Austria: FUN FUN FUN !!! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The grading system here is very harsh. It's impossible to recieve a 1(which is excellent) the range goes from 1-5, where 5 is failing. So far I have received 4 and back home, I'm not a D student at all. I get mostly A's and B's with very little C. The German course provided by Treffpunkt Sprache is USELESS. I learned something from the 3 weeks intensive course but absolutely nothing in the follow up course since it's only once a week. In My 2 econ classes, most people failed the midterm exams, very few passed. There's only 1 class a week for all the classes and I few like it is not enough material to use in the exam.

On-site administration of your program

The host university staff are great. Christa is the lady to go to if you have ANY problem at all. The professors are highly educated but really sucks at teaching. I thought my German would improve a lot but it has not. I am very disappointed. The lectures are dead boring. I have one law class that requires participation, that was better we get to discuss and ask questions if we have any. The place I'm living has a lot of international students so don't expect to get a chance to practices German.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My flatmates are slobs. I have to buy new sheets, pillows, comforter, and the comforter covers (all that costed over 70 euros,) because it's not provided by the dorm. In this neighborhood, there are 2 erotic massage places. It takes 2 buses to get to the university. The nightlife is also in the university area. It takes 1 bus to get to haupfbahnhof (main train station.) you can bike to all these places or walk if you really want. 20 minutes taxi ride to the airport, you can't really bike or walk to the airport. The post office is about 10 minutes walk. I have 2 Austrian flatmate. one of them have the boyfriend living there full time as well even though she's not suppose to. Also I have a chinese and croatian girl. We don't have a cleaning chart set up. we tried but noone still clean. the laundry facility is free downstairs BUT you have to fight for it. there's also a party bunker, sauna, and a barbeque deck. these facility you have to rent a chip key to access.

Bier Baron has the biggest burger. Kebabs are my main diet here. You can find a Kebab place every where. If you want some authentic austrian food, there's a chain restaurant called "3" There's one by Uni and one on griesplatz. and if you are into sushi, indian or thai, then there are plenty of those too.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Graz is in the middle of everything. Theres also an airport here. I've been to all the neighboring country, and as far as norway and Ukraine. You can count on having people to hang out with. I went on a ski trip arranged by ESN. There are discounts to people who hold ESN card to clubs or sometimes it's free. I did most of the travelling with the friends i met here. You can drink in public, and even on a public bus. There's also a cheap flight directly from Graz to Palma de mallorca.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There's an e. coli outbreak in Germany and I took precaustions to not eat cucumbers and tomatoes.

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

Select all that apply

• Dorm

Select all that apply

• International Students
• Local Students