Vienna, or Wien as known by Austrians, is like a dream. After officially being here for a little over a week, I have been able to explore various areas of the city. In the first few days, we were welcomed by the incoming team at WU who introduced us to Austrian and Viennese cultural norms, foods, and history. The welcome events were attended by all of the incoming exchange students at the university, therefore it was a unique opportunity to interact with individuals from all over the world. I have met people from Canada, The UK, France, The Netherlands, Turkey, The Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, Sweden, The Bahamas, Italy, Ukraine, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, and many more locations. Within the first few days, I have already made many new friends. Additionally, we were able to be given a tour of the university by WU students. The campus is much smaller than Texas A&M but is extremely modern and well-constructed. You have the opportunity to sign up for a pre-semester cultural program in which 2 weeks are dedicated to exploring many of Vienna’s cultural landmarks and nearby cities. Next week some of our events include learning the Viennese Waltz, visiting the United Nations, touring Schönbrunn Palace, and attending a chocolate factory in Linz, Austria.
Overall, Vienna is a classical dream mixed with a modern touch. The city is incredibly well connected by public transport and dedicated towards sustainability. Although I have only been here a week, this experience has already been extremely eye-opening. This was my first time in Europe and this opportunity has allowed me to make connections with individuals who are incredibly diverse in nationality and thought. I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing about everyone’s stories of navigating life before and after embarking abroad. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and I cannot wait to develop my skills individually and professionally.
Lastly, the food has been amazing. Vienna is a coffee lover’s dream and the assortment of pastries and cakes is astonishing. It is the cafe capital of the world and one of the Viennese specialties is the melange. Some of my other favorite meals have been Wiener Schnitzel, Goulash, Appel Strudel, and Sachertorte. The grocery stores here are very reasonably priced and of great quality. My classes do not begin until early March, therefore I am going to visit Budapest, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Prague. I am currently missing Tex-Mex, my dog, and my family. However, I am grateful that I am able to video call them frequently and share my updates on life in Vienna. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead as I continue to navigate this journey abroad.
It has been over a week now since arriving in Vienna, and I am in awe of the beauty of this city. I had come up with ideas in my head of what my experience would be like before coming, and wow, has Vienna already exceeded my expectations. Every day, I wake up in what feels like a dream, but I quickly snap into reality that this is my real life. In only seven days, I have seen so much Austrian history and culture, which has been so fun and exciting.
My first two days in the city involved an orientation program at the Vienna University of Economics & Business (or WU for short). There, I was able to meet other incoming exchange students from all over the world and get integrated into the academic lifestyle in Vienna. With still a month before classes actually start, I have been able to explore so much in Vienna. WU is an amazing university with over 500 international students each semester, so it is nice not feeling alone being in a new place and new school. One huge culture shock of school life in Vienna is the academic schedule. Rather than your typical American fall and spring semester, Vienna has a summer and winter semester. So although I am studying abroad in the Spring 2023 semester at TAMU, it’s really summer semester in Austria, where classes begin in March and end in June. Also, classes do not extend for the whole semester period. Some classes are only half the semester, or are complete within two weeks or on weekends. Additionally, classes do not typically follow a consistent weekly schedule (ex: every Monday and Wednesday), rather they occur on random days and times, with some weeks having completely off from a course. So, creating my class schedule was definitely more of a challenge.
On another note, when exploring the city, everywhere you walk, it looks like you just walked into a fairytale or into some historical time period. There are gorgeous, historic buildings everywhere you walk. I have been able to see so much including the famous Vienna Opera House, Mozart’s apartment, the Hundertwasser House, the Schönbrunnm Palace, the city of Graz and the Zotter chocolate factory. Additionally, the Vienna public transportation is the best in Europe. For 75 euros, I can take public transportation all semester (which is the equivalent to about one tank of gas for me in the U.S.).
Another aspect of Viennese culture I have fallen in love with is the cafe culture. Actually, UNESCO added Viennese coffee house culture to the cultural heritage list for Austria. When you go into a cafe or restaurant, there is no rush or order more or move on. You can spend hours in a cafe without the servers hovering your table throughout your stay. If you need anything, you have to flag the waiter down yourself to get the bill. As that seems more rude in the U.S., it is completely normal here. I have already spent many hours enjoying a Melange (classic Viennese coffee) and Sachertorte (famous Viennese chocolate cake) in many of the cafes that line the streets.
I have absolutely fallen in love with Vienna, Austria. One reason I picked this location is because my mom studied in Vienna in college, so it has been so sweet getting to share some of the same experiences with her and even recreate photos. I am already having the time of my life and have met so many amazing people!
Last semester, in the Fall of 2021, I went participated in a reciprocal exchange program with the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in Vienna, Austria. It is a weird feeling to come back to Texas A&M after spending the past four and a half months abroad. For me, it is great to see my family, reconnect with friends and take comfort in the familiarities that I once remembered and longed for. However, my perspective on the world has seemed to change. My time in Europe will always be something that I remember for the rest of my life. Furthermore, the time I spent in Vienna and the experience that I made along the way will have a special place in my heart and will live with me forever.
Last day in Vienna, Austria.
Shared Experiences
One of the best things about going to a new place is meeting new people. At first, I was nervous to go abroad because only one other person from Mays Business School here at Texas A&M was doing the same exchange as I was. However, during the first week, thanks to the buddy program that the university has and the on-campus organizations, I met a really cool group of people right away. During the semester, we went on plenty of weekend trips, parties, and just miscellaneous adventures around the city. I can honestly say that the people you meet along the way make the adventure that much more fun. Reach out and make friends with someone new. You never know what will happen.
My friends and I standing on Tower Bridge in London, England.
Me, Ryan, and Joey enjoying the night scene in London.
Having a great time exploring the beautiful city of Budapest!
Reflection
I have learned a few things from my time in Vienna that I plan to incorporate into my life. Firstly, I plan to be more open to new experiences. You never know where something might lead to or what positive event will come from doing something new. In fact, one of the reasons I came to Vienna in the first place was to get out of my comfort zone. By doing what’s uncomfortable and exploring the unfamiliar, you can truly experience life and expand your way of thinking.
Another thing that I am trying to take back with me to Texas is to enjoy the smaller things more by being more in the moment. So much of your day-to-day is monotonous tasks where you are truly not even present. Being in a foreign country surrounded by a whole new culture has given me the opportunity to observe more. My education at WU wasn’t particularly challenging. My classes were once a week and they were pass/fail. Furthermore, I took classes that I found interesting. Altogether, this gave me ample time to explore the city and to take a lot of trips. By the end of the semester, I had gone to over eleven different countries! At each place, I tried to take some time to really try to be in the moment. It is different than being on a vacation. I did not feel rushed at all to get from one place to another. I had no obligations with school and I felt like I was not tied to the negative aspects of the world. Just then and there. One of the best trips I took was a hike in Interlaken, Switzerland. Interlaken is a small, quiet, alpine sporty town with nothing but good views of the surrounding Swiss Alps. A friend and I took a few trains up the mountain to the small town of Murren to then complete a small 3-hour hike of a trail called The Northface. We stopped multiple times to just take in the view and enjoy the world around us. Here are some pictures from that hike.
Sitting in a field in the middle of a small Swiss town.
Beautiful views while riding on a gondola.
Views while hiking up The Northface trail in Murren.
Gig’ em from Switzerland!
I feel like no one is always completely ready to participate in a semester exchange, or at least, you can never fully anticipate what will happen while you are there. Combined with Covid and Austria implementing relatively strict mandates, I can definitely get a little quiet sometimes. Compared to two-week excursions or small trips, in semester exchanges, you have so much more freedom. If you do not utilize this time, sometimes you may feel lost in what to do or see. For the first two or so months, I traveled to a new place every weekend and always did something new. However, around October, I slowed things down a little. My friends and I started to explore Vienna more and enjoy the local Austrian culture. In December, after going to London, a few of us got Covid, which messed up some plans. I did not have the chance to be able to go to Belgium for Christmas to see some family friends a second time. Even crazier, one of my friends missed his flight!
In the end, though, I wrapped up my semester with my family and girlfriend coming to see me in Austria. They came for around 10 days and spent New Year’s and a little bit of January with me. We traveled from Vienna to Prague and Budapest by train. I am so thankful that they had the chance to come and see me.
My girlfriend, Haeven, and I in front of the Gloriette in Schonbrunn.
My Mom and I enjoying views of Vienna!
My dad and Haeven enjoying a nice Kasekrainer (cheese hotdog of sorts) and a Gosser (my favorite local Austrian beer).
My mom taking in the sights of Salzburg, including the gate from A Sound of Music.
My parents and I enjoying the view from atop the Salzburg Castle.
My mom and Haeven on the Charles Bridge in Prague.
My brother Matthew and my dad and I in front of the House of Parliament in Budapest, Hungary.
Taking in the local attraction of Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest with my girlfriend and family.
Our group enjoying the sights and views of Prague on top of Prague Castle.
This was from my families’ last day in Vienna. Here we are in Belvedere Palace.
Altogether, my time in Vienna has come to an end. I am glad for everyone I had the pleasure of meeting while there and thankful for the experiences I made. I am ready to come back to College Station to finish out my college career. Thank you for reading my blog post!
A beautiful sunset from my first week back in College Station.
After 3 and a half months in Vienna, I’ve learned that many of my peers have much different cultures and mannerisms than I do. Though I knew how different people could be, it was much more than I had expected coming from someone who has only lived in Texas all their life. Throughout my time here something I have learned was the importance of “small talk”. I personally never enjoyed it, but I know the importance of it when it comes to building your community and getting to know people.
In my initial post, I wrote about how I wished the US school system was more similar to that of Europe. Though I still think this due to several reasons, I do appreciate the extra curriculars that are ingrained in the schools in the US. I personally could not imagine going through middle and high school without joining all the clubs I had including tennis and my business organizations.
Howdy, my name is Zachary Schwertner and I am studying at Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) for the semester. These past two weeks have been absolutely crazy but in a fantastic way. It has been a great change of pace getting out of College Station and making my way down to Vienna, the capital of Austria. My first few days were hectic, adventurous, and full of new lessons. I visited most of the tourist locations, like the famous Schönbrunn Palace, The Hofburg, and the massive Prater park. Still, I find it hard to believe that I will be spending my next four months here. Here are a few pictures:
From my limited time here, I have gotten to meet some of the students that go to WU (pronounced VU). Mostly, they are all part of the Erasmus Buddy Network, an organization that helps incoming exchange students acclimate to life in their new environment. Everyone that I have met is super friendly and nice. Through meeting them, I have met several other exchange students from around the world. I have formed a close group with some people and we plan on traveling a lot and just doing a lot of things. I am looking forward to all that will come!
As for actual school, my university does not start until October 1st. It is weird seeing friends back home already in class and about to have their first test. However, I have still had the chance to go to the university, as it is only a 20-minute commute away (which is honestly not that much time at all in Vienna). The campus is beautiful, the people are lovely, and I am very much looking forward to the school year.
Reminiscing on the differences between my life at Texas A&M and my life here in Vienna, there are a lot of things to say. Firstly, while missing home, I am still so thankful and glad to be here exploring this amazing city, experiencing Austrian culture, and meeting these unique and friendly people. There is a whole other world out there than College Station, Texas, and the U.S.A. Every day, I find myself comparing Austria and the U.S., but truthfully, it’s really hard to put into words. Sure, everybody speaks German here, eats different food, does different daily activities, and uses amazing public transportation to get around. However, honestly, there is just a lot more than that. Some things just have to be figured out by actually going there and living. I encourage everyone who is reading this who has the opportunity to study abroad to do it. Go to new places, meet new people, and find out yourself how rewarding it can be.
When I first arrived to Vienna, Austria I first noticed how beautiful all the architecture was and how great the transportation system was to get from one place to another. The buddy program I signed up for through an EBN program helped significantly and made my move in process much more smoothly. After a couple of days I noticed culturally, the people here are much more laid back and are able to split their work versus relax time very well. After talking with a few European students I also found out their schooling system was much different. For example, it is mandatory for almost all students to take three languages, English, German, and another of their choice. This was something that I personally wish the United States also did.
As I packed for my trip, I was quite nervous and filled with uncertainty. I would ask myself, “What lays ahead of me in Vienna, Austria?” However, all of my worry vanished as soon as I saw the beautiful city of Vienna. It’s one thing to see the city from pictures online (which I definitely Googled more than once), but once I was here in person, I could not be more happy to call this my new home.
I might be biased, but Vienna is the best city I have visited so far. I have gone on many trips already and have loved many other cities, but Vienna, with its great transportation system, beautiful churches, architecture, and a never ending supply of things to do, it definitely takes the top of my list. There is a certain way of life here that is just very relaxing and peaceful.
The university in Vienna is a big reason of why I wanted to come here. Its modern architecture is a contrast to the older buildings that make up most of Vienna. One step inside the library and you will think you are in a spaceship. Classes have just begun, but so far the academics here seems top notch and I am ready to challenge myself and learn how to confront problems with an international point of view.
The most important aspect of this trip has been the people I have met. The world seems so much bigger after meeting students from all parts of the globe, yet, at the same time, smaller because we are all like minded in wanting to create a better future for ourselves and others. It can be a little embarrassing, though, when I only know one language and everyone around me knows two or three. One of my favorite moments so far was when we began playing a game of Scrabble and someone asked, “What language are we playing in?” A tell tale tell sign that I was no longer in America.
This trip so far has been exactly what I needed: some time away from my comfort zone. I knew before I left that I would face challenges, take on new responsibilities, and even fail sometimes. But that is exactly why I am here. Growth comes from failure and experiencing new things, and while I have only been here a month, I feel more confident in myself and I am excited to see what experiences lie ahead.
Billy Joel was right! It seems “Vienna [has been waiting] for me” my entire life. I listened to his song every day leading up to this trip in hopeful anticipation. Though my life had already begun, going abroad felt like a new beginning. I was about to spread my wings and waltz from my comfortable little nest into a life of spontaneity, discovery and well, lots of coffee. I was so excited! How could I not be? I was also equally nervous. While I didn’t have any expectations of what it would be like, the thought of moving to a country I’d never been to, not knowing German and planning how I’d balance school and traveling seemed both challenge and an opportunity for exponential growth.
The city of Vienna quickly become my home. I told my mom on day two that “I was a local” because I had figured out how to use the public transportation system; something I’ve never used before in the U.S. While Vienna is a large city, it welcomed me with a warm invitation and cozy cafes. It is easy to wander off on foot and spontaneously discover your new favorite coffee shop or kebab stand. The city takes your breath away with its beautiful architecture and historical stories. You really learn to appreciate beauty on a whole new level studying abroad, especially here in Vienna. What I love most is wandering around the city without a destination. Having no obligation to go or be anywhere is the most freeing thing I’ve experienced. Life as an Austrian involves taking time to be present and enjoy life. Spending Sunday strolling around the city and hopping around cafés till you are coffee-d out. To my surprise, Austrians walk unusually fast. Make sure to stand on the right side of the elevator or get out of the way when someone is exiting the subway. During my time here, I’ve learned how to speak a couple of phrases in German, navigate the city, throw together spontaneous travel trips real quick, be content with independence and silence and soak in all the gifts Europe continues to reveal each day.
This past month, I’ve spent most of my time traveling and meeting people from around the world through an orientation and culture program offered through my university. It’s been so eye-opening and exciting to hear about the lives of other students. While so different, I felt a sense of unity between us and was excited to learn more about the rest of the world through students who were experiencing studying abroad as I was. Our campus, called “WU” houses the most modern buildings I’ve ever seen. I could study anywhere, but only at WU would I get an education on the set of something between The Hunger Games and Star Trek. Classes have only just begun and the workload seems heavier than I expected but nonetheless I am excited to work with my group project. We are all from a different country, how cool is that!!
This trip has been an opportunity of a lifetime, my greatest joy and everlasting memory! Don’t hesitate to live a full life. Buy that ticket, learn a new language and spread your wings – see where the wind takes you.
Our campus!
Learning to waltz with my orientation group!
Schönbrunn Palace
Exploring the city of Vienna and it’s history
If I could describe my experience so far through one photo, this would be it. 🙂
I got to Vienna about a month ago and this past month has just flown by! I can’t believe I get to live in this beautiful city for about another four months. Vienna is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Vienna is full of life at all hours of the day. There are always people socializing and enjoying their families. It is also much colder than Texas, so I was not as prepared for the wind and cold temperatures that Vienna had to offer. On the bright side, Vienna has excellent shopping!
I am living in one of the student apartments/dorms, and it was a great decision. My apartment is in a fantastic location. It is next to the subway, the train station, a mall, shopping, and tons of restaurants and grocery stores. I live about a block away from the entrance to the subway, which makes it incredibly easy to get around Vienna quickly. The beauty of the subway in Vienna is that it covers the vast majority of the city, and whatever area isn’t covered by the subway is covered by trams and buses. There is really no need for a car here in Vienna, which I find to be a great perk of choosing Vienna.
The Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) campus is very unique! Almost every building has a different style of architecture. The campus is very easy to walk around. I have not started any classes yet; However, I am looking forward to my international classes so that I can meet students from many different countries.
Living in Vienna has made me become more resourceful, especially because I do not know German. It has been fun learning how to use google translate in the grocery store and almost everywhere else. Life in Vienna is very relaxed, in my opinion, which is very refreshing to the busy lifestyle in the United States. It has been great being able to fully embrace the Austrian culture, even if it has just been a month so far. I genuinely do love Vienna and would not be against ever living here in the future. For me, getting to know the locals and other international students has been the best part of this experience. I have been able to learn about different cultures and I have made new friends from all parts of the world.
Austria as a whole, is so beautiful! I have been able to visit Salzburg and Innsbruck, which are two breathtaking mountain towns! The mountains were covered in snow and very beautiful. Innsbruck was great because it was a smaller town than Salzburg, but very full of life. I had no idea there was a festival in the center of Innsbruck when I arrived, but it was just a couple of blocks away from my Airbnb. It was awesome to see so many people enjoying the mountains and life! Salzburg was just as beautiful. I am a huge Sound of Music fan, so being able to see spots from the movie has been a lifelong dream of mine!! It was everything I expected it would be and more!
Lastly, one more great perk about living in Vienna is how central it is within Europe. I have been able to go to Budapest, Brno, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Bratislava, and I will be going to Copenhagen and Prague this week! Flights, trains and buses all go out of Vienna in about every direction. Studying abroad in Vienna is a great choice if you are looking for a country that is easy to travel out of. I am really looking forward to the rest of this semester and for more adventures in Austria. Thanks for reading!
I’m writing this post curled up in my house in Houston, Texas. After 3 1/2 months abroad it is really nice to be home with family and friends but there is still a part of me that longs to be back in Vienna. After getting home I had time to reflect on my time abroad and I can’t help but smile and get a little nostalgic. People say that studying abroad changes you but I never thought it would change me in all the ways that it did.
Studying abroad gave me a new found passion to travel – I discovered new cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. I had the opportunity to travel to seven different countries while studying abroad. I went to France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia & Czech Republic. It opened my eyes to all the different cultures there are in this world, I not only am dying to go back to Europe but I would love to explore places like Asia or South America. I feel as though we often get so caught up being American or even Texas A&M culture that we forget all that is out there. It also made me realize I would much rather spend my money on experiencing what this world has to offer rather than spending money on temporary materialistic things. Don’t get me wrong, I still love shopping and getting a cute new outfit, but there is so much more out there. Spending money on experiences will last a lifetime, the materialistic things only bring temporary happiness.
While studying abroad at WU, I met so many amazing people. I was expecting a lot more people from America if I’m being honest. But I was pleasantly surprised at how many people weren’t from America. I made friends from Ireland, Japan, Hong Kong, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Israel, and so many more amazing countries. I loved sitting down and comparing the two countries, talking everything from politics to day to day life. It was fascinating and everyone was so intrigued that I was from Texas. I was asked quite a bit why I didn’t have an accent, but I was made fun of because I said y’all (I don’t think I can ever not say y’all, it’s pretty much engraved into my head forever). I loved learning about peoples beliefs and religions, everyone was so respectful of each other which was really refreshing. In America a lot of times it seems as though no matter what your views are on (especially in politics), there is someone bashing you for your beliefs. In Austria everyone is quite respectful no matter what you believe.
Another thing that I wasn’t expecting to learn was how environmentally friendly everyone was in Austria. Mostly everyone recycles, stores don’t even carry plastic bags (you have to pay for paper bags, but most people bring reusable bags) and there is less waste overall. I even went to a Fridays for Future climate strike inspired by Greta Thunberg. It was so cool seeing people from all ages and life come and meet up for one special cause.
I loved that studying abroad made me become more independent. I always liked to think of myself as an independent person, as in I could go to the grocery store by myself or run errands by myself. After being abroad I truly believe that I became independent and confident in myself. I spent a lot of my days commuting and doing things randomly by myself. Yes of course I made friends and spent a lot of time with them, but the everyday things I learned to love to do myself. I lived in a 2 bedroom dorm with my friend Danielle (we got so close through study abroad and I know we will be life long friends, already planning a reunion). Our school schedules were sadly pretty much the opposite, whenever she was gone I was home and vice versa – therefore the everyday commute, the everyday breakfast and lunch was primarily spent alone. I learned to love doing things by myself. I became so much more confident from the first time walking the city alone to the last time walking the city alone. I remember thinking about 2 weeks in from starting studying abroad that I would never be able to understand the city without a map and someone by my side, by the last month or so I could pretty much go anywhere without my phone or someone by side.
There is something so freeing about being able to get around a somewhat unknown city without anyone’s help – including my phone. One of my favorite things about doing things alone was truly being able to experience the city, the people and the culture. Sometimes whenever you’re around people you get distracted and can talk about random things and not truly embrace what you’re looking at, but when you’re alone you can embrace every little thing. You notice the details and you feel like a local.
I took my first solo day trip to Salzburg which was easily one of my favorite travel experiences while abroad. I woke up about 5 a.m and lugged my giant backpack and my to-go coffee I bought the night before and walked to the train station. The train ride was about 4 hours or so from Vienna and I loved looking around and seeing who was on the train. I remember it was a pretty vacant ride but I definitely saw lots of Austrian natives, business men and women and a few small families. Life in Austria is at a much slower pace than America, although they get things done everything is less stressful there. After the train ride I got off and explored Salzburg on foot, which was incredible. It was such a beautiful little city. I ate lunch alone and got a coffee and talked with the owner of the food place. Although every once in a while I’d get stares that I was alone – I genuinely didn’t care because I was in Salzburg drinking a cappuccino embracing my the experience. I will forever want to go to back to that blissful moment. I also did the Sound of Music Tour which was my childhood dream! It was amazing and I ended up meeting two incredible girls who we ended up having mutual friend. I also sat next to a sweet mother next to me which we talked most of the time talking about what the almost 55 year old movie meant to each of us. It was truly such a special trip and I loved that I had that experience to myself. Don’t get me wrong I love traveling with people and gaining that experience with someone, but doing something alone and figuring everything out for yourself is truly so special.
(Picture of Vienna Christmas Markets -people travel from all over the world to come these famous markets!)
I am beyond lucky to have been able to study abroad I truly believe that this past semester has and will forever shape who I am. Being abroad will forever inspire me to evolve, learn, grow and never stay consistent. I will forever want to travel and meet people and learn cultures, there is so much more out there than we know.
I am so thankful that A&M allowed me to study abroad this past fall. I will forever hold the memories I made, the lessons I learned, and the people I met so close to my heart. Vienna will forever be a home away from home and I am looking forward to the day that I can return to the beautiful city of music. Until next time Vienna. Auf Wiedersehen Wien ♡.
Friends from around the world!
Stephanie Chavez