Living in a German speaking country!

My 3months holiday in Germany was the most wonderful I ever had. I has direct interaction with the Germans as I lived with them and they toured me around. It was like an immersion class as they don't speak English at all except my host in Berlin. Through hearing i was able to comprehend Badish and swaebisch but good thing is before going to Germany I already learned the language from Goethe Institut. in the past, I also had interaction with the Austrians and I can detect the difference. It would have been best if you chose to stay in Hannover as they speak high German. I had difficulty understanding some Germans in different regions, but the Hannoveraner speaks very clear German. However Salzburg is a nice place too, you will enjoy your stay for sure.

Lucky you! I'm rather envious, I spent 5 semesters in Vienna and it was some of the best years of my time in university. Not that I'm finished with university yet, after some years it becomes a habit :-) As for the local dialect, I didn't find that a problem. I had been there quite a few times before (on holiday), my mother studied there for seven years and one of her fellow Norwegian student married an Austrian and stayed in Vienna. Pick up as my as you can *hehe* I think it is easier, you don't have to do the high a's and the voiced s, and noone will react if you mumble and turn the article or ending into a general nasal. (in case you're not sure what it is :-) ) I've been to Salzburg only twice, although it's not that far from Vienna. One time, my friend broke a heel on her shoe in Mozarts Geburtshaus, and some old American lady followed us through Salzburg while we were looking for shoe shop to get some sandals. Scary, those American tourists ... Did not go on a Sound of Music tour. To cheesy :-) But the Mozartkugel-icecream was nice.