Austria – Page 2 – GW Blogs from Abroad

Cool Buildings around Vienna

AdminOctober 17, 2016December 14, 2018

Unlike some cities (Paris, I'm looking at you!) that have a major architectural style, Vienna is much more varied. Maybe it's less pretty, maybe it's more navigable, that's for everyone to decide for themselves. While I can't include everything, Vienna has several standout architectural pieces that I thought would be good, to show the variety of architecture in the city:

1. Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (University of Economics)

This is where I go!! It has such beautiful architecture, it really looks like each building is a modern art museum. The library, or "LC," was designed by Zaha Hadid, an Iraqi-born British architect who also designed opera houses in China and Olympic stadiums in the United Kingdom. The building emphasizes natural light, accessibility for the disabled, and connectivity for modern lectures and working groups. Although she recently passed away last spring, her creations continue to win awards around the world.

...continue reading "Cool Buildings around Vienna"

Wait, I have classes?

AdminOctober 12, 2016December 14, 2018

By Ty Malcolm

After a month straight of traveling and making friends, it is finally time to slow down a bit and go to class.

My courses

International Financial Management (valuation, portfolios, trading)
International Energy Strategies (investment projects, M&A for energy companies)
~~Corporate Finance~~ (canceling this one, it overlaps too much with the first two!)
Multinational Corporations and Political Markets (lobbying, taxes, regulations)
Market and Business Evaluations for Siemens Austria (market research, consulting)
CEE Growth in Context (central European economic conditions)
German Business Communication (exactly what you think it is)

...continue reading "Wait, I have classes?"

Free Time in Vienna

AdminOctober 3, 2016December 17, 2018

By Ty Malcolm

Today (Sunday, 2. October) is my last day before the semester starts! Since my mid-August arrival in Vienna, I've had a month and a half to figure out how I like spending my free time in the city. Here are some of my favorites:

Cafés and Coffeehouses

Vienna is famous for its traditions with coffee, since the 17th century trading and fighting with the Ottoman Empire. The people of Vienna have always viewed these coffeehouses as their extended living rooms, which give them a place to meet friends or read the newspaper. Throughout history, they have also doubled as black markets and art studios. For the price of a cup of coffee (probably €5 or so) you can sit and relax for as long as you want. No one will rush you or wonder why you are there so long. The waiters are some of the best in the city, and always seem to know when to be available and when to make themselves scarce. It's the perfect place to meet friends, grab breakfast, or get some work done. (We are still students, after all.) The Kaffeehaus closest to my apartment is Café Westend, which is over 100 years old!

...continue reading "Free Time in Vienna"

How-To: 24 Hours in Slovakia

AdminSeptember 26, 2016December 14, 2018

By Ty Malcolm

In my last blog post, I gave some good options for cheap food in Vienna. But as you might expect from a onetime imperial capital, experiencing Vienna in all its glory has always required a lot of Thaler (1800's), Schillings (1900's), and in 2016, Euros.

One easy possibility for a cheap excursion from Vienna is the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.

Also located along the Danube River, Bratislava is the largest city in Slovakia. It has around 450,000 inhabitants, and although it is only 60 miles away it has a much more eastern European feel compared to Vienna.

...continue reading "How-To: 24 Hours in Slovakia"

Top 5 Cheap Eats in Vienna

AdminSeptember 19, 2016December 14, 2018

By Ty Malcolm

In a country where drink refills cost money and you don't have a meal plan, sometimes it seems daunting, trying to budget for food. If you aren't cooking for yourself, here's where to eat in Vienna when you're on a budget! For reference: for every €10 you throw in 2016, you are paying between $11 and $12.

DER WIENER DEEWAN

This has to be #1 on the cheap eats list, because it's free. Well... almost. You pay whatever you want! At this Pakistani buffet restaurant in the 9th district, only drinks have a set price. The food consists of several chicken, beef, and vegetarian options to put on rice or bread. You can go back for as many plates as you want! Since I usually order a drink besides water, I hand over a €10 bill and just say "Danke" (German for "thanks," but Austrian code for "I don't need any change back"). But in theory, you could drink water and eat the buffet and pay €2 or €3. But the food is so good, and the staff is so friendly, you won't want to short-change anyone! Great area downstairs if you have a large group. ...continue reading "Top 5 Cheap Eats in Vienna"

Break From the City: A Week in the Montafon Valley

AdminSeptember 4, 2016December 14, 2018

By Ty Malcolm

Tell your classmates you're studying in Austria, and you might get a joke about kangaroos. Mention Vienna, and you might spark a conversation about the canals of Venice. Eventually I just got used to these misunderstandings and had some answers ready. What was a little more difficult to explain was my destination for my week-long hiking trip in the Austrian Alps - the Montafon Valley, a mountainous region in the westernmost federal state (Bundesland) of Vorarlberg.

...continue reading "Break From the City: A Week in the Montafon Valley"

First Week in Vienna

AdminAugust 25, 2016December 14, 2018

By Ty Malcolm

Grüße aus Wien!

Greetings from Vienna!

With my first post, I'd like to give a short intro on my exchange university and then describe my experience arriving, moving in, and getting settled in the capital city of Austria.

The GW Exchange with the Vienna University of Business and Economics (or, in German, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, “WU”) has plenty of advantages on paper. Largest business school in Europe, huge cohort of international students, extensive English-language course list. It's cheaper than that Tier 3 program you looked at, and the university buildings look like modern art on Google Images. For a GW student studying business and economics, those are pretty common criteria to pick your abroad program with. But when you first arrive, those characteristics on paper probably aren’t on your mind. The first week in-country, you will likely be more concerned with the practical things, and in the first week, this program did the practical things well. WU has made everything easy, without making you feel like anything is mandatory.

...continue reading "First Week in Vienna"

The Hidden Gem

AdminApril 29, 2014December 14, 2018

By anishag22

Today marks the final day of my month-long spring break adventure, and I´m wrapping it up in Vienna, Austria. Before coming to Vienna I was in Italy and then Prague, so upon arrival I was pleasantly surprised by how much less "touristy" Vienna is in comparison. Vienna has so much to offer - its history, music, culture and pristine gardens have captured my heart. Over the past month of traveling, it does get exhausting at a certain point because every city starts to look the same. Vienna has been uniquely refreshing because it is a beautiful major city that just happens to be less popular for tourists, thus allowing me to see the sights without getting overwhelmed by my fellow travelers.

I´m not quite sure why Vienna is the hidden gem of this trip. When you´re here, you would think it would be flooded with tourists because of how much it has to offer. My best friend and I have had an amazing time here going to concerts, hanging out in Viennese cafes and of course checking out the ultimate snack market - "Naschmarkt." But Vienna is not an extremely popular study abroad destination these days. In my study abroad deliberations, I was actually strongly considering Vienna as an alternative to Bristol, but in the end I decided that learning German wasn't exactly at the top of my to-do list. At the end of the day, I´m so glad I chose Bristol, but leaving Vienna is bittersweet. I already have a list of what I´d like to do on a return trip - seeing the Vienna Philharmonic is a must, and a sidetrip to Salzburg to do the Sound of Music tour is too!

I feel so lucky and fortunate to have had this amazing opportunity - I´ve traveled through Europe for 30 days straight, and I can safely say that my worldview has changed as a result. For now, it´s back to Bristol for me as I prepare to buckle down and push through the last of my exams while still savoring every moment I have left in the city that´s become my home.

Until next time -

Xx, Anisha