So this morning after waking up to David Archuletta's song "Touch My Hand" I was feeling pretty good about life. I got online, read some emails, got dressed, and then it hit me. I AM IN EUROPE. So excited. I woke Kayla up because she was still snoozing at 8:45 am and we have to be at class at 10 am. After she got ready in a hurry we ran downstairs to grab some breakfast. Let me emphasize that breakfast here is not the same as in America. Out host mom Frau Miller had quite the spread laid out for us. There was cereal and bread with jam and yogurt and fruit and orange juice all along with a pleasantly decorated table. I am thinking that Kayla and I got pretty lucky with our host family. I also feel lucky to have Kayla as my roommate. She is a really cool girl and I am excited to get to know her better. Now the word family is deceiving because really it is just us and Frau Miller. Her mom lives with us too but we don't see her that often. She is 96 years old. I was impressed. So after our scrumptious breakfast where i mistook the beautiful butter for cheese we were off on our adventure for the day- Public transit.
Vienna is such a clean city that I don't want you getting a picture of a grimy place when I saw that we took the bus and the subway to the Amerika Institute. Frau Miller accompanied us the whole way just so we wouldn't get lost on the first day. She is the best. After barely missing the bus we waited for the next one. 56B is our number. We road it to the subway station and the whole way Frau Miller was telling us all about the history of Vienna and pointing out things that we should do while we are here. I saw the zoo. I love Pandas so I will be visiting that place in the most immediate future. When we finally arrived at the Institute with some excellent suggestions for lunch Frau Miller let us go in and said, "Bye to my lovely girls!" The best. I am telling you. So public transit isn't so bad. Really. We even made it home okay. Were there some creepy guys staring us down on the subway? Ja. Did it bother me much? Nein. We are American. Everyone knows it and everyone stares. I think it is that matching backpacks that give us away. Or the fact that we are louder than everyone else, but who knows.
Our first class of the day was travel writing. We got some homework but it won't be so bad. Having a class that makes you write in your journal is kind of a good thing. Memories are important. I mean I guess that is why I am doing this blog though. That and so my Mom won't worry about me. Love you Mom! After that we had a break were we ventured out to T-mobile to buy minutes for our cell phones. Because the minutes are kind of expensive they must only be used under the most dire circumstances. After eating an apple and bun and attempting some yogurt (I just can't make myself like it) it was time for German.
German is hard. Second languages do not come easy for me but I am excited to try. I find myself much more mocitivated to learn considering everyone around me is speaking it. After receiving tons of homework from our nice yet distant teacher Frau Evelin we were off to go on adventures.
If you didn't know this... big groups have a very hard time making decisions. My favorite part of our adventure this afternoon was when we ended up sitting in the park right underneath this old palace and a statue of Mozart. I just felt like I belonged here. There is nothing like visiting a different country and having the tourist side of you fade for just a moment when you can just sit and feel settled. I loved it. I am hoping as we venture out more and more that moments like this will occur much more often.
Cathedral we found Tues while walking around the 8th District
Me and my roomie Kayla. Don't mind the expressions. The sun was very bright.
Do you know enough german yet that you can tell Frau Miller that I LOVE HER!??!?!? :)
ReplyDelete