A week has passed since I first arrived in Austria. Time is already moving and so much has happened: between arriving, meeting friends, getting a roommate, figuring out the system, going on a spontaneous day trip, and of course taking a tour of the capital, Vienna!
I’m going to be honest – the second I arrived to my empty, lonely, dorm room here in Wiener Neustadt, I immediately wanted to throw in the towel and come home. I initially did not have a roommate and I found out that I probably would not get the opportunity to experience having one. Tears immediately streamed down my face as I called my mom in hopes that she would reassure me that things would get better. And let me tell you, things are absolutely going better!
The first official day of classes included an orientation and making a friend. On top of the many friends I have already started to make, my new friend, Sofi, is the Finnish version of myself. We are seriously the same person but look nothing alike. While getting to know each other, we found out that we were both were stuck without a roommate! We figured we would ask if we could move in together, and before we even asked if this was a possibility, I received a message saying that if we would like, we could be roommates! This news brought both relief and happiness to Sofi and I, as we knew we would not wake up alone in our rooms ever again for the duration of our stay. Our room is now homier than ever and we split everything that we purchase. Living is easy when you and your roommate eat the same food and have limited fridge space!
I have already learned a lot about Austria, and I have even started to learn some of the German language through others and my beginner’s German course. It is truly enhancing my experience already!
I have learned plenty about the countries of the students around me, and I think it is reassuring to know that even though we are part of different cultures, we are all the same. As I have made friends, we have experienced so much together in this week alone including, a scavenger hunt in our city of residence (Wiener Neustadt), a day trip to Puchberg am Schneeberg, and a tour of Vienna (the capital of Austria). I could write you a novel if I began to talk about the places I have already been to, so don’t be afraid to send me a message on social media or creep my photos whenever you’d like. I will be posting plenty for myself to look back on and to share with everyone. Although the distance from home is still an obstacle, the days that are passing are now memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world. The possibilities are endless when you are in Europe, so stay tuned to find out what this next week includes! I’m not even sure yet!
P.S. I paid $10 euros for 8 gigs of data. Yeah, I know…
Written by: Alexandra Berlingieri
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