When asked to describe the experience of studying abroad, most people will sing the praises of the newly discovered city and culture. My year in Graz, Austria, was more than enchanting, it was eye opening and the best growing experience any twenty year old can ask for. Without this opportunity from Montclair State University, I would have never thought of visiting Austria’s second largest city. And my praises don’t stop there.
Graz to me is perfect. It is not like a small city where everyone knows everyone else’s business, and it is not too big like Vienna. It is a town that was named the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003 because of its unique mix of old and new. With six universities and thousands of students, one would think that Graz has gone ultra modern, but luckily, the older generation has not let that happen. One look from the highest point of Graz, the Schlossberg, and it is evident that Grazers are adamant about preserving the old red-tiled roofs (it is even a law) along with restoring and protecting all the beautifully gilded buildings. Yet in between the historic lie new, modern museums and cafes, which some people feel are eyesores and others, like myself, embrace as part of the beautiful scenery of Graz.
Thanks to a supportive Dr. Brandt, I applied as an undeclared undergraduate and was selected to move to a city where I did not know anyone or anything. I know these prospects may sound terrifying to most people, and they were, but the friendly welcomes I received were enough to get me through those scary few days before I met some of the most interesting people and my closest friends today. After a year of spending hours in the city park doing homework or just relaxing in the grass with friends, I discovered my passion for fiction novels. As soon as I got back to Montclair State University, I declared my English major and never regretted it. But the year was not just spent in the park, this experience led me to discover many of Europe’s gems such as Prague, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Venice, Bern and Cologne, just to name a few.
One of the best outcomes of such an experience are clearly the people you meet and become close with. Even after you have come back home from your year of fun new experiences, you are able to still connect with the people that shared their time with you abroad. Now each summer I have the opportunity to return to Graz to see and reminisce with some of those people. Others are living in upstate New York (which I visit occasionally), Arkansas and even California and Nevada, which I was able to finally visit for a week to catch up with a former Graz inhabitant and enthusiast.
It is a huge mistake to pass over Graz as a study abroad option just because it is a German speaking country and so different from America and the English language. Thanks to the Internet, it is almost impossible to feel homesick while studying abroad and staying connected to the people that helped shape your study abroad experience is just as simple. Honestly, I would return to Graz in a heartbeat and right now I am working on making that a real possibility. I am eternally grateful to the partnership that Graz and Montclair have and the experience and memories they have given to me.