In my last post I told y’all
(yes, that’s what we say here in Texas) that leaving home made me really sad. As soon as I arrived in Austin though, I was happy.
After I had picked up my heavy luggage (when you try to fit your whole
life into one suitcase, it weighs quite a bit) at the Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport, I just stood there for a second and tried to realise
that I just arrived in Texas, my new home. I took a deep breath and looked
around. The warm air smelled like summer and was filled with the sound of
cheerful country music. The shop next to me sold cowboy boots and Texas
Longhorn T-Shirts. People were passing by and when they saw my puzzled look,
they would smile at me, friendly and encouraging. That was the moment when I
fell in love with Austin.
And this love should grow stronger and stronger in the next weeks, for
several reasons.
First of all, the campus life here is amazing. You can’t compare it to
the university life in good old Austria. As I walked around my new
neighbourhood, West Campus, in my first days, I was surprised to see that there
wasn’t one single actual grown up on the street (Yeah, I know, theoretically
I’m a grown up too. And all the frat guys dragging themselves to class with
eyes only half open, after a rough night playing beer pong, too. But you know
what I mean, I mean the real ones.) At home there are a lot of older people and
students don’t live in one place but are spread out over the whole city. I was
not used to seeing only people around my age, all just wanting to have a good
college time, meet other students and have fun.
And the great thing is, you can see friends and have fun within walking
distance! All the people you want to meet up with live like 10 minutes away
from you. You need a midnight snack, a beer or a late night conversation? Just
step out of your apartment, go any direction and you sure will find something!
If a friend here calls me at 11 pm and asks if I’m down for a drink, I usually
am. That’s because I just have to walk across the street and there is my
favourite bar, sweet Cain&Abels, where I traditionally spend every Tuesday
with a $1 beer in my hand. Admittedly, American beer tastes a little like water
and sometimes I really doubt that there even is alcohol in it, but hanging out
at Cains still is great!
What really amazed me was the way students looked and how they go to
school. When I went to university on my first day there, felt like I fell into
one of these American college movies I saw. All the girls hanging around on
Campus with their sorority sisters, a Starbucks cup in their hands, wearing
Yoga Pants and Sweaters twice as big as themselves. Or shirts that are so long that you can't see the running shorts they're wearing and think that they're not wearing any. And the frat boys with their
caps and these washed out T-Shirts that look like their grandfathers had
already worn them and the Greek letters everywhere which all look the same to
me.
I was really happy to see that people go to school in what you should be
supposed to go to school: comfortable clothes. University is rough enough and
not always exactly fun to be at. So why do people at my business school in
Vienna feel like they have to make a day of studying even worse by going there
all dressed up, with a ton of make-up and a catwalk ready outfit?! I love the
way people here go to school. Come to class with your workout clothes - no one
cares! Don’t wear Make-Up and messy bun – perfectly fine! Wear a not exactly
sexy but really handy bag back – everyone does it! Do that stuff in Vienna and
everyone will look at you like you’re a homeless person who got lost and for
some reason ended up at a University campus. I’m definitely gonna take this
whole chilled attitude back home to Vienna, even if it means that people will
look weirdly. If you get used to getting up 20 minutes before class starts in
the morning, you don’t want to get back to the one hour “Oh god, I gotta look
good at school or people will think I’m not a good student AND a lazy person”
routine. Because, actually I am a lazy person. At least at 7:30 in the morning.
It’s just too early.
Oh, and don’t let me forget the most important thing about Austin: The
nightlife! You can go out pretty much every day. There’s always some stuff
going on. In my first weeks here I went out around five times a week. The
famous 6th street, is completely crazy. It's called "Dirty Sixth" and they call it that for a reason. A street full of escalating party
people, cheap drinks and loud, fun bars. (And freaking expensive pizza, by the way.
Why do americans do that? Five dollar for a tiny slice of pizza, in the middle
of the night, when I could actually eat a whole cow? Whyyy would you do this to
me?!) A lot of live music is going and a LOT of dancing.
 |
| dirrrrrty 6th |
I’ve never danced as much in my whole live as did here in the last
weeks. And no, I don’t mean the usual hopping from one feet to another dancing
or the twerking stuff. I mean REAL dancing, with holding hands and steps you
have to do and spinning around. Since I came here I’ve “learned” not only a few
Latin dances but also how to Swing and Country dance. Well, at least the basic
steps. And how to act as if you’d knew what you’re doing. And you know what?
It’s amazing! I’m so thankful for the lovely people I’ve met here that are not
only great dancers but are also ready to share their knowledge. They taught me
and the other dancing newbies what to do and didn’t mind us moving like robots
while staring at our feet instead of elegantly swirling over the dancefloor,
like they do. It was a whole new experience. Especially the one time they took
us to a Latin dance club where all the people were moving their hips like Shakira
and looking like Jennifer Lopez while I was highly focused on starring at my
feet, trying to not break my partners’ toes.
So, I’ve already made a lot of great experiences here in Austin. Last
night I came back from Spring Break in Florida which also was pretty amazing.
There’s definitely gonna be a post about that later! And I still have to tell
you about me at the shooting ranch, me at the country club and me in New
Orleans. Soo, stay posted! J
