babsn: I'm glad you've been able to follow the thread of our adventure. I am grateful to the steadfast folks who have given such helpful advice. We finally got good flights directly to Graz, leaving and arriving both ways at reasonable times (on Lufthansa through studentuniverse.com). I hadn't heard of Generationfly, but Sta was another with good possibilities.

Current question: either where near TU Graz is a good store to purchase the most immediate needs - sheets and towels, or what are the best key words for a Google maps search? We're hoping to use space those items would take up in luggage for other items.