Travel stories

The Austrian Road Will Embrace You and Take You Far

Walking in Austria is more expensive than in Spain — in more ways than you'd think. Paying six euros for a coffee and a glass of water can hurt, but falling in love for just two months teaches you how to let go. Long-distance relationships aren’t really an option, and all that remains is the hope of seeing each other again to keep love alive.

How can a country visit me? Luckily, I got to know it well enough to bring its food, its people, and its memories back with me.

Its People

Writing about its people is harder than I’d like. There’s a rule that applies across the country: people aren’t as warm as in Spain. But it’s in the exceptions where I met the best people — no matter where they’re from. The first thing you notice is how good Austrians are. Their kindness knows no bounds, and it’s hard to accept at first.

In fact, during my two-month stay, I had a constant “kindness competition” with my mentor. I held my own pretty well, but he always won in the end. And I wasn’t the only one in this competition. We’re convinced that the teachers in charge of us were also battling to see who could be the kindest.

Their generosity gave us so many experiences it’s hard to count them all. They took us to the Alps, and not just as Erasmus students — but like royalty. And speaking of kings, one of the teachers took us to see Wachau, the former prison of King Richard the Lionheart.

Its Memories

Time in Austria felt strange. The days were full and intense, but when you looked back, they had flown by. It’s impossible to remember everything you did, because even when we settled into a routine, something new would always happen.

Only Daniel and I went to Wachau. Herwig, one of the Austrian teachers, drove us there. After a short hike, we reached the ruins of a castle on top of a mountain. Inside was the prison where the King of England was once held. Herwig was so kind to us that we felt we had to repay him somehow. So, we made him a Spanish omelette.

The Alps

The teachers took us to the Alps. It felt like one of those adventures you only see in American teen movies. We started the day with breakfast in a village at the foot of the mountains, surrounded by bikers and tourists. Then we took a cable car to the top and had lunch at a restaurant with an incredible view. To top it all off, we swam in a lake at the base of the mountains and had ice cream. I still can’t believe it.

Trips

A few of us — plus another Erasmus student — went on what became the best trip I’ve ever taken. Prague is stunning, whether sunny or cloudy. We walked so much that even we — already known in Central Europe for our endurance — couldn’t party at night. Three days I’ll never forget.

It was part of what may have been the best weekend of the entire Erasmus. After going out for drinks with my mentor and sleeping only a couple of hours at his place, Carlos and I took a bus to Bratislava. We spent a full day walking and taking pictures where we looked extremely photogenic. That night, we went to the most intense karaoke I’ve ever seen.

I’ve never missed a bed more in my life. And I’ve never had so much fun either.