» Experiencing Austria
Experiencing
Austria
by John Sy (JTA '03)
Our
experience of Austrian education consists mainly of seminars, case
studies, and independent study, with neither scopes nor limitations in
terms of topic. It seems that in the university level, students are
free to pursue their field of interest or study with professors acting
mainly as guides. This maybe the reason why our classmates come from
different fields of study such as chemical engineering, mechanical
engineering, architecture, and management. Such free inquiry into
specific fields of study has significant repercussions on our research
project. Our professors respect the fact that our focus is mainly
business management, they impose no guidelines on what to do specifically
on our research.
The
nice thing about the university is that they have a broad base for
information. Upon learning that our group has a research project on
Biodiesel and bringing the technology to the Philippines, they had set up
meetings with Biodiesel corporations for us. That leaves us with
diverse resources that are not limited to books and printed materials.
More so, we cannot deny the importance of talking to experienced people in
this field. We particularly enjoyed the presentation and subsequent
discussion at Biodiesel International, an Austrian-based multinational
firm. Thanks to university contacts, we had personally seen actual
Biodiesel plants. We were even lucky enough to observe the
production process.
The
rigor of the curriculum does not totally deprive us of the "personal
touch" characteristic of all learning institutions. Early this
semester, one of our professors served as our tour guide as we climbed one
of the fortresses that surround the city of Graz. We also enjoyed
drinking the young wines of October with colleagues from the Institute for
Resource Efficient and Sustainable Systems. City tours, countryside
excursions, and dinners hosted by the Institute are only few of the many
activities where we could interact with our professors and colleagues.
Education
is only one part of the learning experience; there is also much insight to
gain beyond the gates of the institution. Flying halfway around the
world, the feeling of euphoria suddenly rushed into our systems as we
first stepped on foreign soil. We fell back into reality once we moved
into our apartment and had to do everything ourselves.
Free
from the constraints of home, we were able to adapt to the circumstances
of living on our own, without the constant support provided by our
parents. Our "seņorito" attitudes were thrown away as we
learned to cook, wash the dishes, do our laundry, and do the grocery on
our own. Learning to do these things came in both valuable and comical
experiences. And in the end, keeping house made us more responsible
persons with the experience of a semi-independent life.
Maturity
is not limited to the walls of our apartment. It also becomes
essential in our interaction and dealings with Austrians not only with the
locals but also with the proximate locations such as Switzerland, Vienna
and Salzburg. The differences in our culture may seem to be a
barrier at first but the frequent contact enabled us to handle conflicting
situations with finesse and diplomacy.
Studying abroad has helped broaden our knowledge in the field of management. Yet we will come home not only with the education we have received in Graz, but also with the experience of living independently in a European country. We will return with both the various insights our European colleagues have shared with us and the friendships we have formed with them. Living for a term abroad lasts only for three months. But the bonds of friendship, the experiences during the trips, and the late night conversations, which the seven of us shared, will surely last forever.