Austria in Spring - News from Exchange Student

Posted by Marilyn Mucha 
 
I've been keeping incredibly busy.  I am studying now, I've got 5 classes that i'm getting grades in now (German, History, Math, Gym and English), so i've always got something to keep myself busy with.  The language is coming, it's good enough that I can follow in my classes (some better then others!), and take notes and whatnot.  I know my grades won't be anywhere near at par with what they were like in Canada, but what should i expect?  I wrote a mathematics test today and so I'll see how I did on that.  I'm really interested to see if i was able to keep up with the class while learning words like Schnittwinkle! I still find it difficult to understand while taking notes, and there's always times when i've got to pull out the dictionary and look up a word or two during lectures which slows me down quite a bit.
 
As far as host families go, i've been given a lot of trust, and freedom with my current familie, but i'm packing today, so i'll see how it goes with my next family.  While staying with this host family i've been able to travel alot through Austria, and it's really been, simply put, amazing.  Nearly every weekend i've been travelling to new cities, or towns; just visiting other exchange students and picking up as much as i can on the way about culture and the landscape in Austria.  I've continued attending my rotary club's meetings, and getting to know my club a little better.  I've been to all of the places that are known for anything in Austria (i think), including Salzburg, Graz, Vienna, Bregenz (where you can walk into Germany or Switzerland from), Innsbruck, and many many more.  My host club here is quite a bit different then the Mayfield, or any clubs that i know of in Canada.  As of now, I still only volunteered for one event (because there's only been one), and all we did was sold a little punsch on the street, and our main customers were other passing Rotarians.  I think in total we made around 50 euro, and other then that, all of the money that we donate to various organizations and groups comes straight from the pockets of the rotarians.  In my club it is also impossible to be a member if your a female, and females are only allowed to attend meetings that they're invited to by the club president.  Although things may be changing, sometime in the near future we'll be having a vote to decide whether or not females SHOULD be allowed.  For the past several weeks this has been the ongoing arguement.  My host mom is a strong feminist, and so after the rotary meetings, she always asks me what happend, and we have our own conversation about it.  I've found it quite easy to make friends here, especially now that i am able to converse with people.  I also remembered my first dream in German not that long ago!! i was very excited.  As far as Rotary events go, I just got back from our SkiWeek a near the middle of march.  That was incredible!! I couldn't believe the snow conditions that we got, the good weather, or the scenery.  It was really just amazing.  We were in the ski resort called Schladming, and it consisted of 5 connected mountains! plus if hopped on a car, or had cross country ski's there were another three available ski hills.  As we were only there for 5 days of skiing i was only able to take advantage of three of the mountains.  We had an instructor in the morning, and then free ski time in the afternoon.   I've never been to a resort of that size so i was overtaken with how big it was, and how long i go without skiing on the same run twice.  My next host family is the Familie Holl, und my host dad teaches singing in vienna, and is an Opera teacher, i don't know the rest of the family very well, but one of their two sons goes to school with me in the grade above.  Tommorow is also the start of our weeklong easter break!! From what i've heard, they don't do anything strange or exciting, it's the same as ours, as far as i know, but i'm still excited to experience with a new family.  I've got a lot to look forward too though.  Easter break, i'm hoping to travel once more to graz, and leoben, and probably stop in at vienna again, as it's so close to where i live (i can easily go after school for a few hours then come home in time for supper!).  I might even stop in at italy if my rotary club will allow it, because my soccer academy is there for a few weeks and i'd like to look them up.  A week after Easter break, my older brother Sterling is arriving in Austria, which i'm also extremely excited for.  He'll be travelling with me for around a week, then i have my Eurotour!!  I can't wait to get onto the buses and start seeing Europe!  I'm one of the only exchange students who haven't been out of the country yet.  One thing that i've feel i could be doing is playing soccer, after winter, i really just didn't pick it up again.  I'd like to continue playing but i just don't have the time anymore.  But, i've got an extremely action packed time till my departure on the 30th of July back to Canada, so i know i won't be able to linger on it very long.  Ah... Faschings was also really cool, it's like the austrian Mardi Gras, and so i dressed up, once again in my Lederhosen, and everyone had facepaint on and we all watched a long float parade, after which there was a concert in town, and several stands set up selling food, and beverages!  Anyhow, everything here is good, and i'm still enjoying my time, i've attached a few photos, not of faschings beacause, unfortunately i didn't get any, but i hope that you enjoy them!
 
Everett
 
ps please excuse all the bad writing and spelling, i can't form very proper english sentences anymore, and i'm having a problem with my vocab and spelling