Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Haus Mutter und Vater

"House Mother and Father"

If I haven't explained very well before, I live in the home a couple who is in their sixties who have grandchildren that frequently come, one of them everyday. They are the Greschitz's. While they live in the downstairs, I live in the fully furnished upstairs where there is very nice sized kitchen, living room, bedroom, and balcony-luxuries like a tv, couch, and maybe kingsized bed included! Upon arrival I had everything I needed to cook, clean, sleep-besides food and internet, of course. It's been great! They truly are kind but I always get nervous when I walk around upstairs because the floors creek and they are just right down below-no doors really separating the floors. They pretty much always know when I come and go but I don't mind it so much.

Inge, the wife, is extremely accommodating. She's helpful in every which way. Yesterday she showed me all around the garden and told me I could pick any of the fruit and herbs anytime I'd like. When I arrived here she'd already put a jar of raspberry jam on my kitchen table along with marzipan chocolate and coffee. And if that doesn't show you enough....

Today Inge really made me feel at home...Although it wasn't particularly eventful during most of the day, it turned out very well. For the first half of the it I walked to the center of town, bought some postcards, drank a grosser Brauner (austrian espresso), and then went grocery shopping. Oh how Grocery shopping can be so painful-mainly because you have to walk it back home. My motto here is often based on the label as well-would rather buy a product that's bland or a label that has cow's, mountains, and austrian flags on it? Simply choice, really.

In any event, I'd been back home for a while trying to eat up time before I could start to make some form of a meal this evening. Later as I was finishing my dinner of a boiled potato, red cabbage, and tomatoes (odd, i know. and i don't have any spices yet either) I got a call on the Greschitz's phone from my the teacher friend, Bruni Morak, who welcomed me into her home the first day. So Inge called me down and Bruni invited me to an art showing in town center. This already made me feel better because I then had a full evening!

The best part came when I hung up the phone and returned it to Inge....I turned to her and she asked as she pulled open the oven "moechstest du eine Stueck Apfelstrudel?" Well, proud to say I've been quite watchful about what I've been eating her, but really? Is it even possible to resist Apfel Kuchen straight out of the oven and steaming of hot golden apple sweetness? Mind you, the apples came straight from the garten too. I accepted and still have a piece for tomorrow. I might have to watch out though, this could turn out to be another version of Hansel and Gretl.

Herr Greschitz is just the cutest. He's completely white haired, pink cheeked, round faced, and so jovial! I think he might consider me one of their grandchildren already. Tonight he was extra charming as he opened the door for me when I got home from the art show with Bruni. He wearing just his tiny boxers as we were making full conversation. I just thought to myself, as I was explaining to him how great the Apfel Strudel was since he hadn't had any yet, that this isn't uncomfortable or abnormal at all, right?

okay, liebe Gruesse.


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Monday, September 20, 2010

There Are No Kangaroos in Austria

Servus!

Hiiii I just got Internet today! I'm actually using an Internet stick so we'll see how long this works out for. Feldkirchen is quite charming. It's quite small but I think I'll enjoy living here and having the opportunity to socialize with all ages (unfortunately less of my own age since most students go back to Uni in Vienna, Graz, oder Salzburg, etc). With that said, I'm really looking forward to my conference I will be having in Hinterglemm this upcoming weekend so I can meet other students in the Kaernten area. I'll also be making plenty of trips to nearby Villach and Klagenfurt to be with the assistants there as well!

Although I've really just been here a couple days, I can already say I have already dived into the culture! The head english teacher picked me up from the Klagenfurt airport and took me straight away to her home in Feldkirchen to eat Gulasch Suppe and Apfel Strudl....yum! I must say though...their dialect is so difficult to understand! haha I'll just have to get used to it.

The day after the same family invited me over again for Mittagessen, the main meal of the day, we had Risotto. Then they asked if I would like to go mushroom picking (schwarmmel?...i forget the spelling) with their son and his girlfriend or go with them to their friends house where he has his art gallery. I chose the latter, mainly because it was harder to understand the 21year olds. Since they don’t speak much of high german around me, I was being quiet enough. The art was great though! The man's home is situated higher up on one of the tall hills in the area...the art consisted of sculpture and oil painting which was very color, religious, and expressive. They also offered coffee, wine, beer, and Himbeer Kuchen (raspberry torte/cake)! It was pretty neat. I loved that you could also smell the cows that were surrounded their home. They had a huge St. Bernard as well.

Today I did all of the necessary duties of a new Auslaender...new bank account, registering with the city, etc. I have this really cool Austrian Ausweis, identification, now!! I feel so European ;) After all of the going back and forth today, I took a break and went home to where I live with the Greschitz couple. I live right above them in their home. Die Frau, Inge, lets me pick her grapes, raspberries, and apples!! I'm in heaven haha. Seriously though, the grapes taste like no grape I’ve ever had before...you know that rich taste you have from drinking grape juice? It’s actually exists…who would’ve thought! Austria in particular is known to be one of the most organic countries in the world. My old professor said they often rank #1. After that I went wandern-hiking trying to try and explore. There's a path behind the school I tried to discover. I may have found it.

Otherwise, the weather has been great since the day of my arrival! It gets really chilly at night as the day turns out to be gorgeous….at least for this week. It already feels like Texas winter her in Austria!