During my first week abroad, my group spent our time in Graz. I am staying in a hotel for the entire program and share my room with another roommate. The location of the hotel is very ideal because it’s right along the river. The hotel is right near a bus and tram station, making it easy to navigate the city. Almost every night since I have been here, our group has crossed this river into the square. The square is where majority of the events occurs. During our first night, we went to Schlossberg which is an old clock tower that sits on a hill and overlooks the entire city of Graz. One of my favorite parts about the square is the liveliness. There are so many people out eating, shopping, or sitting outside and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Adapting to this new lifestyle has been hard at times, but I am enjoying it. My class is a 20 minute walk to the University of Graz or about a 8 minute tram ride. In the beginning, our program leader would direct us from each place and travel with us. Now that I have become comfortable using Austria’s public transportation and know where the main buildings are, I am able to travel by myself or with some friends. Another thing thats taking time to get used to is the bike lanes. The sidewalks have a walking and biking lane and every time I am on the sidewalk, I almost get hit for not looking. It’s amazing how everyone in the city gets around either through public transportation, walking, or biking.

Something that I have noticed and that continues to surprise me is how shops and other stores close around 5, including pharmacies. When I think back to my life at Pitt, or even at home, our pharmacies are open until 8 or later and most shops close after 6:30. Another difference I have noticed that I will miss when I leave Graz is how fresh the food is. At home, the food is so oiled or fried, but in Graz, the restaurants I have eaten at so far are fresh. They don’t fry their foods or use too much oil. Austrian’s also have smaller portions that are just the right amount of food.

During my time in Graz, our group is taking two classes. The first is the History of Medicine and the second is Comparative Healthcare. Learning about the history of the US healthcare system and Austrian healthcare system shows how different challenges can arise based on the population size. We have just started these classes this week and I have already seen such differences and similarities between the two.

This week I look forward to learning more about healthcare, exploring the city of Graz, and enjoying our free weekend in Croatia!