The View from Vienna: The world is our classroom

Many of the learning opportunities when studying abroad happen outside of a traditional classroom setting

Cate Zenzen  |  05/01/2019

This semester Cate Zenzen, a sophomore corporate marketing major at Lipscomb University, is participating in the global learning program in Vienna, Austria. The Vienna group is comprised of students from Lipscomb University, Oklahoma Christian University and Rochester College. This is the final installment of Zenzen’s blog series to share the group’s experiences this semester. These blog posts are reflections on various events and travel experiences the Vienna students have had over the last few weeks. 

Education by experience

Despite the term “study abroad,” I must admit much of my time here has not been spent on school. This is because so much of what we learn in the classroom — history, culture, language etc. — are manifested directly outside. This is what Lipscomb Global Learning is all about; the belief that the world, with all its beauty, history, challenges, and diversity, is the real classroom.

Our professors recognize how difficult it is for us to sit in a classroom with the culturally rich city of Vienna right outside. They too want to see the city and use class time to explore the museums, organizations and businesses that call Vienna home. A typical week in the Cross Cultural Experience course involves a lecture on Tuesday and a “site visit" on Thursday. These lectures cover specific aspects of Austrian society, such as its history, religion, and education system, and the visits have been to museums and important sites.
 

But even class time here has European charm. Several of our classes are taught at the Austro-American Institute of Education, a center for international learning that is nearly one hundred years old. Located directly across from the Vienna State Opera House, the AAIE is in the former home of a wealthy Austrian family. Founded near the End of World War I by Paul Leo Dengler, the vision was to provide a global education for students from all over the world. The Institute has international partnerships with many universities and offers English language courses for locals as well. 

Herman Weissgärber has been the director of the AAIE since 2000. A recipient of the Decoration of Honor in Silver for his Services to the Republic of Austria, Weissgärber is a proud Austrian and very knowledgable about his country. His opinions on Vienna politics, history, religion, and education have allowed us a unique insight into the culture. Weissgärber is an international traveler as well and has visited the United States many times. It is always interesting to hear his perspective of our home country. 
 

The AAIE itself is stationed in the center of the city, near the historical boulevard Ringstrasse. The classrooms are decorated with colorful wallpaper, gilded mirrors, and elegant light structures. On a sunny day, we open the windows and can hear the clip clop of horse hooves as the carriages full of tourists pass by. If we fancy a snack between classes there are tens of bakeries, confectioneries, food stands and vendors within walking distance. A group favorite are the chocolate croissants from the Austrian bakery chain, Anker Bröt. I am no exaggerating when I say both the Institute and European bakeries are life-changing.

I was thrilled by our teachers this semester. It was required for our group to take a German class, a beginner’s introduction to the language spoken in Austria, and our instructor herself was German. She encouraged our class to speak the language out loud to then use as we went out into the city. The instructor of our Bible class was a Slovakian minster who grew up beside the wall that separated the communist state Czechoslovakia from Austria. It was so interesting to hear about this piece of history from someone who lived through it. As a European minister he presented a global perspective of the Gospel and its impact. I think it is so important to create relationships with people from different cultures, and it was incredible to learn about Europe from actual Europeans. 

So while my education this semester wasn’t necessarily through books or academic outlets, I learned so much about people, culture, and myself. The world is the best classroom and I cannot wait to study it more. 

Advice for adventure

The magic of any study abroad program is the way in which the world is open to the student. For me, a normal school week ends on Thursday allowing for three glorious days of unexplored opportunity. The entirety of Europe is in my grasp, inhibited only by a host of unanticipated difficulties such as distance, transportation, and travel companions. What my program refers to as “Free Travel” is characterized by the student’s ability to overcome current challenges and plan ahead for inevitable ones.
 

The first step in planning a trip is to choose the location. Where in the world do I want to go? For me, the real question was, where do I NOT want to go? Give me a plan and I’m there! But a trip to Switzerland sounds amazing… until you consider the price, the hours you would spend on the train, the availability of Airbnb’s, etc. 

So you choose a location much closer, Prague for example, and now the real battle begins. Who will go with you? Despite our youth, many of my peers consider a study abroad semester to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. While I certainly don’t believe I’ll never leave the United States again, a lot of my classmates feel a great pressure to check everything off their bucket list before the final flight in April. This mindset presents the problem of individual agendas that don’t match. The other extreme is the issue of everyone wanting to go to the same place. I have found the smaller the group, the better.

So you’re going to Prague. How will you get there? Where will you stay? What will you do?

Europeans should be proud of their public transportation systems, both within major cities and internationally. The closeness of each nation means many accessible methods of to-ing and fro-ing. I have found the websites Flixbus and Omnio to be the best for cheap train or bus tickets. 

But before you choose your transport, know what you’re getting.

If you’re willing to sit on a coach bus for a few hours, you can get to another country for less than €20. I once took a bus that had TV screens on the back of each seat and an attendant who passed out headphones and espresso drinks, it was quite comfortable! However, the issue with a bus is they often drop you off on the outskirts of town. Give yourself plenty of time to walk and figure out your surroundings if you take the bus. 
 

A benefit of the Lipscomb in Vienna program is the Eurail Pass. The Eurail snakes throughout Europe and the pass will catch you a ride to many destinations with no reservation required. I’ve loved it because of the freedom it provides. One day after class a few of us just hopped on the train to Melk, a small town south of Vienna. At nightfall we zipped back to Vienna, about a 45 minute ride, easy. 

Trains also offer more flexibility when choosing a location. For destinations further away, you can rent a couchette or sleeping bunk. These do cost extra and are extremely uncomfortable, but hey, you can sleep your way across Europe. The couchettes I’ve stayed in are six-person compartments with corresponding bunks. The beds are like very stiff couches, but each passenger receives a sheet, blanket, pillow, bottle of water, and a light breakfast. I always feel like an accomplished traveler after spending a night in one of those.
Every train I’ve been on has been different. If you’re lucky your train will have Wifi and you can catch up on your blog posts! Maybe that’s just me. 

Once you reach your destination, where do you go? There’s an entire city to explore but only a few days to see everything! My favorite first-day activity is a free walking tour, found in most major cities. The tour guides are paid only by tips and always do their best to make the trip enjoyable. They can be long and require a lot of walking, but I think it’s the best way to get a feel of the city and its history. These tour guides give great recommendations on where to eat and what to do in the city.

I’m young, and I recognize I still have so much to learn about the world, but these are the lessons I’ve learned on this amazing adventure. 

Let go of your expectations; no matter where in the world you are, cities are dirty, smelly and full of people. Your pictures will not look like the ones you found on Pinterest.

Be patient with your fellow travelers; traveling is stressful and scary. Recognize that everyone is exhausted, and probably hungry, but enjoy yourself regardless. And please, don’t leave anyone behind. We all hate FOMO. 

Try new things; Get out of your comfort zone! Especially with food. One of my biggest frustrations is how difficult it is to find authentic food. The golden arches on every corner mock me and say “I know you’re in Poland, but how about a good ol’ American Big Mac?” Save the pizza for Italy, eat goulash in Hungary, curry-Wurst in Germany, and Pierogis in Poland! In my opinion, food is the best way to explore a culture. 

Planning a trip is stressful, and I have to remember how incredibly blessed I am. In three months I have been to fourteen countries. I have seen, eaten, heard, and experienced some incredible things. And even more incredible is how much I’ve learned and grown through every trip, especially in my faith. We’ve had problems with transportation, drama between students, and found ourselves in scary situations, but God has always led us safely back to Vienna. And I believe at the end of the semester He will bring me safely back to the United States… where I will sit restlessly and dream about Europe until I can go again.