Reflections on my semester in Vienna

While I was in Vienna, I learned how to live on my own in a city. I'm from a small town in Massachusetts and living in a large city in a foreign country taught me how to take care of myself and others around me. Learning how to travel was a great experience, especially in Europe. I found it quite easy to travel by train or plane. I'm used to driving every where in the States, but being on my own, finding the airport and getting there on time taught me how to managed my time wisely. I was studying here, so I had homework. I started out procrastinating, waiting until the last minute to do my work, but I realized that this was dumb. While I was in doing work, my friends were out enjoying the weather and the sites.

I enjoyed traveling. I know what it takes to plan long trips and I know how to pack light and be prepared. (zip ties came in handy). I very much enjoyed traveling to all the places I went to because I know this is a once in a lifetime experience. Even when I felt under the weather, or I didn't feel like going out, I mustered up the energy to get up and get out and 99% of the time it was the right call. I enjoyed Europe and all the culture it had to offer. I understand the world a little bit better now from being abroad for a semester.

Australia

When I was riding the Euro-Rail from SulzBurg to Innsbrok, I met an Australian Girl who graduated from high school, worked full time for a year, then decided she wanted to travel through Europe for awhile. She had a very Interesting Personality. I thought I was laid back with now worres and she had totally showed me up. I asked her questions such as "Is it weird being alone?, Do you plan trips and where you are going next?, What made you want to travel?" her answers were surpricing. "I like being alone, helps me think., I don't plan trips, if I feel like going some where, I get up and go., I came out her to get away from the country, why not start in Europe." She made some good points and I liked her free spirit. During the train ride we talked about Australian and American slang. I taugh her the words wicked, stoked, and word. She taught me rooting (not the type of rooting you do at a football game, but in bed with a partner. haha). It was a plesant 3 hour ride until I had to depart. We said our goodbyes and headed our seperate directions.

P.S. The photo has nothing to do with my blog, I just like the fact that I took the bull by the horns.

A Week Long Trip

I did not have a favorite part of our week long trip, instead, I liked all of it. We started out in Sulzberg where we checked out the slat mines and we under took the Sound of Music tour. the mines were awesome, I realized that the first time I had ever been to Germany was 300 meters below the earth in a mine shaft. It was a pretty cool feeling. The Sound of Music tour was sick because it gave us a chance to get out of the city and see the surrounding country side. The country was absolutely beautiful. After two nights in Sulzberg, we took a train to Innsbrok. There, we met up with the spring break FPU group, we had a good night. The next day I left early to see Munich. There, Ryan John and I walked the streets and viewed some of the monuments around town. we also hit up the old town center. When the rest of the group arrived, we took a train to see the castles in the country side. I forgot the names of the castles, but they were high up in the mountains of Germany and they were breath-taking. That night we went to the haufberg house and each of us bought a few litters of beer. Dark German beer is very smooth and very alcoholic, we also meet up with the FPU group again, and needless to say, we all had a very good time . . .I think. One the last day we toured a Germany film studio and we visited Dachau concentration camp. The studio was fun and interesting, they filmed The Never Ending Story there. The concentration camp was moving. Sure, I make a Jewish joke here and there, but to actually see the crematorium and the barracks, is an extremely touching thing for anyone to witness. After the trip, we all returned to Vienna, happy to be home from an exciting week of travel.

Rome

I spent last weekend in Rome. It was such a blast, my favorite part was Palatine Hill and the Forum. All of the ruins and monuments surrounding me, my jaw was dropped the whole time. Brooke, Natalie, Alison and I checked out the Colosseum after wards and it was amazing. It was much larger than I had imagined.
The first night we were there, we took part in a pub crawl (enough said). It was nice to plan a trip with some friends instead of having a tour guide and a class and schedule to follow. All four of use took our sweet time walking from site to site and checking out the town as we wandered. When I travel with a class to a museum or a site, all I hear is the professor lecture and all I see is the site. It was nice to be able to actually see the city and not just the historic sites. Seeing the city and exploring at my own pace was a great time. This trip went so well, I plan on making many more trips around Europe before the semester ends.

I hate Chip . . .

Hyco

I came here with hope,
to learn and see and hear it
not to sit and mope



The first week has been quite interesting. We are all learning what everyone is all about, and already my expectations of some have been completely opposite. I spent the first few days sick in bed, but I woke up yesterday feeling much better. I'm ready to go out and take some photos and send them to my family and friends. We took a trip to a museum (Yeah, I don't remember the name.) when we left, we were told to find out way back on our own and we had about 4 hours to kill. I wandered away from the group as quickly as possible so I could roam the streets alone, and not look like a tourist in a large group of 15 people. I got lost for 2 hours. You may be laughing, so was I. I loved it, I loved not knowing where I was or where I was heading. I come from the woods, so being lost in the city was extremely weird, but safe (I felt). You see, getting lost in the woods means I have to depend on a map and compass and survival skills. being lost in the city, I could talk to anyone and walk anywhere and eventually find my way back. I enjoyed every minute of it.

classes are going well, however since they are all in a class room down the hall, and we are all much closer to the professor than at FPU, I don't really look at them as classes. Homework isn't that bad, yet. I have a good amount, but not enough to keep me in my room all day, which is a very nice change of pace from last semester.

10 Words about Me!

Optimistic; I felt was the most important word to describe me because I'm pretty good at finding the very best in the very worst of situations. My first thought about any situation is almost always a good one.

Lighthearted; I don't really take anything with great assault. If some one starts making fun of my, I usually let it go. My emotions tend to stay at an equilibrium. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I never take anything in a bad way.

Imaginative; Your guys are going to see this a lot in Vienna. If I'm ever spacing out, or quite for a long period of time, I'm imagining something cool or amazing.

Student; Because I'm an archaeology major, I know I'm going to be a student for a much longer period of time, then say, some one with a business degree.

Outgoing; I will talk to anyone. I'll say hi to a complete stranger just passing them by, or I'll speak up to break the awkwardness of riding an elevator with strangers.

Adventurous; Some how, I always find myself having sweet adventures, even when I do a simple thing like getting milk from the store. I always know how to have a good time.

Creative; My second major is creative writing. I feel I'm pretty creative when it comes to brain storming ideas.

History Buff; I'm a big fan of history. I absolutely love learning about any and all types. I truly believe that if we do not learn from our past, we are doomed to repeat it.

Friendly; I find this a good and bad characteristic to have. I can be as friendly to my friends as I can be with people I'm not too fond of. I have a friendly personality. it takes a lot for me to actually be blatantly mean to some one.

Athletic; I put athletic last because I've dipped into almost every sport including golf, football, tennis, soccer, rugby, deck hockey, dance and volley ball. I like to play any and all sports. sure, I don't like some sports, but I'll play anything to stay in shape; which is why I put athletic last, I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy out of shape.

Communication Activity

For this assignment I chose to interview my Mother, Cindy. I chose her because she is honest, and lets face it, Mothers know best. The second person I chose was Alison McNeany because we both took part in an archaeological dig last summer, in doing this we lived together for three weeks. So, I figured she would know fairly well . . . and she was the only person around when I was looking for a person to interview. :P

for my strengths, both parties agreed that I adapt well to my surroundings; I can change the way I communicate depending on the situation . If I'm interested in the situation and content being discussed, then I am more involved and more open-minded. Alison informed me that I am able to see other people's point of views.

As for my negatives, when things do not seem interesting to me, as Cindy put it, I don't get too involved in the conversation. Adaptability wise, Mother also argues that if I'm on my own I do not try to live up to my potential ability. From both I also have heard that I am very good at not responding to people or keeping quite when subject matter is not interesting or someone is getting on my nerves. ex

The things that I have learned about myself are my weaknesses with adaptability and involvement. I never realized until now that I tend to not care or listen when the subject is not interesting, and when adaptability is not required of me I do not tend to show it.

The things I plan on doing to improve my communication skills is to simply be more open minded to suggestions and to learn what I can about general communications and apply those as much as possible.

Blog Homework, Read 3 blogs.

The Green Appletini Tablescape

http://tablescaping.blogspot.com/

I didn't know what Tablescaping was and when I checked out the blog it was not what I explected. Instead of finding a blog about traveling I found one about setting and awesome table. Check it out if you have a chance, there's not much else to say about it.


It's dark, Oh so dark. . .

http://trippingonwords.blogspot.com/

The young lady who wrote this blog gave me an American view of England. She writes that its dark, ha, thats it. I guess she just can't get accustomed to the dark weather of England.

Skye High

http://wanderingscribe.blogspot.com/

The thing that caught my eye in this blog is Skye's landing strip doubles as a goergous beach. I've always wanted to travel to an island as isolated as this one. Who knows, maybe I'll get the chance.

My Overall Hopes for the Vienna Experience

My hopes for my over seas experience is to have a better understanding of foreign countries and cultures. I've grown up in New England all of my life, I'm accustomed to our customs and traditions and now I'm ready to check out the rest of the world. Exploring is a passion for me, I love when small trips turn into adventurous excursions; so much is learned by the things we did not plan for. The first thing I plan on doing is throwing my luggage in my room, then spend a few hours wandering the streets around the dorm.

My hopes for the FP staff is that they will not only teach us some cool things in class, but also allow us to learn through out of class experiences. I understand we are still attending class and completing class and homework, but I hope that the work does not consume all of our time during the week. I hope the FP staff will learn as much from me as I will from them.

Each FP student has his/her own reasons for attending the trip, some want to study in a foreign country, others want to travel and a few just need a break from Pierce; But my hopes are that we can all come together as a group and have one spectacular time during these next four months. When we return from Europe, I hope we will become a closer group of friends than before.

I am nervious about travelling alone. America can be a dificult place to travel in sometimes, let alone being in a countinent without english. I'm sure I will be able to figure it out, Just a little nervious about it. Other than that, I'm ready to take on whatever Europe throws at me.