You NEED to study abroad. Future you will thank you. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved 3/5 of my classes, those being: German Novice I, Austrian Art and Architecture and Experimental Screen Printing. My other classes, Comparative Youth Cultures and a teaching internship weren't my style. Youth Culture was plain terrible; the professors didn't care, they assigned an asinine amount of reading and made us present on them even when we had no idea what we should have gotten from the article. Our class was adamant to remove the course from the program so hopefully no one else will have to suffer again. Most people loved their teaching internship, where we helped during English classes in Austrian schools. Everyone's internship experience was different. I realized early on that I am not cut out to be a teacher, so it was a bit difficult to make it through the semester in that class. Other than that, I loved my other classes. I learned so much about Austria and found a love for screen printing that I hope to keep up.

On-site administration of your program

The IES team was one of the best parts about this experience. They were a wealth of knowledge on everything European. I never felt unwelcome coming to them with questions or just wanting to talk. Everyone developed a special relationship with the team, and it was one of the hardest goodbyes we had to make.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was placed in an apartment with 2 other American girls. We were a bit further from the city center than most people, but our living situation ended up being one of the best we'd heard of. I got along with them better than I do with my one roommates now. We'd frequently say how lucky we were to be placed with each other (not even joking) and it was beyond sad to say goodbye. Our landlord was also one of the best parts about our living situation. She greeted us warmly as we stumbled into her cute little apartment jet-lagged and exhausted from our 3-day orientation. She had bread for us and small necessities lining our fridge because she knew we wouldn't have any food when we got there. We developed a very special relationship with her. So great that she offered one of her apartments for free if we ever decided to come back and visit again. I hope I can soon!

If there is anything I love doing in this world, eating is one of my favorites. I'm also a healthy eater and conscious of nutrition, so I steered away from the baked goods and focused on hearty, meaty meals. As crunchy and delicious as Schnitzel is, it can get old. I frequented Kepab stops and would enjoy roasted duck if I was at a nice restaurant. Vienna was an awesome mixing pot of a city, so I never felt restricted to one kind of meal. I went to Indian, Thai, Turkish and Bulgarian restaurants in Vienna alone. I also cooked for myself a lot, as there was an open-air market 300 m from my house.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

One of my top priorities as soon as I got to Vienna was to find local skaters. I explored the city on my longboard a lot, visiting skateparks, meeting people and having them draw on my map of new places I should explore. One day I met another girl skater and she introduced me to her friends, and that was the day that changed everything. I became incredibly close with the group that hung around this particular skate park. I would spend my nights there multiple times a week, and continue hanging out even after the park closed. We went to parties together and hung out at our apartments. They included me into their group so much so that they are the main thing drawing me back. They even sent me home with 2 skateboards as memories from Vienna. I made life-long friends there and I can't wait to go back and see them.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was lucky enough to stay healthy during my time in Vienna, but I know exactly where to go and who to talk to if I had any issues.

I felt very comfortable in Vienna, but I can certainly understand how some people may have felt a little uncomfortable dealing with all the strange people you will encounter on the streets, subways, stores and places. Europe is very different from America; I think in America, strange people are ostracized and avoided. Europe is different; no one goes out of their way to put someone down, so you might encounter a wierdo anywhere. I think the best advice for dealing with these strange, usually harmless people is to go with the flow and ignore them; don't make them feel even stranger. As for safety, just be smart and aware. I am a 20 year old girl with curly hair. I stick out. When I feel like I need to be safe, I tie my hair in a bun and look like I don't want to be bothered. This usually worked for me. Sometimes I'd get threatening looks or even calls, but I stayed strong and ignored them and got out of the situation. I think as long as you're smart and cautious that you will stay safe. Obviously don't be walking around alone when and where you shouldn't be. But I don't want anyone to be afraid of ever being alone. I was alone a lot, and this allowed me to sit back and observe. I am a strong person and I hold my own. I think anyone is capable at this.

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

This is tough. I never really shopped for myself (other than clothes to screen print on for my class). The Euro is expensive, plain and simple. We're always paying a little bit more than the price advertised. I was mindful to cook for myself and shop at reasonable stores including Hofer (Aldi) and open-air markets. A large expense each month was a travel card, which cost 50 Euro but allowed me to ride any subway, trolley car or bus in Vienna as much as I'd want. I definitely used these services multiple times a day so I can't say it was a waste. Although, some kids who lived in the city center never bought a ticket because they rarely used public transportation. This is a little frustrating but I honestly think that even if I did live in the city center as well, I'd still buy a monthly ticket for how much I was exploring Vienna.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Barely. All of us American kids, all 128 of us were together all the time, speaking English. We never really tried German together because it was just easier to speak in English. Some times I'd try to converse with my roommates but it never got us too far. I wish I'd tried a lot harder to speak to my Austrian friends. I encouraged everyone to try as hard as you can to speak the language to locals. most of the time they will understand that you're trying to learn and even help you through it. German isn't easy but it get easier every time you try and speak it.

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