With the alluring valleys, flowing rivers, modern castles, and historical ruins of some, Austria has beauties only described as something in a fairy tale. Taylor Johnson got to spend a year in this prepossessing country. She didn’t chose Austria for its delightful scenery but, instead, because the year before, her family harbored an exchange student from Austria and since he got to step in Taylor’s shoes, she wanted a chance to stand in his. While she stayed with him for awhile in an urban area in Austria, she didn’t feel as welcomed as she expected and moved on to a rural area that she fell in love with. Taylor said it felt almost unreal to be leaving everything at home and when she was left alone in the hotel, reality came crashing down, and she found it almost impossible to leave. She is glad she left though and soon found a new life that made more than just memories.
Austria has some of the most beautiful scenery and Taylor got the honor of visiting some magical places. Her favorite trip was to Wachau (Danube Valley). At Wachau she hiked hundreds of feet in the air to sit at the top and overlook the valley. She explained the feeling of a high, she was shaking from intensity of the moment, and she said it was a feeling she would never get again. Austria has many castles and on Taylor’s journey, she some saw breath taking castle ruins and a valley where apricots grow. She went to a Krampuslauf (this means Krampus run in English. Krampus is this horned half goat, half demon that whips naughty children opposed to Saint Nicholas (Santa) who grants them gifts). Young boys would dress up like Krampus and would run around whipping people, which according to Taylor, slightly hurt.
People in America have different lifestyles than people as in Austria. Public transportation is something very valued in Austria . Taylor said one of her scariest moments was riding on the U6 (a subway) alone, she also said she felt very safe on it. They have public buses, trains, and subway systems, while public transportation is in America, it is not as common. Taylor enjoyed the feeling of being able to get anywhere without relying on her host parents to take her somewhere.
School is different in Austria. In the school Taylor attended, Musikgymnasium, she did not get to pick her own classes besides which language she wanted to learn. The other students there at first were weary of her, but over time she felt at home and made many friends. Taylor wished she could have stayed to graduate there.
During her memorable time in Austria, Taylor learned and experienced so much. She misses her friends and host family there. If she could have brought anything from Austria back with her, she would have brought the public transportation. Taylor learned to be more independent and responsible, a skill she is glad she learned. Much like anyone who learns of Austria’s wonders and activities, Taylor would love to return. She’s glad she got the opportunity to experience everything that she encountered and she will never forgot her time there.
Austria has some of the most beautiful scenery and Taylor got the honor of visiting some magical places. Her favorite trip was to Wachau (Danube Valley). At Wachau she hiked hundreds of feet in the air to sit at the top and overlook the valley. She explained the feeling of a high, she was shaking from intensity of the moment, and she said it was a feeling she would never get again. Austria has many castles and on Taylor’s journey, she some saw breath taking castle ruins and a valley where apricots grow. She went to a Krampuslauf (this means Krampus run in English. Krampus is this horned half goat, half demon that whips naughty children opposed to Saint Nicholas (Santa) who grants them gifts). Young boys would dress up like Krampus and would run around whipping people, which according to Taylor, slightly hurt.
People in America have different lifestyles than people as in Austria. Public transportation is something very valued in Austria . Taylor said one of her scariest moments was riding on the U6 (a subway) alone, she also said she felt very safe on it. They have public buses, trains, and subway systems, while public transportation is in America, it is not as common. Taylor enjoyed the feeling of being able to get anywhere without relying on her host parents to take her somewhere.
School is different in Austria. In the school Taylor attended, Musikgymnasium, she did not get to pick her own classes besides which language she wanted to learn. The other students there at first were weary of her, but over time she felt at home and made many friends. Taylor wished she could have stayed to graduate there.
During her memorable time in Austria, Taylor learned and experienced so much. She misses her friends and host family there. If she could have brought anything from Austria back with her, she would have brought the public transportation. Taylor learned to be more independent and responsible, a skill she is glad she learned. Much like anyone who learns of Austria’s wonders and activities, Taylor would love to return. She’s glad she got the opportunity to experience everything that she encountered and she will never forgot her time there.