vi PREFACE
Austria! You’ve just found out that you are moving to Austria.
Beautiful images pass through your mind of Baroque churches,
castles and classical music, or maybe you think of heading
directly to the Alps for a bit of skiing. Everyone you know is
envious and you are excited at the prospect. Then it suddenly
hits you that this is not a two-week vacation, but the next few
years of your life! Thoughts turn to what it will be like to actually
live in Austria and whether you will like it.
Relax. It will not be that difficult, and if you keep an open
mind and welcome new experiences, you will find yourself
crying when the time comes for you to leave. Austria is a
lovely country that is full of possibilities. After you learn what is
expected of you and become well versed in the local etiquette
and customs, you will do just fine. The main problem with
being an expatriate is that you don’t always know why people
do what they do, and in turn, you are uncertain as to what you
should do. You don’t want to appear rude or do something
embarrassing, but it happens to just about every new arrival.
This book will help you understand the little things as well as
the major points about Austrian society so that you can start
off on the right foot.
There are a few things you can do before you leave home.
Probably the most important is to become familiar with
basic German. Most Austrians in the major cities and quite a
few in smaller towns speak very good English (besides other
European languages), so knowing German isn’t vital, but it
will help lessen the culture shock. Being able to read some of
the signs and advertisements, or understanding the weather
report on the radio, will help you feel at home in Austria. If your
departure is somewhat sudden, there are plenty of excellent
and not too expensive places to learn German in Austria.
Studying there will also provide you with an excuse to get out
and about in your new home and allow you to meet people
who are in similar situations.
Meeting new people is the second major weapon in the
fight against culture shock. If you are heading to Austria with
a job or are already enrolled in a school or university, you
will have several opportunities to socialise. However, if you
are giving up your job or studies and your social life backCS! Austria.indb vi 3/14/11 9:21 AM