Exchange student in Langenlois Austria
Everett Piper's message to the club as of September 10, 2008: ( more pictures in his photo journal - see right)
They're going great, i really don't think that i could be happier!
My host family is really nice, they have told me that they're going to do lots with me.
In school I really don't understand whats goin on but there's a guy who sits beside me and he's my friend.
I feel like my class has really accepted me in and everyone is really nice to me.
Umm... german is coming is coming along, especially now it's at a point that I can have some pretty basic conversations with other people as long as they speak slowly with, but i'm practicing a lot.
I'd say the only thing right now that isn't good is I broke my collarbone on saturday!! it's not too bad though,
it just means that I can't play with my soccer team, and volleyball team anymore (and gym and guitar), but i'm going to start painting instead (a little worried about that!) I really like all of the other inbound exchange students here and we all got along really well. I'm excited for upcoming events! So, that's a little summary of how i've been. I also had two weeks of language camp but I think i learned slower there then i have here back in my town with my host family. But, I have no complaints, and i'm really just having a good time.
(Aug 26 08) Three weeks ago, yesterday, I arrived in the vienna airport, immediately Iknew my family would be very welcoming, as they held a 'welcome to austria' sign. they seemed very sympathetic for my 14hr travel and offered me food, shower, and then a bed. The next morning I woke early (due to jetlag) and explored the house a little, meals are different here, we eat a small breakfast of bread, jam, meat, cheese, and either coffe or tea. lunch is the main meal of the day, it is always a hot meal, and very filling. Supper is once again bread with meat and cheese. It's different but it hasn't taken me long to enjoy it. Language camp was extremely fun. I got to meet all 50 new inbound students, and found that it was immensly easy to 'click' with them.
We were all in it together and we all got along. For two weeks, we woke up at 7 had a little breakfast, and went to class till 3. At this point, everyone was tired of sitting in the school and we explored the city, and swam in the lake. Very relaxing! We spent one day and a few afternoons on organized trips, the most exciting being the day trip. We went to Halstadt, a small mining community, but also possibly the most scenic town in all of austria. It was serene. a community that was built on the mountain side, right next to a lake. We toured the salt mine, and spent the afternoon in the town. There was too much to do there for one day, and it felt as though i hadn't spent enough time in the town before I had to leave. Back in my town, of Langenlois, i was given a tour of the vineyards, my family showed me a secluded fishing hole and i was introduced to the town soccer team. It didn't take long for me to realize that after a summer of not playing soccer i was really out of shape. I struggled through the training session, and by the end i was sweating beads, exhausted, and sore everywhere; however, the team invited me back for the next day, so it was worth it. They told me that there was room for me to not only train with the team but also to play, so i am very excited. My language is still a barrier for me, however, the team seams to have opened up for me and have invited me out for the weekend.