Wellesley essay

I was asked by my German advisor to write something about my experiences in Vienna for the Department newsletter. I enjoyed putting together a few highlights of my time here, and thought it could be helpful for any new readers of my blog ;)

(for Professor Hansen)

Blossoms are sneaking into parks and along streets, lighting up the heart of Austria with the promise of spring. To me, the natural adornment has an effect more beautiful than the Christmas lights, which sparkled from November until the middle of January. In the past seven months, I have experienced Vienna in every aspect of its personality and culture, from the high society Ball scene, to the open-air and crowded Saturday flea markets. I have immersed myself not only in the Austrian culture and German language, but also in the way of life in this unique city. With every new experience, this city has worked its way deep into my heart, and become a place I could call home.

            I arrived in September and spent the first few weeks sight-seeing and hiking, enjoying the beautiful fresh air easily accessed from the city. Ride any subway line to the last station, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by trees and little mountains. My favorite memories from autumn, after the beautiful foliage, are culinary experiences. The history and cross-cultural relationships with neighboring countries make Vienna a lucky place to be, as there are so many dishes taken from other cultures that are now considered typical Austrian fare. While visiting my roommate for a weekend in upper Austria, two hours away from the city, I was treated to a stupendous roast, “Schweinsbraten”, for Sunday lunch, complete with bread dumplings, sauerkraut, and numerous other side dishes. There are many good restaurants in Vienna as well, not to mention the cafes and thousand varieties of cakes and pastries, which I consider a part of my cultural education to try. As my program director once told us, after five minutes talking to any Austrian, you’ll end up talking only about food for the rest of the conversation, and everyone has their favorite place you have to try. Food has become as important way I experience a new culture.

            The language likewise reveals a lot about the culture of Austria. Linguistically, I consider the Austrian dialect to be a sweeter form of German. It is a little less harsh and little more loving and tender. What I find fascinating is to hear the differences between even the various regions of Austria. After spending a weekend with my roommate’s family and neighbors in October, I could understand the Upper Austria dialect much better. Thank goodness, because all of the Austrians on my floor in the dorm come from Upper Austria! They would politely speak High German with me, but when two or more gathered in the kitchen it was hopeless. Now I can even understand the dialect from Vorarlberg, which is apparently the worst.

            The most significant moments of my time abroad have been affirmations of my decision to pursue a career and life in music. This was the central reason to come to Vienna; to be in a city historically central to the development of classical western music, and to soak in the rich culture and continued appreciation that is inherent in the culture still today. The musicology department at the University of Vienna is incredibly strong, with many interesting courses and passionate students, and the University has several musical ensembles, which I joined My involvement led to being asked by the conductor to sing the solos and duets in Benjamin Britton’s “A Ceremony of Carols” with the University of Vienna women’s choir in December in St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the very central point of the city. This is an experience I will never forget. It also taught me how cold old Catholic churches are! Attending performances is just as important as performing, and living ten minutes from three main venues has made it easy to take advantage of the city’s wealth of concerts. The most incredible concerts were with Nicholas Harnoncourt conducting his ensemble Concentus Musikus.

            There are still three months left for me to savor every day in this city, but I already know that I will surely return to Wellesley in the fall with my goals altered, a taste for perfectly cooked meat, and a nasty coffee addiction.

They may need to cut bits, not sure how much space they have, but even this version to me is the more compact one...oy. Vienna is just too wonderful and diverse a place to be able to successfully condense it into something concise.
-lab