Quest Through Austria

10 January 2008

The English translation of Elizabeth's earlier German Class Message

Hallo Americans!

How are you all? I'm loving it here (as you know) and if I could I'd invite you all to join me. But we only have space for 4 people, who's coming? I was in Vienna for a week in November and saw a cabaret called "4 nach 40" (4 after 40) which was soooo funny. I also saw the royal treasure that was very beautiful and I even saw the crypt.
The school here is really something different from Westside. For instance, teachers have pretty much no room and kids aren't allowed into the room where teachers go between classes. They all sit in a room about as big as one of our art rooms (pottery). The teachers are also ALWAYS late to class. Now for the pictures!

First of all my school, called: "Bundes-Gymnasium Ried"

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01892.jpg

The bicycle area

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01890.jpg

My classroom
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01844.jpg

Our blackboard, the two green ones move up down and sideways, it's so cool!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01846.jpg

Each room has these yellow blinds that completely block out
sun, they also have cloth curtains as well though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01895.jpg

The sport area, check out all the soccer nets

What?! Look, no graffiti!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01925.jpg

This hole looks to me like the United states (only a little)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01928.jpg

Another school

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01929.jpg

This is my walk home, some is with snow because I took the pictures at another time.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth /DSC01949.jpg
Ried
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01950.jpg
My house

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01953.jpg
My snowman melted =(.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01956.jpg
Our "kacheloven"(sort of a heater oven, thing) Always has enough wood from Georg's furniture factory.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01959.jpg

Lastly my cute little host cousin.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01762-1.jpg

Yeah a little boring, but, informative ^^

Hope to hear from you all soon, be safe!

05 January 2008

Elizabeth sent this message to the German Class at Westside High School in Omaha, back in November

26 December 2007

Posted for Elizabeth, who is still loving Austria

Hello Friends Family and Teachers!

It's been months hasn't it? I should have sent this email ages ago, but you who have been my teachers should know better than to expect that by now and my friends, I am sorry, but it is finally here.

I want to wish you all a marvelous christmas I really really do, I have found my self endlessly homesick but it will pass with the end of the holiday season. Austria, I have found to be utterly amazing, you can not even believe how wonderful it is to be here. Yes I miss things from America, you guys being a main piece but, it's really great to see the world from a new set of eyes. I have heard about the westroads shooting, it was even on the news here, and I hope none of you or your loved ones were involved. Here things have been going pretty slowly, my german is better everyday, however, my english gets worse. I said "they is" the other day. But it'll come back I hope. I'm not sure what all you guys really want to know about Austria, and since I have lots of empty time on my hands, please send me any questions you have. In the mean time just know that I am doing well. And I'll likely be home in mid July (School doesn't end here till the first week of July) I'll also give you guys some links.

This is a picture of me for those of you who've forgotten what I look like.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01500.jpg

Here is a webcam that shows the main square of the town I live in as well as a full city view.

http://riedweb.at/webcam

The sunset from my backyard.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC02040.jpg

The christmas tree here.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC02186.jpg

And the school I attend.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/DrkSabretooth/DSC01892.jpg

More pictures on request, I hope to hear from you all very soon, stay safe everyone.

21 October 2007

SNOW!!

It's snowing outside my window, SNOWING! I woke up on the train and saw the snow out side and immediately wanted to go make a snow ball, I've seen snow in Tauplitz but I hadn't seen it snow yet, and while this snow is really not good snow and it won't last it's so cool that we finally have snow ^^ I'll try to get pictures to everyone really soon but no promises.

08 October 2007

Two months down, 10 to go.

I promise I haven't forgotten you guys. I have been faithfully thinking of things to add in here nearly everyday, but then forgetting to add them. but to begin let me tell you, I have been having a blast in school. My math teacher has me teach the class math in English sometimes, and it's so much fun, but today I had an even cooler experience, I was in the first class (first class=fifth grade) and their english teacher was gone, so they had a substitute (substitutes aren't very common, often there is just no class, and teachers are ALWAYS late to class, it'S so differen't from home) The substitute was my math teacher so she knew me, and she saw that I was making an origami flapping bird so she decided to have me teach the class how to fold one. That was really probably the most fun I had had so far in school. And many of the kids were even able to finish it. In german it was a challenge for me though.

One more thing till tomorrow, My school has it'S softdrinks and things provided by Rieder beer. So every Monday morning there is a beer truck parked outside fo the school, a sight which I will never cease to find amusing. And which is so different from what would happen in America, because, I know 100 parents would have a cow if there was a beer truck parked in front of Westside.

Well that'S it for now, till tomorrow ^^

06 September 2007

Pigs, Goats and Cats, oh my!

Today we visited a farm owned by the brother in law of a friend of my host parents. Everything here is like that. My host parents seem to know everyone, I told them I liked horse riding, what do you know they have a neice who rides horses. an uncle has a brewery, and another uncle either owns or illustrates for the company that makes the Oups themed stuff. I want for nothing, if they don't do it, they know someone who can. Well back to the farm, it was fairly small, the piece I saw anyway, we drove up and parked, and I saw the cat, cats are everywhere I go it seems, and I seem to be on good terms with them currently, I picked it up and it started purring as soon as my fingers touched it. After that, kitty left my arms only once before I had to put it down to leave. First we met the goats, I don't know what kind they were but they were pretty big, my favorite one though was this monstrously pregnant mother goat, who stood up and balanced on the fence like she weighed nothing at all. We fed them a bit of the old bread we'd brought and then we took a short walk to the pigs hollow, because this extended quite far into the trees, when we first showed up there were no pigs to be seen. At this point I let kitty jump out of my arms to go play chase a mouse in the cornfield with it's friend. we looked around a moment and not seeing any pigs we turned to go. Obviously before going I collected kitty back into my arms because it was a cold walk back and we could keep each other warm. I was the last to start walking and as a result I was the only one who saw the pigs come over, there were 5 or so piglets and two adults. We started throwing chunks of stale bread to them, and it was so funny, they started acting like the fish at Long branch lake. For those of you who missed those years of my childhood, when you threw one pebble of food into these fish they'd all just pile on top of each other in a frenzy to get it. Well when we ran out of bread we headed back, and I let kitty down when we got to the barn. My absolute favorite part came while we were walking to the car, we came to the door in the barn and I caught this goat red handed standing out in the open, loose from his stall, neck deep in the feed bag, when I laughed he gave me a look to say, darn you, you broke my cover! Then wandered back down the aisle. I told Audrey but she said if it was important the farmer would know about it. I just kept quiet, and laughed to myself about the goat I'd found getting an extra helping.

04 September 2007

Getting Settled

I'm sorry for the delay in writing, really I am, but I never have been good at blogging. Well. I've been here almost a month now, shortly after getting here I was whisked away to two weeks of Paradise at the camp where we studied German. I say it was paradise, because the weather stayed nice and we were right by the most perfectly cold lake that you could imagine, I swam in it often and even now I miss it. I have about 300 pictures but, unfortuneately none to put up because they are all stuck on my camera till I can figure out how to move them to the computer, my german is pretty good, but not perfect. Any way while at the camp we took a little field trip to Hallstatt, that was fun, in Hallstatt, there is a mine that has been there for 3000 years or more. and it's still being mined today, but this mine isn't for coal or gold or anything, it's actually a salt mine. Hallstatt literally means place of salt. We that was an adventure, we slid down real miners slides that the miners actually used, of course they don't anymore, and we also learned a little about the man in the salt. he was found 200 years ago or so. Preserved in the salt, the brought him out and buried him and now no one knows where he is, but they figure that he was in the salt for a few thousand years. Another interesting site in Hallstatt is the Bonehouse. It's a building and thre walls on the inside are lined with the long bones (leg mostly) of people and then on top are skulls, and on the skulls are paintings some of which are quite beautiful. The skull had leaves on it if it was male and flowers if it was female. The bonehouse was really an important part of Hallstatt, because the graveyard is really small and the graves were family graves so, someone would die they'd bury him and about 10 years later they'd dig him up and put his bones in the bonehouse. Then the grave is free for someone else. One more cool bit of trivia about Hallstatt, because of the way it's situated in the mountains, in winter it gets no sunlight at all, crazy huh? In Hallstatt I bought a pin to put on the hat that my brother gave me, and then when I went to put in on the hat.. I discovered my hat was gone! I was frantic, because the hat meant alot to me, and we finally deduced that I left it at the volleyball courts by the lake an entire DAY before. Thinking in American terms (sorry) I was sure that it would have been taken. On arriving I was reminded that Austria is not America, and found my hat exactly where I left it hanging on a post. Did I mention it was raining, my hat was SOAKED. I brought it home and let it dry off and promised the teachers it would stay in my room till we went home. Next we got the pleasure of attending the opening of a science center at a local school, this center has been in quite a few other places already but it was still an honor for us, because the First Lady of Austria was there. When the two weeks were over, we all said our sad goodbyes and prepared to come home. Remember my hat? it had another adventure on that last day, not quite as serious as the last one. Long story short, I left it in the dining room, and after a mixup where the lunch lady had thought I was looking for the little brown dog that was invading her kitchen, she showed me my hat sitting on a table right under my nose. Obviously that hat will be sitting safely on a shelf for the rest of my trip, it's had plenty of adventures already. right after I got back to my host families house it seemed like I was leaving again, my host sister Lilly, was here and she decided to go backpacking around thailand so we had to take her to the airport in Munich, since my host father had a meeting there the next day we just decided to stay the night. they took me to the olympic park, and I got to go up in the olympic tower (spire?) then they showed me the englisher gardens, and it dawned on me, this is all stuff I've learned about in German class. The next day Audrey and I explored the town while Georg went to his meeting. We went to the Marienplatz (another one from german calls) and saw the end of the Glockenspiel. I also saw the Frauenkirche that was beautiful. and then Audrey set me loose to go shopping, I really loved looking around but only bought a few english books (didn't know when I'd see them again) and some earrings. Hopefully I'll get a chance to go back again soon. Since I got back from Camp the weather has been pretty nasty, it HAILED today, I couldn't believe my eyes at first, but that's what it was. Then I walked down to town with Jonathan when he and his host mom came to visit, and when we were walking back I'm sure it began to snow just for a second, Jonathan doesn't think so though, he has no imagination. Jonathan by the way is another exchange student who lives near Ried but in another town called Haag. In all there are actually 5 exchange students in and around Ried two oldies and 3 newbies, the oldies are from January and us newbies are like I said, about a month old. The oldies are Flor and Pablo, Flor I met briefly before she ran off to meet her parents (the real ones) in Paris, and Pablo I haven't met yet because he is in Germany. We are the newbies, Jonathan, Valentin, and me. Valentin is from Argentina, and so far he has managed to completely avoid meeting up with Jonathan and I, we saw each other at camp, but, he's too busy right now to see us in Ried. He's a perfectly nice guy though and I look forward to spending my year with him. In Ried right now is a festival, it's actually quite big, not as big as the Missouri State fair, but Rivalling the Nebraska State fair. and it's basically the same as fairs back home except, more dirndels and lederhosen, less free stuff, and topless mermaids on childrens rides. Oh and more beer, ALOT more beer, I myself have stayed away from it (Almduddler is a good substitute) but, there is alot around anyway. At the fair I couldn't resist, I bought a donut Prezel, it was really good, oh the prezels here are the best so soft and huge and delicious. My host mother buys them frozen at Hofer (it's an Austrian store that's owned by Aldi, the signs are even the same) and we even had them with breakfast! I've promised my host family that I will cook for them soon, I think American pancakes is a good start with scrambled eggs, but I don't know if I can find syrup, they have plenty of good jam though so we can figure something out. I haven't been able to make contact with my Rotary club here yet unfortunately, I was supposed to go tonight but it seems some key members wanted to go to the festival instead so it's put off for two more weeks. Next monday school starts! I'm both looking forward to it and also kinda nervous. I don't know what to expect, but I'll do my best. I'll try to make my updating more regular than it has been. Bis später, tschüs!

08 August 2007

I made it

Grüß Dich.

I am now in Austria, I am finally on a computer for the first time here, the keyboard is different from what I'm used to so I will do my best to type legibly. My host family is quite wonderful, they have welcomed me with open arms, I am accomodating very well to life here so far. The trip here was... aggravating. My flight to Detroit was delayed, I barely made it to the flight to Amsterdam by running, and then they switched my flight to Munich which actually Iäm glad about, because I got to see a bit of the airport (mmm, Swarovski Crystal) it was also interesting, while looking around a "Last Stop" shopping center, to see a keychain with a marijuana leaf and the word "Amsterdam" on it. I did try to take pictures but I'm afraid I think they didn't take well.. While travelling, itäs important to remember that it's not the lady behind the counters fault that your flight is delayed... even if you did just watch a plane going to the same place you are going, leave without you. Also remember even if you are delayed they will help you get to where you are going, even if perhaps, that is a bit later than you wanted to be there. Luckily for me I managed to make the last flight to amsterdam and did not have to sleep in the airport, though I wish I had had more time to explore there. However at any rate I am here. I didn't get to see much of Austrian landscape coming home they have privacy walls along the highways here as well, though these were all wood that I saw. But the town is moderately sized and very cool, the buildings are mostly connected but they are all different colors and bright at that, it's quite pretty though. I have not had the chance yet to really look around the city but I plan to as soon as I can. When I do I will take pictures for you all. The weather has been mil even chilly, a much welcomed break from the high temperatures at home. it even rained today for a bit. Mm, at coffeetime I had tiramasu, something I can get at home but wanted to see what it might be like here and then for dinner I had a gyro, again something I could have had at home but I was curious, next time I get the chance I plan to have schnitzel, which my mouth is already watering for. So far I have had a wonderful time and even with the horrible tme getting here, I'd do it all again, and I definitly know why they limit us to staying only 364 days. I already want to come back once I leave. Here it is now bedtime, and I think that it is a good idea for me to get some sleep, I am still a bit tired from not sleeping Monday night.

04 August 2007

Farewell to Omaha

I fly to Germany via Detroit and Amsterdam on August 6th. When I land in Munich, Germany, my host family will meet me at the airport and I will travel home with them. My family lives in a city called Ried im Innkreis, and they appear to be very kind from what I have experienced so far. Along with my host mother and father, there is a son and a daughter. The daughter, Lilly, is attending school in Vienna so I will only see her a few weekends out of the year. The son, Stefan, is my age and he will be on exchange in Idaho while I am in Austria. This makes me an only child.

This exchange has already been a learning experience, while I figure out how to do paperwork and figure out forms. I have had the pleasure of meeting Omaha's chief of police, as he had to sign a form stating that I am a good citizen.

I have also attended three meetings of my sponsoring Rotary club. I am being sponsored by Rotary district 5650 and I am very thankful to them for sponsoring me.

The picture above of the sunset, was taken August 1 at a lake near Omaha. The sunset was positively gorgeous that night and I took it as the sun saying goodbye to me.

PLease keep checking back for more updates on my quest through Austria. (Not Australia...)