Grüß Gott? Grüß Gott readers! According to my friends who have been to Vienna and my English-to-German dictionary, this is a common greeting in Austria and originally meant “God bless you.” In one month from today, I will be traveling to Vienna to study abroad until December and I will most likely be using this phrase daily. If you don’t know me or haven’t seen me around campus, I would like to take the time to introduce myself in this first blog post. My name is Elizabeth Arnold, but everyone calls me Lizzie. I am going into my third year at Linfield and I am a history major with a potential double minor in Latinx Studies and Anthropology. I work for the History Department as well as the Archives on campus and I am involved in a few clubs when I am not working. I love music, reading, hiking, dogs, learning, exploring, traveling and I am so excited to study in Austria and learn more about the country. My family has deep ancestral ties to Austria and I have always been fascinated by World War II, which has been interwoven into the fabric of Austria’s modern history.
As a student who goes to a small, private, liberal-arts college, I have recognized that I have a lot of privilege. Part of this privilege is the option to study abroad with countless places and topics of study to choose from. Growing up, my family lived abroad in Singapore for a couple of years. That experience infused my life with a fascination with other cultures and learning about traditions and perspectives different from my own. When choosing a college to attend, I based the choice on certain criteria, one of which being the school’s study abroad program. Something that intrigued me about Linfield was the wide variety of interesting and educational programs to choose from in the International Programs Office. Linfield has already proven itself in this regard. During Jan Term 2023, I took part in the course going to New Zealand. Alongside two professors, 12 of us students learned about endemic New Zealand plant life and the current political landscape in regards to the environment. We even backpacked over 50 miles putting together everything we learned. Even though I have traveled abroad before, my professors during this month taught me so much.
Something I will take with me from New Zealand and my professors (hi bestie John and bestie Pat!!) is writing down everything in a journal. I don’t think I scribbled enough observations, quotes, or notes from that month. Now, I am ready to record everything during my time in Austria. Even if it is the pattern on the leaves outside my bedroom window, you can count on it being in my journal (and maybe possibly in this blog). I hope to use this blog as another way to communicate my thoughts and feelings to an audience outside my close friends and family. I also hope you will continue with me on this journey.
In these journals my professors asked us to write in, they recommended coming up with a cast of characters, or people we interacted with during our course. Our cast included everyone from our class, one of our professor’s kids, plus the people we met along the way- like our hilarious bus driver or the quirky nature guide we met. In every journal entry I updated our cast of characters to include these new people. I found this a great way for me to organize my thoughts and not forget the people who accompanied us on our journey through New Zealand. Plus this way I could also have a clear picture in my mind when I look back on this experience in 10, 20, 30 years. I aspire to include a cast of characters to everyone in my blog posts, as if the people I meet are a common thread through my journey.
As of right now, there are four people in my cast of characters. This includes Andrew, Rachel, Sage, and myself. We are the students that make up the 2023 study abroad semester to Austria. Below I have inserted a photo of the four of us so you have an idea of who I (presumably) will be blogging about often. Although we only met a few months ago, we have already formed a group rapport, texting often and making sure each other is in the know about all things Austria. As I get to know the three of them this upcoming semester, I have faith you will too through this blog.
In exactly one month, I am leaving home for Austria, where I will be living, studying, and exploring during my fall semester. Now that I know who my host family is, I have my visa, and I have started to gather my belongings to start packing, it is really starting to get real. Although I am a bit scared and anxious, I know those smiling people in the picture above will be there for me, as well as the support staff in Austria and my friends and family back home. I will have my knowledge from living overseas and my course in New Zealand.
Honestly, I am looking forward to everything, even though the nerves are there. I mean, who gets the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Vienna for a semester?
Auf Wiedersehen for now,
Lizzie Arnold