Vienna: City of Sausage, Wine, and amazing times Past Review
By Zachary B (Economics., Austin College) for
Central College Abroad: Study Abroad in Vienna, Austria
I have learned so much through such a short span of ten months. Literally there is nothing else i can really say. One day i leave america and then for the next ten months i am on my own survivng, watching the way other people live their lives. if there is one thing that i am truly most thankful for is that it humbled me. I used to complain and look negatively about the state of the world especially within the context of the society from which i come, but now i realize that i am truly blessed. i have lived a wonderful life where expereince after experince adds on top of the other and it took living outside of my comfort zone for really the first time in my life for me to truly appreciate where i come from and the life of which i am living.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The Universirty system is set up differently than what we have here at Austin College. Generally, one will sign up for a lecture class and the supplement that class with a practice session as well. This of course was only my experince seeing as how I mostly took economics courses where during the lecture we would go over the thoeries and during the practice section the math. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
With Central College abroad one gets the luxury of getting to leave their generally smaller schools and come to Vienna where one can study at the University in a lecture hall with 500 people. It allows you this experince which for me was something like i have never experienced before, but in some cases I did not always enjoy it. The amazing thing about this program was that I could take most of my classes through central college with their professors which are much smaller class sizes and you also get the personal touch of the teaching knowing your name and addressing you in class. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Kaesekraener |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Stift Melk |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There was not a single place in Vienna where i felt that my life would be in any sort of danger. although, i didnt go to certain places for a reason. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | use the kitchen. not only is it cheaper, but most likely you will get to meet local students. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 4 semesters |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
My roomate was an Austiran male from the town of Amstetten from the state Lower Austria. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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