AIFS Pupil Highlight: Austin’s Summer season in Salzburg, Austria
18
Desirous to comply with within the footsteps of a school scholar who studied overseas in Austria? We just lately caught up with Austin, an data techniques and music double main from the College of Arkansas, who spent his summer time finding out overseas in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart!
Learn on to be taught extra about Austin’s expertise with AIFS Overseas and what it’s like finding out overseas in Salzburg, Austria.
Selecting a Research Overseas Vacation spot & Time period
With so many thrilling worldwide locations obtainable with AIFS Overseas, it’s not at all times simple to select only one! As Austin defined, he had a number of causes for selecting to review overseas in Salzburg:
“Although I’ve an inventory of the explanation why Salzburg, Austria, was proper for me, I felt a powerful pull towards the area’s music tradition, the chance to follow talking German, and its stunning mountainous panorama. Salzburg’s robust public transportation and walkability have been additionally main deciding elements for me. Whether or not I used to be simply commuting to class or heading out with associates to a lake an hour away, the bus was at all times dependable and made touring all through the town a breeze. I’d suggest this program to anybody who loves the outside, music, and taking mid-day breaks to get pleasure from a espresso and a pastry in a good looking baroque metropolis!”
With research overseas packages provided in each season, AIFS Overseas contributors can select to go overseas when it’s handy for them—whether or not it’s a full semester or a short-term program like a summer time time period. Due to nice climate and loads of actions throughout the season, Austin found that summer time is a superb time to review overseas in Austria:
“I selected the four-week summer time time period to review overseas. The local weather on this area is pretty gentle, so the climate allowed for loads of outside actions, hikes, and outside concert events. Summer season tended to deliver folks from throughout, so the town was alive always of the day… There have been gala’s/carnivals, outside meals markets, and historic automobile races.”
Lecturers Overseas
AIFS Overseas World Training Facilities (GECs) are tutorial hubs situated world wide that provide site-oriented curricula with immersive studying experiences and center-based help. Hear Austin describe his expertise taking programs on the GEC in Salzburg:
“I studied on the AIFS World Training Heart. All my courses have been taught by AIFS school, and my courses have been solely with others in the identical program, so it made it simple to do group tasks or discover somebody to achieve out to if I wanted assist… Most of my courses have been small, permitting for simpler dialogue and a greater professor/scholar relationship.”
For somebody studying the German language, finding out in Austria was an superior alternative to follow his talking expertise—in and out of doors the classroom:
“I actually loved the German language course I took, as I used to be in a position to make use of what I used to be studying at school to follow exterior of sophistication. In contrast to in Austria, the place you possibly can instantly follow German exterior of sophistication, within the U.S., it’s not as simple to step out of a German class and use the language in on a regular basis locations like a espresso store. My professor would then encourage us to ask questions in regards to the language at the start of every class, the place I may make clear one thing that I heard whereas speaking to an area.”
Language Studying
Though language studying is at all times inspired, you’re not required to know one other language or take any language courses to review overseas. Nevertheless, each program is totally different, so ensure you select the one that matches your language preferences. Whereas Austin did take German courses in Austria, he defined that you possibly can simply get across the nation with simply English:
“Whereas it was useful to know some (A1 stage) of the German language earlier than touring to Austria, I’d say it’s under no circumstances essential to know German upfront. Many of the college students in my program had not taken any German language courses, however most indicators/menus/necessary data have been additionally supplied in English. Austria’s English proficiency could be very excessive, so many locals know the English language, particularly within the youthful technology.”
As Austin found, locals usually respect even small efforts to talk their language, which gave him the arrogance to follow German with out worrying about making errors:
“As a result of I did journey realizing among the native language, I took benefit of my time there to follow easy interactions at espresso outlets and bakeries, the place I knew the questions prone to be requested and tips on how to reply. Although I used to be nervous at first, I spotted that the locals appreciated listening to somebody from one other nation even try talking German, so I practiced each time I may! As I acquired extra comfy, it began to really feel pure to reply questions in German, even when sooner or later I needed to ask for the interpretation in English.”
Housing
Housing is included in all AIFS Overseas packages—so you possibly can stay safely and comfortably overseas, regardless of the place you go. Austin’s dorm in Salzburg was situated close to the town heart, with lots to just do exterior his door:
“Throughout my time overseas, I stayed in a scholar housing constructing close to the middle of city. In my lodging, I stayed with two different roommates and had a communal kitchen the place we may cook dinner meals. We had a non-public lavatory only for us three, so there was by no means any challenge with needing to attend for the lavatory. I appreciated the situation…because it was very central to the principle metropolis and inside a brief bus trip of the World Training Heart. The dorm constructing was very shut to numerous grocery shops, pharmacies, eating places, and outfitters, so every part I wanted was at all times inside quick strolling distance.”
Making Pals Overseas
Whether or not you go solo like Austin or research overseas with associates from residence, you’ll have tons of alternatives to make associates throughout your research overseas program. As he explains, Austin grew to become shut with quite a lot of folks in his program:
“As a result of I traveled utterly alone, it was necessary for me to be open to assembly new associates. I knew these have been the folks I’d be spending my time with whereas I used to be overseas, so I made positive to take time to fulfill everybody in this system… I grew to be shut associates with many individuals in my program.”
AIFS Overseas Actions & Excursions
AIFS Overseas packages embody varied journeys and actions that deepen your understanding of your host nation’s tradition; plus, they’re an ideal alternative to go on guided excursions and weekend journeys, all whilst you join with fellow contributors. Austin made probably the most of his time overseas by happening all the AIFS Overseas excursions and actions:
“I just about attended each single social occasion and tour that was provided by AIFS, which is one thing I’d suggest. Most, if not all, have been utterly free and gave me entry to excursions, hikes, and journey exterior of the town. Many excursions allowed us to expertise the native tradition, like pastry tasting and apple strudel making, so these have been memorable and allowed us not simply to be taught in regards to the tradition but in addition to spend time with associates in this system.
Throughout our included tour to Vienna, a bunch of associates and I deliberate a visit to go see the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra carry out within the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace, the place the orchestra’s once-a-year free summer time night time live performance was being held, which usually attracts over 80,000 folks!”
As Austin talked about, the overwhelming majority of AIFS Overseas journeys and actions are included within the worth of this system! Nevertheless, some packages provide different non-obligatory excursions for an additional price, as Austin explains:
“The Salzburg program provided one tour for an additional price, which was a day journey to Innsbruck, Austria. I made a decision to go on this journey since all of the journey and excursions have been included in the fee. This journey was necessary to me since I used to be capable of see not only a totally different a part of Austria instantly within the Alpine mountains but in addition discover how the tradition differs from area to area.”
Weekend Journeys
If you’re not at school or having fun with actions or excursions, you’ll nonetheless have loads of free time throughout your research overseas program to loosen up, discover the town by yourself, or take some weekend journeys to journey to different nations. Since Austria is within the coronary heart of Europe, it makes touring to different nations, like Italy, very handy:
“Considered one of my most memorable weekend journeys was after I took a practice to Bolzano, Italy, a northern metropolis within the Alps, for a 2-night solo journey. The journey was so fulfilling as a result of I used to be capable of go to museums, castles, and check out the native meals on a very unplanned journey. There was one thing so liberating about realizing that I may navigate a very international metropolis on my own and have enjoyable doing so.”
Health & Wellness Overseas
Gymnasium lovers might be joyful to be taught that you simply don’t should sacrifice your physique to review overseas! Many school campuses provide well-equipped gyms and health facilities that assist you to keep (or begin!) a wholesome health routine. Plus, Austin discovered that Salzburg, like many European cities, is extraordinarily walkable, permitting him to remain lively all through the day:, permitting him to remain lively all through the day:
“There was a really well-equipped fitness center on one of many school campuses in Salzburg, so I used to be often capable of go to the fitness center two or thrice per week. I walked much more than I often do within the U.S., in order that helped me keep lively as nicely.”
Why AIFS Overseas?
There are various causes to decide on AIFS Overseas—our on-site help workers and inclusive packages that provide housing, journeys, and social and cultural actions (to call just some!). What actually made AIFS Overseas stand out to Austin is our giant catalogue of program choices that meet quite a lot of each private and tutorial wants:
“I selected AIFS to review overseas due to their wide selection of choices in teachers and journey whereas overseas. It may be overwhelming to decide on a program and placement to review overseas since there are such a lot of choices. However with AIFS, I used to be in a position to decide on a location that match my particular wants for an instructional program.”
You possibly can’t point out AIFS Overseas with out additionally speaking about our superb on-site help workers! Who, as Austin explains, have been there as quickly as he arrived at his new residence in Salzburg:
“My most memorable AIFS help second was after I arrived to start out my program, since that was the half I used to be most nervous about. As quickly as I arrived at my housing lodging, there was an AIFS school member standing exterior able to greet me and stroll me by means of my time overseas, so I felt comfy proper from the beginning… There was a way of consolation that got here with realizing I used to be in the suitable place, and I used to be starting my time overseas feeling nicely supported.”
Are you able to take the leap and research overseas like Austin did in Salzburg? We’d love that can assist you begin your journey!
Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to school college students research overseas. Our packages are extremely inclusive, which takes lots of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like cultural and social actions, excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site workers, and extra, you’ll take consolation in realizing you’ll have help all through your complete expertise overseas.
