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From Stokes County to Steiermark APPALACHIAN STUDENT TO TEACH ENGLISH IN AUSTRIA

Jeb Bryant, a graduating senior who learned German in his general education courses at Appalachian, is heading to Styria, Austria to work as an English language Teaching Assistant for a year, starting in October 2018. He will teach at the Höhere Bundeslehr- und Forschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft Raumberg-Gumpenstein, a specialized high school focusing on agricultural studies, in the town of Irdning.

Located in the middle of Austria, 136 km (85 mi.) from Salzburg, the school is also home to a leading research station for the state of Styria. When asked about his expectations, says Bryant, " I kind of think they'll have a more serious environment at the school than what we have here. They're researching things like new methods in farming, the more humane treatment of animals, and more organic methods of plant farming."

"I grew up around agriculture, and my uncle and others in my family have always owned cattle and horses. I thought it would be interesting to see how people in Europe view agriculture and see if it would be comparable."

Bryant, an English major with a specialization in creative writing, learned about the program in his German class while talking with his professor about his plans after graduation. "I was looking for an opportunity to travel abroad. This program provided a good way to teach while I was there, and get paid and have health insurance, too."

When asked about his plans after the Austrian experience, Bryant says, "Right now, I'm really wavering between wanting to be a teacher or a school librarian. Either way, I want to work with kids and try to help kids who have come from similar backgrounds to mine. I grew up with a single mother and a grandmother, so it was always different for me as a kid. That's why I just really want to be there and help others who might not have fathers or might not have much money."

After a week of orientation in St. Pölten, a suburb of Vienna, Jeb will begin his year as an ETA with the Austrian-American Education Foundation/Fulbright Commission. Once he's settled at the school, he'll connect in real time with German classes in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures via Zoom, the university's web conferencing tool.

Jeb is looking forward to all he will experience abroad. "Growing up in a rural place, and in a poorer family, I didn't really have the chance to travel much or see other places." How will this experience contribute to his future plans in education? Beyond the opportunity to teach, travel and use his German, Bryant says, "I think it will give me an open-mindedness to different types of people and learn how to deal with them."

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Created with images by bogitw - "alpine mountains rock" • AJJ74 - "mountains cows alm"

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