On the evening of "Giving Tuesday"—28 November—Fulbright Austria hosted its traditional "Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving" at the Waldviertlerhof in Vienna, with over 70 program participants, alums, and partner institutions. coming together to celebrate the blessings of the last year, rekindle memories of their journeys, and support future generations of program participants. Below you will find two personal stories from 2023–24 US Fulbright combined grantee Amanda Riggenbach and 2023–24 US teaching assistant, both of whom were in attendance at the event.
Full of thanks for Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving
5 December 2023Two current program participants write about their experience attending Fulbright Austria's annual Thanksgiving dinner.
Amanda Riggenbach
2023–24 US Fulbright combined grantee
The honor of being a combined grantee for the 2023–24 academic year continues to reveal itself to me. When I first applied for the grant in 2020 as a wide-eyed college senior, I could not have comprehended the generosity of the program and its massive network of donors and alums. I feel particularly grateful for my Fulbright grant because of my first rejection in 2021. Not being selected then proved to be the best thing that ever happened to me, as it allowed me to reevaluate my motivation. When I reapplied in 2022, I did so with a clearer vision and more experience.
Being a Fulbrighter now has made me all the more fervent to take in every experience that I can, because this is precious to me. From orientation to the Gansl-Essen organized by the Austrian Fulbright Alumni association to the Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving dinner, each event has helped me acclimate to my new environment in Vienna. They have fostered community between program participants as well as between program participants and those that are in our corner. I feel especially grateful for the opportunity to have attended the Fulbright Austria’s Thanksgiving dinner. Not only did I participate in the carving of the turkey with Fulbright Austria’s esteemed executive director, Hermann Agis, but I was also able to meet so many of the individuals who made my dream a reality.
It is a rare thing to have a visualization of the people who are in your corner, those who are cheering you on and supporting you. The Thanksgiving event allowed exactly that. Set in the cozy Waldviertlerhof, the ambiance was as familial as any US Thanksgiving celebration. First- and second-year program participants mingled with alums, donors, and friends of Fulbright underneath twinkling lights in the courtyard. It would not have been complete without the roasted chestnuts or spiced Punch. There was a bold camaraderie in the air as Austrian alums shared their stories of culture shock and US program participants listened intently. Hearing an alum named Lothar describe his experiences in my home state of Illinois was particularly lovely because I could hear how, at its core, little had changed in terms of Midwestern hospitality. And, of course, we bonded over our love of Chicago.
Dinner was just as wonderful as the Punch hour. The food was exquisite, a culinary fusion of Austrian and American. The turkey was the best part, almost as good as my mother’s. With open seating, alums and friends of Fulbright were able to continue to converse with current program participants. I was able to glean wisdom from Karin, a friend of Fulbright and an honorary alum, about all things Vienna as well as to learn about her life history. I was able to learn why she was passionate about cultural exchange and supported it through her work and through Fulbright. Though the entire meal was excellent, I found the most nourishing part of the evening was the shared community among the like-minded folks who attended the dinner.
We were able to connect over our passion for cultural exchange and mutual understanding. The evening, overflowing with conversation and general goodwill, epitomized Fulbright and its mission. Though on Thanksgiving I did find myself missing my loved ones in the US, I feel incredibly grateful for Fulbright Austria and the friends of Fulbright Austria. These experiences, this community is worth everything. As I reflect on the year, I feel incredibly grateful to be among a community such as this.
Francis Withers
2023– 24 US teaching assistant
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has existed to encourage conversation and connection between international communities worldwide. The relationship between the United States of America and Austria is particularly special, made distinct not only because of the exceptional people who work within and beside the program, but also because of events such as Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving, which allows these communities to unite and celebrate in a new Austrian-US tradition.
The seventh annual Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving took place on Tuesday, 28 November, just five days after the United States celebrated Thanksgiving Day. Research scholars, teaching assistants, students alums, friends, and staff joined together in Vienna’s fifth district at Waldviertlerhof for an unforgettable Thanksgiving dinner. Guests arrived in high spirits in spite of the rain and gathered outside to indulge in Punch and chestnuts (two Austrian winter classics) before moving indoors, where speeches were given and a multi-course menu was prepared with care, including vegan options and dessert. Naturally, a Turkey was carved, and conversation flowed as freely as wine.
Having gone alone, I sat with a table of strangers and socialized, noticing the way all Fulbright associates seemed to be excellent conversationalists. I took great pleasure in listening to detailed accounts of impassioned study and pedagogy, stories of colorful lives, young and old, Austrian and American. As a teaching assistant who aids in English classes at two different schools in Vienna, cultural exchange is something I find inseparable from my values, and I’ve always thought of myself as an enthusiastic learner and teacher. I found myself simultaneously immersed in the moment and reflective of what it represented.
For me in particular to be able to attend an event like this would not have happened without the generosity of the donors who ensured that their gifts sponsored US scholars, students, and teaching assistants. I do not come from a place of financial privilege, which is why it felt all the more meaningful that someone wanted me to be here and have a place at the table. While the dinner itself was phenomenal, the real act of kindness extended is an open hand and willingness to share. It’s the sort of gesture that says, “I want to share this experience with you because you deserve it too.”
I am often filled with gratitude when I think about the USTA Program and how I am able to assist in the education of Austrian youth, but living in Vienna, as beautiful and meaningful as it may be, isn’t without its moments of homesickness. When holidays like Thanksgiving arise, they provide a moment of reflection as well as an opportunity for gratitude, but they arrive alongside memories of Thanksgiving dinners shared with family on a snowy Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Events like these, however, remind me that I have a home in Vienna too: because of Thank Fulbright – Thanksgiving, I was able to experience some warmth and familiarity on an otherwise cold night, bonding with friends and affiliates of the program, connected by a desire for togetherness, which is, inherently, without borders or restrictions. Thank you, Fulbright Austria!