Tauplitz Weekend

This weekend I packed up my rucksack and headed to the mountains with 100 other exchange students for a Rotary meeting in Tauplitz. I met my oldies (kids who have been here since January) in Vienna and took a complicated system of westbound trains. We got really cheap tickets, but changing trains four times was the challenging outcome of that! We were in the train station in Linz when I started recognizing faces! Exchange students starting filling the train and before I could say all my hellos, it was a full on party. There were roughly 80 exchange students on one train, and we were thrilled to see each other.  The air filled with greetings and laughter, and suddenly time flew by. I met so many new faces and became overwhelmed at the roaring sound of students. A few of my closest friends from language camp were not on this train and I was very anxious to see them! So you can imagine my disappointment when the train came to a stop. The automatic brake kept turning on as soon as we reached a high speed, so we ended up literally inching along the rest of the way. I snuck back to the rear of the train, and found a quiet solitude away from the chaos among some close friends (Simon from Canada and Jackson fromMontana). As we crept forward, snow capped peaks came into view. The conversation immediately turned to skiing, and from then on, the trip went quickly.

 

 

We FINALLY arrived at the Tauplitz train station, and I sprinted off the train to greet Crash and Lucas. It was so comforting to see them again, and I could not stop smiling. Not to mention, I was back in the mountains, and this time, they had snow! All 100 of us loaded up onto tour busses and climbed further up into the Alps. The weather was slightly overcast, and an eerie fog was beginning to settle over the valley. The bus was full of chatter as many students experienced snow for the first time. Immediately after exiting the bus, a full on snow ball fight broke out, and I laughed at comments from my friends like "Hey look there's snow on the cars too!" or, "Wait now my hand is cold..." I loved seeing the excitement on everyone's faces, and breathing in the crisp mountain air.

Lauren and I getting some snow action

 

 

We slept in a 'mountain hut' which was really more of a lodge at the base of the mountain. Hot water for showering cost one euro, and we entertained ourselves with conversations and card games. It truly was a mountain experience.

         On Saturday morning we layered up, and headed out into the dense fog. It rained and snowed and the trail was one large mud pit. But we made an adventure out of it, and I thoroughly enjoyed being out in the Alps with some of my favorite people. The fog cleared a bit and we stopped for a beautiful picnic spot by the lake. Unfortunately, the weather and a twisted ankle kept the group from continuing on, but we were all pretty relieved to be out of the rain and back safe in our mountain refuge. 

Crash and I

 

Julien, Jackson, Crash and I

It was a foggy day

 

That night, we bundled up, grabbed a torch, and created a massive light parade down the mountain. It reminded me of the torchlight parade back home. We ended up at a yurt-turned-disco, and as the lights went down, the dancing commenced.

Dance Partaaaay

Torches lighting up the night

 

 I ended up wandering outside and found four of my closest friends (Crash, Lucas, Lauren and Johnny) huddled around a fire. Crash happens to be an outstanding dancer, and we asked him to show us some moves. He started slow, and he had us all dancing around the fire by the end of the night. The laughs and smiles filled a moment I will forever cherish, and in that moment I embraced how fortunate and blessed I really am. I have made life long friends, who I dance with in the Alps. I could finally see the stars again, and I wasn't stuck in what seems I be a never ending succession of awkward and embarrassing moments. I was at peace, I was at home.  And in that moment I felt I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

              The next morning, the clouds had lifted and the stunning landscape finally emerged. Breathtaking views encircled us, and every time the fog shifted, a new landscape was discovered. I took far too many pictures and truly couldn't wipe the smile off my face. But, the air slowly filled with a bittersweet mood, because in a few short hours, the inevitable goodbyes awaited.

Crash, Lucas, and Jackson

 

               We were shuttled down the mountain and dumped at a train station where we were supposed to just sit around and wait. But, having such incredible friends, Crash, Jackson, Lucas, Lauren and I headed towards the forest. We followed a little path towards the sound of water, and found just that. We found a resting spot atop a modest bridge over the bubbling brook. Sun rays flowing through the leaves created a simple serenity. Here was another moment spent with the people I love most, feeling so right about the here and now. I didn’t belong anywhere else. I can’t help but feel so fortunate for the opportunities that find their way to me everyday. It’s the simple moments like those that I will cherish forever.