Salzburg: The Fairy Tale City Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Teachers relied much more on students taking responsibility for themselves; we were not reminded as much to get out work done or participate in class. Study is much more independent. The grading system is definitely more flexible; however, you still had to work to be successful. Teachers were all helpful and available when you needed them.

On-site administration of your program

Ingrid, our program coordinator, was always available as a resource to us. A couple of my friends and I were looking for a soccer team to play with, and Ingrid was a great help in finding one for us. She is from America, studied in Salzburg as a student, and lives there now. Her experience abroad and knowledge of Austrian culture and life allowed her to be of great assistance to me and my fellow students. Our cultural director organized a few fun excursions that many took advantage of. There was certainly always something to do. I don't think the program had many weaknesses, and my expectations for the semester were exceeded.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorm that I stayed in, Internationales Kolleg, provided bedding and towels. We had our own kitchen, and pots, pans, and utensils were provided. AIFS also had utensils and cookware we could rent for a deposit of 10 Euros, to be returned to students at the end of the semester. We didn't need to buy much to settle in. We lived right near a bus stop, so getting into town was easy; however, we did have to buy the monthly bus pass and were only reimbursed for half. We were about a half-hour walk from the academic buildings, which wasn't a problem when the nicer weather came around.

For future students, I would suggest grocery shopping as most economically efficient. You will find that people in Austria, and in most of Europe, do not buy in bulk, so really you only need to shop for a few days at a time. Also, bring a grocery bag or backpack with you; you have to pay for plastic bags at the grocery stores. While I would suggest grocery shopping for day-to-day needs, the markets and local restaurants must be taken advantage of once in a while! Try the local cuisine, and don't be afraid to try new things. Especially in Salzburg, the sausage stands, fruit markets, and pastries are all a must!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Our program coordinated several excursions, including day trips to Hallstatt and the Dachstein Ice Caves, and Munich. We had a weekend trip to Vienna, and an optional trip to Prague. our cultural director organized a "Sound of Music Hiking Tour" for our first weekend, and we had a Valentine's Day Sleigh Ride through the Alps, which was one of my favorite experiences. Our cultural director also organized for us to take a cable car to the top of the Untersberg mountain, where we had a spectacular view of the Alps and the city of Salzburg below. This was one of my most special memories from the trip.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Salzburg is an extremely safe city. After returning home from such cities as Barcelona and Rome, we could notice a significant difference in the level of safety we felt.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Prior to traveling to Austria, I did not know any German. I had studied Spanish since I was in the first grade. However, our program included a two-week intensive German language course, which helped tremendously. We were taught necessary verbs and vocabulary in context, so we were better able to apply our knowledge to daily situations. We were able to practice our German with the locals; however, if they saw that we were not native speakers, nearly everyone knew English so we just switched the language. We also had a "Coffee Hour" in the cafe in the university library, where we had the opportunity to meet with our cultural director and casually converse in German over a cup of coffee. We had plenty of opportunities to practice our German skills.

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• Dorm

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• International Students

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• Americans