Austria

Mary Kertz
Truman State University (Partner Program) in Salzburg, Winter Semester 2003

"Hi!  My name is Mary Kertz, and I am a senior majoring in political science at Mizzou.  During the winter semester of 2003, I studied abroad in Salzburg, Austria. I chose Austria for a number of reasons, including its central location in Europe (ideal for traveling); its cultural and political history; the expansive curriculum (you can take "History of Hitler's Germany" and even ski in the Alps for P.E. credit!); the housing plan (living with a host family); and the school's mission to integrate the German language, field trips and independent travel into the course curriculum.  If your goal is to become more independent, travel throughout Europe and learn about politics or business in a European setting, this is the ideal program for you!  While the courses are taught in English, learning the German language in class definitely helped me communicate when traveling to other European countries.

"Living with a host family was truly one of the most rewarding experiences for me.  My host mother was born in Italy to Austrian parents, so she made every German and Italian meal from scratch.  I still dream about that food!  Her English was rather broken, like my German, so we helped improve each other's language and conversation skills throughout the semester. She was wonderful!

"With its fortress overlooking the city, Baroque architecture, Viennese cafes, constant smell of sausages and bread baking, and the Austrian Alps on all sides, Salzburg exhibits a fairytale-like feeling. With a population of about 180,000, Salzburg is a large city with a friendly, small community feeling. Within the province of Salzburg, you can listen to "Mozart Week" concerts, see the world-famous "Sound of Music" tour, hike and ski in the Alps, and visit the famous Salzkammergut (the lake and mountain district).

"European activities abound on this program.  During Spring Break, I saw the opening night bull fight in Madrid at Plaza de Toros; hiked to the castle that overlooks Lisbon, Portugal; joined in the festivities in Venice for Karnivale; swam in the Turkish Baths in Budapest, Hungary; and attended the Papal Mass in Rome for Easter.  It is also very easy to travel to and from German Bavaria, including Munich and Fussen-home of the infamous Neuschwanstein castle.  The possibilities are endless!

"Studying abroad during the events leading up to the War in Iraq and during the War itself added an entirely different dimension to my study abroad experience and particularly interested me as a political science major.  While in big cities, I kept a low profile by not drawing attention to myself and by not speaking English loudly in public places.  However, the war situation served as an opportunity to enhance class discussion and discussions with other Europeans, Americans, and other international students while traveling.  While I had the opportunity to defend my own opinions, my horizons certainly expanded when I viewed America and our nation's role in the world from a new perspective.  While at times the situation with the war proved frustrating for me for various reasons, I gained more positive experiences than negative.

"I am forever changed for the better from my experience abroad in Austria, and I hope that you have the same opportunity to learn more about yourself and others outside of the American classroom. If you have any questions about this program or studying in Austria, feel free to contact me!  I love to talk about my experience and get others excited about their own plans to go abroad." Email: kertzmary@yahoo.com.