Maknojia is a finance major from Houston, Texas studying abroad in Vienna, Austria. This post was contributed by Afiya Maknojia, a Global Ambassador for spring 2021. As the days until my departure grow smaller, I wake up every morning with the excited thought that Vienna waits for me. But I keep reminding myself to just let the city guide me along for the wild ride. I hope that in future posts I can share with you the ways I made these next four months exhilarating and safe without traveling too much.Īll this being said, a part of me is still very frightened about not being able to feel in control of my life and schedule once I’m in Vienna. I truly believe that no matter what climate you enter your abroad experience in, your positivity and readiness can really help make it an epic experience. However, this pandemic has allowed me to redirect my energy and focus to the experience itself, not just forcing in weekend trips between assignments or exams. If you had asked me a year ago, I would’ve talked about all the traveling I’d do and taking my camera with me everywhere. I guess this semester will be an affair between myself, my laptop and many masks once again! Packing, repacking, and overpacking!Ī few weeks ago, I was reading some old blog posts and came across one that talked about your study abroad trip being what you make of it. Because of this, my WU Wien courses will most likely be online as well. As of now, Vienna could potentially still be under lockdown or curfews when I arrive. I suppose in a way, it’ll be nice to focus on my new campus and explore within the borders of Austria completely. I know that being abroad is the time where many people take advantage of being able to travel throughout Europe, but with the COVID-19 climate, I can expect for that to be a lot less accessible. Thankfully, now that UT courses are online, you get a bit of leeway on when you’ll sit down and study. One thing I’ll really need to prep for is the seven-hour time difference and knowing when to study for which course. Since UT’s classes have already begun, it has been beneficial in helping me set a schedule for myself. On the topic of time management, I’d like to also say that this semester I’ll be taking classes online at UT Austin and also at WU Wien. I kept all deadlines in there and wrote down the smallest of tasks, just so I knew I was on top of all things necessary. For me, my planner was my number one form of support. So, if you’re someone who is interested in studying abroad, I highly encourage you to have a planner or journal where you can track important dates. There are small but important details, such as meeting submission deadlines and applying for your visa, that can really set you back. I can easily say that between the time that I got accepted into the program to now, time management has become really important to me. I hope that by the end of May, I can passionately support and encourage every student’s desire to study abroad. That is why I am so grateful for Texas Global and McCombs for providing such opportunities. Between the rush of graduation and settling into a full-time job, it seems difficult to imagine a time where I could pick up my life and move abroad for four months. I simply didn’t want to graduate without spending some time abroad. As the semester moves on, I can’t wait to share these photos and memories with you all! Reason 3 If I ever forget, good thing my planner wouldn’t. Vienna will definitely be different from my usual practice, but it’ll be yet another opportunity to adapt. The photos I take serve as snapshots of memories, and I know Austria will be a beauty my camera would love to see. Reason 2Īs a photographer, nothing makes me happier than capturing the scene of an unfamiliar place. I’ve always wanted an experience like this where I’m challenged to adapt who I am to who I could be. While it is definitely terrifying, it also seems like an exhilarating experience. Maybe it’ll be at the airport, when I’m under quarantine or trying to get groceries. But being bilingual, I know the struggles of learning a new language and I’m sure to expect some culture shock during my first few weeks in Vienna. I know you must be thinking, ‘Afiya, Google Translate and other apps exist,’ and you’re absolutely right. There’s no bigger challenge than moving across the world where a majority of the locals only speak German. Amidst the slow packing and preparations, I took some time to reflect on why I was so eager to study abroad in the first place. My flight to Vienna, Austria departs the first week of February.
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