Salzburg

As usual, my weekend was amazing! On Friday about fifteen of us exchange students met up in a Vienna train station planning our long travel day ahead. Since we travel in such a big group, we buy group tickets on the cheapest route possible. This is awesome because it is outrageously cheap, however it usually means an extra 3 or 4 hours added to the trip, and there are almost always complications on the train. Luckily, I let my "oldies" (the people who came last January) handle that. However, since they are all going home soon, that's going to have to change! So after our train changing directions twice, waiting in the Linz train station, and then taking a REX (goes way slower than a normal train, but is super cheap!), we finally arrived in Salzburg almost two hours late! It didn't help that the bus didn't have room for all of us to get on and drive to the hostel, so we had to wait for each other, taking twice as long. When we arrived at the hostel we were supposed to take a German test evaluating our language skills, but since we were so late, the test got postponed and we went straight to dinner. It was so great catching up with everyone and I got to meet some new faces too! The kids in Croatia were there with us and will be for Eurotour too! I think it was a little intimidating for them because there are so many of us and only 22 of them! But they were all really sweet and fun, and I met a fellow Coloradan! He knows 12 languages... So smart! Anyways, that night I went down to the river with Crash, Lucas, Johnny and Parker, and we played in the snow and spoke some German!
The next morning we bundled up and headed out into the rainy weather up to Salzburg's famous castle. It was a little difficult to navigate with so many people and in the freezing rain, but there were some beautiful views at the top and a cute Christmas market! We ate lunch downtown at a Chinese restaurant (the best way to feed 150 teenagers) and then had free time until our German test that afternoon. I explored the city with Juliet, Rachel, and Laura, and we had some yummy hot chocolate at a cafe! I was super nervous for the German test coming up, but it turns out, it was WAY easy! We had dinner in a fancy restaurant where we shared Christmas traditions from every country and said an official farewell to the 'oldies' who will be heading home in January. It was an emotional goodbye as I have become close with some of those guys. And I hate having to say goodbye. But I guess that's a big part of exchange. After a long train ride home, I was feeling pretty exhausted. But most of all, grateful for the amazing people exchange has brought into my life. I wrote in my journal that night about wanting to take traits and qualities I admire in my friends and adopting them. I have learned so much from each and every person I have encountered here, and for that I am very grateful!

Pia my favorite oldie!

Musik

It's been a musical week! On Sunday evening, Babsi and I bundled up and headed out into the night to go see the opera "Otello" by William Shakespeare. We scored tickets from a friend of ours, and we even had a box seat! I felt sooooo sophisticated sitting up there with all the other important people! It was a beautiful show, and I was so grateful to be there! Then on Wednesday we went to my school's advent concert. I got to hear musical talent from all of my peers at Kundmangasse, and one girl sang my favorite song, "Ave Maria".  Then yesterday, Johhny and I took a train to Perchtoldsdorf to go see our friend Cleo play cello in a concert. Unfortunately, we missed our stop, and ended up being stuck in the cold for a while! Lost and tired, we decided to head back to Vienna and go to a cafe. It was a really nice night to just relax and get to know Johnny a little better! I also like spending time with Johnny because even though we're both American, we still speak mostly German together! Okay I'm keeping this breif because I'm off to catch a train to Salzburg: the home of Mozart and 'The Sound of Music'! I am sooooo excited to see all my Rotary friends! But not so excited for this six hour train ride! I'm off!

Krampus und Nikolo

So the Austrians celebrate Christmas a little differently than we do back in the States. First of all, they celebrate advent, so every Sunday leading  up to Christmas, we sit together as a family and light a new candle on the wreath. Advent also brings lot's of chocolate, and I have two advent calanders, which means I'm getting real fat! Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of December when the Angels bring the presents and kids get to open them all. Then on the 25th, there is usually just a large family meal together. On the 6th, is Nikolo. That's when St. Nick comes and leaves presents and/or coal on your windowsill. If you haven't been a good kid, then the Krampus come, and steal your candy. Krampus are like devils/monsters and are actually quite scary. Last Friday, I went to a Krampuslauf, an organized event where monsters run around and with whips and chains and try to steal candy from kids! I was at an organized event, so I was only hit lightly and had an awesome night! But sometimes Krampuslaufs can get out of hand, usually when a Krampus has had too much to drink, and people die every year in Austria from these events. Needless to say, I was definitely a little freaked out!

Yesterday, Nikolo, was a day full of gifts! It started off with the surprise of Austrian candies and desserts on my windowsill, and a pair of Austrian wool slippers! I have such an awesome family! Then, at school we are playing Engerl Bangerl (Secret Santa), and I got a present from my angel! It was a bag full of chocolate, clementines (a typical Nikolo gift), holiday tissues, and Christmas tea! As if that wasn't enough, when I got home, my package from mom had arrived! So I got to open that and look at all of my wrapped presents! I am so excited to open them, and even more excited to read the letters! Along with the presents came some of my favorite cereal, Cheez-Its, Reece's, and chocolates from Hawaii. It's good to have a little piece of home here for the holidays, and it helps me get through some homesickness! But the way I see it, I only get one holiday season in Vienna, and I'm not going to waste it being homesick! It is amazing how quickly this year has gone by! Last Christmas, I had just received the news that I would be spending a year abroad in Austria, and here I am a year later already four months into this once in a lifetime experience!

Kunst und Freunde!

            This Thursday I met with my German class at a private art exhibit we were invited to. The art was really beautiful, and of course, we were given the task of finding our favorite painting and writing about it in German. I found my favorite pretty quickly. It was a landscape of a valley with mountains surrounding it. It looked a lot like Crested Butte looking up valley towards the Paradise Divide. I was pretty amazed by the similarity, and how well the artist was able to depict this mountain range with only water colors. Then my mind was blown, as I was told that the artist was born without arms, and he paints everything with his feet! It was sooo cool! A few minutes later, the artist himself, Heinz Halwachs, showed up and did a live demonstration for us! It was super cool to watch, and I have total respect for that man! He has every reason in the world to just give in to life’s troubles and stop trying. But instead, he’s flourishing and creating beautiful works. People like this inspire me so much. So much strength there!

Heinz, painting with his feet

One of his works! He did that with his FEET!

 

            After the art show, we went to a nearby café and studied some German! Oh my gosh, this language is incredibly frustrating sometimes! I’ve basically been told it’s virtually impossible for me to become fluent in just one year over here! There are so many little details and rules I have to remember and when I’m talking, I don’t have enough time to think about that! But hopefully that will start to come with time! I’m super nervous for the German test I have to take with Rotary in December. Apparently if we fail, we have to go back home to America. Soooo I’m studying pretty hard! I’m so not ready to go home yet!

            Which brings up the point of homesickness. Based on our big Facebook groups, and just talking with friends, I think a lot of us are getting homesick for the holidays. For me, it truly hasn’t been awful. There are some moments when I just want my mom, or to see my friends for a day. But that kind of thinking just keeps me stuck back home, and I try to just stay in the present over here. That usually helps, and I just have to immerse myself deeper every day. But this weird thing has been happening lately. Even though I miss people, I by all means don’t want to go home! At all! And I’m actually starting to dread having to go back! Good thing I’ve got over 7 months left over here!

             Yesterday, I was invited to a dinner at my school friend Kathi’s house. This was a big deal, considering everyone there was Austrian! That means I officially have Austrian friends! Haha Kathi’s parents had just bought this mini stove thing. It sits on the table and you can fry meats and veggies on the top stone, and then melt cheese underneath. Kathi and Sofie went grocery shopping beforehand, and ended up buying way too much food! So we feasted last night! We even finished the night with chocolate ice cream cake and hot chocolate! We played a really fun board game, where we all had cards with strange pictures on them. Then we had to tell a story about one picture, and guess which one was correct! It was a super creative game, and I was so proud that I understood all of that German! We spent the rest of the night talking and playing Wii. I had a really great time getting to know the girls in my class better! I’m stoked that I can finally understand almost everything, and those moments where I just nod and agree are so seldom now! I basically was grinning from ear to ear the entire night!

Me, Kathi, Sofie, and Johanna

 

A quick storie about this picture. So we got a phone call that the house next door was on fire, so naturally we ran outside.... with the camera. There were a bunch of fire trucks and ambulances, but by the time we got there nothing was burning. So naturally, Kathi thought it would be a good time to take a picture. The reason we are blue is fromt the ambulance lights!