Alumni Spotlight: Danielle Pierson

Before the English project week began, the teaching team met to plan for the week. We discussed the background of the school we would be at and any special activities planned for the week, and, if new teachers were present, we would spend some time getting to know each other. School days would begin with a group ride to the school, meeting the headmaster/mistress, getting our classrooms ready, and greeting the students. Frank and Ben always made sure we had enough materials and were ready for the day. Their enthusiastic smiles made the other teachers and students smile as well. In our individual classrooms, we would warm up with a few fun/easy activities in English, then “sneak” in some educational activities. The students usually had so much fun that they didn’t realize they were learning!

The days were always full of songs and silly dancing. At the end of the day, we recapped the lessons and songs, and asked for feedback from the students as to what they liked and didn’t like. ABCi has a great program, but they’re always looking to make it better. I found this feedback session helped me as an individual teacher too, because then I knew what to do differently the next day. After school, the teachers would meet for dinner and discuss the next day’s plans. Frank and Ben always made sure we were comfortable and prepared. The rest of the evening would be free time.

I had previously lived and worked in Austria for two years, so working with ABCi was a “homecoming” of sorts for me. I LOVE Austria and its people. Meeting the students and a few parents through ABCi’s program reminded me again of why I love the culture. The people are so welcoming and appreciative. One student even gave me a jar of homemade strawberry jam as a thank you gift! Traveling abroad is a wonderful life experience. Working or volunteering abroad and genuinely interacting with locals magnifies the experience beyond unforgettable to life-changing.

In a way, if a teacher doesn’t speak German, he/she has an advantage! Since ABCi’s goal is to provide students with a native English immersion week, teachers are supposed to speak only English in the classroom. I speak German, but I found it best to hide this from the students. I didn’t want them to take the easy route of speaking German to me since my value to them was as a native English speaker.

It’s more difficult to pretend one doesn’t speak a language than one might think! I had to constantly monitor my reaction to the times when students accidentally spoke German, making sure I didn’t answer their question or otherwise indicate I knew what they had said. Outside of the classroom, it is helpful to know German, especially in some of the smaller towns, but not essential. Austrians are friendly and glad to help, especially if you show interest in their culture. Many Austrians know basic English, if not more, so volunteers could get around on their own just fine.Frank and Ben at ABCi are considerate of the situations of all their volunteers and will also help with the language barrier whenever necessary!

In short, I miss the people and the beautiful scenery. I have some wonderful friends in Austria that I wish I could see more often. I also miss the general hospitality of the Austrian culture and people. Austria is gorgeous, no matter which part of the country you’re in and no matter the season. I miss the snow-covered mountains just as much as the glimmering lakes surrounded by beautiful wildflowers!

For people looking to travel throughout Europe, Austria is an ideal choice because of its location. From Austria, one can easily reach the traditional countries of Western Europe, but one can also quickly and easily reach Italy and Eastern Europe.