As I prepared for my first time traveling out of the United States, I quickly realized I had no idea what to expect. I had spent countless hours looking up pictures of Austria, researching traditional cuisine and listening to the music of the many composers who lived and studied there, yet I still felt so unprepared. I couldn’t imagine how to live within a culture outside my own. This all changed the moment I landed in Austria. Within hours I began to realize how the similarities in our lives outnumbered the differences.

Over the course of three weeks, myself and 11 other Nazareth students explored and learned about music and culture in three different areas of Austria: Salzburg, Melk, and Vienna. In three weeks, our group became like a family, growing and changing with experience we had, and learning the importance of community and an open mindset. With the help of Dr. Marjorie Roth (Nazareth professor) and Dr. Michael Malkiewicz, we got to experience Austrian culture firsthand. Here are three major moments that I took away from my experience:

1. Mountains:

The first sight I saw when landing at the Salzburg airport were the mountains. These mountains became a constant view as we traveled throughout Austria. Wherever we went, we could see the unique sloping point of the Untersberg (it almost looked like the little drooping point on an ice cream cone). While it wasn’t on our original plan, we insisted on climbing Untersberg! If you have never climbed a mountain, here are some suggestions: 

a. Bring a winter jacket. Even if it is summer, when you are 6,000 feet in the air, it gets pretty chilly. And you are prone to getting windburn, so a winter jacket is very helpful in keeping you warm and protecting your skin. 

b. Wear sunscreen. A big mistake many of us on the trip made was not wearing enough sunscreen when climbing the mountain. Even though it is very cold on the mountain, you are much closer to the sun and get a lot more sun exposure and are more likely to get burned more quickly. 

c. Embrace the experience and take in every moment. Seeing the world from that high and getting the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature is so calming. Be sure to take lots of pictures!

2. Mozart:

The main focus of our study abroad program was researching and learning about the many different composers who studied and performed in Austria. One of the most world renowned composers who is known for his life in Salzburg and Vienna is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From the moment we landed in the WA Mozart Airport, Austria made it clear how much they respect and honor Mozart and his works. In full honesty, Austria had such a high level of respect for composers and musicians. When people heard that we were students studying music, they were often impressed and very supportive of our studies. This was a very interesting experience that I don’t think we often have in America. There is a certain cultural respect for musicians (and specifically classically trained ones) in Austria that doesn’t exist as presently in American society. As we studied the different composers, I really appreciated Austria’s dedication to keeping their architecture and monuments so well kept. I really felt immersed in the communities and felt as though I was seeing Austria and these buildings the same way Mozart was in the 18th century.

3. Monks:

Our first day in Melk, we were invited by Pater Ludwig to join him and  fellow monks on a Bittprozession. None of us really knew what this was when we were told about it, so we went in pretty blind. When we arrived at the area, we were surrounded by Melk community members and monks and they explained that the yearly event is a representative pilgrimage and prayer for a good summer harvest. Through this pilgrimage, they also were doing a prayer for Ukraine and those involved in war. While all the prayers were in German, I found the experience  extremely moving. I didn’t grow up very religious, and honestly the majority of my religious experiences were those of my Jewish grandmother who equated religion with a lot of fear from the war. This idea of a community walking a pilgrimage like their ancestors and joining together in prayer for a common goal was a new experience and nothing I have experienced before in the United States. I remember starting to feel at peace by the repetitive nature of the words we were speaking and the songs we were singing as we journeyed through nature. Even though I was unsure of where we were going and how long this journey would take, I felt safe and appreciated being surrounded by nature and such a welcoming group of people. Of the religious events we went to throughout this trip, I think this was my favorite. I felt as though I was able to participate in and appreciate the religious aspects more while also learning some cultural aspects surrounding religion in Austria. After the pilgrimage, we were welcomed to a dinner of sausages, bread and wine with the monks and church members. The monks hosted with open arms and the overall hospitality of the monastery during our time in Melk blew me away. It was such an amazing community and learning experience of a lifestyle so different yet with similarities to our own lives. It helped break many of the ignorant perceptions we have of monks from movies and media in the United States. It opened my eyes to a community and lifestyle that I had never experienced before.

Oh My!

Studying abroad was truly a life changing experience. I made so many connections with my fellow peers and the amazing individuals I was able to meet and learn from. If you ever have the opportunity to travel abroad or go to Austria specifically, I encourage you to embrace every moment and fully immerse yourself in a beautiful country and the amazing history that helped make it the way it is today.