My name is Emil Matté and I belong to the 4INC class. This year, I spent a month living and studying in Austria at the Bundesrealgymnasium in Traun. I had always wanted to have an experience like this one, and I was very excited when I was selected for the project. Spending a month in Austria gave me the chance to experience a different school system, live in a new cultural environment, and use my language skills in ways I hadn’t before. During my stay, I lived with Kathrin’s family. She is a student at the school, and I followed her during my exchange.
School Life and Learning
During my stay in Austria, I attended many lessons, from English and Italian to music, chemistry, and religion. In the afternoons, I also followed Kathrin’s modules, which included tutoring, politics, English, and gymnastics. Barbara Mayrhofer, my tutor arranged my schedule so I could attend more English lessons, as my German isn’t good enough to follow regular classes without someone translating all the lesson in English for me.
One of the most noticeable differences between my school and the Austrian system is the amount of freedom students have in the school. For example, when working in groups, they’re often allowed to leave the classroom and work at the tables and couches in the hallways. Students also leave the school building to walk to the gym for PE, something that would be unthinkable in my school.
I also noticed that tests in Austria tend to be shorter and more frequent. However, despite these differences, the topics covered in class are quite similar to those we study at home in Italy.
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Knowled learned
Academically, I learned useful knowledge, techniques, and perspectives. In English class, we learned about the PEEL strategy for writing paragraphs (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link). We also discussed topics like homelessness and how to write better essays, all very useful in my option.
In PE, aside from playing normal sports and games like football and dodgeball, I had the chance to try something completely new to me: Taekwondo for self-defense. I also joined afternoon gymnastics lessons with Kathrin, which I found really fun and a great way to stay active while away from home and my normal schedule.
I also attended Italian lessons, where I helped the teacher and students with my native language. Doing all sorts of reading and listening exercises.
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Cultural Discoveries and Free Time
Living with my host family and spending time with local students gave me a real insight into Austrian life. I tried traditional foods like Wiener schnitzel, which reminded me of the Italian cotoletta. Together with Kathrin, I visited JKU (Johannes Kepler University Linz) with her boyfriend, attended her volleyball practices, and went to a local fair.
With my host family, I visited Vienna, a great experience thanks to the city's combination of historical beauty and modernity.
In my free time, I kept up my regular active lifestyle through running and calisthenics. I also explored the local area, especially around the Traun river, both by bike and on foot.
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Final reflections and Goodbye
As I reached the end of my Erasmus, I felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was happy to return home to see my family and friends. On the other hand, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to the friends, classmates, and teachers I had grown very close to over my month long stay.
In conclusion, this journey taught me not only academic and cultural lessons but also life lessons, like independence, meaningful connection, and the importance of fully embracing new experiences.
I’ll always be grateful for this opportunity and the incredible memories it gave me along the way.
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