Why did you choose this area for student exchange?
Did you know that just in Vienna live almost 2 million people, the same number as in whole Slovenia. It is a totally different world just across the border and a drive that lasts 3,5 hours from our capital city Ljubljana.
We have chosen Vienna for our student exchange, not because we wanted to stay close to home, but to experience the culture, meet new people from all around the world, get to know the beautiful city of Vienna and of course to improve our German in a place where they speak it every day.
Opinion about faculty/company?
The faculty we attended is FHWien University of Applied Sciences, which is located 10 minutes from the city centre with public transport. It is a really great University, with great coordinators that are always there to help you and that give all the information that you need. Inside the building you have a cafe, restaurant, computer room with printers, smoking areas in every floor and a terrace at the top, where you can spend your free time and hang out with your classmates. We had all the classes in English, that are thought mostly by professors from around the world and some of the classes are together in English with Austrian students. The interesting thing that we experienced here was a two week class that was thaught via Skype, by the lecturer from Miami. The University organises also a lot of events, where you can get to know your classmates even better.
Stereotypes, first impression and reality?
Stereotypes about Austrians are that they wear the typical clothes called »Dirndl« or »Lederhose«, that they like to ski and listen to classical music.
First imression that we had was that they are really closed, its hard to make a contact and they are more serious and punctual.
Otherwise they are nice people and its interesting to see the people on the streets and the way they dress, even the older people are always looking their best. The Austrian language is also totally different from the normal German language, because of their dialect. For example, officially to say let's go home is: Gehen wir nach Hause, but in Austria is Gemma Ham, which is completely different and interesting.
There are also some negative things we experiences, for example that you have to watch out where you step, when you are walking around, because nobody cleanes after their dogs. And the other is that the people can still smoke inside of every place, so you have to know that everytime you come home you can put your clothes directly to washing mashine.
Local culture & habits?
Austrian culture is famous after their passion for coffee and all the famous cafes you can visit around the city. They share their passion for coffee together with classical music and desserts, like well known Sacher Torte and many other delicious cakes.
Their opening hours are also different than in Slovenia. They open the shops usually at 8 or 9 in the morning and work till 6 in the evening. After that everything closes, you can just maybe go to bigger shopping centres outside the city or some shops that stays open a little longer. On Sundays you shouldn't expect to find open shops, only the souvenier shops in the city centre.
Places & activities?
There is so many places in Vienna that you can visit. For example many sightseeing locations, such as Prater park, the oldest amusement park in the world. It is open from 15 of March till 31 of October. Then you have the city center with Stephansdom, Opera, many bars and restaurants and the Kärtner street for shopping.
You can enjoy your free time in many parks that are in Vienna or combine them with greatest mansions, such as Belvedere and Schönbrunn.
The faculty we attended is FHWien University of Applied Sciences, which is located 10 minutes from the city centre with public transport. It is a really great University, with great coordinators that are always there to help you and that give all the information that you need. Inside the building you have a cafe, restaurant, computer room with printers, smoking areas in every floor and a terrace at the top, where you can spend your free time and hang out with your classmates. We had all the classes in English, that are thought mostly by professors from around the world and some of the classes are together in English with Austrian students. The interesting thing that we experienced here was a two week class that was thaught via Skype, by the lecturer from Miami. The University organises also a lot of events, where you can get to know your classmates even better.
Stereotypes, first impression and reality?
Stereotypes about Austrians are that they wear the typical clothes called »Dirndl« or »Lederhose«, that they like to ski and listen to classical music.
First imression that we had was that they are really closed, its hard to make a contact and they are more serious and punctual.
Otherwise they are nice people and its interesting to see the people on the streets and the way they dress, even the older people are always looking their best. The Austrian language is also totally different from the normal German language, because of their dialect. For example, officially to say let's go home is: Gehen wir nach Hause, but in Austria is Gemma Ham, which is completely different and interesting.
There are also some negative things we experiences, for example that you have to watch out where you step, when you are walking around, because nobody cleanes after their dogs. And the other is that the people can still smoke inside of every place, so you have to know that everytime you come home you can put your clothes directly to washing mashine.
Local culture & habits?
Austrian culture is famous after their passion for coffee and all the famous cafes you can visit around the city. They share their passion for coffee together with classical music and desserts, like well known Sacher Torte and many other delicious cakes.
Their opening hours are also different than in Slovenia. They open the shops usually at 8 or 9 in the morning and work till 6 in the evening. After that everything closes, you can just maybe go to bigger shopping centres outside the city or some shops that stays open a little longer. On Sundays you shouldn't expect to find open shops, only the souvenier shops in the city centre.
Places & activities?
There is so many places in Vienna that you can visit. For example many sightseeing locations, such as Prater park, the oldest amusement park in the world. It is open from 15 of March till 31 of October. Then you have the city center with Stephansdom, Opera, many bars and restaurants and the Kärtner street for shopping.
You can enjoy your free time in many parks that are in Vienna or combine them with greatest mansions, such as Belvedere and Schönbrunn.
As you all might know, the typical Austrian dishes are Wiener Schnitzel (Viannese steak) and Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel). You can get these dishes in almost every restaurant together with everything else.
Very popular in Vienna are also the stands on every corner, where you can buy Austrian sausages (Würst), noodles or rice and kebab and are really good especially when you go home from a party.
In Vienna unfortunatelly they don't have student meals like we do in Slovenia, so everywhere you go in restaurant you will pay up to 20 euros or more, depends where you go. You can only get some discount in the University cafeteria with your student card.
mmmmmmmmm
Very popular in Vienna are also the stands on every corner, where you can buy Austrian sausages (Würst), noodles or rice and kebab and are really good especially when you go home from a party.
In Vienna unfortunatelly they don't have student meals like we do in Slovenia, so everywhere you go in restaurant you will pay up to 20 euros or more, depends where you go. You can only get some discount in the University cafeteria with your student card.
mmmmmmmmm
Accommodation?
Accomodation is quite hard to get in Vienna. Really great is a group on Facebook in which there are people that are leaving in Vienna and they post sometimes some places that are free or they can give you good advices where to search for rooms.
We were leaving in different places, one in a Slovenian student dorm Korotan, which is located 30 minutes walk from the city centre and the other in an appartment with one girl from Slovenia, who is leaving here and it was also located near the University and 40 minutes walk from the city centre.
The places in Vienna are also quite expensive, so you have to be lucky to find something cheaper and in a good location.
Nightlife?
Nightlife in Vienna is fun. Like in Slovenia you can drink in public, so everywhere you go you see groups of people drinking and going to some club later. There is so many clubs that you can choose from, the only thing is that the entrance fee is everywhere 10 – 15 eurous, including the cost for the wardrobe.
There is also a lot of Erasmus nights and events, with Karaoke, special offers or free entrances with the Erasmus student network (ESN) card.
Two bars were great and close to our University, where you can get coctails very cheap, from 0,50 cents to 5 euros later in the night, because the price changes every hour.
Nightlife in Vienna is fun. Like in Slovenia you can drink in public, so everywhere you go you see groups of people drinking and going to some club later. There is so many clubs that you can choose from, the only thing is that the entrance fee is everywhere 10 – 15 eurous, including the cost for the wardrobe.
There is also a lot of Erasmus nights and events, with Karaoke, special offers or free entrances with the Erasmus student network (ESN) card.
Two bars were great and close to our University, where you can get coctails very cheap, from 0,50 cents to 5 euros later in the night, because the price changes every hour.
Transport?
Transport is really great in Vienna. At the begining you can buy a student semester ticket that costs 150€, sometimes 75€ if you come to Vienna before the 1 of September and with the ticket you can use all the public transport inside the city, such as u-bahn, tram and bus. All these transport devices go to every place in the city and they go every 5 minutes during the week. During the weekend they drive all night, but with a little longer intervals.
Costs?
The costs that you have are the monthly payment for the room, semester ticket for the transport, food that you can buy in Hofer, Billa or Zielpunkt and cook at home or the price for the food in restaurants, entrances to the clubs if you party a lot and the cost for the mobile sim card if you take it.
Pros & cons?
For us this has been the best experience in our lives and we wouldn't choose any other place to do the Erasmus exchange. One classmate said when we took them on a trip to Ljubljana that you only Ljubljana once (YOLO) and we thing that the same goes for every place, because you can never have that much fun with so many great people in such great city as Vienna. So we quote him and said that you only Vienna once (YOVO).
The only thing that was hard for us was, that Vienna has that much higher standard of living and that everthing is more expensive than in Slovenia. But as our grandparents and parents always say: When you go to Vienna you have to leave your stomach outside. (Ko greš na Dunaj, pusti trebuh zunaj).
The costs that you have are the monthly payment for the room, semester ticket for the transport, food that you can buy in Hofer, Billa or Zielpunkt and cook at home or the price for the food in restaurants, entrances to the clubs if you party a lot and the cost for the mobile sim card if you take it.
Pros & cons?
For us this has been the best experience in our lives and we wouldn't choose any other place to do the Erasmus exchange. One classmate said when we took them on a trip to Ljubljana that you only Ljubljana once (YOLO) and we thing that the same goes for every place, because you can never have that much fun with so many great people in such great city as Vienna. So we quote him and said that you only Vienna once (YOVO).
The only thing that was hard for us was, that Vienna has that much higher standard of living and that everthing is more expensive than in Slovenia. But as our grandparents and parents always say: When you go to Vienna you have to leave your stomach outside. (Ko greš na Dunaj, pusti trebuh zunaj).
Other?
We will never forget Vienna, because it gave us everything. We met incredible people from all around the world, that we can visit them now, we improved our German and we are leaving home full of great memories that will stay with us forever.
Aufwiedersehen Wien und Danke.
Kaja Dobnikar and Zala Gregorič
kaja.dobnikar@gmail.com & zala.gregoric@gmail.com
wow awesome..
ReplyDeleteits nice very interesting pics... really unique.
i like your blog thanks for sharing a great information and photos...
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Are the costs you listed split between however many roommates you have, or is that the amount that each person pays?
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Every one know as well Vienna is one of the best place in the world we can get lots of idea to read this types of blogs .I have plan to visit this place in my vacation ......
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