During my senior year in high school, I traveled to France, Switzerland and Italy with other students on a school trip. We took a train to the top of a mountain in Lucerne and the view was incredible. As I took in the fresh, cool air, I decided that I must return to the Alps. Luckily when I researched study abroad programs last year, I discovered the American Institute of Foreign Study program, which has a strong international relations curriculum in Austria.


I live in the Europa Kolleg, which houses university international and Austrian students. It is located 15 minutes by bus from downtown Salzburg. The view of the Alps from my bus stop (Ginzkeyplatz) is spectacular! It snowed here for the first few days, so I couldn’t see the mountain backdrop to the city. But once the skies cleared up during the weekend, I was able to see what motivated me to come to Salzburg.





Looking across the street from the Ginzkeyplatz bus stop.


The city culture seems to be very laid back so far. I have never seen a baby cry or a dog bark yet in Salzburg. Many Austrians bring their dogs into restaurants, shops and food markets. Bus transportation operates on an honors system. The driver doesn’t check to make sure that everyone has a ticket. Instead, people are expected to purchase tickets (daily, weekly or monthly) at a Tabak (corner store that also sells newspapers and cigarettes) or at an electronic machine at various bus stops. One can also purchase one way rides by paying the driver with cash. However, there are undercover bus employees, dressed in street clothes, who randomly check people when they are getting off the bus. My advisor here said offenders who don’t have tickets are publicly scolded, fined 35 euros and required to give their passport numbers to the authorities to keep on file. While I haven’t been stopped yet, one of my friends has been asked twice to show her ticket. Fortunately, she had a valid monthly pass.