Some things change, some things stay the same

(Actual date 05.März.06)

• Reading: Marian Keyes: The Other Side of the Story


• Listening to: Margaret Cho: Notorious C.H.O.: Big Gulp


• German Word of the Day: der Schnee


• Translation: Snow


• Example: Heute hat es heftig geschneit./It snowed a lot today.
  

The Austrians keep insisting that it normally doesn’t snow this much here, even through 65% of their country is covered by the Alps. I try to explain to them that I don’t care, as

1) I don’t have to drive in it and
2) They use pebbles instead of salt to melt it, meaning no salt rings on my pants.

There are a myriad of things I could be doing, including figuring out my budget (so much better than what it was at home!), finally finishing the Germany survey issue of The Economist, looking up Uni things online, writing in my journal, napping…In fact, napping has become my forte, seeing as how I don’t have to work this year. Since when have I been able to nap without feeling guilty?

Things I like about Austria include
-Recycling! Separated recycling! People yell at you on the street if you do it wrong, and it’s great!
-Public transport literally at my doorstep…well, 100m away from my doorstep.
-The great girls in my apartment, who are hilarious and help me with everything. They thought I was German! Yay! Apparently they weren’t listening clearly, but I’ll take it where I can get it.
-Cheap, fresh veggies and fruit at the daily farmer’s market.
-No TV in my room or in the living room.
-Proximity to Italy and the rest of Europe

Things I don’t like about being abroad in general
-Being in the south. The people are nice, but somehow I miss the rich, snobby north with the fantastic accent and three hour train ride to Berlin.
-The bureaucracy of everything.
-University administration only being open until 12pm.
-Lack of proximity to Matt.

When abroad one doesn’t only think in another language. I have to think in metric, six hours ahead, and in Euro too.