Being in Austria

I arrived in Austria on the 24th of September 2019, firstly I landed in Vienna, then  from Vienna to Villach I had to take a train. It was my first time experiencing flight and train, and it was also my first time to be abroad. started  a creative outlet for when I was a lonely expat, fresh arrived in Villach and unable to speak a word of German. I figured that there others struggling too, I thought the same thing, so I started to learn German because many people here they don’t even understand English, so I had to learn German language although it was difficult for me to learn it, because am from South Africa I only speak English and Xhosa which is my home language.

Austrians was positive one, everyone was very helpful when I asked them for directions or assistance when am trying to translate something, but when you go to there restaurant don’t be offended by how rude waiters or waitresses may seem. the style of the service is very different  compared to South Africa and also their menu is written in German not even in English. The other thing is that people in Villach specifically tend to stick together and can be a little resistant to making friends with other people who are not also from Villach, but that completely right because the city is full of people from all over Austria and over the word but Villach population less than Cape Town population.

I knew that when I arrived in Villach, I have a lot of things to do ,firstly pick up my residence permit. In Austria students that are not from Europe, staying in Austria need to apply for a student residence permit, opening an Austrian bank account so that I will be able to buy anything in Austria.Register in municipality to say that I will be living in Villach for a couple of months. Get my student card from the university.

I took part in Austrian language  course in September at Carinthia University of Applied Science and it was a great experience that I will recommend to everyone. It allows students that are new to the city to other students that will be spending time in Villach and for you to develop basic German skills, in Carinthia University of Applied Science am doing bachelor in intercultural management, I took a variety of courses such as Balance Sheet Analysis, Fundamental of Management Accounting, Austrian Language and Doing Business in Austria.

I notice things that are different from my home country which is South Africa such as Austrian food, everything that tasted different but very nice. People in Austria have a trust with everything like there are no security guards in shops, garages, banks etc. where I came from the are many securities, there is no trust at all people are corrupt and there are more crimes happen there. I wish I could stay here forever and what I notice in Villach is too quiet than my home country, Austria is safe place to be with, it has beautiful nature, lakes etc. I would definitely recommend it to other students to come and see themselves. I enjoyed being in Austria.

In Austria there is lack of transportation than South Africa, most people here used bicycles, that is a big problem for me because I never try to ride a bicycle in my life, so when am going to university I walked for more than 25 minutes and also culture of Austria is different from South Africa. In my country, shops are open till Sunday the whole day, shops are closed on public holidays but here shops are open till Saturday not on Sunday.    

I notice many things here in Carinthia University of Applied Science that are different from my University, student library is opened anytime, you can study even on Saturday the whole day, because you used student card to get in and study. In my University library is closed at 10 pm Monday to Friday and Saturday is closed at 12 pm, on Sunday library is not opened at all. And also lectures time here you can attend one cause for more than  3 hours, in my University it’s only 45 minutes per module, and here you attend causes one time per week, while in my University you attend module every day.

I truly enjoyed being in Austria, there are many lakes that have blue water like sea, In Austria there are no sea and in Cape town there are no lakes,  so there are many differences. And in Europe and South Africa times are the same most of the time but it changes by 1 hour when is winter in Austria, and winter in Austria start in November, I will also experience snow here. It would be my first time to experience snow in my life. Austria is very small but I notice many things that are very different from my country, Even the car steering wheel is different from South Africa is on the left here, In my Home country is on the right, so It for us from South Africa to drive cars here in Austria. It would be the best experience ever in my life to be abroad, experiencing many things, exploring in the country, even my future children will be proud of me when am telling them about being abroad, and I would them to came in Austria and experience what their Mother had experience. I want my family to be proud of me, as am the first one to be abroad. I am the ambassador of myself, ambassador of Cape Peninsula University of Technology, ambassador of South Africa and Ambassador of my family, am proud of myself. I will recommend that to others, believe in yourself, don’t ever listen to other people, because people can judge you even if you are doing the right things, even if they are wrong. People will be always people that is why I told you that don’t listen to other do what makes you happy, be proud of yourself and make others proud too.