Student Handbook Spring 2018
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STUDENT HANDBOOK SPRING 2018 2 SALZBURG COLLEGE STUDENT HANDBOOK Table of Contents A Note of Welcome ..................................................................................................................4 Salzburg and Salzburg College ................................................................................................5 Organized Field Trips and Independent Travel ........................................................................6 Communicating in the New Environment ................................................................................9 Practical Information from A-Z .............................................................................................. 10 ©©© Salzburg College 2017 3 SALZBURG COLLEGE Welcome to your European experience! We are pleased that you have decided to study at Salzburg College, and we want to do whatever we can to help make this a truly extraordinary time of your life. Over the years, there has been an increased awareness of the need for international communication and understanding. Individual, personal experience in another culture is an important part of this. In deciding to step out of your "comfort zone" and by becoming a temporary citizen of another country, you are taking a step that is likely to have an impact on your entire life – and on people close to you. Many of our former students have stayed in touch and expressed time and again that they would not trade their European experience for anything. Although there is no way to prepare for all contingencies of studying abroad, there is a lot you can do to get ready and make the most of it. Preparation can take place at several different levels. First, there is the emotional aspect. It is important to let go of very specific expectations. Keep in mind the fact that things will be different and that your study abroad experience will be what YOU make of it. Then, there is the intellectual preparation. I would recommend that you read as much as you can about Austria; its history, culture, and society. Perhaps more important still, start following European news on politics, economics, social, and cultural issues, along with US policies towards European countries. Your awareness in these matters will provide an important basis for communication with the Europeans you meet. Last, but not least, there are many practical details which you need to attend to and need to be informed about. This Student Handbook was developed primarily to help you with practical aspects of your preparations. We hope you will find answers to any questions you might have in regard to academics, budgeting, passports & visas, banking, travel, and various day-to-day needs in Europe. We have tried to insure that this Student Handbook is complete and accurate, and have referred to suggestions and contributions from our previous students. Remember, however, that studying abroad is a highly personal experience and what is meaningful to one person may not apply to another. If you have questions that are not answered in the Student Handbook, please contact us via email: [email protected] We look forward to welcoming you in Europe very soon. May your semester here in Salzburg be one of the most challenging and exciting experiences of your life! Yours, Phoebe Mayer Director of Salzburg College 4 SALZBURG & SALZBURG COLLEGE Salzburg --- a city with much to offeroffer:::: ooo aaa rich cultural heritageheritage,,,, o gggreatgreat natural and architectural beautybeauty,,,, o cccomfortablecomfortable sizesize,,,, o a tradition of hospitality, ooo aaa center of business and communication due to the borborderder locationlocation,, and ooo ppperfectperfect central location for traveltravel.... Salzburg is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. With a population of about 150,000, Salzburg is situated in the heart of Europe on the northern edge of the eastern Alps, right at the Austrian-German border. Surrounded by picturesque mountains and lakes, Salzburg’s historical center – a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site – mirrors more than one thousand years of European history and culture. Its rich and vibrant cultural heritage is reflected in concerts, festivals and a great variety of events throughout the year. All of the above make Salzburg the ideal setting for your European experience. Salzburg College is located in the KunstQuartier (ArtQuarter) in the heart of Salzburg’s old town. The core building dates back to the 15 th century and was used for various purposes throughout the centuries. Today the KunstQuartier is home to a variety of institutions including the Camerata Orchestra, the FS1 Community TV Station, departments of the Mozarteum University and the University of Salzburg, The Anton Pustet Publishing House, and various other cultural institutions. Our section of the extensive KunstQuartier complex offers the following facilities: a spacious lecture and recital hall, a private outdoor atrium, an art studio, a dark room, a library, a spacious lounge, study spaces, classrooms, and music practice rooms. The close vicinity of public, educational and cultural institutions allows for the easy integration of classroom study and on-site experience, which is a major objective of our academic program. The KunstQuartier is also just down the street from the main intersecting point of the Salzburg public bus system, greatly facilitating the commuting to and from your home in Salzburg. The Salzburg College staff has many years of experience working with American students. We all share a common goal: To support you in finding answers to your questions and creative solutions for your needs. If you have any questions please contact us at: Salzburg College Bergstrasse 12 5020 Salzburg AUSTRIA T: 011-43-662-84 25 01 F: 011-43-662-84 25 01-22 E: [email protected] 5 FIELD TRIPS & INDEPENDENT TRAVEL The Munich (Bavaria) Excursion Our first overnight excursion will take us to MunichMunich,Munich providing students with the opportunity to: o gggetget to know one ananotherother betterbetter,,,, ooo cccompletecomplete the first pphasehase of cultural adaptationadaptation,,,, ooo lllearnlearn to navigate a larger European citycity,,,, ooo dddiscoverdiscover the sitesite----specificspecific interplay of history and contemporary realrealityityity,,,, and ooo apply for your student visa. In order to place Salzburg in its appropriate geographic and historical context, students will have the opportunity to explore the city of Munich. The educational focus in Munich will be on understanding the present through its relation to the past. Therefore, students will be introduced to the workings of modern commerce and industry, the preservation of cultural accomplishments, the development of political history (Munich as the capital of Bavaria and the city where Hitler’s movement began), the prominence of historical architecture and art (city center of Munich), and the typical features of Central Europeans' day-to-day routine in shopping, leisure, etc. PracPracticaltical IInformationnformation for thethethe Munich (((Bavaria(BavariaBavaria)))) Excursion Accommodation is in youth centers or student hotels that are neat and practical but not luxurious. Shower facilities are always included. Students will need to provide their own towels but never linens. Breakfast and some meals are provided. Students are responsible for the additional meals. The program may vary slightly from the above description, but the general schedule will remain the same. The Vienna Excursion Many students feel that during the Vienna field trip, which takes place in the later part of the semester, "everything comes together." Much of what has been studied in “The European Experience” can be experienced live in the country's capital. Students are seasoned travelers by that time and have no problems moving around independently. Austria is simply a "second home" by then. Vienna, of course, is a beautiful and exciting place. Special tours introduce students to the "Habsburg’s Vienna" and Vienna’s rich cultural heritage including Gustav Klimt, Sigmund Freud, and Gustav Mahler (familiar names by this point even to those who had not studied them previously). Vienna's great palaces, museums, and musical resources are explored. Students may attend a performance at the famous State Opera. There is also the opportunity to visit the Austrian Parliament and other interesting locations and institutions such as one of four United Nations Offices. Practical IIInformationInformation for the Vienna EEExcursionExcursion Accommodation is in a youth hostel within easy commuting distance to the center of town. Only breakfast is included to give students maximum free time for individual activities. 6 Other EEExcursionsExcursions Upper Austria TTTripTripriprip,,,, an all-day trip to parts of the lake and mountain district near Salzburg: past Mondsee and its "Sound-of-music wedding church”, to St. FlorianFlorian, one of the great Austrian baroque monasteries and a veritable princely abbey in a spectacular location, the Mauthausen Concentration Camp which is the central and largest of the Austrian concentration camps from the time when Austria was part of Nazi Germany, and HallstattHallstatt, a lovely town on a lake surrounded by steep mountains and the center of the oldest civilization in this part of the world. Salzkammergut HHikeikeikeike,,,, an all-day hiking trip to the Wolfgangsee (Lake Wolfgang) near Salzburg: the hike starts in the beautiful town of St. Gilgen and follows