Vienna: A Nice Place to Relax and Enjoy Art and Music, Always with a Nice Cup of Coffee Past Review
By Clara B (Neurobiology and Neurosciences., Wellesley College) for
University of Vienna: Vienna - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Absolutely! One thing I realized is that in many ways I fit in in Europe better than in the US, from a cultural and ideological perspective. I am now looking for ways to perhaps lead my future path towards ending up working and or living somewhere in Europe.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I feel the University of Vienna academic experience is entirely dependent on what a student puts into it. It is possible to skate by with little gain, but at the same time very possible to learn a huge amount and gain meaningful experiences. I found that I had little trouble getting help and input from professors and other students, and ultimately felt like I learned a lot. I enjoyed the fact that it was a much freer system than in the United States, which took off a lot of pressure while not inhibiting the process of learning (unless one is not self-motivated). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration in Vienna for this program was excellent. I felt like I always had enough help and guidance, and felt very well taken care of. In addition to being helped with basic things like banking and class registration, we were taken on outings and periodically out to eat, which was wonderful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Eating for cheap was very easy in Austria! The groceries were surprisingly inexpensive, and most frequently organic. Cooking for oneself was very easy. In addition, there are many outdoor markets in Vienna, most notably the Naschmarkt in the 4th district, where all sorts of exciting ingredients can be found. In a pinch, a small loaf of bread and one of many kinds of bread spreads could be easy, delicious, and cheap. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One of the real high points of the program were the number of outings we took. In the beginning for orientation we went to the Alps to stay in a lodge for a few days, eating Austrian food and organizing our schedules. A week-long trip to Berlin, full of plays and opera productions as well as tours and museums was another highlight. One of my favorite outings was a small day trip we took to the Wachau region of Austria, where we got to take a boat ride down the Danube and visit the Melk monastery and some small towns in this region. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Vienna is an incredibly safe city. At all hours I happened to be out, I generally felt safe, including using the subway in the middle of the night by myself. |
| 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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think that my only complaint as far as expenses went was that 900$ came up a bit short in helping me for a round trip plane ticket from the West Coast of the US. Other than this, I felt my expenses were very well taken care of! I was so grateful that the program paid for my museum and theater (etc) tickets, and really took advantage of this and visited all sorts of museums regularly. This, possibly more than anything else, really made my experience in Vienna extremely positive! |
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? | German literature- post the 4 introductory courses. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
All of the courses were in German and I used German every day. Many people spoke English in my immediate environment at any give time, but I found I improved my skills quite a bit. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is best for open minded students who are driven enough to motivate themselves when Wellesley is not there to crack the whip for them. There is so much waiting to be seen in and donethis city- such that one should truly never be bored. The University of Vienna has much to offer, including an excellent education if a student is willing to focus and put in the work. |
