study abroad – Undergraduate Blog

Erasmus Society: Trip to Oktoberfest

By Lissandra Radu

Before Christmas, the Erasmus society organised a trip to OKTOBERFEST! Keeping in mind that my only experience with beer is going to the pub’s beer garden, I had absolutely no expectation of what the day would be like. We left Vienna on the Thursday evening, taking a night party train to Munich where the festival takes places.

Tip no. 1: Do NOT get *too* drunk on the train as you will have to nurse your hangover for 14 hours at a beer festival.

Tip no. 2: Invest in traditional dress, a dirndl for girls or lederhosen for boys, although I wore an adaptation of the male outfit. The whole dressing up process puts you in the mood for partying and you really feel as part of the event!

The festival itself can only be described as an adult Disneyland, where instead of princess houses you have massive beer tents where a band plays traditional German songs and people bang their 1 litre jugs of beer in tune. It was fantastic!

The first part of the day we spent in a tent where we had booked tables, drinking beer (or if you do not like beer, you can have a Radler which is essentially beer watered down with lemonade!) and eating chicken or pretzels. The second part we moved around different tents, each with a slightly different atmosphere, in search for a table that would fit all 15 of us. Turns out people actually book these tables a year in advance, so as you can guess, we did not have much luck but it was definitely a lot of fun.

In hindsight, the trip was definitely a whole new experience and I am gutted I did not get to try the caramelised almonds, which are supposedly to die for. Personally, as I am not an avid admirer of beer, Oktoberfest might not be the ideal festival for me. However, having said that, it is a great place to have a lot fun with your friends and a very good excuse for day drinking J.

Arrived at WU Vienna

By Lissandra Radu, BA International Business Management

So, I made it to Vienna! It is really beautiful here; the city, the lifestyle and definitely the weather. The student halls are very central and the subway system here is extremely easy, so if you can hack London underground, the one in Vienna will feel like a breath of fresh air!

Before I tell you about my adventures, I cannot stress enough the importance of having a to-do list. In Austria, they love their paperwork so you need to make sure you have documents ready, so everything flows smoothly. Having said that, the queues here are really quick and everyone speaks English.

Having moved in, I would advise against a 60kg luggage allowance (which is what I had!!) and only bring things you really cannot bear to part with, as Vienna has a huge number of stores where you can pretty much buy anything your heart desires. There is no shortage of supermarkets, corner shops or ice-cream parlours so overall, it is well stocked in terms of food …if you ever had any worries!

In terms of accommodation, it is really modern and the company supplies you with kitchen equipment and bedding, although if you have a favourite pillow I would bring it.

So far, I love it here and meeting people is so so easy! If you have any doubts about Erasmus, I would not hesitate, and not just because it looks good on your C.V (which it does) but because you get to really appreciate the differences in cultures, make great friends and be independent!

List of places:

Schonbrunn Palace – beautiful gardens and zoo, as well as a yummy strudel shown hosted in one of the cafes, where you even get to try a sample.
Café Museum – lovely central café, where you can grab a smashing mango and melon apperol for a great price (considering it is central)
Amerling Beisl – set in a courtyard, it is restaurant that is mostly used by locals, however they have a lot of Viennese food as well as a huge breakfast range
Museumquartier – Museums & drinks, in an amazing location where you will find a mix of modern and new architecture all blended together. Perfect for a chilled evening
Stephansplatz- you can go to the top of the cathedral for a stunning panorama view of the whole city!
Mariahilfer strasse- Very long and wide boulevard, filled with clothes shops, bars, taverns and everything in-between

Off to study at WU Vienna

By Lissandra Radu, BA International Business Management

Hi, there! My name is Lisandra and I am an International Business Management student going into my second year at WU Vienna.

A few years ago I began travelling around Europe to various capital cities, where I realised how different people and societies really are. Being born in Eastern Europe and moving to England was a massive culture shock but there are endless benefits such as so much more approachable, it opens your mind to other people’s perspectives as well as you get to eat your weight in new and delicious food. Therefore, when it came to choosing my degree, I was set on experiencing this difference in culture once more, but this time I wanted it to last more than a few days!

Vienna-street I picked Vienna…mainly because of their schnitzel. Well, the modules at the university definitely had something to do with it too! WU has so many unique and niche modules on huge range of business related topics that it made the choice that much easier. In terms of the city, it has amazing location with such easy access to the rest of continental Europe that it became a no-brainer really! Also, I heard famous stories of Sacher Torte so to me, it seemed to tick all the boxes.

Choosing the accommodation was a really smooth straightforward process, especially as everything is in English (although I am keen on starting German courses as soon as the semester begins!). In the end, I chose a studio mostly so I can decorate not only a bedroom but the bathroom and kitchen too J. The University schedule is slightly busier than what I experienced in Sheffield, although, saying that, there are no compulsory modules which means you really get to study what you are interested in!

My year abroad begins in 2 days and for now there is a mix of fear and excitement. To be honest, I am not really sure what to expect, but I can say for sure that I plan on making the most of it from every aspect! I cannot wait to meet new people and share this experience with like-minded individuals.