Final Semester Abroad in Vienna

Jackson Pierce Start Date: Oct 8, 2016 - End Date: Feb 10, 2017
  • Vienna, Austria

My Travel Story

by: Jackson Pierce Start Date: Oct 8, 2016 - End Date: Feb 10, 2017
I am a fifth-year Senior majoring in Psychology and German. For my final semester in Spring 2017, I will be studying abroad in Vienna, Austria at Webster University's campus there. By that time, I'll have finished my Psychology degree and thesis, and will be completing my final 6 credits for my German language major while awaiting responses from Master's degree programs for the coming fall semester.

Throughout the course of my German degree, I have learned much about Austria and Vienna. I helped translate and subtitle the film "1. April 2000," an austrian comedy/sci-fi/educational film from the 1950s about Austrian history and culture. My portfolio review and overview project will be about Austrian history and culture, and I have already studied abroad once in Vienna for a short summer semester (I took the first photo above during that semester when I traveled to Salzburg for a day). This is, in part, why I have chosen Vienna again for my final semester; not only have I developed a love for the country throughout my undergraduate career, but it also is the best option to fulfill my degree requirements at my university.

This trip is meaningful for me for the reasons I mentioned above, but also because I recognize that this may be my last opportunity to visit Austria and the rest of Europe for quite some time, as I'll be graduating at the end of that semester. While I know that I will be able to scrounge the funds to make this semester happen, my financial situation abroad poses a concern for me. Because I am working on a thesis and senior overview for my two degrees, I have not been able to work as much as I would like to save money for my trip and to have money to support myself when I come back. I have been working for most of my Undergraduate career at a work study job and at small side jobs as well. So, to avoid becoming a great financial burden on my family, I am starting this campaign with the hope of gathering any extra money that I can to help survive abroad without coming back to the U.S. with empty pockets.

If you have interest in Austria, or want to support someone who does, feel free to follow the blog I've linked on this page. I plan on updating it at least weekly with things I've done and seen, and if there is any interest, possibly some information about Austria and Vienna that I've learned. Furthermore, the highest donor every week will receive a shout-out on this blog, separate from shout-outs to the $50 and $100 donors.

Any money would help me immensely, and I am eternally grateful for the simple consideration it took to read this page.

Danke schön,

Jackson
  • Vienna, Austria