Notes From Current Fulbright Grantees Abroad

An Update from Ryan Jones, completing a research and teaching assistantship in Innsbruck, Austria. December 2007

Winter arrived in Innsbruck about a month ago and between the snow, Christmas markets, and ever-tempting Gluhwein stands lining the streets, there's been no way to forget it. It's so strange to think that I've been in Europe for more than three months now, and I wanted to get in touch and give you an update.

Austria is wonderful. My main goal for this experience was to immerse myself in the culture as deeply as possible, and I am definitely satisfied with how that's been going. Despite having the experience of a lifetime when I studied for the semester in Vienna, I was with my Linfield friends the majority of the time and didn't really make any lasting connections with "locals." I was determined to do it differently this time. I've been lucky to meet some great people- mostly through my dorm, classes at the university and singing in a choir. I've also gotten to know several other "international students" (it's weird to think of myself as one!) and hang out with them occasionally too. I couldn't have chosen a better city than Innsbruck. It's right in the middle of the Alps - completely surrounded by monstrous mountains - and that leads to endless hiking and skiing opportunities. I did a good amount of hiking when it was warmer, but now winter has officially come and I went skiing for the first time (here) last week.

Part of my scholarship includes working as an English TA in a high school and it gives me a new appreciation for all teachers I've ever had. Many of the English TAs here work in two or three schools, but I have only one. There are two English teachers and they have been awesome to work with. Their teaching styles are very different, so I've learned a lot from watching them and also from preparing the lessons they have me do. The students, who range in age from 13 to 21, are really nice and generally interested in learning English. I get a good deal because since I'm not the actual teacher and don't give grades, they can talk to me as just a friend, but that occasionally makes it difficult for me to be taken seriously when I want them to do "actual work." Lots of my job is just having conversations with them or doing some sort of activity where we speak English the whole time. Once I get a class to open up and start talking, they have endless questions about life in the US. About a third of the time, this turns into me doing damage control, trying to paint a better, more full, picture of America after they've seen another movie (i.e. Supersize Me, Fahrenheit 911, Boyz in da Hood) for class that gives them all the ammunition they think they need to believe the US is ridiculous.

I joined the university choir when I first got here with the intention of meeting Austrians (I was worried that I would fall into the habit of hanging out with other foreigners), and it's been really, really great. The people are nice and welcoming and more than willing to be patient with me as I practice my German. We practice once a week and after each rehearsal, the whole group goes to the pub across the street for beers. I am amazed by the stamina of these Austrians/Europeans. I usually bow out around midnight since I generally have to teach early the next morning. They, however, will often stay until 3 or 4 (so I've heard) and then get up early the next morning for their upper-level seminars in law, medicine, or something equally impressive. One of the highlights of this group is listening to the southern spirituals we sing. I thought it was a little funny when we sang them at Linfield just because we were a group of white kids from the Pacific Northwest, but that has been trumped by this group of white kids with Austrian accents. We had a rehearsal retreat in the nearby mountains a few weekends ago to prepare or upcoming concerts, the second of which was last night. We did Schumann's Das Paradies und die Peri with full orchestra, and the soloists they brought in were incredible. The concert was definitely one of the coolest I've ever been a part of.

Other than the choir, teaching, and the adventure of sharing a kitchen with 20 Austrians in my dorm, my excitement comes from the classes I'm taking at the university. My grant requires me to take at least one, and I chose two: Transatlantic and Pacific Security (auf Deutsch) and The UN in a Changing Security Environment (auf Englisch). These are serving as a sort of testing ground to see if international relations is what I want to study for my master's. I never had time to take a political science class at Linfield, but have become increasingly fascinated with the subject. There is quite a bit of homework and outside preparation for presentations and research papers, but I've enjoyed the readings, lectures and discussions so much that I wish we met more than once a week. The faculty in the department has been incredibly helpful to me and are really good about asking for my "American perspective" on the issues we discuss without making me feel singled out.

My mentor for my research project is in the political science department as well and he, too, is great. I met with him a few weeks after arriving and he helped me set up a plan of attack as to how I could begin my project and I'm going to be able to really get going on that once the rush of this semester ends in February and I have a month off before the next term. My original plan for research was to do a content analysis of different Austrian newspapers' coverage of Turkish immigrants in comparison to immigrants from other countries. I still plan to do that, but after discussing possibilities with my mentor, am considering a few more specific approaches ( i.e. how the different newspapers depicted Turkish immigrants and Muslims immediately after Sept. 11).

Being abroad gives you such a constantly evolving perspective of your own culture. Whether you like it or not, it's like serving as a constant ambassador for the US, and my ever-curious students and friends are always expecting me to know the most random things about America (and I, in turn, look to Wikipedia for the answers). There have been some days when I get absolutely exhausted from hearing how horrible America is and trying to give them a more realistic idea of life in the US by telling them about my experiences that often contrast their media-influenced opinions. By no means is it like that every day - these days of tension are few and far between - but that has been the biggest struggle, and biggest thought-provoking experience of my time here. It's interesting to learn more about Austrian culture (the things I see as good and bad), and when someone goes off on the "Great Satan of America," I'm sometimes tempted to say, "Well Austria's not perfect either!" and rattle off the crazy things about this place, but I hold back and just try to engage in interesting conversation. I learn so much - about myself and others - that way.

As of this summer, my plan was to do Austria for this year, a service year (i.e. Americorps) the next, and then start grad school in journalism or international relations the next fall. I've slowly been modifying that plan. I have the option to stay here a second year and I've been seriously considering it. I wouldn't have the Fulbright grant, but could continue my job as an English TA, which gives me most of the same benefits. I love it here. I've met some great people, made some good friends, my German is getting better all the time, I love learning about the culture, I'm finding teaching to be fun and interesting, and I LOVE the poli sci classes I'm taking at the university. And all of those things could be continued and enhanced by staying a second year. Americorps and grad schools will still be there in two years and the whole precise map I'd made of "what I'll be doing when" looks different to me now, and it doesn't seem to be quite as important that I follow it rigidly. We'll see.

I recently applied and was selected as one of two current grantees to represent the Austrian Fulbright Commission at a seminar sponsored by the Belgian Commission in March. We'll spend a week in Belgium and Luxembourg learning about the EU an NATO and visiting the key sites, and I think there will be about two Fulbright delegates from most of the European countries. I can't wait for that, as I haven't done much traveling outside of Austria this time. A Linfield friend of mine is going to be over here and we're meeting up to go to Berlin for Christmas, but that will be my first "big" trip. I'll be back in Innsbruck for New Year's, which is supposed to be spectacular with the fireworks reflecting off the snow-covered mountains that surround the city.