Hello, I am an exchange student from Austria and my name is Barbara. Although most people call me Babsi. That is short for it. I have been in the United States for 2 months now so I arrived on August 7th. I really enjoy my stay. My host family, that’s Ann, Roy and Tyler are very nice and helpful and we get along really well. I go to school here in Siloam Springs together with Tyler. I actually wanted to become an exchange student because I have heard so much of it. My mum went to an American college a she loved the American school system and so told me a lot about it. Also the sister of my friend went as an exchange student to America last year and she told me so much of it that I just wanted to do this.

Austria is very different from America. When I was still in Austria, I tried to read as many books as possible to get to know the country and as I then knew so much of it, I was really afraid that there won’t be any knew things to discover, what is really silly because there are so many differences. Everything in Austria is smaller, the buildings, the streets, even shops and food. Here everything seems so huge for me. 

I live in Vienna. That is the capital of Austria and Austria is right in the center of Europe. Vienna has about 1.5 millions habitants and is about 415 kilometers square big. It is the center of politic, economic and culture. Austria isn’t that big. It is maybe as big as Tennessee. About 2800 years ago the history of Vienna begun. Romans used to live in Vienna from 100 ad and they named it Vindobona. It was at this time a military city and wasn’t very big. After some time the dynasty of Babenberg had the power over Vienna. Under their power Vienna became a large trade center of Europe. In the 13th century the Habsburger had the domination over Austria. They were a large family and passed the power over to their children. Finally, after some wars with the Turks, Vienna was able to become the center of cultural center. After the first world war the emperors begun to rule the country. They build many famous buildings.

Vienna has 23 districts. The first one is the center of Vienna. There the famous saint Stephens Cathedral is situated. The cathedral is very old and lots of tourists come to visit it each year. Also from this cathedral all streets go away in the form of a star. However the oldest and prettiest buildings are on a street called the ring and on a street called the Guertel, which means the belt. Around the Guertel used to be a city wall. It still exists at some parts. In Vienna all the buildings are smaller and the streets are very narrow. Here are even some streets where only one car can go and there are also streets where you can only go in one direction. For tourists this is very confusing. Also as Vienna is that small, a lot of people can’t believe that it is a capital. At the age of the emperors of Vienna, Vienna also became famous for its music. A lot of palaces were built and the emperors used to go to dancing balls. This tradition still exists and almost every girl in Vienna goes to dancing school at the age of 15 and boys at the age of 16. There we learn how to dance the waltz, foxtrot, tango, boogie, jive, pasadoble and a lot more. In December starts the dancing ball season, which lasts until February or March. It is a lot of fun going to balls and to dance with your friends until early in the morning. He most famous composers of Austria are Beethoven, Strauss, Bruckner, Mozart, Schubert, Lanner, Mahler and Hayden. You probably also have seen the famous film “ Sound of Music”. 

Of course there are not only old buildings in Vienna. Austria had a very good architect. His name was Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Unfortunately he died some years ago. His buildings are very different. He uses a lot of plants and colors. The buildings he built were really extraordinary because they seem to be very uneven and especially young children love them because they look like little castles. Also the UNO City is a very modern building. It is 11 years old and also the Haas house, which is right next to the Saint Stephens cathedral, is an extremely beautiful modern building.

as Austria is such a old city it is very different for me to live in America, because everything is so new here. However I really like it here. I think I have learned a lot of things, not only to improve my English but also to become part of my host family and get to know new people. 

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Hey, my name is Barbara Helbich, but most people call me Babsi. I am from Vienna, Austria. That’s in the middle of Europe and not Australia. Just to make sure,…

I have been in America for two months now (I came on August 7th) and I really enjoy my stay. My host family here in Siloam Springs is really nice. They are Ann and Roy Wright and my host brother Tyler Wright. He’ll soon be 17. We go together to school. I am a senior here and school is much more fun than in Austria and also easier. My subjects are: French 2, Maths: Analysis, Drama 1® and English 3. I really like English and Drama. All the subjects are easy, except of Maths. It is very different for me and not that easy. I am also involved in some clubs: Forensics (drama), French club and FBLA (Future business leader of America) and I am in the Chorus for the musical Oklahoma, my school will perform in November. With the forensics club I was on Friday and Saturday on the Bentonville tournament. I made a speech for it. I have to admit that I screed it totally up and so didn’t get to go to the semi finals. However it was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to going to some more tournaments. My school did win the whole thing and the debaters got first place % and also another speech from my school won the first place %. Yes, it was really fun !!

Although I only have been here for 2 months it seems to me that I have been here much longer. I did so many things like going rock climbing, going to the tournament, attending lots of football games, going to the orientation, going shopping o Fayetteville, visiting Van Buren, going to the orientation,. . I really had a lot of fun. I am really happy that I have made friends with a lot of people in my school, although it took some time. The practice for the musical at school takes a lot of time and my family keeps me busy. There is no time for homesickness. Now I think I really got used to the American way of life. I don’t have to ask that many questions anymore, I understand a lot more things than before. Of course I still recognize the differences but they aren’t that big anymore.

The thing I maybe most miss is Austrian chocolate and bread. To my friends in Austria: PLEASE POST ME CHOCOLATE!!!!!!! I also miss my friends and my family, but I wouldn’t say I am homesick, there is a difference between knowing that you miss them and being homesick. I have one sister, Maria(15), a twin brother, Clemens, and another brother, Christoph (13). My parents are called Leyla and Martin.

Tatiana, Barbara, Anne