Day 21.

THE SUN WAS OUT ALL DAY TODAY. huzzah.

There is nothing like a beautiful day to make you really appreciate your life. I slept through my alarm this morning, but not long enough to make me late! First magical moment of the day. I got ready fast and ran out to catch the bus... unfortunately today was a holiday and the bus was only running every half hour. It wasn't too bad. I spent some lovely time with my roommate Kayla singing songs from the Sound of Music. My Favorite Things anyone? We made it to the opera house just in time to catch a sightseeing tour around beautiful Vienna. Even though we have already been here for three weeks we thought that it would be necessary to play tourist for a day this way we wouldn't miss anything important. We saw the Danube in the sun and might I say it looked glorious. I can't wait to return there for a swim. THEN we went and found lunch. Turkish Kebaps are my new favorite food hands down. My father would love them. Next was homework time.  I had venture inside for two hours to complete a writing assignment for class. There is just something about being outside that makes me not want to focus.

Picture this:
A Mormon praying in a Catholic church. If it turns out good I may post it here. You will have to wait and see.

After hiding indoors for two hours I was back out in the sunshine and ready to go. On our way to the Music Festival at the Rathaus we stopped and found what you may ask? A GLELATO SHOP! Of course. Straciatella. If you are ever in Europe look it up. The best I tell you. The best. Kayla, William, and I continued on our way and got sidetracked. We spent too long trying to imitate statues in a nearby park. Those pictures will never be posted so don't even ask. We finally made it to Rathaus and I bought the biggest scone I have ever seen. Festivals are fun.

Now here is a sad story... I was at the festival listening to some Austrian Jazz music when a particle of who knows what blew into my eye. I could not get it out. I had plans this evening to attend My Fair Lady, but with my eye hurting extremely bad I was unable to attend. Maybe next time.

I went to FHE instead where I proceeded to place my entire head under the faucet in the bathroom. "Flush your eye with water!" my fellow Americans said. So I did what I was told. It didn't work so I just sat with what felt like a rock in my eye until it was just gone. GONE. I guess it was fate and I was not supposed to go to that musical tonight. Hmmmm.. I'll never know. FHE was fun. I met some cool people, except someone poured water on me. Revenge will be mine Perry. And now I am home getting ready to finish up my homework so I can get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Going on that tour today made me realize something... there is still so many things that I haven't done in Vienna. I am so excited for tomorrow. It's going to be great.

Here are some shots that I took at the festival today. I was trying a new technique of photography that I have been reading about. It’s called Panning. Hopefully I can get much much better, but for now these will suffice.

I love you guys! Thanks for reading.

This is Oliver. He was an accomplice to the water pouring and likes getting his picture taken.

Day 20.

Good things that happened today: 
 
1. My skylight was shut when it started raining
2. Someone asked me if I spoke English and then proceeded to ask me a question
3. I spoke with my Mother. It's her birthday
4. I sat in a Cathedral and was not a tourist
5. The sun was shining for about 4 hours. It was glorious
6. I had Chex Mix for dinner
7. I said excuse me in German and the woman in the Subway understood me
8. I thought I missed the bus, but it was just late
9. I did some reading and I am feeling inspired

Some bad things happened too... but who cares about those :] 

"The more we know of particular things, the more we know of God."

-Spinoza 

Mom.

43 Reasons why I love my Mom more than basically anyone else on the planet

1. She makes the best chicken enchiladas.
2. When I was in High School and stressed she would clean my room for me at random intervals and it would always make everything better.
3. She gets more excited about my life than I do.
4. She is a fighter.
5. She does whatever she needs to do to make sure that her kids are happy.
6. She only buys a purse if the lining on the inside is cute.
7. She sacrifices her own wants for those of others.
8. She has the best laugh.
9. People say that we look like sisters.
10. She copies the way that I dress.
11. Sometimes when I say things she gets embarrassed and it’s hilarious.
12. She tells me that she loves me.
13. She is the Queen of Birthdays and makes you feel important and special.
14. She is a great pole dancer :]
15. She listens when I have something to say.
16. When we fight she always wants to fix the problem right away so we can go back to just being happy.
17. She is always proud of me.
18. She lets me be irresponsible sometimes.
19. She trusts me.
20. She can shop longer than anyone I know. All she needs is a parmesan pretzel with marinara sauce.
21. She loves babies.
22. She is going to be the best grandma in the whole wide world. My future kids won’t know how good they have it.
23. She is my best friend.
24. There is no one in the whole entire world that I would rather talk on the phone with.
25. Singing on Broadway is her dream. We both want to go to New York more than anywhere else. We are both musical geeks and I love it.
26. She makes things happen. If you want something done you go to her.
27. She would always walk around with me forever while I tried to find a pair of jeans that would actually fit.
28. She is motivated to make the changes she knows the world needs.
29. She loves sending cards in the mail.
30. She isn’t afraid to talk to anyone.
31. Not only is she my best friend, but she treats all of her relationships with care and respect.
32. When I was in High School she would take me to a late movie and then let me sleep in. She also let me skip school whenever I wanted, but only if I kept up straight A’s.
33. She never said no without a reason.
34. She wants me to live by her when I am older that way she can be there for me like she always has been.
35. My brother Cameron could not have had a better mom. No one fights more for the Deaf community more than see does.
36. She loves to take naps.
37. She is passionate.
38. She makes us clean the house before people come over just so we give the impression that we are clean all the time. I am going to do the exact same thing.
39. She sends the best packages in the mail. There is always a note.
40. She has always treated me like an adult.
41. She scratches my back even though she doesn’t want to.
42. Ben and Jerry’s nights.
43. She is the best mom and I think I got pretty lucky.
Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and wish that I was there celebrating with you like I have always been. I miss you and can’t wait to see you in August.

Vienna- William

This is William at a Music festival in Vienna. 

I know that these all look super similar, but I couldn't decide which lighting style I liked the best. Let me know what you think!

Day 19.

Vienna weather in one word: BIPOLAR. Worse than Western Washington.

Good thing I like it.

Day 18

List of things I did today:

#1: Went and visited Schonburn Palace
#2: Found a Mexican Restaruant
#3: Got Gelato
#4: Went Clubbing

Need I say more? I think not.

I love Vienna.

Vienna Photography- More Unedited

These are the pictures that I have taken over the last couple of weeks. There are some fun shots. I have a few favorites. Particularly the ones involving squirrels. I may have been chasing him. They are called "Squirrel crouching in grass" and "Squirrel jumping over fence." Maybe it was one of those you had to be there things.

Vienna Photography- Unedited

More to come.

PEOPLE OF VIENNA.

If I am with you and taking a picture please, please, please, do not let me make peace signs with my fingers.

Even if I think it is funny... I look ridiculous.

The end.

Day 17.

Dominated my German Quiz today. Dominated.

Now I am home at 6:30 on a Thursday night. I have no homework due tomorrow because there is no class on Friday. I know I could go out and explore this beautiful city, but I don't feel like rocking the city life tonight. Lucky for me I get to be here for 71 more days. :]

I think I want to read a book. Yep that is exactly what I am going to do.

Prague Pictures Tonight. Be ready. 

Day 16.

Another day gone. Everyday I tell myself that I am going to get home earlier and start my homework before ten that way I can get to bed. It just never seems to happen. Here I am yet again beginning my homework way past my bedtime.

This morning Kayla and I went running through the most beautiful woods I have ever seen. Since I was running I didn't have my camera but it is definitely on the docket for a photo shoot in the near future. I ran past a vine-yard. How cool is that?

The majority of the day was spent studying for my German Quiz tomorrow. 75 new vocabs words in two days. It's no big deal.

[Why am I doing this pose in every single picture I take?]

This is right in front of the Opera House. It is a large W that stands for Wein which means Vienna in German. 

Okay I am about to make a promise now. I am going to post Prague pictures TOMORROW. I need to sift through the 600+ that I took and post them so you all can know what an amazing city it is. I am excited for this weekend because we are finally going to be seeing the real Vienna. Getting to know the city that I am living in. Nothing better. 

Well this post is extremely disjointed. I must need some sleep. Shocker. Running through the woods again in less than 7 hours. Guten Nacht! 

Day 15.

Two words for you. Flash Mob.

Was I part of one today? Yes. Will you ever see a video from it? I can only pray that you won't. There is nothing like running through the first district of Vienna belting show tunes and dancing with your fellow Americans. The tourists loved it.

Today was a good day. I survived German, didn't spend any money on food, and bought some cool school supplies at Pagro. There is just something about fresh school supplies that makes me feel motivated.

I took some time today to just wander Vienna by myself. The whole being in the group 24/7 is fun, but I just needed a little break. On just one street I passed three cathedrals. It was brilliant. I have to pray in one for an assignment. That should be super interesting.

We went to the Gulasch Museum for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Our program directors, the Plummers, were nice enough to foot the bill. The main topic of discussion was Chip Dallin's love life. I have to say that it was pretty entertaining.  Now on to German homework!

Gulasch. Yum. 

Butterfly House.

Yesterday I was able to go to the Imperial Butterfly house. It was a pretty neat experience. It reminds me of the good old days when I used to go to the Seattle Children's Museam. I was shooting with a new lens trying to get adjusted. The most frustrating thing was that the lens kept fogging up. It was really humid in the butterfly house and apparently my lens was cold. Not a good combination.

Here are some pictures :]

Day 14.

THE RAIN STOPPED.

Today I was able to wear my jacket without a hood. Huzzah.

I cannot believe that I have been here for two weeks. It has gone by so fast, yet at the same time I feel as if I have been here forever.

I have a bunch of homework and other things to finish this evening so unfortunately blogging is going to take a backseat.

Tom- I will post my pictures eventually. If only they didn't take so long to load.

I hope you are having a wonderful day and tomorrows Posts will be amazing.

I promise.

-Krystle

Austria.

This country is changing my life.

There are so many things to do and see that there are no other words to explain it other than

Life Changing.

I had an opportunity for some reflective time today and I was thinking about what I wanted out of life. The great and eternal question. You know what I decided? I just want to be happy. Not fake happy... but really eternally blissfully happy.

Now I just have to figure out how to accomplish this.

You may not know this but I recently had a life change where I decided I wasn't going to worry about all of the small things anymore and just focus on the bigger picture. So far it's working. I am much happier.

There are so many things I want to say that now I am just rambling on. Upon further contemplation I will fill you all in.

I hope you are enjoying your life. Don't get mad if someone doesn't do the dishes. It's not worth it.

Love,
Krystle

P.S. Tons of pictures of Austria are up on http://attemptingadventure.blogspot.com

Day 13.

I have so many pictures to post.

I have so many things to think about. 

I have so much German to memorize. 

I have so many pages to read. 

All of which I am going to do tomorrow. 

Sometimes I just need a day where I accomplish nothing. I suppose that making it to church in the downpour that is occurring outside may qualify, but other than that... nothing. It was wonderful. Sometimes a rainy day just calls for snuggling under your favorite blanket and reading a good book. Indoor picnics are excellent too. Thanks Kayla :] 

Many faces of Kayla.

She is gorgeous. I know. Can't wait until we can do a real photo shoot :]