I’d like to thank Sir Kent Vienna
Highs:
School is awesome. My students are amazing and overall are pretty easy to work with. Some classes are much more challenging, and I am greeted by smells of lunch, b.o., and farts. “Hey, someone needs to open the windows it stinks in here” I said with no remorse on Tuesday to a group of fifteen year olds. Hey, it could be worse. Yesterday I finished a lesson on Boston Cape Cod immensely. In another class we discussed cultural misunderstandings, and next we’ll I’ll round that out by showing clips from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I’ve taught on double standards and gender in three classes, and the last class of eighteen year olds was very enthused and had much to say. In the conversation class we discussed advertising, controversial advertising, and the representation and exploitation of women by the media. YES!! What a wonderful feeling it is to bring what I have learned at Ithaca College
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| Frau Schneider and I at the Cape, Fall '10 |
Austrians are such warm and welcoming people. I asked two teachers where I could buy cheap blankets and one responded, adamantly, that she would let me borrow one of hers and don’t even think about buying one! She came back before our conversation class with a thick blanket and offered to buy me another as a “Thanksgiving Present.” I respectfully declined, which was hard as Ursula was adamant, and explained that I only needed one. (For guests, as I have a spare mattress but not enough warmth). I am so thankful. I have also gotten offers for free Schnapps and other assorted alcoholic beverages, along with an invitation to Volleyball fun.
I am amazed at the amount of free time I have, and my low level of stress. What a relief it is to live here, and leave the stressed, overworked, overtired life my undergraduate years behind. Austrians relish relaxation and free time. And beers. And wine. It really depends on who you ask. Yesterday’s class poll displayed an even split between wine and beer drinkers. I myself go for the wine.. Stress? Why should you be stressed? This attitude is only bolstered by the ridiculous amount of holidays. Tuesday is Leopold’s day, a holiday marked by the ritualistic sliding through a barrel, and consuming copious amounts of wine.
Other happy moments: buying a three dollar purple fleece blanket (don’t tell Ursula), a 99 cent purple washcloth, discovering that Interspar, a massive grocery store, sells all things bike related from tubes and tires to helmets and pedals, enjoying my daily commute, being called Frau Kohberger (it sounds so right), and welcoming our new roommate Lily! She is working as an au pair, and has come from Romania
Teflon Moments:
I am now officially official in Vienna
Austrians are such warm and welcoming people. Yes. Viennese people can also come across as incredibly rude. The woman who sold me train tickets at Westbahnhof acted like it was the hardest, most annoying thing to do and frowned at me when I asked about prices. Many Americans would consider Viennese people to be unfriendly. You do not make eye contact with strangers or say hi to people on the street. No small talk with the cashier and definitely don’t expect to make friends with your waiter. Such is not the case in small villages.
Other low moments include walking through a cloud of smoke as students light up immediately after stepping off the train in Hollabrunn, a few lost in translation moments, cranky cashiers/government people/members of the general public, and still waiting to be paid. Oh! And paying 40 euro on top of the $112 I spent in America
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| Hysterical. |
But..its Nisha’s birthday and that means cake, chai, cake, wine, and good times.
Be Well,
Austrian Muffin
-One of my students though Walmart sold Animals. J
