Every Saint who studies abroad has a reason for going, but usually the experience is defined by the unexpected.
Christopher Nass '27 chose Salzburg as his study abroad destination for one reason: The Alps.
"Honestly, yeah, I went there for the skiing. That was my whole motivation."
Nass grew up in Kennebunk, Maine, and by the time he could walk, he could ski. Nass learned the sport on the Sunday River slopes in Newry, Maine, and as he got older, he looked for larger mountains to conquer. He's skied down many of America's top trails, from Colorado to Big Sky. The Rockies are impressive, but the Alps are the premier skiing destination in the world.
From his classroom in Salzburg, Nass could see the giant mountain range towering over the city. At the first chance, he rode to the top of the KitzSki resort – a massive network of 75 lifts and hundreds of trails. It was heaven for one glorious day. And then he never went back.
"For the price of one day skiing, I could travel to another country for the whole weekend."
Nass went to Europe for the skiing, but once he got there, he did almost everything else. To save money and maximize his opportunities, Nass traveled by bus and not plane. He took a 14-hour bus ride to Amsterdam. After that, 10 hours to Copenhagen felt like nothing. The eight-hour ride to Croatia flew by.
"I could take a bus for 60 euros instead of a flight for 200. Plus, it was part of the experience. The bus to Amsterdam was 14 hours without stopping. I was able to sleep for about six hours. But it was fine. I just decided when I got over there that I wanted to see and explore as much as I possibly could."
There were only 20 students in Nass's program, and he became friends with all of them. His closest friends took the bus rides with him, but they also found plenty to do in Austria. Nass hasn't seen the Sound of Music, but he knows it was filmed in Salzburg, and now has a greater appreciation for the hype. He also admired Fortress Hohensalzburg, one of the largest castles in the world.
Nass's perspective in the classroom was broadened as well. The economics major wrote a paper on the European Central Bank, and he believes the experience of understanding and communicating with people in different countries will serve him well professionally as he pursues the business development route.
Nass said some of his closest Siena friends haven't considered studying abroad, but he thinks they're missing out. Sure, there can be anxiety of the unknown, but in many ways, it's like skiing. You've got to summon the courage to get to the top of the mountain, and then go for it.
