Located in the southeast of Austria, is the state of Styria. Dwelled in the spectacular beauty of nature and serenity, this place is a tourist's favourite. Graz, the state capital, is also known as 'the green state' and is famous for the lush greenery and the peaceful aura it has to offer.

Teachers have turned to games now-a-days in order to try to supplement their ESL classroom lesson plans. Their reason for doing so is to add to the lesson in such a way as to benefit the students more. The benefits are a more co-operative group dynamics and it has been shown that the students actually retain the new material longer and with better comprehension.

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) is celebrated as a fin de siècle genius and one of the great pioneers of 20th century music. The composer's 150th birthday celebrations is taking place in 2010, followed by the 100th anniversary of his death a year later. Mahler headed the Vienna State Opera for 10 years.

Lohas followers attach equal importance to sustainable living, morality, quality and enjoyment, and are regarded as one of the most influential target groups of the fu-ture. In Vienna they have already achieved this status today.

Democrats Abroad Austria represents US citizens living in Austria looking to drive political change by voting Democratic. While most of our members are in Vienna, chapters are forming in other major Austrian cities and we have seen our numbers triple in the last year.

Vienna and Death: an eternal love, a special relationship embracing sentimental, melancholic coquettishness and an almost passionate intimacy. As a well-known wine tavern song goes, there'll always be wine, but we won't always be here to enjoy it. Opulent funerals with a large cortege of mourners can still be the source of gushing enthusiasm.

Engagement is a fairly recent term in business. In the past the talk was about "attracting, motivating and retaining" expatriate employees. All three strategies focused primarily on money.

For Chef Frank Lima, an instructor with the New York Restaurant School of The Art Institutes, food is poetry and poetry is food. Chef Lima is not only a former White House assistant chef during the Kennedy Administration, but a first runner-up for Poet Laureate of Queens, New York. As Chef Lima explains it, "Poetry and cooking are so similar -- they're both about feeling and aesthetics." The two are so intertwined, in fact, that Chef Lima named his cream of roasted red pepper soup Creme Kukhla Moo ("my doll" in Greek).

Is being an expat all about attitude, and if so, does this have an immense influence on expat children and how they perceive their situation in this new environment? If as adults we have doubts about settling in a new country, how do you think our children are feeling?

No sooner has November drawn a thick curtain of drizzle and fog across the heavens and the days become steadily shorter, then some places sink into a deep melancholy. But not Vienna. Here the weeks leading up to Christmas are romantic and idyllic.

As an expert in personal property, my days are filled with visiting estates, consulting with my clients, and ascertaining what has value versus what does not. I help Boomer children make sound estate decisions after mom and dad have passed on. Also, I work closely with seniors helping them make a plan for their heirlooms, and appraising the worth of their collectibles.

"Thanksgiving is not just a culinary experience, it is also a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family", says Marriott Hotel General Manager Dieter Fenz. The celebration of this annual U.S. tradition is becoming more and more popular in Austria: Also this year, you are welcome to join in on this festivity!

The charming little village "Christkindl" near Steyr in Upper Austria has got something very unusual, i.e. its name, which means Infant Jesus; according to Austrian tradition, "Christkindl" brings Christmas presents to children. For over fifty years now, Österreichische Post AG has its special "Christkindl" Post Office.

The first time I visited Zell am See I was actually staying at a small town further north going back towards Saltzburg called Lofer bie Martin. I was staying in the Schloss Grubhoff castle which was once owned by the king of Bavaria but has now been converted into luxurious apartments which can be rented out as holiday lets.

Learning to speak the native language of where you will be living is typically just one of many things on your to-do list when moving abroad. Becoming an expat can be one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences of your life, but the journey is one filled with a vast range of emotions.

The thing that can shatter the life of a teenager is moving abroad. Teenagers are in a stage of life in which they start getting settled in their life. It is the time when bonds are formed in their life and also last a lifetime. They start taking their first few steps into the real life outside their friends circle.

The Poinsettia is native to Mexico. It has been associated with the Christmas season because the Mexicans thought the plants were symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem. The plant was brought to America over 100 years ago by Dr. Joel Poinsett, our first ambassador to Mexico.

The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol, although the music is reputed to be French. rom 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

As soon as the days start getting noticeably shorter and the first Christmas decorations appear in shop windows, a special enchantment settles over the streets. The Advent market fills the air with the scent of cinnamon cookies, evergreen boughs and honey-laden beeswax candles which drifts through streets twinkling with Christmas lights.

Having Goose on the Christmas table dates back to the medieval times when it is usually feasted on during winter festivals.  Then, it was often roasted on a spit over an open fire and stuffed with onion, sage or goose liver stuffing and eaten with a fruit sauce.

One thing that makes Vienna's long dark winter warm and hospitable are the punch stands throughout the city. You will see the Viennese milling around enjoying a warm drink and the friendly conversation, so just walk up, get a drink and join in.

I met Dr. Hirsh in his office on the third floor right behind the reception. I was surprised because I had expected his office to be located on one of the higher levels where admissions is. With the door open, he can listen into conversations going on at the reception and I imagined him quite amused by the stories people tell. I had never actually seen that door open, although I’m told it often is

Historically, during Fasching the lower classes were allowed to wear costumes and masks and to mimic aristocracy and heads of church and state without fear of retribution for mockery. When things got out of hand, the custom was forbidden, for a while anyway.

Vienna has a long tradition of chandelier making, with countless offbeat interpretations appearing along the way. These stylish lighting elements make a dazzling and refined impression thanks to the way that they refract light.

With 49,000 beds in some 390 hotels and pensions, Vienna offers something for everybody, from five-star hotel to low-budget accommodation. Luxurious accommodation in Vienna almost invariably means living at the heart of the city, as many of Vienna's luxury-class hotels are located in the inner city.

The Vienna Boys' Choir, St. Stephen's Cathedral, culture and the arts are undoubtedly instrumental to the enjoyment of the Austrian capital. But the city's superb quality of life, unmatched almost anywhere else in the world, is actually down to other factors.

Losing the battle of the Wiener Schnitzel and Sacher Torte or just want to get a bit fitter? Come join our Getting Fit In Austria Team on SparkPeople it's FREE. Lets support each other both online and in real-time on the way to a healthier, more fit Lifestyle. It’s never too late to begin your journey in wellness! Here are 10 steps you can take today to get started.

Vienna and wine are inseparable. Vienna is the only world capital producing significant quantities of wine within the city limits, making wine cultivation one of its hallmarks. But it is more than that - it is an economic factor, a defining element of the urban image, a contribution to the urban economic system but also to people's wellbeing - for both the Viennese and the guests to this city.

In the 2009 season, Europa-Park will be turned upside down for the very first time: the spectacular new “Blue Fire Megacoaster” will whisk intrepid visitors off on a breathtaking roller coaster ride. Travelling through a rugged Icelandic landscape, passengers will not only loop the loop but also hurtle through topsy-turvy thrills galore!