Austin is a very liberal city, alternative, and famous for its live-music and its weirdness. "Keep Austin weird" is a motto that does justice to Austin's character; a motto that you find on walls, T-shirts and pamphlets on campus. The entire atmosphere of Austin makes my exchange year so much more special. Of course there were various things I had to get used to during my first months in Austin. First of all, there was the heat. I had never experienced anything like it. I was told that it has not been this dry in Texas in over 50 years. When I arrived in Austin, it had not rained in almost 70 days and thus set a world record. The first days I had to adjust to ice-cold rooms, offices and busses on the one hand and over 100°F outside on the other hand. The bus system is yet another thing I was - literally - lost with. (Once, a really nice sixty-year old man gave me a ride to the airport where I wanted to pick up a friend, after I had gotten on the wrong bus and gotten off in the middle of nowhere). I guess that I am spoiled because I am used to very well-thought-out public transportation systems of German large cities. To be honest, I was surprised that Austin had public transportation at all. Here in Austin the bus drivers do not announce every stop, and when you are new to the area and really have no clue as to where you are going, where you got on the bus and where you have to go off, then you are lost. Reading the timetables and the bus plans will not help: the busses are hardly ever on time and the route plans give only the route itself, without any relation to other streets or sights nearby. But like everybody else in Austin, are always willing to help and announce the stops just for you.

The university itself is like paradise. UT has everything. Campus is like a small town. The classes are so much fun and the teachers that I have had so far really make learning fun and easy. The students here are mostly very helpful, friendly and outgoing. There is always somebody to have lunch with or spend free time with. And on the weekends, football takes over the whole town. The UT Longhorns are one of the best football teams this season, and I went to see a game with a good friend in October. Of course the Longhorns won. If you don't mess with Texas, you certainly don't mess with the Longhorns this season.

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, when every single one of my friends had either made plans to go home to spend the long weekend with their families, or to go on a road trip with other exchange students to explore the vast Texan outback, I seized the opportunity of being in the states and took a flight to Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with good friends that I consider my second family. It was a great opportunity so see them again, to spend valuable family- and quality time and to regain some power before the big finals. I am not saying that university in Germany is easier or less work than it is to study in Texas. But unlike in Germany, at UT the overall grade consists of several smaller assignments that have to be turned each week during the semester. It is a more consistent way of studying. For me it was fairly easy to adjust to learning in English. I am working on my Master's degree in American Studies in Germany, and consequently I am used to having classes in English. However, speaking it all day every day was a little challenging in the beginning, and even after a while, when speaking English became easier and my vocabulary steadily grew, homework and assignments made university a challenge.

The first semester is almost over now, and even though I still have a second one ahead of me, I can say already that the time I had so far is a great experience. A year in Texas not only adds to my resumé (UT does look great on paper!), but it also enriches my experiences, and the way I will look at Texas from now on. When I came here, I had to realize that I have lived with an awful lot of stereotypes - can you believe it: cowboys didn't even come from Texas but were introduced when Chicago centralized most of the meatpacking industry and the cattle had to be driven to Chicago! The classes I take and, above all, the great people I meet make this trip very special.

Thanks to the Federation of German-American Clubs for this great opportunity, and: YEAHAWW!

Jessica Schweke