My program has only ten members total, including myself. I live with five of them in a student dorm, while the other four live in homestays around the city. I see at least half of them every day, even on weekends. I have never been in a program so small, and at first observation, I was terrified. I was worried about how a program this small could function. However, while I have only experienced two classes (the school is on a quarter system), I quite enjoy only having two other people in my German class and the maximum number to be ten in my other. I find I participate more and it is nice for the teachers and office staff to know who you are.
Salzburg itself is, of course, beautiful. You can definitely see the touristy side of it, mostly in the two shopping streets on either side of the river. I like that it has an intertwined mix of old and new. Because it is a tourist town, most people speak English and are more willing to help people.
Salzburg College is basically smack dab in the city centre. To get to it, I have to go up a mountain, down a mountain, through a mountain, and cross a river. However, it only takes around 25-30 minutes and I see something new every day. For example, my classmate and I were stopped at the pedestrian tunnel because there were climbers for the city cutting off all the icicles on the mountain. We both took pictures and asked our teachers about it because it was something we had never experienced.
Overall, I think this is a program that can be molded to fit anyone. You can experience full Austrian cuisine and use only German, but there are also more than four Irish pubs owned by English speakers and where you can always find another American or Englander to talk to. You can even find bluegrass music. This program will be what you make of it, and I plan to have an amazing rest of the semester.
