Vienna Days: Cold Nights, Big Words, and Lasting Lessons.

Vienna Days: Cold Nights, Big Words, and Lasting Lessons.

By Salome Mwayayi (Class of 2006)

My years in Vienna were a beautiful experience. They were years defined not only by learning, but also by friendships with students from across the region; friendships that widened our horizons long before many of us ever travelled far from home.

The classrooms had their own character. I still remember Mr. Innocent and his famously big English words that left many of us puzzled at first, yet slowly pushed us to think more deeply and speak more confidently. Break time was another kind of lesson altogether especially at Mr. Muwanga’s canteen, where students pushed and squeezed their way forward, each determined to secure a snack before the bell rang again.

There were also moments of mischief that have stayed with me over the years. One morning I woke up late and decided the best solution was simply to hide in the dormitory until Madam Mirian found me, of course. It was one of those moments when you realise there is no real escape from discipline at Vienna.

Some memories are impossible to forget. There was the strike that left all of us spending a cold night out in the field. That night taught me something important: no one was above the rules. I even received a stroke from the police as they chased us away from the dormitories. At the time, I remember thinking that perhaps being a foreigner would spare me but that assumption quickly disappeared.

Then there were the weekend dances full of energy, laughter, and the quiet moments that seemed to take place under the stairs. On one particular Sunday afternoon, a couple was caught and given the famous “five strokes” punishment. It was the kind of moment that instantly travelled across the entire school as a story.

Yet Vienna was not only about discipline and youthful adventures. There were also moments of reflection. I still hold onto words of wisdom shared by Madam Mirian during the Sunday dorm assemblies lessons about responsibility, resilience, and believing in oneself.

Vienna taught me to believe in myself and in my abilities. That belief has stayed with me ever since, and it is the same confidence that has helped me grow my business into what it is today.

Looking back now, Vienna shaped the person I am in many ways. The friendships, the lessons, the discipline, and the memories all remain part of my journey.