Thursday, August 31, 2006

Kevin - August

I am Kevin and a senior music student. I am currently studying in theIES-Vienna program in Austria. First, a brief description of the program-after we arrive, we are required to go to an orientation to figure out housingand some survival German for those who have not taken any German before. Oneis not required to know German to study in this program. The next part of theprogram is a 3-week intensive part. We are required to participate inorientation activities, advising appointments, and intensive German everyday.
As part of my preparation for coming to Vienna, I have also been studyingGerman all summer (reading a little, and listening to CDs). I think I havegotten to the point where I can hold small conversations with Dr. Caltvedt andorder food, though I still don’t know what everything is called yet.
The orientation started on August 24 and this week we have started intensiveclasses. I arrived on August 19th. My early planning this summer was for theevent of any terrorist threats and scares, giving me a 5 day buffer ofdelayed/cancelled flights. This indeed has already happened and while I wastraveling home from New York City, making a usual four hour excursion withline waiting into one that was over 11 hours from door to door.
In arriving early, I had the chance to walk most of the city for the first three days. I arrived by myself, and took this extra time to also observe howpeople behave in Vienna. I stayed in the cheapest Hostel I could book sinceJuly, and have met many travelers passing through. People passed through fromPrague, Israel, three ladies from Australia (not in the same night), England,Canada, Mexico, and France. After walking most of the city, I had also had alesson with a Piano teacher I found through the internet. I have beenobserving how people order in cafes, supermarkets, and the behavior on thesubway.
After getting settled for five nights, I had to move my luggage (two bags anda backpack) to the West train station for the orientation program. After beingaround the city, by my self for five nights, it is easy to see a lot ofAmerican stereotypes. A lot of students were speaking pretty loudly inEnglish, and when we left for the bus, they left empty bottles on the ground.It is also interesting, after studying culture shock, to see students in thehoneymoon phase. Perhaps I am in this phase. I arrived with no problems, onlya few slight delays, but I do not feel great exhilaration like many otherstudents. The next phase of culture shock, though I do not remember the name,is for September. It is also interesting being a spectator of other students.I try my best now not to stick out too much by not wearing clothing thatreally stands out (on the subway, Austrians stare at people wearing shorts),and speaking only German (to sales people or waitresses).
Though my German is not perfect, it is good enough to order, hold very smallconversations (perhaps over the weather). During my first two days, I had ahard time speaking German because I had no confidence and a little bit of fearfor it. I would enter a bakery and tell them I understand only a littleGerman. I have for only 3 months learned German and then order. After peopletold me that my pronunciation was pretty good, I had no problem ordering forthe next three days. I still lack some confidence because I don’t know whatall the food is called in the bakery, and the signs don’t always correspondwith the items. I have also been lectured once by a Taxi driver about thedifference between Gasse and Strasse, and have only irritated one sales womanso far when I asked her to repeat the price (if she spoke English, I probablywouldn’t hear her anyway).
Though other Americans said Austrians were mean, I find them to be prettyfriendly. They seem to be helpful with directions if you ask. The landlordseemed also pretty friendly in helping me get moved in (the check in process).
The housing was determined by a lottery process during orientation, and I havebeen moved into an Austrian dormitory. I made this choice to try to improve myGerman, and perhaps understand Austrian culture better. There were alsoapartment options, and home stay (none of them were vacant by my number).Perhaps IES has different living quarters in a city such as Milan, but inVienna, there really is not any room for dorm type buildings.
The German placement process was also determined on orientation weekend, and Igot placed in Intermediate German II (which is equivalent to the fourthsemester of College German. This is pretty scary, especially considering thatI have not taken German before. The first two days were pretty hard. I triedIntermediate I on the third day. And am happy with it.