America is my Country, Vienna is my Home!

Well I have been in Austria for two weeks! The first week, I was with my family staying in Bad Gastein. It was the best family vacation ever...relaxing with lots of exploring. We hiked to ice caves, explored a fortress, toured Salzburg, walked through a salt mine, visited Hilter's pad and ate dinner at a castle. The food experience was amazing with lots of yogurt, chocolate, pastries, and schnitzel.....I love the food!


After the family left, I stayed with my director and his family in Vienna. I was able to help the professor get ready for the students to arrive and have a little time to relax. It was amazing how much I remember Vienna from last time and there was a strange feeling of coming home!

On Thursday, the students arrived and from there it has been quite the whirlwind! I am living with one roommate, Brittany, so the lady we live with loves saying "Brittany" and having us both answer. Christine is our host frau who lives alone but she has two daughters and 4 grandchildren. We live on the fifth floor in an apartment in the fifth district, which is right in the city. Brittany and I share a room that is pretty small (long and narrow) but the beds are quite nice. The first night at our new place I slept the whole night through. But Sunday morning I had a rude awakening when I tried to take a shower.....it was either FREEZING cold or BURNING hot! Plus I have to hold the shower head over me...so my arm gets way tired holding it. At that moment, I was ready to fly home and get back to my American showers.....perfect temperature water and shower head in one place.

Then went to the International Ward for church....they have me play the piano in Relief Society which makes me realize I need to practice!

After church, I came home and had Sunday dinner with my host family. Christine's daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren there too. The grandchildren were hilarious...Felix is 7, Piere is 4, Anna is 3, and Bertha is 1. Unfortunately, the kids' German was way too good for me to be able to understand and converse but they were so cute running around and yelling German words. So during dinner everyone spoke German with a little English to help Brittany and me.

Today, I started school (no Labor Day holiday). German was my first class and I am in the "advance" German class so it will be an interesting experience to see if I can keep up. I think I understand quite a bit (compared to last time) but I have lost all ability to speak German! It has been fun seeing some of my favorite things and operas start tomorrow!