Exchange Report

Obviously, the best option to get to D.C. is by plane. I booked my flights in both directions early because it was cheaper that way. The course application started quite early, so I would recommend looking into the course options as soon as you have time. You also have a great opportunity to study something a little different at GW. I took several Political Science and International Affairs classes (with an economics background) at the Elliott School of International Affairs (one of the best schools in the world in this field). Unlike at WU, I got into every course I applied for, and even for the few students who didn't, the professors always let them in afterwards, so don't worry about that.

First of all: Housing in D.C. is very expensive. You can look at private options, but I would 100% recommend living on campus. It is an incredible experience and just so different from what we are used to at home. I stayed at 1959 E Street (the exchange students were either there or at District House) and lived in a four-person, two-bedroom apartment with three Americans. Normally, they try to place you with at least one other exchange student, but it was also nice like this because you get to know the other exchange students anyway. The building has a great rooftop with amazing views of the Washington Monument and the Capitol. There is also a security guard in nearly every university building, and Washington was, in my opinion, very safe in general, especially if you compare it to other U.S. cities. 1959 was super close to the National Mall (the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and lots of green space) and just five minutes away from the White House. I went for a run very often because you have so many different routes to choose from, but just walking around is also great, and you can really feel the history and importance of the city. You can explore so many monuments, and it's not far to walk to your classes, even though 1959 is at the edge of the campus. I was also often at District House with the exchange student community (around 18 exchange students), which was also very cool. There were a lot of dorm parties at both 1959 and District House, and at least for me, sharing a room with someone else was much better than I had imagined, so don't worry about that. At the beginning, it's of course unusual, but I had really nice roommates, and it was super convenient because they could always help me with any questions I had because they were studying there permanently.

The campus is located right in the most central part of Washington, and if you are interested in politics, I can highly recommend it. There are a lot of political events, and during my semester we had, for example, Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican U.S. Representative Brandon Gill, and many more as speakers. The teaching style is completely different, and I definitely prefer the U.S. way. It is very interactive, with many small classes of around 25 students. You have to introduce yourself, and the professors know your name and talk to you casually. Because of this teaching style, attendance is required in nearly every course, but it is not that bad. All the exchange students tried to avoid having classes on Fridays, and I had my last class at midday on Thursday, so I always had a long weekend and plenty of opportunities to travel. As I said before I would recommend taking courses at the Elliott School (also nearly everyone studies something with Politics/IA so everyone is into that)

Washington, D.C. has one of the best metro systems in the United States, making it very easy to get around the city. It's also really great that we got a free metro pass for the whole time. Another major advantage is the excellent train connections to other cities. You can reach New York in about three and a half hours directly from the campus, and if you book your tickets early enough, they are surprisingly affordable (I booked it for 25 dollars). Philadelphia is less than two hours away, so there are many opportunities to take spontaneous and inexpensive trips to nearby cities. I also felt that the safety situation was very good. There are security officers in every building, and throughout the city there is a strong security presence. As the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. is clearly kept very secure, and I always felt safe while living there. The social and leisure opportunities were even better than I expected and, in my opinion, better than in Vienna. The university offers many activities that are included for students. There is a fitness center, as well as facilities for basketball, football, and tennis that you can all use for free. I made use of many of these opportunities. For example, we signed up for a (european) football tournament, which was a lot of fun, and we also played tennis at the university's Vern campus which is reachable by a special university bus in 15 min (the bus drives there every 10min). In addition, there are many student clubs, making it easy to meet new people and get involved in campus life. One of my favorite activities was going for runs around the city. Within just five minutes from the residence hall, you can reach the White House and continue past the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Supreme Court, the National Mall, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. The city also has many beautiful parks and green spaces, making it a great place for outdoor activities. You can also run or walk all the way to Georgetown which is also a very nice, kinda british part of the city

For me, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I met incredible people and grew a lot as a person. I loved that all your friends were just 5 minutes away or even in the same building, so you just had to go down one floor to be together. I was very surprised by Washington, D.C. and how clean and beautiful the city is, and I loved the social life. Additionally we traveled to nearly all across the US: New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and, as the highlight during Spring Break (which coincided with my birthday), Mexico. Everything is easily reachable, and if you look early enough, you can find really cheap options (Baltimore airport). All in all, I have to say: If you somehow have the chance to do a semester abroad, do it! It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you will get so much out of it no matter where you do it. And in my opinion, Washington is an amazing place to go so if you are not sure yet definitely do it! And please feel free to reach out if you have any questions :)