Auf Wiedersehen, Wien

As a little old Austrian lady dressed head to toe in fur, wearing heels, and carrying a teeny tiny coat-wearing dog viciously elbowed me out of her way in order to secure a seat on the empty tram this morning, I became a little emotional. The final countdown has literally begun. I only have three more full days here in Vienna before I fly back to Chicago for winter break. Aside from some last-minute chocolate shopping and taking three more finals (yes, chocolate comes first, I know where my priorities lie), there’s not much left for me to do here besides sit in my cozy apartment and watch the snow fall. I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Vienna, and I can’t believe this four-month adventure is basically over. It seems like just yesterday when we were all up in the Alps for orientation, guzzling our first “legal” beers.

If you asked me a year ago where I would be right now, I’m quite sure that I would never have said Vienna. A crazy trail of circumstances led me to this city, but after living here for four months I feel like fate might have played a hand in my choice. I can honestly say that this city suits me. Vienna is full of music, art, amazing writers, delicious food…There is a giant appreciation for culture here, as well as for the history that made the city what it is today. Even the fact that they choose to selectively forget some of the darker parts of their history endears me to Vienna, because it shows Vienna is not perfect. Neither am I. I’ve learned a lot about myself during these last four months, most importantly that I am capable of a lot more than I once thought. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to study abroad; I know I’ll never forget all of the amazing things I experienced during these past four months and I know that in the end this experience has changed me for the better.

Roman Holiday

Last weekend was my final trip this semester, and I’d definitely saved the best for last. I finally got to travel to Rome, Italy, a place I’ve been dreaming about for as long as I can remember. I left on Friday, but thanks to the intense cold and never-ending snow that is Vienna’s winter weather, my flight was delayed over two hours. When I finally touched down, the sun had already set. I met Stephen and we began what was to become the epic journey to our hostel. First we walked in the completely wrong direction for several blocks in a pretty sketchy neighborhood, and when we finally found the right direction, our path was obstructed by a confusing cluster of piazzas, churches, and busy streets. Crossing the street in Rome is a journey in itself: the cars don’t ever seem to stop, so people just make a run for it. We usually crossed the street behind really, old Italian couples. We figured no one would hit them, right? After we found our hostel, we were relocated to a new hostel which was less then a block away from the main metro station, Termini (which is where we had come from in the first place…). For dinner we went to the Trastevere neighborhood, which is centered around St. Maria in Trastevere, Rome’s first Christian church, and is known for its plethora of restaurants. We had no problem finding a small traditional Roman restaurant where we indulged in delicious pizza, fresh pasta, and mouth-watering mozzarella. Across the street was a shop where one could buy books, or shots of liquor in homemade chocolate shot glasses. A book shop and a bar focused on chocolate, it was like a dream.

            The next morning, we had breakfast brought up to our room (or should I say suite, it had a living room, kitchen, and bathroom all for us) and then made our way to Vatican City. We saw the museums with The School of Athens by Raphael and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I secretly took a picture and felt a little bad, but then Abby told me that the only reason you can’t take pictures is because Kodak owns the rights. If that’s correct, I don’t feel too bad. We ate paninis from a street vendor while waiting in the long line to go inside St. Peter’s Basillica, which was incredibly huge and breathtaking. Inside we saw the canopy over the Papal Altar designed by Bernini, the sculpture by Bernini in the sanctuary, the Chair of St. Peter behind it, and Pietà by Michelangelo. From there we walked down the Via della Conciliazione to the Castel Sant’Angelo (which played a big role in Angels & Demons, if you recall) and went to the top which had a beautiful view of the whole city. I really loved Castel Sant’Angelo, because it was covered by statues of angels and the bridge which led up to it was flanked on both sides by rows of angels. It was so pretty. After that, we got a teensy bit lost…and we ended up on this tiny, crazy mini-bus which drove through the narrow streets of Rome and deposited us by the Spanish Steps. The entire bus ride, the Italians kept trying to give us directions and tell us what stop to get off on. No matter how many times we said “non parlo Italiano” to these people, they wouldn’t stop talking at us and pointing. Thankfully we made it to the Spanish Steps, where loads of couples were making out and the other people were drinking out of the Fontana della Barcaccia. We walked down Via del Corso, the main shopping street, to the Piazza del Popolo. Stephen had to tell me to stop pouting, which is what I did every time we passed a store full of $600 shoes I’ll never be able to afford. At the Piazza del Popolo, we had a delicious snack of Prosecco, prosuito and melon. For dinner, we wandered through several areas until we finally went to a pasta restaurant that had been recommended to us by some friends. It was packed, but I understood why. The pasta carbonara, while not quite as good as my mom’s, was really tasty.

            On Sunday, we went to San Pietro in Vincoli to see Michelangelo’s Moses, and after we took a tour of the Colosseum, which is where I found out that the gladiators didn’t really fight animals. All of my illusions were shattered. From there we walked down the Via dei Fori Imperiali to the Roman Forums, Palatine Hill, Arch of Constantine, the Imperial Forums, Capitoline Hill, and the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. After another panini, we went to the Pantheon and saw the tomb of Raphael. From there, we trekked to Piazza Navona the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (fountain of the four rivers) by Bernini. Next was the Trevi Fountain, we threw our coins in and then munched on sweet and delicious gelato. After some shopping, we went to the church which had the statue of The Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Believe it or not, it was only about 4pm at this point, so we took a nap before heading back to Trastevere for some more delicious pasta, wine, and tiramisu. On the bus ride back, we saw all the monuments lit up. It was so pretty, the perfect last night in Rome.

            On Monday morning, we went to the Campo dei Fiori to see the big market. Once again, we munched on paninis for lunch and then ended our trip with one last gelato before heading back to the airport. The entire trip was amazing, and I really hope I get the opportunity to see more of Italy one day. (Family vacation, perhaps?

¡Viva Madrid!

I’m currently sitting in the Madrid airport, and I have about two hours until my flight back to Vienna takes off. I had an incredible Thanksgiving weekend in Madrid, despite the lack of turkey and the cold weather. I arrived here late Thursday night, and went straight to Stephen’s apartment where we enjoyed a lovely holiday meal of chicken and tortellini. After dinner, I got to Skype with all of my family members who were tucking in a delicious feast at my house. Despite my sister’s claims that the turkey was dry, the stuffing was cold…etc., I was pretty jealous of all the food they got to eat. (And yes, to all of you who have made comments about the extensive descriptions of food on this blog, food pretty much is on my mind all the time.) I had my own place card set up in front of the computer, and everybody just rotated around the screen. It was so nice to see everyone, even though they were more concerned with what I had eaten than with what I was doing.

The next morning, Stephen took me on a long and extensive tour of Madrid. For breakfast though, he brought me to a pastelería where we had churros with chocolate. SO GOOD. We started at the Jardín Botánico, the botanical gardens, which were right outside the Prado museum. There were so many rose bushes, I wish I could have been there in the summer to see the flowers all in bloom. Next, we walked down the Paseo del Prado to the Plaza de las Cortes, the Congreso de Diputados, and the house of Lope de Vega, a famous Spanish writer. We walked to the Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, next to which was a plaque that claimed the spot as the exact center of Spain. From Sol we walked to the Plaza Mayor, which was a big, enclosed square where there was a Christmas market being set up. After seeing the Christmas markets in Vienna though, I was not really impressed. For a snack, we stopped at the Mercado de San Miguel, where we ate some croquetas full of cheese and shrimp and a couple of tacos. We passed Sobrino de Botín on the way, which is the oldest restaurant in Madrid, and perhaps even the world. The rumor is that Francisco Goya worked there as a waiter. Our last stop was the Palacio Real, before we ate a delicious lunch of paella and more croquetas. It was only about 5pm then, so we went back to his apartment and took a siesta. When in Spain….right? I woke up at 8:30pm and the first thing out of my mouth was “We forgot to eat dinner!” Good thing we were in Spain though, and people don’t start eating dinner until very late. We went to a tapas restaurant for dinner, and after dinner we called it a night.

On Saturday, we took one of the high speed trains to Segovia, a town north of Madrid. We spent about five hours roaming the city, looking at the Roman aqueducts and taking a tour of the Alcazar. The entire town was beautiful, set on a cliff overlooking the plains. I couldn’t help but think about how the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plains! We got back to the apartment at around 7pm, and after another siesta we went to a restaurant called Cornacopia, where we ate delicious duck and stuffed pasta. After dinner, we went to a bar which had been made to look like a cave. Their famous drink is leche de pantera, panther’s milk. When you order it, the drink comes out of a rock hanging down from the ceiling. Pretty cool, huh?

On Sunday, Stephen and I went to the Museo de Reina Sofia to see Guernica by Picasso, the Parque del Retiro, and the Prado. The Prado was amazing, I was able to see so many paintings that I had studied back in Art History. I think my Prado experience may have surpassed the Louvre. After all the sightseeing, we had a boring evening of writing papers and finishing up homework. We made dinner, and I got to see one of my friends from Tulane who is studying at the same university as Stephen. After that, I feel asleep as soon as I hit the pillow. This morning I got to have one more round of churros with chocolate, and now I’m sitting in a random spot in the airport watching the snow fall outside, waiting for my gate to be announced and hoping that my flight doesn’t get delayed.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

♪♪ Christmas Time is Here ♪♪

Since Vienna has no Thanksgiving buffer between Halloween and Christmas, the city has been drowning in holiday spirit since November 13^th, the day the Christkindlmärkte officially opened. Christkindlmärkte are outdoor Christmas markets where you can find anything from cinnamon and clove ornaments to smoked meat. Possibilities are endless. I’ve come to consider myself a bit of a Christkindlmärkte expert, as I have now visited five: Schloss Schönbrunn, Schloss Belvedere, Karlskirche, the Rathaus, and another small one whose name currently escapes me. I love to visit the markets at night when everything is lit up and covered with twinkling lights. So far my main purchases at the Christkindlmärkte have been food, since it’s incredibly difficult to wander through all the stalls looking at ornaments and toys without a nice big mug of punsch or heiße Schokolade to warm your hands. While Glühwein, mulled red wine, is a must at the Christkindlmärkte, the drink stalls are becoming more and more creative with their punsch, which is a warm liquor and juice drink. I tried Apfel-Zimt punsch (apple cinnamon punch) once, and it was so delicious. They also have punches made of coconuts, chestnuts, oranges, mangoes, vanilla…there’s quite a variety. The hot chocolate will always remain my favorite though, with a big dollop of whipped cream on top. The traditional food at the Christkindlmärkte is scrumptious as well, though I’ve mostly only smelled it and eaten bits off my friends’ plates. Some of the foods they have to offer are fresh, warm waffles with your choice of powdered sugar, strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce or chocolate sauce on top; noodles drenched in gruyere cheese; more kinds of pretzels that you could possibly imagine (I had chocolate and nut); baked potatoes with all the trimmings; crepes; and – my favorite – donuts where you choose the filling. It’s pretty hard to go to a Christkindlmärkte without getting something to eat. I would have to say that the markets are probably one of my favorite parts of Vienna. The only problem with all of the markets and the city decked out in lights and decorations is that it makes me think Christmas is right around the corner, when in reality I’ve got a month to go until Christmas Eve. Until then, ♪♪I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…. ♪♪

Amsterdam and Athens!

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks, so this is going to be a long post. Brace yourselves.

On November 5, I flew to Amsterdam and met Stephen. I had a connecting flight, so I didn’t get in until 5pm or so. My first flight started out perfect; they gave us each a huge bar of Milka chocolate! I was in heaven. But then the very large and very smelly man next to me proceeded to spill his coffee all over and inside my purse. No more perfect flight. When we arrived in Amsterdam it was pretty cold and it was raining, but as soon as we stepped out of Central Station and saw the beautiful canals all lit up, the bad weather didn’t matter at all. That night, we walked around the neighborhood our hostel was in – Leidseplein – which was full of people, restaurants, stores, coffee shops…oh yes, did I mention that the entire city smells of marijuana? Very different from Vienna! Our choices for food that night were Indian, Chinese, Greek, or Italian. I couldn’t understand why we didn’t see just a normal restaurant. We had dinner at a delicious Indian restaurant, on a street which was entirely made up of Indian restaurants. After dinner, we walked around the Red Light District. It was a Friday night, but – except for the prostitutes showcased in the windows – the whole area seemed somewhat like a boring version of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. I definitely prefer Bourbon to the Red Light District. My favorite part of the Red Light District ended up being the sleeping swans on the canal. They were so serene, just floating every which way. The next morning, we went on a canal cruise throughout the entire city and saw the Anne Frank house, Westerkerk, and City Hall, as well as a lot of houseboats and beautiful architecture. After the cruise, we went to the old Heineken brewery and took a tour. It was so much fun, especially the part where they taught us how to correctly drink beer and explained that foam is a good thing because it keeps the beer fresh. I never knew that! We walked A LOT that day, and we ended up once again in the Red Light District that night with a crazy waiter who was obviously high and developed a really strong crush on Stephen. We left the next morning, and I was disappointed that our trip had been so short. I wish I could have seen some other things, but a lot of museums and the Anne Frank house had closed early on that Saturday. I guess I’ll just have to go back! Preferably in the summer, when it’s warm and I can see all the tulips!

            Last Friday, I flew to Athens. I must say, Olympic Air might just be my favorite airline. Even though my flight was less than two hours, I was served an entire meal and they offered me something to drink about ten times. After waiting in the airport for Stephen, we took a train to the city and walked to our hostel. Since it was pouring rain, I was pretty excited that the hostel website hadn’t lied and the hostel was indeed about a five minute walk from the station and center of the city. The only downside of this hostel was the dirty pet shop across the street, where Stephen and I debated saving one of the sad puppies that were going for only 35 Euros. We ultimately decided it wasn’t the best idea. For dinner we went to a traditional Greek restaurant that (according to TripAdvisor) is popular among the locals. It was so good. We ate calamari, lamb, baked feta, and yogurt with fresh fruit. The wine, retsina, was delicious, too. After dinner, we walked to the Plaka neighborhood and went to Brettos. Brettos is a beautiful old distillery that makes its own ouzo, as well as over 50 different kinds of liquor. I had pomegranate liquor, and it tasted just like juice. As we were leaving Brettos, we made the mistake of petting some of the dogs outside. As a result, they decided to follow us home. I was glad for the company; being flanked by two huge dogs in dark, unknown neighborhoods usually deters people from mugging or pick-pocketing you (so I’ve heard). After the dogs (there were three now, we made another friend along the way) attacked a strange man who passed by us, we decided it was time to turn a couple corners and lose them. We made it safely back to the hostel, even though we didn’t have the dogs for the last few blocks. The next morning we had fresh spanakopita for breakfast and walked to the Acropolis. The weather was amazing; I was able to get away with shorts and a tank top. I think I might even have gotten a little tan! The walk up to the top of the Acropolis was a bit of a hike, but it was worth it. Aside from the views of Athens, I got to see the Parthenon and the remains of all the other ancient buildings. I can’t believe how well preserved they are. On the walk down the south slope of the Acropolis, we saw even more remains, like the Theatre of Dionysos. I had my handy dandy guide book with me, which made everything even more interesting because I could read the history which went along with it. We then walked to the Roman Agora, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the Ancient Agora. Everything is pretty close together, which makes it easy to do in one day. For lunch, we took the train to the Port of Piraeus, which is the major port of Athens and is where all the cruise ships come in. From there we walked to Zea Marina, which was a smaller port full of huge yachts. We had lunch at a restaurant right on the water. I tried mousaka, which is baked eggplant and mincemeat, and it was really delicious. Since the weather was only getting better, we walked along the water towards Mikrolimano, another port and beach. When we returned to Athens in the afternoon, we wandered through the Plaka and did some Christmas shopping. We ate dinner outdoors at a restaurant right in the middle of the Plaka while people-(and dog-) watching. After dinner we walked around the Plaka for a bit and then went to a bar. It was only about 8pm by then, and we were so tired. Stephen made me stay out until 10pm though, and to pass the time he tried to explain the current state of the U.S. economy to me and the whole deal with the dollar, Euro, and the Yen. Needless to say, it was pretty easy to fall asleep that night. The next morning we ate fresh fruit and pastries from a stand right at the base of the Acropolis, and did some more shopping. Then we walked up to the top of Filopappou Hill, and on the hike up we saw the Hill of the Nymphs and the prison of Socrates. At the top of the hill, you could see everything. The water, the mountains, the city…it was incredible. After we walked down and grabbed a quick lunch of gyros, we made our way back to the airport. Athens was definitely my favorite trip so far. I still have Madrid and Rome to go though, so we’ll see!

            This Monday I took a tour of Schönbrunn Palace. I’d been to the palace and the gardens once before, but this was the first time I’ve been inside. It was really cool, very large and very Baroque. The Christmas markets are beginning to open up around Vienna. They look so beautiful at night, all lit up with Christmas lights. I plan on going to a few this afternoon; hopefully I’ll get some good pictures (and presents!). Tonight, for the very first time, I made an actual dinner. Are you ready for this? First, inspired by the recent Athens trip, I baked some feta in the oven with olive oil and oregano. Next, I cooked pork, carrots, shallots, and some other peculiar looking root vegetables in a pot with olive oil and white wine. It was DELICIOUS. It’s not that I can’t cook…it’s just that I’m pretty lazy…I must say though, I was pretty pleased with my dinner. And now I have a lot of olive oil and oregano to use, so who knows what else I’ll cook!

            Stay tuned!

Fall in Vienna!

So my parents came for two days, and then left me in order to visit their friend’s hotel in Velden, Austria. Thankfully though, they returned on Friday and we went to Figlmüller, the famous Wiener Schnitzel restaurant. The Schnitzels were huge, they extended off the plate, but they were really thin, too. My mom and I split one, while my dad ate an entire one himself. He was pretty grumpy though, since we found out right when we got to the restaurant that they don’t serve beer. After the restaurant, we went to see L'elisir d'amore  at the Wiener Staatsoper. It was a really funny opera, with great music, and though our seats had a pretty limited view I think we all enjoyed ourselves. (Except for when audience clapped so long after one song, the main character had to sing an encore. Right in the middle of the opera, he sang the same song he had just sung. We started to get a little tired of the opera at that point…) The next day, after my German midterm, we visited the Naschmarkt, the popular open air market, and I introduced my parents and the Curran’s to Sturm, my favorite drink. Later that night, we went Heurige-hopping in the wine village of Nussdorf. Heurigen are wine taverns, and you basically sit at huge wooden tables drinking wine, until you feel the urge to walk up to the counter and purchase some meat, bread, or cheese.  Everything was so delicious, especially the Sturm.

The next morning we took a bus to the Wachau region in Austria, and then took a cruise up the Danube River to Melk Abbey. Melk Abbey is a very old Austrian Benedictine Monastery with a very impressive library. They used to have a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed with a movable-type printing press, but they sold it to Harvard in the 90s to pay for renovations. The monastery was really beautiful, and of course I fell in love with the huge libraries full of books. It looked just like the scene in Beauty and the Beast when the Beast gives Bell the huge castle library as a present. A girl can dream, right? The trip was a lot of fun, and when we got back my parents and I got a quick dinner and then they came to see my apartment. The next morning they left, and I was super sad, because that meant no more delicious dinners for me. Kidding! I’m going to miss them so much, but I’ll see them in about 6 weeks.

The week after my parents left was midterms week, and I studied a LOT. Unfortunately, nothing I studied seemed to be on the test…hmm. I wasn’t the only student who encountered this problem, though. To sum it up, midterms week allowed me to master the art of BS.

I spent a large part of last weekend working on a paper for my Female Austrian Literature class, but on Sunday (Halloween) I visited Schönbrunn Palace, which is about a 20 minute subway ride from where I live. The weather last weekend was beautiful, it finally felt like fall (instead of the dead of winter, like usual.) According to my trusty source, Wikipedia, Schönbrunn Palace was once the summer residence of the Hapsburg monarchs. Behind the palace is a huge garden, and even though the flowers weren’t in bloom, all of the changing colors of the leaves made it an incredible sight. I walked through the gardens, past the Neptune Fountain, and up the hill to the Gloriette, which is a beautiful structure Maria Theresa commissioned to be made out of otherwise useless stone. Ironically, the structure itself seems to be useless. It houses a small café, but after climbing up the hill all I wanted to do was look out at the view over Vienna. It was so beautiful. I can’t believe I only have 6 more weeks here!

After Schönbrunn Palace, I walked around the Prater amusement park with friends. We didn’t go on any rides, but it was interesting to see the Wiener Riesenrad (Viennese Ferris wheel), which is one of the earliest Ferris wheels ever built. Good luck ever getting me on that. After our long day of sightseeing, we went back to our apartments to get ready for Halloween. A few weeks earlier I had asked my mom to bring me some sort of Halloween costume, so she brought me a pair of mouse ears that I had worn in 6^th grade. In case any one is interested, my head has grown since then. My friend Ashley dressed up as a cat, so we had a bit of a tandem costume going on, and we got way too into the growling and squeaking. I was smart enough to incorporate a fur vest (which my mom says I will never wear again, but I’m totally going to prove her wrong) into my costume, so the chilly night air was no issue. My friends and I, plus about a billion other students from IES, went to a party where an IES staff member was performing with his hip-hop group. It was quite an experience. I can honestly say that I will probably never, ever listen to German rap in the crowded basement of a Chinese restaurant ever again. These are the experiences I relish.

On Monday, Ashley and I decided to wander around outside of our district. Everything was a bit bare since it was All Soul’s Day, a Catholic holiday Vienna strictly observes, and everything is closed on Viennese holidays. A few restaurants were open, and we had lunch at a little pizzeria. Our pizza had turkey, lots of garlic, and a fried egg on it. It sounds weird, I know, but it was actually really delicious. I had to fill up on lunch because I had very little food in my apartment, and since grocery stores are closed on Sundays AND holidays, I wasn’t going to be able to get food until Tuesday. I’ve realized that I’m not really a fan of these Viennese holidays, except for the one which will occur on December 8th. According to one of my professors, (who didn’t even know what the holiday was) December 8^th is the holiday where schools and offices are closed but all the stores remain open so people can shop for Christmas presents. Oh, how I love the overindulged people of Vienna!

This past week has gone by pretty fast, and tomorrow morning I’m flying to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, I don’t leave until after my German class, and my German teacher just decided we’re going to have a quiz tomorrow. So now I’ve got to go study my pronouns, as well as pack for the cold and rainy weather Weather.com is predicting for Amsterdam. Ciao!

Bonjour Paris!

Last weekend, I jetted off to Paris and met up with some fabulous Chi Omegas, Stephen, and a few other friends from Tulane. I decided to be a rebel and ditch my German class on Friday morning in order to take the slow (and cheap) way to the Vienna Airport, and I ended up arriving WAY too early. The slow way really isn’t that slow, FYI. I didn’t really understand how the Vienna airport worked, so I went through security to get to my gate, only to be given the boot because I wasn’t flying to Helsinki. I had to walk back through the metal detector, and I beeped, so it was pretty embarrassing. When I arrived in Paris, I found Stephen at the airport (or rather he found me, I was a little lost…) and we took the RER and the metro to our hostel in the city. Thankfully the strike didn’t really affect us during our trip, though it did hinder our friends coming in to the city from right outside Paris. The whole journey  took about 2 hours, so when we finally arrived at our hostel at 5:30 we had only a couple of minutes to freshen up before we went to meet with my Aunt Debbie and Uncle Tommy, who were renting an apartment for the week by the Louvre. I don’t get to see my aunt and uncle frequently, so it was really nice to meet up with them and have some delicious wine and cheese at their amazing apartment. After the little family reunion, Stephen and I met my friends for dinner at a small, but delicious restaurant. I ordered the escargot, the duck confit, and the crème brûlée; I was in heaven. We finished dinner at 11pm or so, as the Parisians do, and then took a quick trip to see the Eiffel Tower light up. So beautiful. After we took a bunch of pictures, we made our way to the Rue Princese where there is bar called the Princess and the Frog. It was getting late though, so Stephen and I took the last metro train back to the hostel at 2:30 in the morning.

The next morning everybody met in front of the Eiffel Tower at 11:30. We took tons of embarrassing Chi Omega pictures, and then decided to search for a café for lunch on our way to the Arc de Triumph. On our way, I ran into a girl who is two years older than me from my high school. Of all the rues in all of Paris…you know what I’m getting at…Needless to say, I was pretty excited to see her. After lunch, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe but found that because of the strike we couldn’t go to the top. In order to quell my disappointment, Stephen and I took a break from sightseeing and did some retail therapy on the Champs-Élysées. We then walked through the Tuileries Garden, where people were soaking up the sun around a huge fountain. The weather was perfect that day. We made our way to Notre Dame, only to find out that once again we couldn’t go to the top. We went to a big department store with my friend Kelly, and then got a drink before meeting everyone for dinner. The café we went to was full of bookshelves with stacks and stacks of books; in other words, my perfect café. For dinner we went to a fondue restaurant, and Stephen and I ordered what was basically a wheel of cheese set directly underneath a heat lamp, and the cheese just melted endlessly on to a plate. We got pieces of meat, potatoes, onions, bread, and pickles to eat with the cheese, and all of our friends had fun putting anything and everything underneath what basically looked like a cheese waterfall. After dinner we went to a little club called Pop In, where we were in a dark basement dancing to mostly American music.

On Sunday, Stephen and I went to the Catacombes de Paris, which was incredible but also very eerie at the same time. We walked through tunnels made completely out of human skulls and other various bones, all the while avoiding the water which was falling from the ceiling because we were so far underground. It was definitely one of my favorite things that we did in Paris. After grabbing a quick lunch, we toured the Musée du Louvre and saw all the important pieces of art: The Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Venus de Milo. I’m happy to report that tiny bits of information from AP Art History came back to me, and that was four years ago! (Oh my god, that was FOUR YEARS AGO…I’m so old.) From the Louvre, we made our way to Pigalle (think sex shops and strip clubs galore) and walked by the Moulin Rouge en route to Sacré Cœur Basilica. After lots and lots (and lots and lots) of steps, we finally reached the top and took in the magnificent view of the city. Bars with Happy Hour specials were plentiful in this area, so we had a few drinks before going to dinner at another super tiny, but incredibly delicious restaurant. I couldn’t help but order the escargot again, but I changed up my main meal with a steak and had chocolate mouse for dessert. After dinner, we went back to the hostel because we needed to wake up at 4am in order for Stephen to catch his flight. No public transportation is open that early in the morning, so we had to take a cab to the airport. It wasn’t cheap. After I said goodbye to Stephen, I had about four hours to kill, so I found a chair by my gate that was kind of like a recliner. The people next to me were sleeping, so after I did my homework I hid my purse under my jacket and clipped my carry-on to my person, and then promptly fell asleep. I’ve never slept in an airport before. I felt a bit like a homeless person. I woke up two hours later and got on my flight home. Paris was so much fun, but I met my parents at the Vienna airport and they’re in Austria until Monday. I’ve been loving eating real meals with them, as well as showing them around Vienna. Unfortunately, I have a German Midterm on Saturday for which I need to study. Guten Nacht!

Oktoberfest and More!

I’ve almost hit the 2 month mark for my time here in Vienna, and I can’t believe how fast everything has gone by. Classes seem to make the days go by faster, but the chilly weather makes all of my walks to and from the institute go by so much slower. Luckily, Mom gave me the go-ahead to stock up on some sweaters from H&M so I’m winter-weather ready! All I need now is a cute hat. Though the weather is chilly, we finally got 3-4 days of pure sunlight this week. It was wonderful; I had almost forgotten what the sun looked like!

Two weekends ago, I went with 10 other girls from my program to Oktoberfest in Munich. It was an incredibly experience, but not one I care to repeat. We took the 11:56pm train from Vienna and arrived in Munich at about 6am, just in time to watch the sun rise over the city as we walked to the fair grounds. We had heard from previous Oktoberfest-goers that we needed to get in line for a tent early so that we could get a table, since you only get served in the tents if you’re sitting at a table. We chose Hippodrom; it was colorful and we really weren’t that discriminating at 7am in the morning…We were close to the front of the line, and then they told us that the line started at the side door. We made a mad dash for the side door, during which we learned that the tent wouldn’t even be opening until 10am. Great. So we stood in line for another 20 minutes or so, and then they decided that no, the entrance wasn’t on the side, it was in the  back. So we sprinted to the back, because we were determined to keep our places towards the front of the line. The back was less of a line and more of a mob. We were towards the front, but everyone else wanted to be towards the front as well, so I slowly became smothered by crowds of drunken idiots wearing lederhosen and singing Journey. Because everyone in Europe knows “Don’t Stop Believing.” After two and a half hours, I had given up trying to move my limbs and was slumped against a strange man in front of me. When they FINALLY opened the doors, the crowd moved as one towards the entrance, and I nearly died. My purse got stuck between two people and my body got stuck between two other people about 7 feet away, so death by asphyxiation was definitely an option. Fortunately, we made it into the tent and started running around like crazy people looking for a table. One of my friends zeroed in on an Italian couple that had claimed an entire table for themselves and called over a security guard to point out that they weren’t drinking and, if given the chance, we certainly would be. So, the Italians got kicked out and we got an entire table! The rest of the day was a blur of pretzels, beer steins, wandering around Munich, and then waiting for the midnight train back to Vienna. I slept the next day until 3pm.

This weekend, though not as exciting as Oktoberfest, was still a lot of fun. On Thursday, my friends and I went to a club called Prater Dome that’s in the middle of the amusement park. It’s a little bit creepy at night. The club was really cool, but the drinks were priced at 18.50 Euros. I couldn’t believe it. I’d never seen a drink that expensive! The club played the typical American music we’ve gotten used to hearing: the YMCA, the Macarena…etc. Saturday was a friend’s birthday, so we went to a couple places to celebrate. The night ended at 2:30am on the subway, where I fell asleep against the window.

I know the next week is going to fly by, because on Friday I’m leaving for Paris! And then on the following Monday, my parents arrive! I can’t wait for them to take me out for some delicious dinners, I’m a little wary when it comes to cooking at the moment. I almost caused a kitchen fire today when I boiled pasta. I had the stove on too hot of a setting, and all the water boiled over and the pasta burnt the entire bottom of the pot. The whole incident is pretty typical if you know my kitchen track-record (setting a cutting board on fire, blowing up sugar in the microwave…). Well, once again I’m off to do German homework. We just learned the past-tense, so now I can say even more to cab drivers, who seem to be the only people willing to put up with my intolerable German. Probably because they’re being paid…

Auf Wiedersehen!

Home Sweet Home!

I’m so happy to be back in Vienna. The 9-day trip was amazing, but I’m glad to be back in my own bed. Plus, the kitchen in my apartment was renovated while I was gone so now I have no excuse for my pitiful frozen pizzas. I actually went grocery shopping and bought – drum roll, please – vegetables! I bought other food as well, but I thought people might be proud to know I’m eating green beans at my own free will.

Last week was my first week of school here in Vienna. Since I’d already taken the intensive German course, the whole “first day of school” effect was somewhat lost on me. Plus, I don’t have classes on Mondays (thanks to some clever scheduling on my part) so my first day wasn’t until Tuesday. My class schedule isn’t too exciting: I’m taking two psychology classes, one literature class, one sociology class, and my German language class. I like that my courses are all influenced by Austrian history and culture, even though they aren’t history classes per se.

I definitely took it easy last week; I was so exhausted from the trip!

On Thursday night, Stephen arrived in Vienna and we went to the 1516 Brewery Company for dinner with two of my friends. My hamburger was to die for, and Stephen had his first taste of Austrian beer. After that, we met up with other people from the Vienna program at a pub where IES was holding a “pub quiz.” I didn’t know the answer to any of the questions, so after Stephen had sampled another excellent Austrian beer, we went to Flex, a club down by the Danube Canal to meet up with Stephen’s friend who is also studying in Vienna. The next day, we walked around the city and I tried to be a good tourist guide and get in some practice for when my parents come to visit. I couldn’t have asked for better weather on Friday. It was almost 70 degrees and sunny; Stephen couldn’t understand why I had been describing Vienna as cold. (He found out the next day, though.) That night we went back to 1516 because the restaurant I had wanted to go to had an hour’s wait for a table. (Mom and Dad, we need to make a reservation for that place, stat!) That night we went back to Flex with my friends and it was a lot of fun. On Saturday morning, we went to the Naschmarkt and ate some delicious street food as well as fresh hummus and bread. It tasted amazing. In the afternoon, we traveled up to Grinzing, one of the wine towns right outside of the city. There was an event happening on Saturday and Sunday where people could take a hike through the Viennese woods to each of the wine towns and sample different types of wine at the heurigers (wine taverns/cellars). I only drank Sturm, which is semi-fermented grape juice from the first grape harvest of the season. It's pretty low in alcohol, but tastes delicious. Imagine carbonated apple juice, I can’t think of any other ways to describe it. It’s delicious though. After we got back from Grinzing we were pretty tired, so we hung out at my apartment. Stephen left this morning at 7:30, and I spent the rest of the day sleeping and doing homework. I’m currently at a café down the street doing my homework while it, of course, violently rains outside.

It’s weird to think that I’ll only be here for a little less than 3 more months. The first month went by very fast, and I’m sure my remaining time here will go by fast as well. This week I finished booking pretty much all of my trips, which include: Munich, Paris, Athens, Madrid and Rome. Next weekend I’m going to Munich for Oktoberfest, and I’m so excited to get my 200^th anniversary of Oktoberfest beer stein. I’m more excited for the stein than for the beer. Not a surprise, I’m sure, for those who know me. Now it’s time to go study some German words, we have a “drill” on Tuesday. I’m not sure what a drill is, but I want to be ready!

Guten Nacht!

(What would I do without my friend Ashley, who is in a more advanced German course and just told me how to spell that?)

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

As I’m sitting here in my nice comfy bed at the Best Western in Budapest, I can’t help but wonder why it is so much nicer than all the Best Westerns I’ve seen in the United States. After all, I do believe it was at a Best Western somewhere in the states where my family found mouse droppings and hair in our “clean” bed. Though the differences between U.S. and Budapest Best Westerns baffle me, I’m so glad that this is where we’re staying for the last leg of the 9-day field trip. The rooms are big, the beds are comfy, and the breakfast buffet is off the charts. Thus far, my experience in Budapest has more than made up for the gloomy trip to Krakow, Poland.

Don’t get me wrong; Krakow was a beautiful city and I had a really great time. However, the weather was cold and the sun was hidden for a lot of the time. Plus, I caught a really bad cold (as did most of the other students on the field trip.) At one point, one of the girls in charge was doling out Vitamin C and cold medicine on the bus, row by row. On our first full day in Krakow, we visited Auschwitz. While I appreciated the trip and will definitely never forget what I saw and learned, it put me in a bit of a depressing mood. The next day we were able to visit Schindler’s Factory, and the history there – while sad – was a bit more uplifting. I really want to see the movie “Schindler’s List,” but I think I’m going to have to wait until I get home. The rest of the day was spent shopping and spending the Polish money I had. It was hard, since everything is very inexpensive there.

On Thursday we were on our way to Budapest. Another 8-9 hour bus ride, another currency, another hotel, another boring meal full of meat and potatoes…or so I thought. For dinner, we were taken to this large restaurant with an all you can eat/drink buffet. It was marvelous. I drank mugs of mulled wine and ate lots of salad and fruit, which I hadn’t really had access to in the other countries. After a great night’s sleep at the Best Western, we woke up to rain and went on a tour of Hero’s Square and the art museum. Following that was free time, which my friends and I chose to spend at one of the many bath houses scattered throughout Budapest. Even though it was lightly raining, we were more than comfortable in the heated outdoor baths. For about 10-11 Euros, we got to go in as many different baths (pools) as we wanted, and there were so many, all different temperatures. We also got to use the saunas. My favorite was the one with the mint aromatherapy. I feel so relaxed; I know I’m going to have a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we have some more tours of the city, and then a farewell dinner. On Sunday we’re heading back to Vienna, which I’ll readily admit that I’ve missed. All in all, it’s been an incredible trip and I’m so glad I got the chance to experience three amazing cities.

Praha!

Its official: I love Prague. Even though I’ve only been here for 2 ½ days, I completely understand why people are so attracted to such a beautiful and interesting city. To explain everything I’ve done here would take forever, so I’m compiling a list of the things we did in Prague that I’ll never forget:


-Visited John Lennon’s wall for an hour and a half and listened to The Beatles while reading all the beautiful quotes painted by people from all over the world
-Raced up 288 steps of a spiral staircase to the top of Prague Castle and had an amazing view of the city
-Ate bread with pig’s lard mixed with bacon bits spread on it, a Czech specialty
-Saw the opera La Traviata at Prague National Theatre
-Was filmed watching the guy from Jackass Praha at the club do disgusting things
-Went into hundreds of tiny tourist shops looking at tiny Faberge eggs and matryoshka dolls, as well as shot glasses and little glass owl figurines
-Cruised down the Vltava River at night and saw the city all lit up


I have so many other amazing memories of Prague, and I hope I get to visit again. The food was delicious, even though every lunch and dinner consisted of soup, poultry, and potatoes. Tomorrow morning we’re off to Krakow, Poland. I’ve heard its going to be about a 10 hour bus ride, so I should probably go get a good night’s sleep.


Dobrou noc! (Good night!)

♪♪'Cuz I'm leaving on a ... bus?♪♪

I’m proud to announce that yesterday I successfully took the U-Bahn (subway) from the center of Vienna back to my apartment, BY MYSELF. Independence, here I come – and it’s about time. After my German class, I had about an hour to kill before my first Comparative Austrian and European Youth Cultures class – the teacher won’t be here the first week of class, so we had a make-up one today – and I took the opportunity to walk around a bit. My main purpose for this excursion was to find a café I could go to between classes. Unfortunately, I didn’t find one. I believe two problems hindered this search: First, I only walked about a block past the IES center because I didn’t have much time and because I was FREEZING; Secondly, the area I chose to explore is very touristy and has more expensive restaurants than hole-in-the-wall cafés. Oh well, hopefully I’ll have better luck in a couple of weeks.

On Monday night, my friends and I decided to try out the local Mexican restaurant. It was…well…it wasn’t very Mexican. Aside from the Margaritas, the food seemed a bit lacking in the Mexican aspect. Then I remembered how far away we are from Mexico, and it made a bit more sense. I still haven’t really had any Austrian or German food. I’m not avoiding it, but I’m not seeking it out either. For dinner every night, I have either frozen pizza (73 cents each) or pasta (63 cents a package). I’m both cheap, and not adventurous. When I return from the trip, I’m going to try some of the frozen Austrian meals they have at the grocery store. They may be a bit more expensive, ha, but I suppose a meal with actual vegetables and meat might be a better choice than my pizzas.

Tomorrow afternoon – after the German final – I’m jetting off (or bussing off, but that sounds much less exciting and glamorous) for Prague, Krakow, and Budapest. I’m really excited; it’s going to be a busy 9 days! The only drawback is that each city has it’s own set of currency, so I’m betting I’ll return to Vienna with a whole bunch of coins the currency exchange won’t take from me. Nevertheless, I’m really looking forward to this trip and seeing more of Eastern Europe. I’ve been checking Weather.com avidly, and it seems like the weather is going to be the same as it is here. Which means cold. (Or cold for September, that is.)

I’m procrastinating studying for my German final right now, even though I have to take it in 11 hours. I just can’t seem to get a good grasp on the pronunciation, the spelling, the grammar…you name it. Every time I feel like I understand what’s going on, the teacher opens her mouth and says something to me. And then I fall straight back into my black hole of blankness. I’ve got a couple hundred flash cards sitting in front of me right now, so I guess I better start going through them.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Rain Rain, Go Away

The weather here has been less than ideal. It’s been raining off and on, mostly on, since last week and it rained all day today. So far, my rain boots and socks have been my smartest packing choices. My mom will be happy to know that I've basically finished unpacking. All empty suitcases are under my bed, now I just have a pile of... well...crap around my bed that I don't know where to put. I could probably find a place for them if I tried but...well, maybe later tonight. Because of the weather, I'm glad we have such an easy – albeit long – commute to the IES center. The only trouble with riding the subways and trams, especially when they’re packed full of people, is that you get absolutely no personal space and you’re up in everyone’s business. How do the Austrians feel about personal space and personal boundaries, you might ask? Well, the truth is that they don’t seem to believe it exists. People here have no problem putting their hand right on top of your hand when you’re holding on to a rail, or pressing their entire bodies up on you for that matter. My friend Sam seems to be a magnet for these sorts of people. One time she noticed the man behind her on the subway was stroking her hair. A little inappropriate, by our American standards at least.


Besides the unfortunate touching, the past weekend was a lot of fun. After our German test on Friday (which I got an A- on!), we went out to the area that’s referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of clubs. I’m sure you’re all smart enough to figure out why. The first club was lots of fun, they played contemporary American music and I decided to try absinthe. Mistake. It tasted awful, like nasty licorice, and even though they serve it with sugar, the sugar didn’t stop the wave of nausea which came over me every time I took a tiny sip. I finished almost half of the tiny shot of the stuff. Never again. After we left, we stopped for a quick bite, a quick beer, and long look at the Danube Canal. It looked really beautiful at night, with the buildings all lit up on either side. The next club we went to played amazing music. We got to mingle with Austrians while doing the YMCA, the Time Warp, and the Macarena. Then we learned some new German tunes with their own dance moves. Overall, a very successful night.

On Saturday, we took a bus tour through Vienna. We saw the Belvedere Palace, Hundertwasser House, the Vienna anti-aircraft tours from the 1940s, and many other cool places. At the end the bus took us up to a look-out point at the end of the Alps. We could see the entire city of Vienna, surrounded by mountains and the canal. Very picturesque. On Sunday, my friends and I went to the world’s oldest zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn, and walked around and looked at the animals. The zoo is really big, and really easy to get lost in. My favorite animals were the pandas (which I only saw for a second), the koala bear, and the owls. Sunday night we went to a local bar, where you can order sandwiches by the centimeter. Don’t worry, they provide a ruler. Monday was my friend’s birthday, so after German class we went to a delicious Italian restaurant. After that, we took the subway to a bar only a couple of stops away from our apartment. On Mondays, the specials are 0,50 Euro cocktails from 8-9, 1,50 Euro cocktails from 9-10…etc. Very economical. I’ll probably be staying in tonight, doing my German homework and catching up on some tv shows. I miss everyone and hope all is well!

Staircases and W’s

The one thing my friends and I noticed right away in Vienna is the excessive amount of stairs. They’re everywhere. I don’t know if it’s because the buildings are older or if the Viennese are in much better cardiac shape, but every day involves numerous staircases. I feel like no matter how much beer I drink, or how much strudel I eat, I’m going to come home with much better thighs than with which I arrived. Not a problem though, I’m not complaining about the staircases. Well, maybe a little. I mean, what’s wrong with an elevator now and then?
The other overly excessive thing we’ve noticed in Vienna is the amount of W’s in the German language. And the worst part is, you don’t pronounce the W’s! You pronounce them as V’s! So why can’t we just use a V instead of all these W’s? Someone please tell me.

The weather here is beautiful. It rained on Tuesday, but only in the morning while we had more information sessions and German class, so we still got to enjoy the warm weather after. On Monday, after we registered in the city, took our first German class (HARD), went on a walking tour of Vienna, and went grocery shopping, we went down to a bar in the city center known as 1516. We took the subway with some of the other people in our apartment building. It was just like an American bar, except that the beer was better, and I wasn’t denied alcohol. I think we need to make our way to a beer garden or wine cellar soon to soak up some genuine Viennese culture. Tuesday night my friends and I went out for Chinese food. (Because that makes all the sense in the world…) We used the subway (the U-Bahn) to get to the first district, which is the center of the city, and proceeded to get lost on the – according to MapQuest – “3 minute walk” from the station to the restaurant. We got to explore some tiny side streets though, so the time wasn’t wasted. The Chinese food is better in Chicago and New Orleans, but it wasn’t bad. They’re just a little stingy with the sauces, plus pretty slow with the check. I guess they aren’t in a hurry because people only tip about 5% here. Today (Wednesday) we had our third German class. It’s making a bit more sense. Then we walked around the shopping part of the city and took a long trip to the Swarovski store. The store itself is beautiful, as well as everything in it. I couldn’t help but pick up a few tiny gifts for myself...

Tomorrow we have class at 12:30, so I get to sleep in. Right now, I’m in my friends’ apartment cooking a pizza and studying German. I’ve got a test on Friday and I don’t want to fail it! Hope everyone is doing well. Talk soon!

Arrival!

Hi family and friends!


I’ve been in Austria since last Thursday, August 19th, and there has been a LOT going on. After arriving at the airport, myself and 4 other IES students crammed ourselves into a taxi van with a driver who spoke very limited English. He also had no knowledge of The Sound of Music, and after I mentioned Julie Andrews and sang a few bars of “The Hills are Alive,” I’m pretty sure he started driving faster just to get me out of the van. We arrived at the Hütteldorf subway station, where there was a mob of other IES students waiting to be taken to orientation in Mariazell, a small city in the northern Alps of Austria. It was a 3 hour bus ride, full of twists and turns. I knocked myself out with a Dramamine and slept the whole way. Orientation consisted of information sessions, waiting for dinner, and drinking beer. Between all that fun, we also went into the actual village of Mariazell and took a tour of a very famous church there. Catholics from all over come to this church to pray to the Mary statue which has been there for decades. When prayed to, the Mary statue is said to produce miracles. The village was very small and not many people there spoke English. We bought a bottle of their famous schnapps, which turned out to be the most disgusting and bitter tasting drink EVER. The next day, we went to a lake in the middle of the alps and a few friends and I rented an electric boat to ride around in for an hour. It was really beautiful and serene. That night, IES surprised us with a bunch of Austrian men dancing in their lederhosen. They were like steppers, Austrian style. On Sunday we came back to Vienna and took taxis to our apartment. Aside from the mold in the fridge, the apartment is beautiful. Its very large and roomy. I live in the 17th district of Vienna, right across from a grocery store (that takes Visa!) and a pharmacy, so I’m pretty much set. The district is beautiful; lots of cafés to sit in and people watch. Today was our first day of the German Language Intensive, so we took the public transportation system to the IES center, which is located in a palace in the 1st district. The public transportation system is really simple…unless you rely on someone who doesn’t really know where they’re going to lead…then problems arise. But enough about that! It’s about a 30 minute commute from my apartment to the center, so it’s not too bad. We took a walking tour of the 1st district today, and my friends and I also found our way to a linens store so we could replace the old, uncomfortable ones on our beds. Later we went grocery shopping, and the prices seem to be a lot cheaper than at home. That might just be because they’re Euros though, and I don’t really convert them to dollars in my mind. I just charge it.  The wine and beer is really good, and very cheap. I bought a bottle of wine for 2 Euros today, and it felt very weird being able to just buy wine. I don’t feel old enough yet! Tonight we ventured downtown to a bar in the 1st district, and had some beer and just hung out. It was a lot of fun, but we have ANOTHER information session tomorrow at 9am, so we needed to come home early. I’ll post soon!

Auf Wiedersehen!