Real Men on White Horses!

My Day with the Lipizzaner Stallions in Vienna:

On Friday November 21st 2008, I took the opportunity to spend the day in Vienna and see a performance by the world famous Spanish Lipizzaner Stallions in the Hofreitschule. I initially arrived in Vienna at about 10 am, so I had the day to explore the other city sights since the horse show wasn’t until 7p.m. My first stop was the Belvedere Schloss, with its beautiful grounds and all within the city of Vienna. It was raining pretty heavily, but I was sure to take my new, trusty Landjugend Umbrella, so that wasn’t a problem. I wanted to be sure to pick up my ticket for the Lipizzaner Show early, so stopped by the store before I walked over to the Rathaus for my first ‘Christkindlemarkt’ experience. Luckily, the heavy rain took a breather when I arrived at the market. It was a wonderland of little huts selling anything from chocolate and sweet breads back to ornaments and jewelry. I enjoyed it so much and what made it even better was walking around with a nice hot mug of Glühwein while par oozing through the endless rows of huts. I noticed, before I bought the beverage that a majority of the shoppers were holding a blue mug and I am here to experience as much as I can, so…as they say, ‘When in Rome…’ therefore, I mingled with the locals holding my own blue mug of deliciousness! ;) Fear not, those that visit the market with their car, they sell alcohol free punch, which is also quite good. I was at the advent market for a few hours and then it started to rain again, so I took refuge in a local church, it was nice to rest my feet as well as to get out of the wind and rain. Then I, once again, braved the weather to revisit Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), which is the city landmark basically and quite lovely with its tiled roof and gothic style architecture. I shopped a bit along the Kärntner Straße (one of the main shopping streets) until I decided to make my way back to the Hofburg for the venue. It was about an hour before the performance, so I stopped at a little stand by the ‘Lions Club,’ which is similar to a ruritan club; so I decided to support them a bit by having a cuppa Glühwein. A very nice couple was running the stand and the husband spoke English well, so we had a great chat until I had to leave for my performance. Then, when I was shown to my seat (which was right in front=perfect) the couple next to me were Americans currently living in London and the wife was an MLT (Medical Laboratory Technician-Associates Degree Level) which was extraordinarily coincidental; needless to say she and I were excited to speak about our work…etc. The time flew by and the music began to play signaling the start of the show. The Master of Ceremonies was a bit long-winded, but other than that the performance was amazing. The Lipizzaner Stallions are bred in Piber (where I went with my 3rd host mother) and then trained and brought up to Vienna for the shows. The Hofreitschule is the ONLY location in the world that still practices the original forms of dressage (the art or method of training a horse in obedience and in precision of movement). The Lipizzaner Studs are born black an then, as they age, turn to pure white…very cool! Throughout the performance there were different levels of dressage, a few horses did jump-kicks and one could stay in the ‘rearing position’ for a good length of time. With Mozart playing in the background and several horses moving in unison, it was just a great atmosphere. The lofty ceilings and the white columns combined with the instrumental music reverberating in the gallery added so much to the mood of the show. One of my favorite parts of the performance was seeing the different personalities of the horses, even though they are in complete unanimity, there are still subtle hints as to each individual horse’s disposition. The best horse in the show would hold each pose longer and stronger than the others and, in doing so, adding his own little twist, would blow air out of his nose loudly on each step; I liked that horse best of all, it had the most outward and forceful personality (perhaps there is a correlation there, maybe we are kindred spirits). Who knows…but the show was an absolute treat and, even though it was rather expensive, I would recommend it to future travelers visiting Vienna. Two thumbs WAY, WAY UP!

When the show ended at 8:20 p.m, I rushed on the metro back to the Südbahnhof (train station) where I had previously checked that 3 trains were running back to Münchendorf that night; However, I was very unenthusiastically told by the information desk, “There are NO more trains to Münchendorf today.” I was a little upset, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, I thought quickly and jumped on the next train to Mödling; which is only about 10 minutes drive from my host family. Luckily, my host mother had suggested I borrow Irina’s (9 yr. old host sister) Handy (cellphone) for the day in Vienna, so I was able to call them to pick me up. Even with that little mishap at the end of the day and my umbrella breaking from the extreme wind at lunchtime, I was still on ‘Cloud 9,’ smiling from ear-to-ear on the train home. It was a magical day with the Christmas market and my lovely ‘Men on White Horses!’

(Note to the ladies: MOST of the trainers/riders were ‘cute-as-a-button,’ or rather a more appropriate phrase, ‘STUD MUFFINS!’ ;) It was a super night and quite visually stimulating!)

How to make an IFYE Happy = Chocolate!

My new host family, lives in Münchendorf, a small village on the outskirts of Vienna. I was delighted, that upon my exit from the train I was greeted with a BIG smile from my new host parents. I am always a bit nervous whether or not they will recognize me, since in the picture I sent I am rather 'made-up' and usually during my train trips between families I have just been many hours on the train, so am not looking the greatest. But, I guess it is always a pretty large hint, when I am the only one with lots of luggage, so I really have no need to worry. We packed the car and my host parents took me on a little tour of Möding. I was able to eat Castanian Nuts again and had my first experience with Glühwein, which is a hot mixture of wine, rum, cinnamon and other delicious ingredients put to a boil and the creation is utterly delightful; especially since it is much colder than where I was in Styria. My new host father calls most things medicine, so our Glühwein was not only medicinal it was also very satisfying on a cold winter night. I am looking forward to many more meetings with my new-found, Austrian Traditional Christmas Beverage. ;) However, as my new host father Peter so wisely puts it, it is good medicine with a little bit and too much has the reverse effect. We had a nice family meal and at the end I was surprised with a lovely Sachertorte cake (Austrian Cake sent all over the world) to welcome me into their household (pictured above). So, that is a great start to my family and final days in Austria!

We then drove about 15 minutes to Münchendorf, my new home for 2.5 weeks. I was introduced to the rest of the family; being Michael (11 yrs), Irina (9 yrs.) and the grandparents. They have an energetic dog Riki, which is a girl by the way and the typical lazy cat that coincidentally is named Garfield! I am staying on the 2nd floor with Oma and Opa and my room is entirely decorated in shining, frilly, lime green material. I am not, the girliest of girls, otherwise I would be in heaven...but I can't help but laugh everytime I enter my room. The bed is quite large, which is fabulous and I have plenty of space, but even so I do have to chuckle a bit. The house itself is U-shaped with a large courtyard in the middle which, for some reason, reminds me of Tuscany (even if I haven't been there yet, it is on the list though). My host family have many hectors of Sugar Beets, Wheat, Barley, Sunflowers and own a large compost business. On Tuesday, I helped with a few bookkeeping things and used a calculator, which had been many months since I had had one in my hand, quite a strange sensation. So, I do do a little work now and then with the families that host me; on Monday I cooked lunch for the workers on the farm and it turned out quite well. I am looking forward to sharing some of my new recipes when I arrive home for Christmas. As far as future plans, I am excited for Friday because I have bought a ticket to see the famous Lipizzaner Horse Show in Vienna. They are Spanish Horses that perform the best dressage in the world and it is the only school left in the world. For those of you who aren't familiar, dressage is the art or method of training a horse in obedience and in precision of movement. My mother told me that I couldn't leave Austria without seeing them, so I am scheduled to this Friday at 7 p.m. I am extremely excited and hope to have a video clip and lots of pictures to share. Then, on Saturday my first host family is picking me up to go to a 'Devil Fest,' I know...I was a little dubious in the beginning as well; but, in Ausria Kampus (The devil) is part of the Christmas Tradition, on the 5th of December St. Nikolo comes to bring every good child a gift and then, on the 6th Krampus visits the not-so-good children. I know that I am not explaining it as well as I will be able to at the end of the festival on Satuday, so more will come when I am fully educated! I am enjoying myself, but must confess that I am counting down the days until I am home with family and friends for the holidays and, as of today, I have 19 days! So a, not so subtle hint, everyone mark their calendars for my return on the 9th of December so you can start planning the 'Welcome Home' parties!!! ;)

Holidays-a-Comin'!

Now a little information about Austrian Fall Traditions starting in November:

* All Saints' Day (also called All Hallows or Hallowmas), often shortened to All Saints, is a feast celebrated on November 1 in Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In terms of Western Christian theology, the feast commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven. Specifically, in the Roman Catholic Church, the next day, All Souls' Day, commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. In Austria on Nov. 1st, the custom is for people to light candles and bring flowers to the graves (Friedhof-Graveyard) of dead relatives. The priest says a few words and then proceeds to walk throughout the graveyard dispersing holy water, during which all others present (except me because it was in German) pray together. It is quite a sight to see and very educational.

*Starting at the end of November lasting till Christmas Day you can find "Christkindlmärkte" on nearly every corner of most Austrian cities. Small huts provide you with potentiall christmas presents, food and most important hot punch and "Glühwein", sweet and heated mulled wine.

Christmas in Austria revolves around a number of traditions, the first is on December 6th when Saint Nicholas comes to bring the good children gifts.

On December 24th when the city is frantic with last minute shoppers, the countryside is a refuge for quiet traditions. Farmers chalk the initials of the Three Wise Men on the archway of the stable door to protect the herd from sickness in the coming year and Christmas trees are lit.

In the snow-covered Alps, families descend from their mountain homes to the valley below, illuminating the night with torches held high to light their way in the darkness. Carolers gather in church towers and village squares to guide the people to Christmas services with their melodies. All shops, theatres and concert halls close their doors for this is an evening spent with only with family.

Following church services, families return home for their more intimate celebrating. First Christmas Eve dinner is served, often with ‘Gebackener Karpfen’ (fried carp) as the main course. Dessert may be chocolate and apricot cake called ‘Sachertorte’ and Austrian Christmas cookies called ‘Weihnachtsbaeckerei’.

Afterwards presents are given, but in Austria, there is no Santa Claus. Children are taught that their presents have been brought by the ‘Kristkindl’, a golden-haired baby with wings, who symbolizes the new born Christ.

This is also where the ‘Christkindlmarkt’, or Christmas market gets it’s name. Early in December these Christmas markets open in towns and cities all over Austria, with rows of booths and stalls selling colourful ornaments and decorations, gingerbread, Advent wreaths, candles, small gifts, and even Christmas trees.

Silent Night was first sung in 1818, in the village church of Oberndorf. There is a story told of how Christmas was almost spoiled for the villagers that year.

On Christmas Eve, the priest went into the church and found that the organ was not working. The leather bellows that are used to pump the air through the pipes were full of holes. Christmas without music would not do so the priest showed the organist Franz Bauer a new Christmas hymn he had written. Franz quickly composed a tune for it that could be played on a guitar. So Oberndorf had music after all.

Well, that is definitely something I will miss during my exchange...all the Christmas bustle. Although, I will be able to participate in the Christmas Markets over the last weekend in November when they begin. I am extremely eager for that, I just love Christmas! So, those are a few of the traditions and history in Austria.

Family Music!

Hello All,

I have been having quite a wonderful beginning of November here in Styria. My host family has been fabulous and I just feel at home here. Well, now let's get into some things I have learned here in Austria!

1-When living in an area that are BIG wine makers, when pouring wine into a glass, make for darn sure that it is the right wine glass. Before I came I just figured that it would be alright to get 'any ole glass,' BIG MISTAKE. So, as to warn you...think carefully before volunteering to be the distributor.

2-The word 'hiking' has a different definition to every person. If you like hiking be sure to say that you do, but make well and clear what your version of hiking is. Because, in Austria, anything under a 45 degree incline is only A WALK!

3-Biking is mostly NOT a leisurely sport, when you say you bike as a hobbie and wouldn't mind going sometime...get ready, get set and you are off. The helmet is on, check, water bottle secure, check...and prepare yourself on your bike, arms tight, head down and you are off. High speeds, focus and determination in your heart...that is what biking is in Austria; a passion, taken seriously and don't even think about going on a flat road, it is either up a mountain and down the other side or nothing! I, myself, prefer to sit upright peddling slowly as to enjoy the views and 'smell the flowers.' NO way, gonna have to wait to do that until I get home to West Virginia. Bikers are unswervingly committed in Austria!

Ok, so now you know a few tips that I had to figure out the hard way. So, heed my warning. Now, on with the next. I have been trying to upload a video that I made on Sunday Nov. 9th when my host family gave me a private concert. They call it, Familia Musik and they are all talented. The picture above is Franz, Charlotte and I before the show, I was on tenterhooks waiting. I wanted to share with you my experience, but sadly I just don't think blogspot could upload it, too large a file I expect. However, I am sure that you have enjoyed the other videos that I have added and will hopefully continue, but making sure not to make them so long in future.

Austrian Familia Hirt (Oct . 26th-Nov.16th, 2008)!

Traditional Austrian Music...of all sorts!

Austrian Familia Steiner (Oct. 12th-Oct. 26th)!

Austrian Familia Hauser (Sept 19th-Oct. 12th, 2008)!

A Little Late, But Better Late Than Never - My Vacation in England, Sept. 2008!!

Johanna Saudhof's Einschulung 08/23/2008!

I can't believe I just rubbed Horse Muscle Cream on my thighs...

Hawediere from the Steiermark!(Hello from the Styria):

I have arrived at my 3rd Austrian Host Family (Familia Hirt) and am delighted by what I have seen so far. The family lives in St. Oswald, which is about 45 minutes from my last family in Knittelfeld. It is a small village on the hilltop, there are mountains surrounding us, but we are basically on a hill. My host family has a 15 yr. old daughter, Charlotte, who is a bit shy at the moment but I am sure she will open up with some time. After all, I am the alien American sleeping in her room. Then, they have a 17 yr. old son, Philip, who seems to be nice, but keeps busy with his friends and motorcycle. My host mother Edeltraud has 2 horses, so I have been riding with her once already and am delighted with her quiet, kind nature. Franz, my host father, is an amazing musician and plays every instrument under the sun, and even if he only speaks a little English and I only a little Deutsch, we seem to communicate and understand each other perfectly. On the evening of my arrival here, after meeting the family and unpacking, we roasted chestnuts outside on an ‘open fire!’ So, that was good fun. On Monday, my Edeltraud and I went to see a church designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, it was covered in mosaic tile and bright colors. The church was great and as of now, this has been the 2nd Hundertwasser I have seen, the other was in Magdeburg, Germany. Then, we drove to Piber to tour the Lipizzaner Horse Stud Farm...sadly, it was closed, but my host mother and I walked to the pasture, so that we could get a bit of a look at the famous Lipizzan Horses. They were gorgeous...I thought of you mom, every second I was there (My mother Bev loves horses and has always wanted to see The Lipizzaner Show in Vienna, which I might add...I might try to get tickets for since my last host family is near Vienna).

On Oct. 28th, Edeltraud and I went to the Freilichtmuseum (pictured 2 above), an open-air museum that recreates 19th-century Austrian farm life in a quiet wooded valley. The museum consists of 90 farmhouses, barns, mills, and storehouses from all over Austria, transported plank by plank and lovingly restored in small villages by their region of origin. It was a delightful way of learning and the walk was long, but worth every step. On Wednesday morning, I made Spagatkrapfen (Traditional Austrian Christmas Cookies, picture 1 above) with my host mother and have been out several times feeding and putting the horses out to pasture. I also rode one of their horses on Tuesday night, so that was a good time since it has probably been 6 years since the last time I have been on a horse.

Thursday my host mother took me to Thal, where we toured a modern church; it was neat and stone mosaic on the inside and out, even the seats for the service were stone. We also went to the Thalsee (large pond) where I understand Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up, which was pretty cool...the town had many plaques and signs about that Kindergarten Cop! Edeltraud and I then toured an agricultural boarding school, which was very interesting and the kids were friendly. Friday morning my host mother and I took a ski lift to the top of the highest mountain in the area, where we admired the view a little, then took a little individual 'rollercoaster' ride, of which you can control your speed (I like that fact very much), down to where there was the beginning of our 'hiking trail.' The ride was awesome, being on the mountain, the cold air on my face caused me to cry, but it was a good cry! Anyway, we then began our descent to the car. It was about 4 km, which doesn't seem like much, but the way was very steep and even though we had walking sticks, it was extremely hard on the knees and thighs. I still think back in amazement at how quickly my host mother walked; however, I have the stamina...so, it was I who was the first to the car! But, it was a good hike and I enjoyed it, even if I am hurting from it a few days later. Today, (Sat. Nov. 1st) I attended a church ceremony at the Friedhof (graveyard). It was a pretty amazing sight, everyone (and I mean everyone) goes to the graveyard to take time to 'remember the departed' and at 2:00p.m. the priest began reading, praying and there was even a small brass band. The most interesting part was when the priest began at the top of the graveyard and proceeded to go in between all of the graves and people (being trailed by three young children...one swaying the smoke 'thingy,' one with the holy water...and I am not sure what the other was doing) flicking Holy Water over the stones. I was very interested and attentive at the beginning, but it was a BIG graveyard, so I got tired since I was standing the whole time and my thighs were killing me! Now, I am back at the house...in my temporary bedroom writing to you with bright green gel on my legs that my host mother gave me to reduce the pain. She didn't happen to mention at the beginning that it was for horses, but it is making me feel a little better...so, I care not what animal it was 'meant for!' I will enjoy it...and thought that that would be a funny title for this blog, so now you know the story behind it. I hope it lived up to your expectations. As you can see, my situation right now in Austria is perfect. I am enjoying my time and look forward to sharing the pictures with you, when I can figure out how to rotate them (I don't know why, but my host sister's computer automatically rotates them when I click on the editing button...so, it won't let me rotate them since, in the editing window they are already. I am trying to figure that out and when I do, I will add another slideshow) Also, as far as captions to some of my recent ones, I haven't gotten to all of them yet. But I will, fear not! Well, I am off for now and if anyone has any questions or ideas for my blog please share them with me either by e-mail, emiewv@hotmail.com or via a comment. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!

Prada Bags & Pumpkin Seed Oil!

I took a trip to Graz today (Oct. 24th, 2008). It was a solid day of sightseeing and experiencing the joy of going solo. I got a ride into Graz with Christina (sister of my host mother) & Opa (their dad), he had a doctors appointment so they dropped me in the city center. Since it was 7:30 a.m. and none of the shops were open yet, I walked up to the Schlossberg where there was a lovely overlook of the city and many interesting buildings. Just to name a few, I saw the Glockenturm (Bell Tower), Chinese Pavilion and Bishop's Throne. Then, I made the long walk back down, except this time on the front of the mountain along many, many flights of stairs. I meandered along the Mur River to check out the Murinsel, which is an unusual landmark of Graz in that it sits in the water (designed by New York artist Vito Acconci) and takes the form of a floating shell linked with footbridges to the banks on either side of the river. It houses a cafe and amphitheatre, but I walked along the footbridges and looked in awe at the combination of natural and artificial beauty. My next destination was the Dom and the Mausoleum, which were directly beside one another. Both beautiful in their unique way and I am continually amazed at the amount of churches that I have seen during my trip, as well as how I keep wanting to see more. Before I came to Europe, I thought that a few big churches and I would be satisfied...but each are different and by simply stepping inside these vast structures one feels a need to believe, even if one isn't much into that sort of thing. By this time it was getting frighteningly close to 11 a.m. and I wanted to be sure to see the Glockenspiel show, so walked briskly toward my goal. With 5 minutes to spare, I arrived at the Glockenspielplatz and, as you can see by the small clip of video I have added, I saw the spectacle of sound and moving figures. The entire performance was about 10 minutes, although my camera memory card is embarrasingly small, so I only captured a little taste for you to enjoy from your home computer. I apologize up front for the wiggling camera, but I wanted to watch a little of the show without the viewfinder of my camera in between me and the performance. But, I hope you enjoy it none the less! The Glockenspiel rings 3 times a day, two windows open and a pair of carved wooden figures in traditional costume dance to the sound of the Glockenspiel (Well, now you have seen it).

As every weary traveler experiences after a long span of walking, I felt hungry and stopped at my new favorite fast-food restaurant, Döner for a glorious kebab. As I ate my lunch I walked along the street window shopping and saw anything from Prada Bags to endless pairs of high leather boots (which are REALLY in style here in Europe ladies) and back to Kürbis Oil (Pumpkin Seed Oil). Austrians use the Pumpkin Seed Oil often on Salads and I saw my host sister Sophie put it on her dessert pudding. Anyhow, there is a wide variety of interesting articles and foods that are for sale in Graz.

I had an extreme need to be around nature in the afternoon, so I spent a few hours walking around Stadtpart and Burgarten. Both were filled with beautiful paths, green grass and treelined walks where the vibrantly colored leaves were almost as overwhelming as the smell and sound of them underneath my feet. Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I got lost in thought and drank in the loveliness of this perfect autumn day. BEEP, back to the blog entry after several minutes of remembering that part the day.

I stopped at an open-air market on Kaiser-Josef-Platz, then walked along toward the Bahnhof (train station) where I was due to meet my ride home. I stopped in a little cafe halfway through my walk for a refreshing cup-a-tea and decided to try some roasted chestnuts (Castanian-pictured above) that stands here are solely devoted to selling. They were good and I enjoyed the new tasting experience. Then, at 4 p.m. I waited at the train station for Petra (host mother's niece) to pick me up and take me home. The traffic on a Friday evening at the Graz station was horrible, so I was happy to get out of there and spent the rest of the evening relaxing at home...and guess what, being devoted and writing this blog for you, my dedicated supporters. Danke! Thank you!

I am Hearing ALL Sounds of Music!

Austrians really do have many events centered around music and singing. In the last 4 days, I have been to 3 musical events. The first was on Thursday in Graz (local city), my host mother Eva and I went for the day to shop, and, of course, have coffee; but at 8, we went to a soccer stadium and took our seats. The stadium was packed and we had an evening of Austrian Marching Bands. But, this is different to the marching bands in America, there is a wider age-range, I think they allow anyone who wants to and is good enough to participate. However, this event had one band (the best band) from each of the 'states' (of which there are 9 in Austria)who each performed independently. Also, there were a few military bands as well as marching soldiers and riflemen who showed us their extreme synchronized movements (very impressive by the way)! All of the bands were excellent, it was a warm, October evening...so, we had a great time!

Next, I went with my host parents (Eva & Oskar) to my host sister Lea's (29yrs)singing concert on Friday evening. It was a small choir (12 persons), but they were wonderful. The evening was a mixture of the choir singing and a small orchestra playing songs from Mozart and other famous Austrian composers. My favorite part was the singing, but the entire evening was filled with musical perfection. The choir had a wide array of music, anything from the Austrian Folk ballads and English religious songs back to the use of an African Drum. It was a fancy event with good music and a great atmosphere, I enjoyed myself very much.

And finally, today, my host sister Sophie had a Austrian Marching Band Competition. Basically, the bands march down a small section of the street and are judged on sound and marching ability. I am sure it is much more complex than that, but I wasn't filled in with all the details, but you got the gist! It was ok, I felt like I was at a Hampshire County Fair Parade, with no floats and NO candy :( My host mom and I left before they announced the winner, but I don't think it was Sophie's band.

My host sister Sohie is having another concert on the 31st of October, when I will be with my next family nearer to Graz (not far away)and my host mother invited me. She said she would come and get me so that I could enjoy more of their Austrian Music. So, I am just getting all sorts of experience and knowledge about the extent to which Austrian people value and practice their music. So, I hope that my next host family will allow me, or rather, have nothing planned, in order for me to attend another Austrian Shindig!

The Hills Really are Alive!!!

Hello all and I apologize for not posting for a while, I have been on vacation in England with my grandmother and when I first came to Austria, my first host family had pretty slow internet. So, now that I am with my third family, I can blog.

Ok...so, what have I been doing for the past month and a half, a lot! After my trip to Berlin with Ashley (Colorado IFYE) & Sarah (Michigan IFYE)I basically left the Saudhof house bound for England. I spent the first week with Jo Layton, a college friend of my mother's, and was able to do a lot of relaxing and independent walking/shopping in Cambridge. Jo took me to Ely (small town with cute shops and a pretty cathedral and we had a great British Bacon Sandwich)!

Early on the Friday morning when I was going to travel to my grandmother's house in Willington Derby...Jo came with me and we made a day trip to London. I used one of those handy luggage lockers at the St. Pancras Train Station and we were off, 'on the town!' We caught the Underground (British Metro) to Westminster and came out with a view of Big Ben!!! Oh, how I love that clock tower!!! Since we were near the London Eye (The huge pod ferris wheel that the Fantastic 4 keep from falling into the dried up Thames created by the silver surfer, if you didn't know) we decided to check out the prices and how long the wait would be. Anyhow, we opted to do it, because we are, livin' large and the age-old phrase, "Carpe Diem!" It was a bit expensive, but all worth while, the wheel is in continuous movement, so when you get on, you have to jump quickly...and it takes about half an hour to get all the way around and the top was a spectacular view of London. Everything was in view: Big Ben, House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and it's park and so much more. Jo bought and gave me the 360 degree reference guide, so we would know what we were looking at and that was cool. I took many photos and will have much to upload on the next slideshow (coming soon). When our 'flight' was over on the eye, we walked back across to Big Ben, The House of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Jo and I were getting hungry, so we stopped at a lovely outdoor cafe with a view of Trafalgar Square (what fun)!!! Jo & I ate delightful chicken sandwiches and had Cafe Lattes (lecker=delicious). Our final stop together was Covent Garden where we watched some Jamaican men do acrobatics and 'limbo low,' of course. We looked around the open-air market, then Jo had to leave for Cambridge before her kids got off of school. So, she went back to the Underground, whilst I walked back toward Trafalgar and Big Ben. Did a bit more shopping and had a nice brit girl take one last picture of me and my man BEN! I was then back on the Underground to St. Pancras, where my 'super european train travel skills' came into action. When I arrived at Willington Station, it greeted me with rain...but it was only a short walk to gran's and I had my trusty umbrella and so was not a wet rat when I came to her door. We had a loving reunion (it had been 4 years since I had seen her, when my mom treated us to the trip after our high school graduation and now I am treating myself after my college graduation), had a bit of catching up to do over a cup-a-tea, then of course I crashed into the bed. My week with my grandma was delightful, she and I had many days where we just spent time together, me listening to her stories of her romantic existance with my grandfather and in turn her sitting through all my travel news and future plans. I also, spent a day with my Uncle Tony and Aunt Sue, they took me to Kedleston Hall (where parts of the new Kiera Knightley movie 'The Duchess' were filmed) we had a great tour (I just love old mansions). We then went to a little restaurant near a canal lock, ate Bacon & Egg Cob Sandwiches and watched the boats make their way through the lock. The day was fun and it was nice seeing them again after such a long time. I also took 2 trips with my handy-dandy railpass, to Stratford-upon-Avon and Bath. Stratford-upon-Avon was where William Shakespeare was born and lived most of his life. So, naturally I went to Shakespeare's Birthplace, Nash's House/New Place (the house where Willam lived the majority of his life), The Courtyard Theater, Trinity Church (I saw Shakespeare & Anne Hathaway's Graves), Hall's Croft (where William's daughter lived with her doctor husband Mr. Hall...which is interesting because that is the last name of my grandmother-Mrs. K. Hall, perhaps I am distantly related to Shakespeare!) The trip was great, although when you are alone it is REALLY hard getting pictures with you in them...the ones that I do have are either a nice person I asked or my life-saving, self-timer on my Cannon Camera! So, I want to send out a big THANK YOU to whoever invented the self-timer, God Bless you I would be lost without it! I might add that the train trip was no problem and I got home early enough to have dinner with my Uncle Tony at 'The Green Man Pub,' where I had Yorkshire pudding (baked batter) with sausage, onions, gravy & curly fries.

My Bath trip was the long day, I awoke at 5:30 a.m. (primarily because my grandmother worries too much and wanted to be sure I got breakfast and to the train on time, when really I could have slept longer) and had a nice leisurely breakfast and tea with grandma and got to my train with time to spare of course. The trip was about 2.5 hrs. and I listened to music and read a bit in my Austrian Travel Guidebook. When I arrived at 9:30 a.m in Bath I immediately found an internet cafe, where I transferred my pictures from my camera to a zipdrive as well as sending e-mails to my family letting them share in my Bath experience! I made my way to the Cathedral and unknowingly stood in fron of the Roman Baths Museum whilst consulting my city map. I advantageously looked up and caught sight of a 'Free Walking Tour' beginning in the next 10 mins. So, I took full opportunity of my poorer, student status and waited. They broke us into 2 groups of about 15 people and I was with an older lady, who turned out to be very lively and funny. She took us to all the main sights of Bath, giving us extra little facts and tales. WE saw the Bath Abbey, Orange Grove, the River Avon (I found out that there are 7 River Avons in England, so it isn't the one I saw in Stratford) Guildhall, Alfred Street, The Assembly Rooms, The Circus, Royal Crescent and the lawn, Georgian Garden, Gravel WAlk (Note Jane Austen Fans: In Persuation, where Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot walk arm-in-arm back to where she was staying with her father in Royal Crescent), Thermae Bath Spa, then back the the Abbey where we wrapped up the tour. I thanked the tourguide and decided to retrace our steps in order to see more of them and take more pictures. But, I stopped for lunch across Pulteney Bridge and down near the river to a park, where I had my packed lunch of cheese-n-ham sandwich, cherry tomatoes and a kitkat! I only rested for about 15 mins. because I knew that I only had a few more hours, so I pressed on. I happened upon, St. Michael's Church, got more camera batteries and made my way back up to The Circus and Royal Crescent. I used a large, red dumpster(ideal) as a camera stand in Royal Crescent and looked up to the windows to see many onlookers of this crazy tourist, but you have to use your imagination when traveling solo! I recognized both 'The Circus' and 'Royal Crescent' from Persuation and Northanger Abbey, so that was an experience in itself, being there...standing at the same place, seeing the same sights! I then, happened upon, the Jane Austen Centre and in the giftshop I bought a beautiful postcard of Mr. Darcy and the only book I didn't have, Jane Austen's Guide to Romance (stop laughing, since then I have read it and it is my #1 Dating Guide recommendation men & women alike!). I walked quickly back down to the city center and decided that I had to go into the Roman Baths Museum before leaving Bath, so I will catch the next train. The museum was great, I had an audio-guide and it was truly amazing. I really enjoyed it. I basically ran back to the train station, waited 5 mins. and was on my way home. All my travels went smoothly until Birminham New Street where they weren't running another train to Willington till 11 p.m. It was 6 by this time, so I thought quickly and instead caught the next train to Burton-on-Trent, where I knew I could catch a bus to Willington. I luckily only had to wait around for 15 mins, I had 3 pounds to my name and the one-way bus ticket was 2.80 (somebody up there loves me)! I got off in Willinton and walked back to Grandma's before 9 (which was the latest time I told her to expect me home), she greeted me with a smile and of course, a hot cup-a-tea! So, all-in-all my trips in England were fantastic and I wasn't ready to leave on the 19th. It was really nice to get a break from the hosting routine and to see family, so I felt more refreshed and ready for another 2.5 months of the IFYE life!

Another funny fact is luggage weights, my mother booked for me, the cheapest flights to England from Germany and back to Austria and there are always maximum weight limits for your luggage on those flights. So, I worried about that a lot and sent a package, that I wouldn't need, to Austria from Germany. Then, my heart beats quickly when it is my turn and I place my bag on the scale; but then, both times my bag ended up being well under the limit, so I had no extra charges to pay. WOHOO!! That is good because they charge extremely high prices per kg. over the limit. So, no worries, I checked in and was on the plane to Austria. Getting on the cheap flights is also an experience, there are no assigned seats, so basically it is a free-for-all. Everyone walking quickly, or even running, when they let us board; everyone wanting a seat next to family/friends, I had no problem...it's just me! I sat next to two delightfully, annoying teenage Austrian chics and felt quite relieved to exit the plane. I didn't know who was going to meet me, which was an adventure and I was surprisingly cool, calm and collected; I got my luggage and walked out to where the excited crowd was awaiting loved ones. I just circled the people and was tapped on the shoulder with a voice, "Are you Emiy?" So, I had been found by one of the Land Jugend Coordinators and she basically slapped me on a train with my schedule and ticket and I was on my was to Hollabrunn. Where I jumped off with my luggage, came out at the bahnhof (train station), looked around and yet again, met with..."Are you Emily?" My host father Johann had come to meet me and he basically got my luggage in the car and we were off for Sitzendorf. It was about a 15 min. drive, they live in a small village and have a small Vineyard as a hobbie, but are retired. I met my host mother Josefa and after a little unpacking Andrea, my 24 year-old host sister was back from work (ticketmaster on the train), she showed me the village and later on that night we went to the disco. It was fun, but I wasn't quite up to my usual, energetic self from the day of traveling. My life with the Hauser Family was a relaxing one, they were very flexible and only wanted me to have a good time. So, I took advantage of sleeping in and they also took me to a Kellerfest (basically a wine festival, given at different weekends each town holds one and a band plays, there is much wine tasting and I have discovered Sturm (it is the fermentation of the grapes to wine, but sturm is the middle product, I like it because some of it is sweet). The fest takes place on a road along which many Wine Cellars are located, where they put up tents to sell their wine. The band starts at the first keller, plays a song, drinks & eats something...then, playes up to the next keller. Needless to say, by the end the music is a little off and most of the band aren't exactly standing straight. HAHA! But, it is a tradition and they are in traditional Austrian dress and it is great fun! I also went to Retz, toured the Biggest Wine Keller In Österreich (which was neat) and attended Weinlesfest. Before we went to the fest, there was a parade, similar to at home in WV, but they threw out candy, gave out grapes and wine along the way. They had floats similar to the ones we have, but were all based around wine. They had many musical bands and also dancing groups, all in their traditional clothes. I enjoyed seeing that and comparing it to the ones in good ole' Hampshire County! The fest in Retz was in the town square and there was a stage and all around there were tents or huts selling various wines and foods. There was also a fountain of wine, which I had never seen before and many people celebrating the 'fruits of their labor.' Their town hall was decorated and in the evening they had the most spectacular fireworks display I have ever seen! They had it right in town, which wasn't a problem since all of the houses are made of stone. Some fireworks even burned directly on the wall of the Rathaus. Utterly unbelievable, I was directly in front of the crowd in the middle, It was a good feeling, watching the fireworks, knowing I was in Austria and having a great time experiencing all these fun things! My host family also took me to Vienna. Parts of the city are truly magnificent...I went 2 days in a row...one with my host family (where we went to a open-air market and I tried Liebekäse (which is horse meat-I felt guilty, but it is all part of the experience and it was surprisingly good, once you didn' dwell on what it was) and the next during my orientation day with the Land Judend Coordinator Maria Höblinger & a newly arrived U.S. IFYE Jeff Sather from Montana! We saw Stephan's Cathedral, Walked along Graben Street to the Stallburg 'Stable castle'-the home of the Lipizzaner Horses. We also saw Burgtheater, Rathaus (city hall-the most beautiful that I have seen yet and I have seen many...and I was told that during December, they use the building as a live, advent calendar) Volksgarten, Hofburg (where the president lives), Twin Museums (1. Museum of Natural History and 2. Art History-identical buildings mirroring eachother) Opera House, Prater Platz to see the Gigant Wheel (ferris wheel) and lastly, Schönbrunn Palace (where we enjoyed a wonderful audio-guide tour of the palace, with sadly...no photography and the gardens which were spectacular and on the hill there was a great view of Vienna)!!! So, Vienna was pretty cool!

My next adventure was on a Sunday, my host parents Johann and Josefa (Fene) took me to a magnificent palace, Stift Göttweig, it was on the top of a mountain overlooking a magnificent valley of little Austrian villages. Then, the highlight was Dürnstein Ruins where I found out, King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned during his capture from the Crusades (awesome huh?)! It was on the side of a mountain, so we hiked up to it (my host parents are avid hikers and next time I visit they said, if I train hard, that they will take me on a week-long-hike in the Alps), walked around the ruins, then decided to hike more around the mountain. So, it was a great day of sightseeing. We came out in the village of Dürnstein, my host mother and I walked along the Danube river and watch the sunset, while Johann brough the 'auto!' It was a great, bonding day with just my host parents and I, Andrea (my host sister) had to work.

During the last week I was with my host family, we spent 4 long days working on their vineyard to finish up the wine harvesting. I worked with them, very hard to I might add and at the end when we finished they proclaimed me a 'Farm Frau,' which I was both entertained with (sound it aloud, you will laugh) and flattered by. A compliment none the less coming from two people who work so hard everyday and make me feel guilty for being younger and more able.

On the Saturday before I left the Hauser Home, my host father Johann and I took a long, day trip to Salzburg (I had mentioned how far it was and was interested in seeing it sometime before I left, so he said..."We go Saturday if you want." So, I naturally jumped at the chance). We took about 3 hours to get there and had a bit of bus trouble in the beginning (Stupid bus said it came every 20 mins, but we were definitely waiting for it an hour), but all worked out when the bus finally arrived. First we visited Hellbrunn, the lustschloss of Salzburg and went on the Wasserspiele (The appeal of Hellbrunn is due not least to the fact that today's visitors can enjoy almost unchanged the same endearing features that once entertained the Archbishop Markus Sittikus of Hohenems- strange and mysterious grottoes, water-driven moving figures, and mischievous water jets in every nook and cranny) where the tourguide showed us the hidden jets of water by turning them on when we went by, it was fun and I didn't get too wet (Hellbrunn was also the location where Maria sang, "I have Confidence" and the von Trapp home scenes in The Sound of Music. We then took the train back to the city center where Johann and I, stumbled onto the path up to Stiftskirche Nonnberg (where Maria from the Sound of Music was a nun apprentice & where the nuns sang, "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria," but we were only allowed in the church area sadly, not the courtyard). We were already halfway up to the schloss, so decided to walk the rest, it was a good hike. We saw the Fürstenzimmer (360° views of the city and gothic state rooms), Burgmuseum (16th century excavations and stick figures displaying weapons used between 1300-1700). We made the walk down to the Dom, which was glorious, Mozart's Geburtshaus (birthplace) which which wasn't very impressive actually and Schloss Mirabell where I saw one of the fountains where they filmed the "Do Re Me" song in The Sound of Music. I could see that my host father was getting tired, so we made our way back to the train station (stopping only for a Döner Kebab) and only had to wait 3 mins. for the next train home. It was a great trip to Salzburg and the leaves are turning, so it was truly picturesque. I think it is my favorite city in Austria so far, I'll let you know if my opinion changes!

I changed families on October 12th and my host father Johann wanted to make sure I got there safely, so came on the train all the way (he worked for the railway and has a lifetime free travel card, so at least he didn't have to pay). He was a great help with my luggage and when I met my new host sister Sophie and we packed the car, I felt bad leaving him. He had to wait an hour for the next train back, but he wanted to do it, so I guess it was no problem. He was such a great man, I intend to revisit him in the future and I am pretty sure he will come to the U.S. to visit me and see my country. So, I look forward to that. My new host family is going well so far, on my first evening here my host sister and I went to a semi-pro soccer match and our team tied. It was nice seeing a game and being surrounded by the mountains of Styria is pretty amazing. I have also been with my host mother to her Styrian Church Choir practice, where I initially sat quietly listening and reading a book; but after being asked to join in the singing, I immediately jumped up. The songs were of course in German and I stupidly sat in the Soprano Section; but it all turned out ok, I was able to hear the others around me and mimiced their sounds...HAHA! I think I was quite good and it was fun to sing, even if I didn't, and still don't, know what the song was about!

Well, now you are up-to-date and I will follow shortly with the slideshows. Hope you enjoyed it! Till later, Servus (bye)!

I was a Berlin Bear!!!

Germany Birthdays & Small Town Lovin'!!!

Hallo All,
My first day with my 3rd host family was my (& my twin-Laura's) 23rd Birthday!!! I was going to downplay it or perhaps not even mention it...but, to my surprise I was awakened on August 12th with the beautiful soft sound of my 2 little host sisters singing me Happy Birthday (in German, of course)! It was still a moment that I will remember forever and that wasn't all! They guided me upstairs where the family had breakfast ready in the dining room and tea candles lit in the number 23!!!! I was smiling from ear to ear from the point at which I awoke till the end of the day I think! Anyway, I blew out the candles in one go and after breakfast the parents of my host father Matthias were taking the girls and I 'somewhere.?.' So, I got ready and we left with 'Oma & Opa' for the unknown!!! How exciting!!! Then, we drove about 45 mins. to the hills near Thale and went to an open-air theater to watch, "The Jungle Book!" The view was AMAZING, there wasn't a bad seat in the house. So, it was one of my lovely geburstag (birthday) gifts! The performance was ALL in German, but that didn't really bother me, since I have 2 younger siblings and I was once young myself...I have seen the movie enough to know the story pretty much by heart!!! It was loads of fun and Oma even had a sandwich (brötchen)for us to snack on during the show. The girls and I loved it and I couldn't get over the view! When the show ended, we drove to Thale and ate a delicious lunch at a local hotel. It reminded me a bit like 'The Shining' because there was NOBODY else there besides our party and the waitress!!! LOL (Gina, I know you will appreciate that!!!)
Anyhow, we made it back to Nelben where another surprise was awaiting me, my host family threw a BBQ in my honor and invited the 2 other U.S. IFYES (Ashley Watson & Sarah Snyder) that are in the same area to come with their host families to celebrate with me. It was utterly fabulous! When I first saw Ashley, I couldn't speak for a few moments because it was a real shock!! They brought me flowers and enough chocolate to feed the 5 thousand!!!! So, needless to say it was an exceptional birthday! I want to thank everyone who was a part of it!!! :)

Now, onward to other things...
I have seen many beautiful places here in Sachsen Anhalt so far! My first trip was to Halle with Ashley's host family...(it is great being so close to other ifyes because we can go together and our families don't always have to take us everywhere, they need a break now and then to). Halle is the second largest city in Sachsen Anhalt and was a very friendly city. We visited the Marktkirche St. Marien and the Rot Turm Clock Tower as well as the Beatles Museum! I was surprised that they had a Beatles Museum, but they were REALLY popular, so I guess it isn't that odd. The rest of the day we spent walking around, looking in shops and I tasted my first ever Döner (Turkish) fast food and I couldn't get enough of it! Delicious! So, that was a great trip.
Next, My host mother Martina and the girls Johanna & Marie took Ashley and I to Köthen. A small village where Bach composed and performed his beautiful music. We went into the church of St. Jakob and visited a two museums. The Historical museum of musik & schule (music & school)and then the Naumann-Museum, which had a large bird exhibit. The girls fed the ducks in the shlosspark and it rained the whole time so we were actively using our umbrellas.
On the 16th of August, Sarah's family (host mother Beata, host sisters Louisa & Charlotte), Ashley & I went to visit Leipzig! We went into St. Nicholas Church and what do you know, there was a wedding going on and we were lucky enough to see the beginning entrance and first paragraph by the pastor. So, that was neat! We had lunch at a cute outdoor cafe, Bacon Crepes...what a meal!!! Then, right in front of the museum we were going to there was a fabulous brass band performing! We are just getting so lucky with all this activity. Anyhow, we visited the Forum of Contemporary History (mainly focusing on the Berlin Wall & the separation and state of East and West Germany). I learned many new things, but was a bit disappointed that I couldn't take pictures to share with you all...strict museum. We visited another church and the organist was playing, there were many people there and I can't blame them for the music was incredible!
My next adventure, was to Quedlinburg with Sarah, her host family and mine! The village is a good size and the houses were wonderfully ornate. It seemed that all the houses were unique in their own little way and I kept finding ones that I wanted to capture on camera. We wandered the streets for a while, then hiked up to the Schloss, it was being renovated so we didn't go in, but the view of the town was exceptional! So after several pictures I decided to entertain the younger kids and we played a game of 'hide & catch,' sadly I was the seeker...so, quite exhausted and ready to leave when we descended! We walked around the circumference of the schloss and it ended up being a great idea because we saw the most beautifully situated set of houses in the village as well as some fun rock climbing (small rocks, we have kids with us don't forget)!!! My only disappointment as we walked back to the car, is that I didn't get a good picture of the castle. But, for my birthday my host family gave me a book on Sachsen Anhalt and it has the Quedlinburg schloss in it, so I guess that will have to do!
So, that sums up my activities here at my third family so far...but, there is definitely more to come. Next week the kids start school and all the host families of 'us IFYES' will be busy with work and school, so they have given us the opportunity to take the train together to Berlin for a 2-day sightseeing extravaganza. We are in the process of planning that trip. Well, that is all for now...I have FINALLY gotten up to date with my slide shows, I decided to do one per family so far and hope you enjoy! Thanks! Tschüss!

Sachsen Anhalt -August 11th-Present-(Host Family 3)!

Hessen Slideshow July19-August 11th, 2008 (Host Family 2)!

IFYE Orientation & Reinfeld, Germany (Host Family 1)!

Hot in Hessen!!!

Guten Tag,

I am doing well here this week, although the heat has been pretty extreme the past few days. I miss AC SOOOOOO much! I am staying in the 4th floor of the house and it is even worse up there in the tower. Oh my, I lay there wishing I could live in a cold bath or stand in the cold shower all night, but...as this is a farm and there are many, many people who stay here I would/should feel guilty about using up all the water. So, I suffer in silence...well, almost silently...I am complaining on here I suppose. But, this to shall pass and I know that I will return to the AC capitol of the world (USA) in December; by then I know I won't need AC, but it will be comforting to know that I have it just in case! ;) I have been with my second family for 9 days now and in that time period I have been to 7 BBQs, they really know how to kick back and party! But, they work, work, work first and then, party...which is the correct order of things I suppose! My Host Mother Charlotte took me to see a few sights in Mannheim today and one is the Wasserturm (water tower), this is Mannheim's landmark and we also visited the Schloss (castle)...Mannheim University in the palace. Of course we took a break for 'Eiskaffee' (ice coffee), which was lovely considering the extreme heat of the city! I have included (because I just learned how) pictures of both the water tower (left) and schloss (upper right) for your viewing pleasure. That is all I have to report at the present, I hope all of you are doing well and it isn't quite as hot there as it is here...and if it is...crank up your AC and think of me here suffering! (HAHAHA, just kidding!) Es ist sehr schön hier!! (It is very beautiful here!) Bye for now, Tschüss!

New Faces, Spaces and Places!!!

Hallo, Guten Tag....I have discovered that dialects are extreme around here in Deutschland! I am living now with a family in Hessen, in the town of Hofheim. Every town in Hessen...or pretty much every town has the ending of "heim," such as Manheim, Lampertheim...etc. So, I write to you from this location, which took me around 7 hours on the train. I changed trains 3 times and was on one train for over 6 hours...boy that was a long, LONG day!!! Enough of the travel details, the important thing is that 'I made it!'

Now for the fun part! I have been in Germany for 4 & 1/2 weeks and am having a great time! My first host family (Familia Röhr) lived in the North (between Hamburg & Lübeck) in the little town of Reinfeld. I lived with them for 20 days and I enjoyed every single day! During my stay, I went twice to Lübeck, the Marzipan Capitol and was enchanted with it's old buildings and surrounding Trave River. I also had the pleasure of learning how to make Marmelade and I was introduced to "Horse Beans." That is the direct translation and they are basically very large snow peas!!! I saw the local 'little castle,' Stiftung Schloss in Ahrensburg...a lovely white castle that even had a moat. I swam in the Baltic Sea on another beach adventure...although, it cost me 2.60 Euros for that pleasure...(yeah, I know...I couldn't believe that they charged for going to the beach either!) In America, we could make a fortune!!! One of my host sisters goes to University in Oldenburg, so I spent one weekend with her there...experiencing the 'German College Life,' which isn't much different to that of U.S. students except that we took bicycles to the pub and back on Friday Night!!! :) I took in the Deutsches Auswandererhaus (German Emigration Center) in Bremerhaven with my host sister Gesa during my stay with her and it was a lovely museum...partly for the information that I took in during the audio-tour and partly for the simple and utterly fabulous fact, they had it in ENGLISH!!! Ahhhhh bliss!!! I never thought that I would get such an uplifting feeling by hearing those words, "Yes, we have it in English!" A taste of the many delights I had with my first family.

So far with my second host family (Familia Bär), I have participated in 3 consecutive BBQ's that began on the first night I arrived...a great start! I have tasted many, many delicious wurst! I have learned the popular Nordic Walk skill...basically you have two ski sticks...except you are walking with them on roads instead of with skis on snow. LOL. Here in Germany it is very popular!!! I must say it does work out the arms quite well! On Sunday we went to Kurpfalz Park, which is an amusement/wildlife park. It was mainly geared toward children but I had a blast on a paddle boat in the shape of a swan and an entire bird exhibit in German, but the man who was giving it was SO active and excited about these birds that it was a great show...even if I didn't understand more than 5 words the entire hour! ;) I am learning to just 'roll with the punches' here in Germany...I think it is an IFYE requirement! One woman at a cookout told me that I must be a very brave woman to be participating in such a program, I was flattered...but have overcome many an obstacle by using my humor. I believe that the key to any language barrier is laughter; I am extremely glad that I had a little of that before I left the states...but I tell you I am gonna have a heck of a lot more when I return I think. So, those of you who I am in close contact with, BEWARE!!!!!

Amsterdam, Hamburg & Kiel...Oh my!!!

Finally able to write my first entry from Germany, wohoo! My internet access has been interesting and until now it seems I didn't have the opportunity. Now on with my story. I have been in Germany now for 1 week and already I have seen so much and done even more. I think I will break this up into sections:
1.) Points of Interest:
My plane departed from Detroit 30 minutes late and as a result my plane from Amsterdam to Hamburg had already departed; so I had to reschedule and the ONLY available seats were on a flight at 4:50 p.m. At this time it was 7:10 a.m. so I thought to myself..."Heck if I'm going to stay in the airport all day," so I took a train into the heart of Amsterdam. I decided to walk for a bit to see if perhaps I would discover something "off the beaten track." I was able to visited Dam Square, Rembrandt Square, Old Church, and Waterloo Square (open-air market) as well as to get my fill of canals, boats and some pretty sore feet. So, I suppose you could say that my little plane "mishap" was to my tourist advantage. I caught my evening flight with time to spare and everything went smoothly from then on!

IFYE Orientation Week:
I went with one of the German IFYE Coordinators Bettina Heinemann and 2 other USA-to-Germany IFYES (Ashley Watson-Colorado, Sarah Snyder-Michigan) to Kiel for the "Kieler woche," (literally-Kiel week!) which is a large festival along the harbor, quite similar to a large fair in WV with the exception of being on the water. There are many, many ships displayed at this great event and bands playing as well as some wonderful food and super bier (beer). Germany is broken down into parts, similar to our counties and one thing that I found interesting is the festival and it's music was separated. The two distinct divisions were the North and South; since Bettina is from the Northern part, we settled ourselves at a table to listen as devoted "Northerners!" My highlight of the evening was when I heard the european "techno" version of "Country Roads," at first I didn't even recognize it...but Bettina drew it to my attention. It was very comforting to me to hear that song, however different the versions melody was at the time. The next interesting journey started at 5:00 a.m on Sunday morning, Bettina drove us to Hamburg to see the open-air Fischmarkt (Fish Market). This happens every Sunday morning early until about 11 a.m. So, when we had parked and caught the subway train into the center of Hamburg it was about 7:30 a.m. It was crowded, but an interesting sight, sound,smell and taste. I never thought that a sour fish sandwich in the morning and coffee could taste so good! :) Everyone was yelling to try and sell all of their fish, candy, fruit etc...before the other people. Anyway, it was very enjoyable and I even got a few souvenirs out of the bargain!!! Sehr gut (Very good!) Also, we went down into the Elbtunnel (this is a tunnel under the river Elbe originally used for horse and carts to be able to travel to the other side of Hamburg relatively easily, now it is a tourist attraction and is open to small cars). These are the major cities that I have visited so far and is just the beginning of my experiences in Germany.
2.) Odd little Differences:
I am eating very different meal combinations here than I have had in WV. The usual breakfast and dinner here consists mainly of bread, cheese, slices of meat (i.e. turkey, ham, salami), cucumbers and tomatos. Most of the water that Germans drink has gas (bubbles, carbonation) in it, which is an interesting sensation. :) Also, unless it is raining all of their cloths that have just been washed go outside on the line. Germany is doing MUCH better at conservation and recycling than the USA. Everything is put in a different place and when they are finished with their plastic bottles, they rinse them out and take them back to the store and guess what?.?...the store even pays them some money for each one they take back...isn't that cool!!!! Also, the keyboards are different here...so, it's REALLY hard to type...therefore, if I have the letter "z" where really a "y" should go in a word...then, you'll know that's because they are switched on a German Keyboard.
3.)Lastly, not all adventures are completely enjoyable-before dinner one night when the IFYEs and I were at our orientation with Bettina, Ashley Watson and I decided to take a bike ride around the countryside. This, at first, was SO wonderful...we were in the country with the fields of grain and glorious blue skies above with the wind at our back, which were probably a few of the reasons why we kept biking and biking. As all travelers in a strange land realize after a few hours of bliss, that there is a flip side that isn't so felicific...the two hour ride back! Well, I don't know what we were thinking, but instead of turning around and going back the way we knew/came we decided to ask someone the quickest way back to the wildlife park (right next to the place where Bettina lives). Amongst their broken English we managed to "think" we knew what they were talking about and went on our merry way and after another hour of biking we asked another person and another...until we FINALLY got back to Bettinas. This "little blissful jaunt" of a bike ride ended up taking us 5 hours and many, MANY miles (km) in length over so many hills and dales that when we returned home I gave Bettina a BIG hug in celebration of our "sheer dumb luck" and managed in my exhaustion to participate in a little of the "midsummer night BBQ/Bonfire," before I collapsed into my bed for sleep. This was the night, I might add, before which we had to get up at 5 a.m. to take part in the Fischmarkt extravaganza...so, not exactly the smartest move on either of our parts...but, now we can say we had a cross-country biking experience in Germany! But, by the end of that ride it felt like we had just biked across Europe!!!!
*That's it for this entry and as I said I hope to write on this weekly, but I don't think I'll be able to stick to a particular day/time...so, my advice to those eager readers, just keep checking back and maybe, just maybe...you'll catch me on a blogging day!!! :) Also, if there is any particular questions/topics that I haven't covered that you would like to know, just post a comment and I will answer them to the best of my ability!!! Tschuss!!!! (chow, goodbye)!!!

1 Week until "Lift-off!"

Hello All,

I have exactly 1 week until I leave on my flight across the ocean. My excitement is building and I wanted to share it with all of you! I hope that I have remembered everything that I need, but I suppose that that is always a traveler's greatest fear ;) I am missing OMC this week, which is a shame...but I suppose one must give up something in order to participate in another. "C'est la vie" I guess! Time seems to have flown by since graduation and now it is difficult to fully realize that I have exactly 7 days left in the states for the next 6 months. (AHHH!) Well, my plans are to spend as much time with my family as possible for the next few days. I will write more when there is something interesting to report.

*Note to readers: I plan on writing on my blog weekly and when I am more firmly settled at my first host family I will be sure to designate a certain day/time that I will be creating these blogs therefore you will know when to keep an eye out for them. LOL, I know that most of you won't be waiting on my little entries with bated breath...but just in case! ;)