Candan Serbest, ESOL Professor

As a foreign student embarked on a journey studying in Austin, you must be busy taking in the newness around you. If you have not been greeted with “Howdy” yet, you will  hear it very soon. Howdy is not a question to ask how you are doing, but it is a statement that someone is pleased to see you and wants to give you a warm greeting in this lovely city. After the first couple of weeks’ nervousness wears off, you will start bonding with new people from different cultures and deepen your friendships. What is more, you can even start wearing cowboy boots and cheering for the football games in this lovely town. This blog post provides you with a guide to live in Austin. It highlights the top sights to see, fun things to do, and meetup places to mingle with other community groups. Happy Exploring!

https://www.austincityguide.com/things-to-do

 

 

Top Sights to See in Austin

 

  Texas State Capitol 

This historical landmark, built in 1885, is a must-see place to visit. By visiting this awe-inspiring building, you can learn more about the city of Austin and the history of Texas. You can roam around its garden and take the tour of the fascinating monuments and enjoy the great view of Congress Avenue filled with a plethora of restaurants, hotels and adorable coffee shops.- https://www.austintexas.org/listings/texas-state-capitol/1983/
  South Congress Bridge Bats 

You might think bats are smelly and creepy, but Austinites love to coexist with them. You can watch their emergence just before the sundown from early April to late October and experience an amazing nightly show.-https://www.batsinaustin.com/
  Austin Central Library 

This newly built library offers more than checking out books. It is attractive for people from different age groups. The third floor of the library is dedicated for your age level since there are plenty of peaceful spots to study. Once you give a short break to recharge your mind, you can look through  the windows stretching from the floor to the ceiling for the awesome view of the Colorado River. – https://library.austintexas.gov/
  Mount Bonnel 

A twenty minute climb of 102 steps, some of which are uneven may sound tiring to you, but once you are at the top, you will see the sweeping view of the city and you won’t regret the effort. You might be captivated with the view, for sure, but you need to be very careful not to walk too close to the cliff since there are no barriers to protect you.- https://www.tripsavvy.com/austin-mount-bonnell-guide-4161284

 

Fun Things to Do in Town 

 

  Barton Springs

 Nature has been generous enough to provide our city with a lot of “ get wet and have fun” places. One of these places is Barton Springs nestled in Zilker Park. All you have to do is to be brave enough to splash into the icy cold water on a hot summer day. The rest is heaven on earth since it is so refreshing to swim with the salamanders, toads and fishes. I highly recommend you visit  this place in December, too since you will be able to see people swimming in it. Since the water temp is the same year long, maybe you can plunge into it in the freezing cold weather to make a memory to treasure. –http://austintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool
  Escape Game

If you want to experience an hour long brain-teasing challenge and have fun with your friends, you can not find a better place than Escape Game. Your  mission is to solve the puzzles with the given clues and find the key that will lead you to the exit. This experience will help you learn some fun English riddles while improving your team skills. –https://theescapegame.com/austin/
  Lake Travis Zipline 

After a tiring semester with tons of  homework and tests, you might feel like you are loaded with so much stress. One great way of erasing this stress is to go ziplining. Soaring 300 feet above the most beautiful scenery of Austin will not only empty your mind, but will recharge you for the next semester. –https://www.ziplaketravis.com/
  Top Golf in the Domain 

This sports entertainment complex provides you with a high tech golf game along with the most delicious food and beverages that you can enjoy with your friends. You play the game in individually designed bays and watch your ball’s real time flight path, the accuracy of your shot, the degree of the angle and the speed on the monitors installed in the bay you reserved. –https://topgolf.com/us/austin/

 

 Meetups for ESL learners

 

    Meetup -Austin

This is a conversational group where you can mingle with students from around the world. 

https://www.meetup.com/Welcome-to-America-Practice-Learn-Improve-Your-English/
  The Austin Chinese Language and Culture Meetup Group

This is a great meeting place to practice your English with the people who are interested in learning about your Chinese culture, food and language https://www.meetup.com/Austin-Chinese-Language-and-Culture/
  Arabic With Friends 

If you are from an Arab country and want to introduce Arabic culture, this is a great place to check out .

Arabic with Friends
  Austin Beginner’s  German Club 

This is the group where you can enjoy learning the world’s second most popular language after English. It is a great place to meet new people and learn German.

https://www.meetup.com/Austin-Beginner-German-Language-Meetup/
  First United Methodist Church 

The ESL classes, from beginner to advanced level, are given in this informal setting and will help you practice conversational skills. 

https://fumcesl.org/