The first few flowers of spring are blossoming in front of the Schneeberghof hotel. A large salamander, painted in yellow & green, catches my eye looking up the main station: “Welcome to Puchberg at the Schneeberg mountain, 577 metres above sea level, Lower Austria’s famous climatic spa resort!” The air that you breathe here is especially good for your health, the mighty Schneeberg mountain towering 2.075 metres above sea level as a protective, snow-covered giant over the pretty village of Puchberg at the foothill of the Eastern Alps. I have travelled here to teach members of the NÖVOG Schneebergbahn mountain railway English conversation and grammar practice ahead of the main tourism season. At the end now, I do already miss my team: Thank you so much for the great time we shared!
The iconic little village Puchberg am Schneeberg is set right at the foothills of the Eastern Alps, only about an hour away from the Austrian capital city Vienna. The air here is really fresh, especially on a sunny morning like this.
The “Schneebergbahn” mountain railway travels up more than 1.200 metres on its way up the Schneeberg mountain and is one of the small town’s main attractions.
And here they are: My team of the NÖVOG Lower Austrian Train Company at Puchberg, studying hard of course. To achieve English conversation in a fun and meaningful way especially designed to meet the needs of the team was the goal of preparing this seminar in Puchberg.
Day after day, the team works hard to master English …
… and we both learn from each other: How does the train company actually work? How do I ask for the way (and how do I actually ask questions, in English)? What do I ask? How do I talk about the time and train timetables? What can we tell visitors about the Schneeberg mountain, its famous mountain railway, attractions & travel information in English language?
For the beginners’ team, it certainly was no easy task to pick up another language “just like that”. All of them, mostly men between 25 and 55 with little or no English skills prior to the training, are thoroughly enjoying themselves though, last but not least because of the excellent communication we share. There is a lot of teasing that goes well with the learning process, I find. Fun & practice instills confidence!
Soon, the language training seminars “Tourism English for NÖVOG train drivers” that we have developed to be tailor-made to the needs and requirements of the Puchberg train company team bear fruit. We learn about the basics of everyday communication with visitors and gain more & more confidence as well as trust in speaking for ourselves while “out there” with foreign, non-German speaking visitors. I really enjoy the pretty environment, too, “spoiling myself” to a luxury travel experience at the Schneeberghof hotel ahead of arriving and working in Puchberg. Such are the magnificent panoramic views you can enjoy from the hotel, that I really want to come back soon. Check this out!
Arrive to relax: Welcome to my luxury hotel suite in Puchberg at the Schneeberg mountain!
Thank you so much, dear Andreas Zenz & team, for hosting and upgrading me to this wonderful suite here at the Schneeberghof hotel! I have already visited here last summer, and must make a point of coming back soon again!
The day before our language seminars start, I spoil myself to some wellness & spa moments at the hotel.
Not to mention the excellent local cuisine …
… that is such a big part of Austrian hospitality: Here, dinner is served as local dry-aged deer ham with wild garlic mousse. Yum …!
Not only the food deserves a mention, but the view from the windows is quite a stunner too, don’t you think?
The mighty Schneeberg mountain is home to Lower Austria’s highest chapel as well as the mountain railway station at more than 1.800 metres above sea level, situated right at the top of this picture.
Around the hotel, much lower in the valley, this is the view you get … equally amazing!
Later during the day, looking back at the hotel in the mountain sunlight, the surroundings have completely won me over: I must come back soon for a hiking trip or else out in the beautiful nature!
Puchberg am Schneeberg, at the low-lying valley station looking up the mountain …
… “I’ll be back”! And I will ask you, dear members of staff, all there is to know about Puchberg and the magnificent train service up the mountain, preferably in English language of course.? 😉
Languages are fascinating to me. I am all the happier for knowing that our kick-off workshop at the beginning of this season has already been useful in the preparation of this series of language trainings. Thank you to all the employees at the NÖVOG train company in Puchberg for your unfaltering enthusiasm: I already miss working with you guys. Let us hope there will be even more inspiring tourism training workshops in English language with you!
