As I said when I introduced myself, I am a foreign student. It means that I have a different point of
view about Austria and Graz than my fellow students. Before coming here I thought that everyone in
Austria wear leather hose, drink a lot of beer, sing Tyrolean music, and love
skiing. When I arrived here I noticed that all of that was a cliché hum not all
but most of them.
So what’s weird/great/crazy for me here:
- Clap Clap! It’s so funny when at the end of each lecture you begin to applaud the teacher in the Austrian way. I mean you knock the table with your fingers. That’s so hilarious but the best is to see the face of new Erasmus when you do that!
- Titles! You are a doctor but not a doctor well you passed a PhD but you are not able to treat anyone. It’s surprising how you are so careful about each ones title.
- Honesty. I think it is what surprised me the most. In my street each Sunday you can buy the newspaper in a weird folder and you pay spontaneously the right price. Well many Austrians told me that in fact you don’t pay but I like thinking that people really pay.
- SKI why isn’t it the number 1 point on the list?! You are so fond of ski it’s unbelievable! Many people go to see the world cup or at least one race or they can’t because they work for it!
- God bless your photocopier! That system is genius you should import it around Europe (at least in France!). With this little card you have the power of printing!
- Crossing the street is so easy! Cars stop spontaneously to let you cross. You don’t have to wait a long time and drivers don’t seem angry to let you cross the road. For Christmas, I went to Paris. When I wanted to cross the road I simply stand on the pavement nobody stopped! I had to use my old French habit, which consists on nearly jumping under the car to make sure that the driver stops. Safety is not our first priority!
- Organized! Last time when I went to the library (this library where you have to give you student card) I realized that there are two ways:
- - The Austrian way: you arrive ready with you’re student card in your pocket you need 1 minute to get a key for your locker.
- - The French way: you arrive there, you remember that you need your student card so you spread all the mess contained in your bag on the counter, you give your card, you try to tidy up your stuff in your bag. Finally you have the key for your locker … 10 minutes later! Austria though me something: organization and I’m so thankful for that!
- But my favorite stuff here is your cycle routes. It is so easy to bike! You don’t have to fight with the car drivers, people are friendly and there are cycle routes everywhere!!
So keep going guys, your great!
