A Day in My Life...In Vienna, Austria!

7:15 A.M.: My first alarm goes off! Realistically, I hit snooze.

7:40 A.M.: I’m finally up for the day. My roommate, Sophia, and I have classes at the same time, so we get ready together and grab a quick breakfast. Our go-to has been peanut butter toast or a yogurt bowl, easy and fast. We always make sure to pack our German workbooks since that’s our first class of the day!

8:20 A.M.: We meet up with the girls who live downstairs and head to the bus stop, just a three-minute walk from our apartment in Vienna’s fifth district. The neighborhood is already buzzing with kids heading to school and outdoor markets setting up their produce stands. Even though class doesn’t start until 9:00 A.M., the bus ride is about twenty minutes, so we leave early to be safe. This is a big change from my home campus, where I’m never more than a five-minute walk from class! But honestly, I wouldn’t trade my location here, our neighborhood is so warm and lively, and the morning bus ride is always beautiful and relaxing.

8:45 A.M.: The bus drops us off in front of the stunning Vienna Opera House. I’ll never get over seeing it every morning! You can even spot the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in the distance. We walk in that direction since the IES Vienna Center is nearby. The location couldn’t be better, right in the heart of Vienna, surrounded by historic buildings and the best cafés. It takes about seven minutes to walk from the bus stop, and every time I pass a bakery, it takes all my self-control not to stop for a fresh pastry.

8:55 A.M.: We arrive at Palais Corbelli, home to the IES Vienna Center, which is housed in an actual palace! Climbing the red-carpeted staircase still hasn’t lost its magic, when I was younger, I would’ve dreamed of running down those steps in a ballgown. My German class is on the very top floor (my legs will be in amazing shape after this semester!). The class is small and tight-knit, and it was nice to bond during the intensive first two weeks, since I now see familiar faces in my other courses.

9:00A.M.-10:30 A.M.: Today in class we practiced talking about hobbies and learning “survival phrases” to help us get around Austria. It’s been so rewarding to learn how to order coffee or lunch in German and then immediately use it outside. A few weeks ago, our professor even took us to a falafel stand to practice!

10:45 A.M.: Even though I just had breakfast, I’m ready for lunch. After trying different spots during my first month here, my go-to has become Honu Tiki Bowls, right across from the Opera House. As a vegetarian, I love that they offer tofu and vegan chicken options. Plus, the portions are huge, so I always have leftovers for later. My friends and I grab our bowls and head to the park to people-watch. One thing that constantly surprises us about Vienna: you’ll turn a random corner and suddenly there’s a gorgeous palace or monument waiting for you. It makes for the most scenic, and educational, lunch spots!

1:00 P.M.-4:15 P.M.: Time to head to SPACES, the second IES Vienna building. It’s next to a big fountain and, even better, a cozy coffee shop where I usually grab a hot chocolate during breaks. Today in my International Organizations class, we took a field trip to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. It was fascinating to see the different departments and technology they use. As a government major, being in Vienna has been incredible. I've toured the UN and the Vienna International Center, experiences I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.

4:30 P.M.: After class, Sophia and I take the U-Bahn (like the subway, but so much cleaner in my opinion!) back home. Tonight we’re making pizzas for dinner, so we stop at Billa, our favorite Austrian grocery store, to grab yeast, flour, milk, cheese, basil, and tomato sauce. Then we meet up with our friends downstairs to make the dough together.

6:15 P.M.: After letting the dough rise (and doing some German and Alternative Investments homework in the meantime), we start assembling our pizzas. Cooking with the girls has become such a fun nightly tradition, we always catch up on each other’s days while we cook. We did burn the dough a little, but it still tasted amazing!

7:30 P.M.: After dinner, Sophia and I head back upstairs to do homework. We usually work at our desks, but during the day we love going to study-friendly cafés around the city.

10:30 P.M.: To wrap up my night, I call my parents and sister back home as they’re starting their day. I even got to see my black lab puppy! After that, Sophia and I made popcorn and watched an episode of Designated Survivor. Sadly, our Netflix binge might not last much longer since we’re not connected to our home Wi-Fi.

11:00 P.M.: Time for bed! After a full day, I fall asleep the second my head hits the pillow, especially since I’ve been averaging 15,000 steps here. I’ve loved every moment, whether it’s a weekend trip or just an ordinary day in the city. Leaving Vienna in a few months is going to be so difficult but I have loved every memory thus far and am so excited for the new ones to come!