Travel stories

Culture

Austria, in my opinion, is a country full of contrasts. In everything—people, food, architecture... If you walk around Vienna, you can observe and even feel it. You see centuries-old elements everywhere, always with an elegant style. Versailles is a great reference point for this style, and that makes sense—Austria has produced some of the world’s most famous musicians, like Mozart. And you can feel that in the buildings—just like classical music, they’re elegant, grand, and imposing.

The Environment

The natural environment is one of the country’s greatest highlights. It’s very green—even as summer approaches, it remains lush. The landscapes with the Alps in the background are incredible. Even in the capital, you see lots of greenery and parks. Speaking of the capital, Vienna doesn't disappoint—but it also doesn't surprise. It’s huge and has a mix of old and new things, but it’s not a city that leaves you speechless. In the town where we stayed, there’s a main building that defines the place—it’s incredibly big and very famous because tourists from around the world visit every weekend. Besides that, there’s nothing too special. To end, we have the country’s crown jewel: the Alps. One weekend we visited a mountain—not one of the highest—and the views were amazing. Honestly, my first thought was, “This looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings.”

Activities

We did all kinds of activities. We went to Vienna twice to explore, and once more to spend the night. Vienna doesn’t focus too much on tourism. There are activities, but they’re more for locals—though you can still enjoy them, they’re not tourist-centered. The first time we went was during the first week, and we didn’t see much—just the area around the station. The second time was with Cristian’s mentor, who took us downtown for lunch and a snack. At night, we went by the Danube and explored the nightlife district. The best way to describe Vienna is grandiose—everything is huge and imposing. But still, it’s not the prettiest city I’ve visited (and I haven’t seen many). That said, I did like it and wouldn’t mind seeing more of it.

We also visited the Alps—well, not exactly, but very close. We took a chairlift to the top. The views were breathtaking, with some snow-capped peaks still visible. We ate at a restaurant at the summit, enjoying the scenery. For the descent, we used a sort of tricycle—it was quite fun. To finish the alpine visit, we stopped at a lake and went for a swim. It was really nice. Honestly, that was my favorite part of Austria, and I’d definitely like to come back and do some hiking in those lands.

The Company

I’ve learned a lot—truly a lot—in basically all areas of life. And learning means going through both good and bad moments. That’s what my Erasmus was. If we focus on the company, I can say it gave me a huge reality check: I need to improve. It was a massive dose of humility. I really need to improve my English—it’s vital. I know for sure I would’ve gotten much more out of the Erasmus if I had a stronger grasp of it. But not everything was negative. I learned what it’s like to work in a large company, and that’s something that will definitely help in the future. I also got to see other ways of working—different approaches to tackling a project or task.

From a more technical perspective, I learned—at a basic level—how products are evaluated in the industry, and I learned about some interesting technologies in FREQUENTIS’s sector. It was an incredible opportunity to do an internship in a leading company in the field I studied—honestly, I’d even say it’s the best in its sector.

Conclusions

I can draw several conclusions from these two months. First, the time flew by—but looking back, my first few days feel like ages ago. Over these fast two months, I’ve learned more than I did in a whole year—not just academically or professionally, but in vital life skills too. Because Erasmus doesn’t end when you leave the company. Erasmus is catching the train, it’s buying and preparing your own meals—it’s everything that happened during these two months.

Another big takeaway is the importance of language. I’m leaving with the realization that in many European countries—basically everywhere except Spain—people speak excellent English, and that makes a huge difference. You learn three or four times more. Lastly, one thing that’s not tied to any specific country: my companions. There were tough moments, but we supported each other. I was with a good friend and two others I didn’t know before—but over two months, day in and day out, they became my family here. I’m really glad I got to share this time with them.

Two months later, a new Carlos is leaving—not a complete 180° change, but a deep and meaningful personal growth. There’s no better way to end than by saying: thank you, Erasmus. Through the good and the bad, I would do it all over again. Danke.