tour of the Old Town of Tallinn, where fifteen different sightseeing objects were visited. Majority of students took advantage to enjoy the pleasures of Estonian saunas and swimming pools (at Tervise Paradiisis and Paide Spa), get to know the town of Paide and the hiking trail in Väätsa, in addition, they were introduced to the two campuses of Järvamaa vocational school - Paide and Särevere and practice farms in Türi and Pärnu county. The foreign students were very eager to learn new things and open-minded.
Based on the feedback of foreign students, it can be said with certainty that both the practical and cultural experience of doing an internship abroad in Estonia will remain in their memory for a long time. Especially so because of the instructors, who did a very good job and the foreign students were allowed to do things that are not normally possible in their home country. Having experienced the working life of a large farm in Estonia, the students joked among themselves that when they go back to Sweden/Germany, all the cow farms in their homeland seem a little small now. Today, foreign students have returned to their home countries with a good internship experience on a large farm, interesting and pleasant cultural memories and a good mood.
Both the foreign students and the JKHK's organizing team are grateful to all parties who helped Ida, Anna, Lotta, Ludwig and Jorrit's work practice to be successful, including the employees of the farms.
