Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Jonathan L. - Salzburg, Austria - Fall 2009

Hallo von Osterreich! I just arrived in Austria Thursday and I also just got internet! I have to say, my flights went very well without any hiccups and in these few days here I've done a great deal due to the amazing public transpiration system here. For only around 5 Euro per person (with a group up to 5) a schones-wochende ticket took me and a few students to Munchen for Oktoberfest in about 2 hours by train! Everywhere I've been so far, the locales have been very accommodating, and we've made a few friends along the way. We seem to have alot of free time here (every weekend being a three day weekend). Otherwise I'm settled in Haus Humbodlt, and my class schedule is being forumlated this week. To say the least, I'm excited and I'm trying to pick up the dialect here (aber es sehr schwere ist). Well I'm off to Mittag essen with the group

Best regards,Jonathan

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jon! I'm glad Salzburg is treating you well! It's so weird thinking about not seeing you around the Frick every day-and not seeing you for almost a year! I'm also happy to hear your flights went well and your fitting right in. Any tips for those who are soon to depart to far away lands? Anything I should pack on my carry-on versus my suitcase?
Also, I need to get your Skype info so we can chat!
Hope your semester goes ever so smoothly and enjoy Oktoberfest ^.^
-Libby

10:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Jonny! You made it there and i'm glad to hear it! Hows your place? Are you living with anybody? I'm Trying to get everything together for a semester in Ireland. I still need to get myself a new laptop. Were are you when i need you? Let me know how things go in Salzburg. Skype me Jonny Appleseed!

Matt Fryer

10:28 PM  
Anonymous Emily Lagattuta said...

Hi! I'm glad to here that Salzburg os going well for you. I will be studying in Italy this spring. You mentioned that you have a three day weekend. Did you arrange that yourself or does everyone in the program have that?
Thanks!

5:51 PM  
Anonymous John Maher said...

Have you had any difficulty in the classroom other than learning in german? What kind of scholarly advice do you have to us who will be studying abroad soon? What classes types of classes would you suggest taking are taking just for credit and gen ed reqs have been filled?

1:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Jon! Libby again! Tell me about Germany, hows the culture shock going? Are you experiencing anything that you weren't expecting or has anything gone differently than anticipated?

<3 Lib

3:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry about the long gap between postings I only get 3 gigs of internet per month (they failed t mention last after a week of hardcore use) so as of right now I'm down to my last 10 mb till Sunday. I will try to address each question in order. Libby, honestly just bring things to keep you occupied while waiting between flights (or make a friend who's flying there. Bring a snack or two otherwise use your own judgment as to what to bring ( Europe rains, and in England it rains instead of snows kinda, it's like slush from what I've been told) so I guess what the best advice to give would be to bring boots :). Fryer, Haus Humboldt is pretty sweet, My roommate Christian, is from Oberosterreich, but he usually isn't here and keeps to himself.So I kinda have a double to myself. I'll be sure to send you a build on a sweet laptop when i get new internet :D. Emily, our class schedule just worked out that way :(. I'm not sure how your particular program operates but you never know! John, depending on your German comprehension, it can be difficult, however the professors here know we're not native, you grammar class is tested into and usually you're not in a class as the lone American, your peers can also help you out (and don't forget a good Deutsche Worterbuch!)Libby, honestly I didn't think about culture shock really until it happens every once in a while. For me it was the first week there, I just hated some of the people in my program and I just wanted to leave, then I was just homesick. After that every once and a while I just feel like crap it's hard to explain but 95% of the time I'm doing pretty good. Austria D:< (lol) is pretty fun, Salzburg's a quietish big city (if that makes sense).

>Almost one month living in Salzburg, things are finally starting to get in a routine. last time I posted was Munchen... got some catching up to do. first week of class was cool, Geographie mit Herr Baier... awesome class wayyy too much fun. Contemporary Austria kinda made me die inside a bit (but it got a little better) some classes were more difficult than others, workloads vary but my life then consisted of reading Artur Schnitzler's Lieutenant Gustl... interesting to say the least. Then the Gaisberg. Yes hiked in the Alps (and forgot my inhaler) yes, awesome but took a little bit of time. After finishing Gustl we went to Vienna last weekend, cool city, kinda reminded my of Chicago exceot way more compact, the only reason I mention Chicago is to kinda throw in scale but now that I really think of it, Vienna is a bigger Salzburg with tiny roads with a buttload of people. Anyways, I hope this helps, I'll make sure to be blogging more now that things have settled down a bit.
Alles Gute
Jonathan Lange

4:21 AM  

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