Austurríki

Miðja Evrópu. Skíðahefðin á sér djúpar rætur hér

Sjá prógrömm

Austurríki er land með óteljandi möguleika, allt frá sögufrægum borgum á borð við Vínarborg til ævintýralegs útsýnisins frá tindum Alpanna. Austurríkismenn eru þekktir fyrir Gemutlichkeit, sem er þeirra einstaka leið til að njóta alls sem lífið hefur upp á að bjóða, hvort sem það eru listviðburðir, íþróttaviðburðir eða bolli af rótsterku kaffi. Austurríkismenn eru beinskeyttir í tali og hafa yndi af að ræða dægurmál og umhverfismál af kappi. Heilbrigður lífsstíll, tónlist í öllum sínum birtingarmyndum, hvort sem fólk kýs að njóta tónlistar sem áheyrandi eða sem flytjandi, og að sjálfsögðu gönguferðir – Spaziergänge – eru allt vinsæl afþreying í Austurríki. Í aldanna rás hefur Austurríki ævinlega gengt lykilhlutverki sem miðlægt Evrópuríki. Landið hefur tengt saman menningarheima, verið fundarstaður í hjarta Evrópu og vettvangur menningarlegra samskipta.

Culture

The official language of Austria is German, spoken in its Austrian variety. While Standard German is used in education, media, and formal settings, many people speak regional dialects in daily life, which can vary significantly from one area to another. English is widely taught in schools, and many Austrians, especially younger generations, speak it fluently.

AFS High-school program

Host families with AFS are voluntarily hosting, come from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds and can be very different from each other. Where they live can also vary; some of them live in cities, while others live in more rural or suburban areas.

AFS students are usually enrolled in the Allgemeinbildende Höhere Schule. Participants take all subjects that are part of the course of study and, at the discretion of the institution, may be allowed to choose other subjects offered by the school in addition to the compulsory ones.

A typical characteristic of Austrians is their ”Gemütlichkeit“. They enjoy sitting around together during leisure time, talking for hours. It goes without saying that food plays an important role. Austrians love eating and are very proud of their cuisine. As both parents often work in Austria, however, shared meals cannot be taken for granted. It therefore happens regularly that older children are expected to know how to prepare their own lunch.

Family life in Austria is generally close but values independence and privacy. Families often spend time together during weekends, holidays, and special occasions, and there is strong support for balancing work and family life. While family sizes are often small, mutual respect and responsibility between generations are highly valued.

Skoða skiptinám í Austurríki