Her Campus UChicago writer, Erica, is currently studying abroad in Vienna! Read about her adventures in her study-abroad blog.
Doing study abroad has been quite an experience. I am currently doing the Civilization core requirement in Vienna. Along with the civilization classes, I take a German course (I didn’t know any before I arrived!).
Before leaving to study abroad, I was pretty nervous. But a month in, I have really gotten accustomed to life here. Doing study abroad is a little bit like starting college over again– new people, a new place to live and a new city. The language barrier and some cultural differences were a little hard to get used to at first, but I have acclimated to the city very well.
Since I am still taking UChicago classes, the coursework is pretty heavy, especially since a quarter is put into three weeks. Civilization class has been interesting in that the professors have you engage with the city for the class. For example, my final project for the first “quarter” involved taking pictures and going to museums around the city.
Despite class requirements, I have had enough free time to explore much of the city and travel. I have seen a lot of the tourist destinations, such as churches and palaces, but I also have been able to sit in cafes and experience the culture. On my time off I’ve traveled to Zurich and Bern, Switzerland, Munich, Germany and around Austria.