My Heart Lies in Salzburg Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Salzburg College is very quaint and friendly. It is not a big school so everyone gets to know each other including the teachers and administration. We had a block schedule which was nice because that meant that we only had to focus on a few classes at a time. I really like how they managed to incorporate our want to travel and interest of the European culture into the studies by going on field trips, talking about real life circumstances, and giving us ample opportunities to get involved in the community.

On-site administration of your program

The director Phoebe Mayer is amazing. She is always there when you need her and gives great advice from classes to travel. She is very close to all the students and you can tell that she really loves her job. She will meet all your expectations. My class size was 13 students which I did not know about until I got there. Keep in mind that it is a small, private, American school.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The director Phoebe Mayer helps us with our housing. She sets up a meeting with you during the beginning travel period where you tell her if you have any specifications (ie dorm, host family, English speakers, internet access) and then she will match you with your housing. Salzburg is very safe and I had no problems going out at night. You can live anywhere from in town to the outskirts of Salzburg but one or two bus rides will get to any of the action. Living with a host family, they were able to provide me with everything. My host family treated me like part of the family. We all ate meals together, hung out on the weekends together, went on family outings with one another, and even traveled together after school was out.

My host family always fed me more than enough and always offered me more food whenever I was hungry. The food in town is good too. You can eat at any restaurant and enjoy the food. There is a really good pizza place (one minute walk from the school) that is cheap and filling (Pizzeria il Sole). I also recommend to go to the daily and weekly markets in town for a lighter meal. I also recommend Baerenwirt for some delicious Austrian meals or some tasty Goulash soup!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

only two-three courses at a time gave us a lot of time to get comfortable with the area and go on extra travel trips. Traveling was my favorite. Take advantage of the two week travel break to really experience Europe! My favorite memories are from Ireland especially going to the Cliffs of Moher. I also really enjoyed going to Liechtenstein and Baveria, Germany because of the beautiful scenery. My favorite field trips were the hiking ones. One day we hiked along Wolfgangsee, another time to some huge ice caves, and my favorite was the hike up to the Eagles nest. Our tour guide was awesome! Alex took us the most adventurous and off trail way that made getting to the top the most memorable and beautiful experience.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Health was not an issue. The was a doctor that the director would recommend to us if we had any problems that was cheap. And no vaccines were necessary. Safety was also not an issue. Salzburg is a very safe place and when we traveled we always had to take to the director first to cover any safety issues about where we were going.

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

Most people spoke English. Everyone that works at the college spoke English. My host family spoke English. Most of the store owners spoke English. English was everywhere (mostly because of the English tourists!). I did try to use German in everyday situations but most of the time it was not necessary. However, at school, with my host family, with my Austrian friends, when ordering, and when attending events I always tried to speak German. If you really want to practice your German or if you are a really advanced German speaker, going to Salzburg College will be fun, but even someone who has never spoke German in their life will be able to enjoy the city of Salzburg.

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• Americans