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My Austrian experience

OFF TO A NEW PLACE

I traveled to Vienna, Austria in July, 2012 with a heavy heart and with a purpose that seemed more important to me than continuing my job in my home land.
I was sent to coordinate a project that my company executed for an Austrian company. My company had booked my accommodation and I was living in a hotel close to the new office.

The day I arrived in Vienna, it was a dull day with grey clouds and rain. It seemed that they were representative of my life at that point in time and it will remain this grey for the rest of my time in Vienna. The hotel staff hardly spoke any English and apparently, I did not know a single word of German. But, they spoke to me in English with a unique accent and since I have had experience of interacting with people from different nations before, I could manage to understand their part of conversation. But, when it came to my turn to speak in English, the hotel staff would look at me disgusted as if I have just lost my way from the planet Mars and accidentally landed in front of their hotel and requesting them for directions to my planet again. My English is actually not that bad and the very purpose why my company sent me as a coordinator is that I had good communications skills.  The hotel staff was often rude except for one employee, who was the only relief for me in that place. The fact that the receptionist offered me cold water when I complained about the hot weather in July must tell you something about their hospitality. I at least deserved a fan for the 90 Euros I paid daily for the entire month. More about my stay, later.

The first day I entered the office in Vienna, I was greeted well by the manager and was waiting for the engineer with whom I would have to work daily for the project. He arrived at about 9

When, I arrived there were no colleagues whom I recognize in the new office. I did not have any friends that I knew in Vienna at that time. I was all on my own.

to be continued …

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