Welcome back to my blog! So far I have been in Graz for about 2 weeks and it has been so fun! I have been able to learn and embrace some of the Austrian culture. When I first arrived in Graz, I noticed how students at the university dress. They wear linen, jeans, sweaters, and blazers. While I love to dress up, one challenge is the heat. I see many students wearing long pants and sweaters even when it is 80 degrees outside. What I have picked up on is that many people layer their clothes so when it does get hot, they can remove the top layer and still be presentable. Something else I have noticed is on the tram, they use the honor system. You can buy a tram ticket on the tram, but there is no one checking to see whether you paid for one or not. I take the tram more than twice a day and I have never encountered someone getting checked.
One of my favorite parts of this trip is trying new places to eat. Every night, my friends and I go out to dinner at a restaurant and I have noticed differences in culture. For example, I have noticed many people talk softly and quietly. They keep to themselves and are less animated than we are at home. I have also noticed that at a cafe, you have to let the waiter know you are done eating or they won’t bring you a check.
One challenge my group and I have been having is the language barrier. A lot of younger people in Austria are fluent and know English, but on some of our tours and when conversing with older people, their English is not that good. We have a mentor named Mirna who is studying at the University of Graz. She speaks fluent German and helps translate when it’s needed. Because of her and our group leader,I have learned some phrases and words in German such as “Entschuldigung” which means excuse me and “Danke” which means thank you.
The encounters I have had around Graz has influenced me in various ways. My friends and I have shopped many times to fit in and dress like the university students. We also are learning to be more attentive to our surroundings because in Austria, everyone jaywalks and the trams and buses come out of nowhere. Personally, I have been trying more foods that I would never eat such as a schnitzel or liverwurst.
The people and the culture are unique and have made my experience in Austria more exciting. Interacting with them excites me and I can’t wait to see what else I learn from my future interactions!