A Thousand Words

Here I am, in my new home base for the next 8 months: Internat im Ried.

What HAS been going on?

For the past few days I have been completing a mandatory orientation in Saalbach, a ski-town nearly two hours south of Salzburg. It was extremely enlightening (something I really appreciated as I don't really know HOW to teach). The days were full of seminars on how to survive in an Austrian school and the nights were full of riffraffery of the liquid sort. Even the professors joined in, late in the evening.

On Wednesday, after a morning of seminars, everyone who wanted trecked up one of the many nearby mountains. It was beautiful weather. The flirtatious sun choose to shine down and enlighten our trek so that we all became a bit sweaty from the climb. Sweat is a curse on a mountain hike, I've discovered. Once we reached the summit, the sweat dried slowly, leaving me with salty chills and I was really grateful that I had brought along a dry sweatshirt. Blisters, sweat, multiple muscle pain further along in time - it was all worth it. It was an ACCOMPLISHMENT. At the top, I could see far and wide. Austria looks contrived, fake, fantasy - anything but what you would expect of reality. It is, frankly, TOO beautiful. Pictures:

Once Upon an Austria

Thursday, everyone created and deployed a mock lesson in front of their respective groups. We were divided into groups according to our teaching province in Austria. As such, I was with other Oberösterreich-ers (Upper Austria TAs). Again, it was all helpful; I snagged a few ideas and criticism to boost me through the classrooms here. Gosh, I really don't know how to feel about teaching. Ho-hum. Last night in town and everyone went out to the bar. All 80-some foreigners were out - I swear! One night, I didn't feel like going out and I was pleasantly surprised to find a group of girls playing cards and enjoying a selection of the local beer. It's fun because even the people who don't go out don't hole-up in their rooms. Anyway, the whole experience was a pleasant mixture of learning and fun. Good times!

After all that, I managed to make my way by train, bus, and car to my assigned town. Because all the kids go home for the weekend, the staff are gone and that leaves me currently without internet in my room. But I think a student stayed behind because I smell illegal cigarette smoke wafting down the hall and hear really loud music. My shower and bathroom are in the lobby and the kitchen is in the hallway. Cup-o-soup, here I come!

For me, this is really brief because so much has happened. All week long, I have been writing little anecdotes inside my head that I wished you all could read and enjoy. It's a very different kind of place here - loads different from anything else that I have experienced. But I am, as seems the usual norm these days, tired and drained. Maybe after a few days, when I've settled in and no longer have to use these foreign keys, I will write them out. :)

Until then, please look at the pictures and imagine your own stories!