I went to Vienna for my practical training. I am studying to become a midwife, and I had already wanted to complete a longer traineeship abroad before we were introduced to this opportunity during our first year.

I have had the opportunity to take part in Erasmus+ activities every year of my studies, and I am very grateful to Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences for that. During my first year, I joined a short-term mobility to Münster together with nursing students. In my second year, I took part in a similar mobility and welcomed international students here in Tallinn. In my third year, I went to Vienna together with other midwifery students.

BIP stands for Blended Intensive Programme, but in my opinion, it could easily be called a “Short and Exciting Learning Adventure”. Participants come from different countries, the meetings are interesting, the topics are important, and every experience makes the world feel a little bigger.

During my fourth year, my practical training focused on complicated childbirth, the postpartum period and neonatology. I completed my traineeship at St. Josef Krankenhaus in Vienna, which happens to be the largest maternity hospital in Austria. More than 4,000 babies are born there every year. One of the main values of the maternity ward is to support and encourage natural childbirth.

I arrived in Vienna by plane. Well, I did not travel to the hospital by plane every day, of course – I used the metro – but my traineeship did start and end with a flight. My shifts were usually organised like this: a day shift, a night shift, two days off, and then the same schedule again. Nobody worked for more than 13 hours at a time, and working time and rest periods were taken seriously. People get tired, and healthcare work is both responsible and demanding. I also felt that the salary was appropriate for the work people were doing.

The hospital looked much smaller from the outside than it actually was. Despite its size, it felt warm and welcoming. Couples whose labour was still in its early stages were often encouraged to go outside and walk around the hospital while breathing through their contractions.

Every day was different and special-sometimes busy, sometimes very busy.

The team changed with every shift, so the dynamics were slightly different each time. One thing I really appreciated was how respectful everyone was. Every person I met greeted the others at the beginning of the shift. Even when things were busy, doctors introduced themselves to the woman before starting their work.

I did not see any procedure that was carried out without explaining it to the woman and her support person or asking for their consent. The woman's body was never treated as if it automatically belonged to the hospital or the staff. It was beautiful to see this level of respect.

A maternity ward is a special place anywhere in the world. You never know who will come to give birth, how the birth will go or which baby will decide to be born that day. Every new life brings new energy. What happens during a shift stays with you even after you leave the hospital-both in your heart and in your tired body.

My “home” during these two months was an Airbnb in Vienna's 5th district. I lived together with people from Denmark, the USA, Japan, Greece, Mexico, Spain and France. The group changed from time to time, with some people leaving and new people arriving. We welcomed the newcomers and said goodbye to those who left.

Life was colourful and busy. We celebrated birthdays, visited the zoo and museums, and even went to Eurovision.

Looking back, those eight and a half weeks were difficult and exhausting, but at the same time magical and unforgettable.

Sometimes you have to dare to step outside your comfort zone, even when you are afraid that you are not ready or that you will not manage. You will. You can always find a way to manage, and later you will probably not regret going – you will regret it more if you did not take the opportunity.

Vienna definitely found a special place in my heart during this traineeship. So did the many little Austrians who were born during my time there – Lavinia, Marlies, Theodor, Elif, Isa, Nori, Gabriel, Simon, Linus, Amalie, Josephine, Ilias, Hawa Luna, Enya, Emilia, Lina, Flora and many others-together with their parents.

And, of course, I will always remember all the wonderful midwives who were willing to share their everyday work with me and gave me an unforgettable experience.

Thank you!

P.S. Vienna is, of course, worth visiting even without a traineeship, at any time of the year.

Servus! Und bis zum nächsten Mal! ;)

Ave Kongi
4th-year midwifery student