A real taste of culture

Week two: 04/03/2013 - 10/03/2013
Cultural Development

It truly is a difficult task for me to summarise the events of the past week in the next few paragraphs. Two weeks have already passed and I feel I could write a book on how warm and friendly the Austrian people have been to us and just how interesting and diverse the culture is that Linz has to offer.

Warren, Stefan and I enjoying a spectacular view of the city

Mahatma Gandhi once said "A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people". These wise words really do help to sum up my Erasmus experience so far. Some of the Austrian people we have met really have gone out of their way to help us settle in and experience some of the attractions on show in Linz. Many magnificent institutions of Linz are located on the cultural mile along the Danube through to the city centre. Here, along with one of our student mentors Stefan we experienced a diverse range of cultural venues that truly do represent all genres.

Another aspect of Austrian culture that greatly appeals to me is the differing amount of sports that are on offer to both spectate and participate in. Sport has always been a huge passion of mine and I have been fortunate enough to join a local hockey team which is proving to be extremely enjoyable and played to a very high standard. As you can imagine Austria is widely regarded as the ski capital of the world with hundreds of excellent resorts in almost every valley in the Alps. Therefore, a chance to ski or snowboard in these majestic snow-covered mountains remains at the top of my priority list.

One sport that is relatively new to me is ice-hockey and this evening we had the chance to spectate and cheer on the 'Linz Black Wings' as they faced fierce rivals Vienna in a crucial play-off match. Despite a near death experience when the puck shattered the protective screen metres from where I was standing and having to pretend to know the numerous Austrian-chants, a Black Wings victory made for an unforgettable evening.

Cheering and chanting for the team

Warren, myself, Hakan and Erkan (our Turkish friends)

Being involved with the Erasmus Programme has given me a chance  not just to experience Austrian culture but to immerse myself within cultures spanning all over Europe and beyond. This week for example I had the pleasure of experiencing a true Turkish evening complete with beautiful food and entertainment. Both Warren and myself have already formed strong relationships with our Turkish friends and although their tea might not be as nice as ours, we could certainly not say the same about their food.

Next week it will the turn of the Irish to entertain the Turkish and with the limited cooking skills that Warren Stewart has to offer, I  think I could have a job on my hands! 

I think a new bat might be required!

Despite having yet another fantastic week, there is unfortunately one negative to report. On Friday afternoon, Warren and I decided to play a game of table-tennis, a sport which I have played throughout my life and am rarely beaten at. To my utter dismay, Warren actually beat me. This resulted in one broken bat and a lot of gloating from him. He didn´t think it was important to tell me before hand that he is a former Ireland Junior Champion!

I believe that Jawaharlal Nehru's quote that 'Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit' is a fitting way to conclude this blog entry. Culture is all about experiencing and exploring new things and new friendships. This is very much how I plan to spend the next few months of my life.

Auf wiedersehen,

James

References:

• Jawaharal Nehru University, 2013, New Delhi, India, available at: http://www.jnu.ac.in/ [Accessed 09/03/2013]
• Mahatma Gandhi, 2007, Bombay, India, available at: http://www.mkgandhi.org/         [Accessed 10/03/2013]