DEAR AUSTRIA,

You know I love you, so don't get me wrong. BECAUSE I feel so strongly for you I want you/need you to develop. And here are some ideas I picked up in the States. (I know, they can learn a LOT from you over here, too, but that's a different story ...)

1) University Atmosphere
Studying is serious business here. You don't just go to class (or not), hang out there for a while (nor not) and copy your friends' notes, cram at the end of the term and forget everything right after the test. My biggest lecture is one with 9 students. Needless to say we really benefit from the things we read, write and discuss. I have the feeling I am really learning something here! (Didn't have that at Vienna University much.) And it's a hell of a lot more work! But that feels great! I can concentrate on studying because no bureaucratic obstacles are thrown in my way. People here WANT me to graduate, encourage me to get involved, publish my papers - in short, they take care of me! A few examples: After enrolling for classes online, you get a list of books you need - and the chance to order them online. 2 days later you will find them in front of your door. Nice! Of course, if you can't afford them, the professor would make sure she copies the relevant passages and puts them online as PDF. But service is not just about books: If you feel scared on campus, you can call a phone number and someone will walk you home. Libraries offer group rooms, soundproof rooms with video cameras to practice presentations, you can order articles and get them as PDF within hours (sometimes minutes), and staff to assist is available 24/7. Every single lecture/meeting/activity is evaluated! Professors are available until late (even via email and skype), your graduation is a goal everybody is interested in - you make a "graduation plan" with your adviser and hand in a "progress report" every year. Software is incredibly cheap (12 bucks for an office package!!), if not free. All students get a personalized electronic portal that manages their finances, accommodation, classes, books, social life, academic progress... etc etc etc - Yes, you might argue, that's because you pay for it. True. Tuition is a bitch. And here it starts to feel weird and wrong: I am the "victim" of a selection that I can hardly justify. A status I hate and love. A moral dilemma ... For now, I have decided to humbly benefit from it and enjoy it to the fullest.

As for my classes - I looove them, as challenging as they are. I might have to drop one, because I underestimated the workload a little. But after one week, I can honestly say that I love my classes and my professors (all female by the way!). Among others I am taking Language and Education Policy, which is maybe my favorite. It's about linguistic imperialism, its mechanisms, how to resist it and save minority languages - and to a large degree about English as a global player language. The professor is supercritical and deconstructs all kinds of concepts and ideas - I enjoy this soooo much, so we happily (but also angrily) question the whole world in class. She also knows quite a few famous people in the field, so we get to go to all kinds of speeches and presentations. At the end of the semester she wants/helps us to publish our papers and case studies. Let's see how that goes.

What about my social life at the U? Well, after a rather slow start, I have met a crowd of people I really like. They include Natalija from Lithuania, Matthew and Chris from the US and Lisa (originally from Vietnam - I think - right?). You might hear about them. Apart from being just really really fun and nice to hang out with, they are (partly) in an International Education program, which makes many of our discussions very interesting - and it's so good to be with people who share the same idealism. The offer of social activities is so vast and wide, I feel almost a bit overwhelmed. The U organizes parties, book clubs, discussion groups, provides a recreation center (similar to Vienna's USI but better and bigger), enormous sports grounds and some arts and music performance centers. And then there is the Twin Cities, housing the second most theaters in the US after NYC, just imagine ... so there is lots to do and to see - if homework allows me to.

2) City Atmosphere
People are just so friendly (or normal?) here. A girl steps on the bus and asks: "Is this going downtown?" Busdriver: "No, hon, but if you take the 76b to Washington and form there the 3c, you'll get there. and you can even use the same ticket. The next one is in 3 minutes. You better hurry, good luck! Have a nice day!" I can just see the same situation in Vienna: "Tschuldigung, fahrn Sie ins Stadtzentrum?" - "Naaa!" Oh, and you know what really blew my mind? Busdrivers would actually stop and pick you up, if you are running after the bus - even outside of marked stops! Incredible, huh? (But then again, aren't they supposed to?)

Dear Austria, I have to admit, there are also a few observations that puzzle/irritate me:

1) Freedom vs. security
Obviously, you can't have both. So there is this big talk of freedom. It's like THE thing! But what is it really? The paperbag around the winebottle? The gun I could buy if I wanted to? The taxes I don't have to pay? I miss some very essential freedoms: The freedom NOT to take part in all the competition (EVERYTHING is a competition - work, college, sports, ...), the freedom to receive good health care (that's a tough one!!), the freedom to go shopping around the corner (instead of around the clock), the freedom to be satisfied with what I have, the freedom to opt out from the American dream ... I guess a lot of this is just me being pressured by myself. But still, being "on top" is the way to go here. An attitude of being satisfied with what you have is not socially accepted - at least that's how I perceive it.

2) Food
Fridges are huge, so you'd better fill them. Luckily, supermarkets and shopping carts are huge too, and most people own huge cars to transport all the bags home. So, we go shopping once a week or so, fill our gigantic fridge, eat and drink like crazy, but still hardly manage to empty it - and miraculously the food still does NOT get bad - even the cucumber is fresh after 10 days. HOW??? I have been using the same gallon of milk for almost two weeks! HOW??? That's creeping me out! So YAY for rotten food! At least it's natural! Thing is, we really love the food here. So at some point we might have to buy an SUV to transport our own bodies.

Don't get me wrong, dear Austria, I looooove it here! But I am confronted with situations every day that make me think about me, my life, what I really want and need. And these are just a few thoughts I wanted to share - in case someone has ideas to add - I'd be grateful.

I miss you, I hope you are doing fine.
Love,
Hanna