2 days left. To end the blogs I’ve been writing for this semester, I decided to leave this one last post on a positive note. I’ll be forcing myself to come up with 5 specific “good” memories I’ve had and want to remember. 

1. Biking with Oo Meh from TSH to some place far away where we ended up getting rained on. But as we were about to turn around, we noticed a faint rainbow. It was so unexpected and made my day. 
2. Ordering chocolate croissants at McDonalds in Germany. I enjoyed doing this since it was only communicating one sentence, but felt so monumental in that I was saying something in another language. It gave me more confidence every time I did it and became easier as I did it more often. 
3. Seeing the Prater Amusement park on my train rides back to TSH from the Vienna International Airport. Whenever I saw the Ferris wheel or the Prater Tower, I knew that I only had one more stop before getting off at Praterstern. Because when you’re abroad you get to become so familiar with your day to day ongoings, I wouldn’t have to use my phone for directions anymore. Instead, I would just be more attentive on the train rides and listen to what they were announcing. 
4. Cooking Japanese curry for my friends was one of my favorite memories since I was able to share with them a taste of what I grew up eating. It was time consuming and required me to buy a large amount of potatoes and carrots. I was so happy that I was able to do this. In the end, two IES students from my kitchen ended up joining us to eat our curry. It was the first time most of them had Japanese curry. I’ll miss having conversations while cooking and sharing meals together. 
5. Getting (free) tutoring lessons once a week from Hanna. In the beginning, the beginning German class was the class I was struggling with the most. I would take hours to complete a single assignment and be confused all the time. After some time, Ruth suggested I meet with a tutor which began my weekly sessions with Hanna. We would work on my homework or look over corrections of quizzes and tests together and most of all I had so much fun working on my pronunciation of German words. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a lot harder speaking German than it is spelling or understanding it. So for me, it was always so rewarding to practice pronouncing German words by getting corrections and learning ways to remember how some words sound unique from others.

14 May

I can see myself looking back, maybe in August, when I’m back in Walla Walla reflecting deeper on my experience abroad. I  may have some not so great memories ingrained within me, or maybe I’ll forget them all and instead I’ll be thinking too much about the future.  I might only force myself to think back to all the spontaneous and great memories I had.  The question that’s been stumping me is, have I changed at all even if it’s just a little? I think this question is hard to answer when reflecting on yourself. If I remember to do so, it would be interesting to ask my friends and family what they think of how I’ve changed. Physically, they’ll notice that I’ve gained a little weight, but in terms of the mental and emotional growth, I’m not sure what they’ll say. Overall, it always seems easier to tell the difference from another person’s perspective than seeing yourself. 

Since I was in high school I wanted to go abroad because it was known for changing your life in the best way possible. But after being here in Vienna for 4 months, I’ve come to the conclusion that it all depends on you and your individually unique circumstances when deciding if studying abroad is right for you. For example, in my program I befriended a girl who studies at Hope College and she’s a fourth year student who has never been abroad before. Maybe for her this opportunity of being abroad for an extended time must have been “life changing”. For me, maybe not so much  since I grew up travelling back and forth from Hawaii/California to Japan. 

I think the biggest change I see in myself and in the way that I think is that I have grown to accept that before coming here I didn’t really know myself well enough in how I tend to behave and what/who are the people and things that make me feel motivated. But after spending a lot of time myself with my thoughts I’ve come to realize that I need a supportive environment to thrive both in my academics and personal life. I have to admit that I need the extra push, the help for me to be in the best state possible.

13 May

This was my favorite course this semester. This was the highlight, the thing that kept me going, and what allowed me to see a future in being able to use German to my advantage for work and beyond. Learning German brings me so much joy in that you can truly witness your individual growth in your expansion of knowledge in the language you are learning. The way you are able to do as much or as little, all depending on your own initiative/drive to learn, is so addictive and something I can proudly take back with me to the US. Also, I’ve noticed how I would be traveling to places during the weekend and how I would recognize some words and even sentences of tourists around me. For example, last weekend in Granada, while I was visiting Alhambra, there was a German tour group and I understood the number “sieben ” seven. 

Before coming to Vienna I only knew how to count up to 10 from my limited time using Duolingo, the language app. But now, I can count beyond one hundred and can even count and recognize them. My professor, Ruth, made my German class fun and interactive. She incorporated lots of partner and group work, Kahoot games, and field trips. To end the semester, we met at Naschmarkt, a touristy market 15 minutes away from the IES building. It was a beautiful sunny day, all we had was a small activity where we counted obst (fruits) and vegetables, and talked to local sellers. Then, at the end, we are-grouped and had aperol spritz! 

The opportunity of being able to use a language on a daily basis through interactions at the grocery stores and train station is wonderful! I feel like I’m learning fast, and all I want is more… I try to use words and phrases in German instead of English and I hope to continue that even when I get back to campus. I’ve been thinking about joining the German club and being involved with the IHS (interest house) events that the German house hosts every semester. There is so much that you are able to gain from learning a language. 

Solo Trip Gone Wrong

Today I made a huge mistake by taking the wrong train. 

I was planning on going to Munich from Vienna to meet up with Olivia, who’s studying abroad there. It was an early 6:30am train ride that was supposed to take me only 4 hours to get there. But, I mistakenly took a train towards Innsbruck (southern Austria). 

Around 10:30am I noticed that I wasn’t in Munich. I almost started crying right there and then. I was alone and was worried that I would have to pay extra money. 

I was right. I ended up having to pay almost 50 euros for another train ticket from Innsbruck to Munich. 

Then, when I thought nothing else could go wrong, my train got delayed by an hour. At this point, I was so embarrassed of making such a careless mistake and for wasting so much time when I should be studying, so I made a split second decision to just go back to Vienna. 

It could have been an amazingly unique experience going to Munich and meeting up with a Whittie, but I decided I wanted to prioritize sustaining myself for this hectic finals week. 

Did I waste a lot of money, yes. But, at the same time, I am better understanding myself and how I act. This failed attempt to go to Munich showed me that I tend to make decisions without much thought (I don’t logically and strategically think through the details). 

Tip: when studying abroad, definitely try going with another person so that you can lean on each other for help. &&& most importantly know your limits and think through how you can maintain yourself. 

Even though all this chaos happened, while I was getting help from the OBB train station’s information area, the man that was helping me felt bad for me and walked me to the lounge. His kindness touched me. I was lucky enough to receive some free refreshments! 

Another tip:  when you feel like you are at a low point, keep pushing through. AND don’t be afraid to talk, communicate with others, even those that you don’t know well. This may or may not give you the opportunity for others to help you:) It’s easy to just keep within you, but sometimes opening up just a little can be worthwhile.

11 May

“How stressed are you with finals? Meet in the lobby at 5, I’m making French Toast”. My phone buzzes and when I look at the text, it’s from Oo Meh. She’s one of the closest friends I’ve made while being abroad. These spontaneous texts I get from her warms my heart. She’s made egg-tomato soup, fried rice, Samosas, and now French Toast. In return, I cooked Japanese curry that took me a hefty two hours. Since we have a strict security system in place at the TSH, you’re not able to visit each other easily unless you live in the same section. 

This is one of my favorite memories I’ve made being in Vienna: cooking and sharing meals with friends in our kitchens. 

Last night, our friend Alex, who lives in the same kitchen as Oo Meh, came in while we were mixing our egg with the assortment of ingredients into the pan with the bread. He ended up joining us. Alex and I hadn’t had dinner yet, so this was perfect for us. 

Usually at Whitman, during the evening, I would be playing tennis with Whitman’s club, but being abroad my daily routine looks quite different. I definitely miss the communities I’ve made at Whitman. 

To fill in the time at night, I make food or share with my friends to keep busy. There’s comfort in making food that you associate fond memories with and also just making something for yourself. 

10 May

The stares and glares never stop coming, but I’ve gotten used to them over time. What can I do? 

One of the first weekend trips I did in Austria was to a ski town 7 hours away with my friend. Unlike Vienna, barely anyone spoke English and maybe because of the lack of racial diversity, I got more looks. 

This was something I was worried about going into my abroad program in Vienna. Knowing that Austria is in Central Europe, there was a part of me that felt slightly hesitant in coming here knowing that I would stick out as an Asian woman. 

It’s sad to say these microagressions stayed with me through the entire time here. Last week when IES took us to Watchau Valley, known for its white wine, I was walking in a small town where all of a sudden an elderly man says, “Ni-hau” (I didn’t spell that right), which means hello in Chinese. Because I a Asian, they automatically assume that I was Chinese. 

If you are not the predominant race in a given country, you almost have to expect what’s to come. You have to have an attitude of “I don’t care about what you think of me…” and be confident. I always end up reminding myself that these smaller areas are places that I will never come back to and that it’s an opportunity, whether it be uncomfortable and burdensome, to just accept it and let it pass. Instead, I think to myself, “only ___ more days left”. 

Another huge racial microagression I faced was with my IES program. One of my professors in my art history course, who I looked up to and respected so much, kept on calling me by THE OTHER Asian girls name for three classes in the row. This truly affected my classroom experience where I was afraid to participate in class and or correct her. With the professor student dynamic I felt speechless and outcasted. 

These negative experiences that may be specific to my identity of being an Asian woman has pinned me to a core in some way. All of this made me think about how similar and different cultures can be in different countries. In the US, there seems to be more talk about racial topics compared to Austria, but its interesting that there are some parallel experiences I’ve had. 

4 May

Today marks the tenth day until I leave Vienna. I wish I could say that my initial feelings towards studying abroad here have changed and that I am happy to be here, but that is unfortunately not the case. And that’s okay. It’s okay that this semester wasn’t the best or that I wasn’t able to study in Walla Walla. There were other things I was able to do, like visiting European cities I’ve never been to before.

One thing I’ve noticed that has changed over the course of writing these blog posts, is that I’ve finally come to terms with being here instead of just dwelling on what “could have” happened (staying at Whitman).

My main goals for this week and next is creating a plan and strategizing for finals week and to enjoy the last minute visits around the city. I still haven’t been able to go on a ride at Prater (the amusement park near TSH) or go swimming in the Donau (Danube River). My hope is that I can have a strong ending to this semester and to try to have fun as my study abroad experience comes to an end. 

27 April

How do you stay connected while being abroad? I’m not sure. Is there really a way? Maybe. For me, it’s been difficult to find the time to connect with my friends at Whitman because of the huge 9 hour difference between here and pacific time. What I found to be the best time to talk with my family and friends is between 9-10pm my time, which would be noon in Washington. But, the downside is that 9pm is late, so I’m usually too tired to talk for more than half an hour. 

Ontop of using Facetime and other ways of talking through video platforms, I’ve also been using social media and meeting up with friends over the weekends. Instagram and snapchat can be easy and quick to use. But, when I go on these networking platforms, I tend to feel like I’m missing out on being with the present moment and of being here in Vienna. 

Being away off-camppus has allowed me to be more grateful for my Whitman friends. And thinking about next school year being my final year at Whitman, has made me consider taking an extra semester. 

College is so short and time goes by too quickly. This semester hasn’t been the best, but I’ve also been able to gain new experiences like travelling to new places. It’s also made me understand what environment fits me and what is important to me, which for me is my community. The academic rigour and the supportive culture of Whitman is unlike any other program/institution. The professors are also something so unique in that they truly care, which affects you. I want to do well not only for myself but also for the challenge and in knowing that if you ever get stuck that the professors are always there for you to help you. Comparing the professors I have in Vienna with those back home I am really really looking forward to office hours and spending time talking through ideas and texts with professors for the upcoming semester. 

I watched an opera for the first time for 10 euros. 10! I couldn’t believe it, but it happened not only once, but three times so far. It’s unbelievably cheap. If you ever have the chance to visit Vienna, I highly recommend taking advantage of this. The opera that I’m mentioning is the State Opera House in the city center of Vienna. Fun fact: you can tell when a performance is happening by seeing the building lit up at night with lights. 

After doing some googling, I found out that you are able to buy standing tickets two-hours before a performance starts. The wait is long, but time flies when you use time wisely by bringing a book or talking to a stranger waiting in line next to you. During my second time waiting in line, I met an Argentinian undergraduate student (studying in Munich) who I became friends with. We started making small talk and then after we got our tickets, we had only an hour to spare before the opera performance, so we decided to stop by a sandwich shop close by. It was terrifying at first introducing myself to someone that I didn’t know, but at the same time it was a memorable and very spontaneous experience. Sometimes, being alone gives you the opportunity to reach out to strangers.

Near the opera house, 15 minutes away, there is a park called Stadtpark, which translates to “city park” that’s surrounded by Austrian statues of musicians. Fun fact: stadt- city, staadt (with two aa’s)- state :)) For my Art History (monuments and memorial) course, I ended up writing about Johann Strauss II’s sculpture at the park! 

Living here in Vienna, you are able to feel the ingrained musical culture! The sound of people singing in the streets and in stations, people wearing their fancy clothes rushing to the Opera house, and hearing clicks of photos being taken of scutlrue all create a beautiful and unique day-to-day life. Also, IES Vienna has a music program, so it’s typical to hear music coming out of classrooms while being in class. 

25 April 2022

The last blog post depicted how my typical day would look during the week and so I thought it would only make sense to write about how my weekends are spent. I usually go on trips to another country during the weekend. They can become exhausting and make me dread the upcoming week. But, at the same time, I’m able to travel to a new country and explore novel places. 

There’s a lot of preparation that gets involved before a trip. I have to plan ahead by researching cheap hostels and using budget airlines, using Ryanair or Easyjet, to book flights. I wasn’t used to this before coming to Vienna since everything was usually planned out for me by my parents for family trips, but now it all depends on me. The amount of time and energy I spend on thinking through ideas and creating an itinerary has made me realize that doing all of that is as if I am in another course. 

Traveling costs money. A LOT of money. It really surprised me how much I have been spending. It’s a learning experience for me trying to figure out how to save money during the week by cooking meals and trying not to go to expensive cafes and balancing that out with letting myself indulge in things during the weekend. A phrase I hear myself saying often is “just this one time…” and “it’s the weekend…”. 

If you are reading this post and are considering studying abroad in Vienna, the advice I wish I received was to think through choosing a place to study with the financial costs in mind. Vienna, like most European countries, is expensive. For example, a chocolate croissant near my IES building costs 3.60 euros and public transportation in Vienna costs 52 euros per month. Everything adds up and worries about money can definitely add to the overall experience you have while studying abroad.