Vienna has been such an amazing experience. Upon being 2 weeks in, we have studied almost every day at the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime, as well as been to many historical buildings around the city. My first impression of Vienna was how beautiful the country is. The architecture is unbelievable (pictured). My roommates and I traveled to Stephansplatz, which is the Vienna city center, to which we saw St. Stephens Cathedral . Incredible does not even begin to describe the first view of the Cathedral. It was a bit tricky learning to navigate the subway system and the trains as that is the main way of travel within the city. The food was also amazing in Austria. Wienershnitzel is a must try when you visit. I stay in a dorm room owned by the University of Vienna with 3 roommates who are also part of the Global perspectives abroad trip. My roommates and I explored many cities within Austria during our weekends off, as well as Budapest, Hungary. The academic side of the study abroad trip has been amazing. Studying at the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime and being able to attend conferences discussing transnational crime has been extremely beneficial to my career. I have loved being able to see what role different offices within the UN play while also getting to talk with the Austrian Police (Polizei) to learn about their role in the global crime aspects. Before coming to Austria, I was worried about the language barrier, being that they primarily speak German. Surprisingly, the majority of the locals speak English and are very nice when helping with directions or giving recommendations on things to do and see. Overall my experience here has been so great and I’m so excited for the remainder of the study abroad program.
