And by the time you'll leave you'll be a pro. You can get by using the German you /do/ know and hand gestures. You'll pick up a language quickly enough if you're immersed in it.

P.S. Austrians are capable of speaking and understanding German.

I taught myself Japanese for two years before moving to Japan. In the past year since I came, I've learned faaar more than those two years could ever have hoped to achieve. So just relax and push through it-- the first two months are the very hardest. After that, the real language-learning begins, because your listening skills start going through the roof and you are better able to separate words and search them and conjugate verbs on your own and everything. It's amazing, the transformation. But seriously-- DON'T speak English while you're there. It'll only slow down your language learning. Totally immerse yourself, and request to speak in German. It's one thing to call/Skype your friends and family and speak in English, but when you're there, present and paying attention, be sure to speak in German.

*I meant de-conjugate verbs, so you can search them in the dictionary and all that...

I've heard of people having the same problem with French when they learn "metropolitan French" and then go to Québec - it's a completely different dialect. However, you'll get used to it. If you're going to be there till May you have plenty of time to learn it.

it's not that different. just open your mind and you'll figure it out. go around whining that you can't understand, and you'll get nothing out of it. And yeah, I learnt Hochdeutsch too, and lived in Berlin and Hannover. I get that Austrian is different, I don't understand it so easily, but stop complaining and spend some time listening.

YTDI for not researching some information on the place you intend to stay in...

YDI for not knowing that in the first place. i would expect that you should have done some reading up on a place you were going to be staying at for months at a time. that being said, take other people's advice, and speak the German you do know, and then get used to their dialect. you'll be fine.

Most Austrians are familiar with different styles of German, and you should be able to speak what you know with few problems. Not an FML dumbass, how did this make it past the mods?

fyl