Madelines impressions
Juni 2011

So, some of you may know that I, Madeline Graham, was the English language teaching assistant this year at Peuerbach.  I worked with all of the Oberstufe classes: holding discussions, leading classes, and offering an American perspective on various topics. 

  Although I am afraid of heights and I love the lakes and prairies of Minnesota, the mountains of Austria are indeed beautiful.

  I love the Strassenbahn.  You may think your public transportation is inconvenient, but try growing up in Afton, Minnesota - town of 2,000 (I really feel I have a lot in common with the students from the Mühlviertel). There is ZERO public transport, and that doesn’t mean a bus only once an hour…it means ZERO. So as a child I never was able to meet with my friends. When I was bored, my dad told me to wander around the woods and “entertain myself.”  Don’t underestimate the wonder of busses.

  The Upper Austrian dialect: I hob eignlich net verstondn. Despite the fact that I believe in the existence of vowels other than „o“,  I admire that you Upper Austrians stick to your traditions.

  When I ask my students to tell me what they know about America, I always get the same answer: “McDonalds. Americans are fat. They eat McDonalds every day.”  Now, I will not deny that Americans are fat – 60% of American adults are overweight. Maybe we do eat fatty foods, but so do Austrians. Wienerschnitzl…Leberkäse…Linzertorte…need I go on?!?!  Also, I have seen the crowded McDonald’s at Taubenmarkt enough times to know that Austrians love McDonald’s just as much as Americans.  So it’s still somewhat a mystery to me why Austrians are so skinny…

  Perchten are scary. I do not understand how they have anything to do with Christmas. 

  I love my dirndl. Buying it was one of the most exciting days of my life. Once I return to the USA, I will have to think of as many excuses to wear it as possible. 

 Despite what many of my students think, Linz is not a big city. Linz is in fact a fairly small city!

8.     Students in Austria are much more enthusiastic than American high schoolers!  I had a great time teaching at Peuerbach!

Thank you to all the students and teachers I worked with this year. I had a wonderful time and learned a lot. I will say hello to Minnesota for you, but I hope you all come to the US and see it for yourselves someday!

Sincerely,

Madeline Graham, US Teaching Assistant