Hallstatt, Upper Austria

Hallstatt, Upper Austria

Sunday 25 September 2016

I Don't Know Everything? (2 Parts)




Hi! :)  This week is a double entry. To make up for the missed one last week. I was away on a hiking adventure, and surprisingly the mountains aren't great for WiFi service. 
                                                                                   
So far numerous lessons have been taught to me here in Austria. After all, isn't the whole point of exchange to learn new things? And not all of these lessons have been taught in school, of course. (Although some of them have happened in the classroom.)


I'm talking about life lessons. The kind of that regardless if you have the best teacher or the best textbook you aren't going to learn until you have done it yourself. 

Whoa. Hold up. Before I delve any deeper into a discussion about the kinds of life lessons one experiences in Austria, or anywhere abroad for that matter, I want to give you some background on my frame of mind before I left Canada.

Sixteen. Practically an adult. I have learned about the world from media, I am going out by myself with my friends, I have my own opinions, dreams, motivations. All of these things when put together made me feel pretty grown up. Yeah, okay, I wasn't technically an adult. But by this criteria, I thought I knew a lot about how life worked. I'd cracked the code.

This frame of mind stayed with me for approximately five minutes after touch down in Austria. Sure, it's natural to feel lost when you're in a new country but it occurred to me very quickly, too quickly almost, that I knew if not nothing, very little about the way life works.

Suddenly, I was reliant on two strangers (wonderful strangers whom welcomed me into their home with open arms and I have since become not-strangers) for everything. I didn't know how to get around. I didn't know that there could be so many people in one place. How to dress, how to walk, how to eat, how to talk. Nothing. 

For some people this may be alarming. Actually, if this isn't alarming to you at all please share your secrets so that the exchange students of the world may employ them. After a quick assessment of my -foreign- surroundings and my frame of mind I thought:

"Would it help?"

That is, getting freaked out. Naturally, the answer was no. So began finding solutions to what I was faced with. Thinking more realistically about what was happening. 
It wasn't that I didn't know anything about life. It's just that I didn't know anything about life in Austria. That was quite a relief to me, knowing that my past sixteen years of figuring stuff out weren't in vain. Soon I saw the solution to the problem that was plaguing me: 

Don't know something? Ask questions. 

And so I did, and so I have been doing since I got here. Asking tons and tons of questions. Worried sometimes that I was asking too many. And to my surprise my questions have almost always been given an answer, and I have never been told that my questions were stupid or that I should already know the answer. 

People genuinely want to share with me their own stories, culture, experiences of Austria. And if you ask, even what you think are small questions, you may spark a much more meaningful answer. This is one example I can think of off the top of my head:

My host dad and I had went on a hike up towards the vineyards around the Vienna. With us, a small picnic basket and a few song sheets. He was planning on teaching me the lyrics to some German songs when we stopped for lunch. When we finally did stop, it was under a chestnut tree and I could see the entire skyline of Vienna. I took a few pictures but I don't think it does it justice. As we began looking over the music I had asked what Austrian folk music was like. Not a profound question or anything. I was just trying to keep the conversation flowing. 

He then told me that a lot of it was a cliche. Not really understanding what he meant, and with still no clues as to what Austria folk music sounded like, I asked why. 

A long explanation followed, perhaps one lasting about ten whole minutes. He told me that during WWII, after the Nazi regime had taken control, they focused on diluting the culture. Music, he said, was no exception. And even with the diluting of traditional folk culture, it was put on pedestal and began to become synonymous with the regime itself, rather than with its true origins.  After the war people didn't want anything to do with folk music, out of fear they would be associated with the Nazis. It took a long time for people to once again enjoy it freely, almost as late as the 1980s. He said there were few musicians left playing to the roots of the music, but they were slowly becoming more and more popular. 

Huh. I still had no idea what folk music sounded like. But I learned something far more important. For me, reading about history is exciting. And I especially like learning about war history. However, I didn't ever have to live it. Removed from the situation I don't think I appreciated the back story of what was written, the living consequences of past actions. It was interesting, but didn't have an impact on me. 

Sitting in a Viennese vineyard is the first place I learned about an Austrian perspective on a piece of history. Not in a classroom. But I also learned that although I may not get the answer I want, it doesn't make it the wrong one. I may have wanted to hear a description including  the types of instruments played, but I got one including the lasting impact of WWII. The latter being a lot more meaningful in my opinion. 

Since then I have tried to let go of coming in with any expectation to situations. Of course, it's hard not to try to imagine the answer we are going to get, not to anticipate what is going to what is going to happen at school. Whatever. In my experience it all boils down to the same result: it never turns out the way I thought it would. So instead of wasting energy on coming up with a million possible solutions, I have satisfied myself with just planning for what can be planned and leaving the rest. I've found I'm a lot more happy this way.  

Happier to plan seek out new things and and be content on where they take me.  

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon 

-Ashley

                                                                           -


At this point I have attended a single Rotary meeting. And it was at this meeting that I had the chance to interact with members of the club. Most interactions were brief, but for the bulk of the evening I had the chance to sit down at the dinner table and really get to know three club members. The affair seemed to be very exclusive. It took place at the Golf-Club Wien clubhouse. Complete with white wicker chairs and plush throw cushions, people in fancy clothing, and sprinklers that sprayed a fine mist over the guests every few minutes lest they get too hot in the end of summer heat (I thought the sprinklers were pretty funny but kept any jokes to myself.) 

An impromptu speech was in order before dinner was served, with me as the main entertainment. Despite my counselor telling me not to worry about a speech of any kind. Guess you can't plan for everything. 

In my well rehearsed German I introduced myself, said where I came from, said how happy I was to be here, thanked them for sponsoring me, and smiled a lot. Then, in some not so rehearsed German I tried to explain what I had done over the summer break, until I ran out of words to say and an awkward pause signaled the end. 

When I sat down the sprinklers came on and I was grateful, because I could definitely feel that my whole face was burning up. Next time I will remember to prepare a little more. 

Regardless, as I was talking with one gentleman, named Maximilian, we began talking about pass times in Austria. I had mentioned I loved skiing, and he said he did as well. He said that he would be willing to take me along with him and his family to their cabin in Tirol and I could have the chance to ski there. I said that I would love to. In fact, the sooner the better. I was not really expecting him to say next: How about this weekend?

He explained it was his sister's wedding and he was in need of a babysitter for his two children. I was eager to get the chance to see the West so I agreed. I had a few questions, though. 

"How much English do the children speak?"

He looked at me for a moment and shook his head. 

"They don't speak any." 

Bam. There it was. I was just expecting the children to speak English. Guess they didn't. 

"Great! Let me ask my host parents and I'll go!" 

That weekend I attended an Austrian wedding. Complete with dirndls, lederhosen, and plenty of celebration. I was amazed at how much I could understand from the context, and even though I didn't understand most of the vows, I was so happy for a couple I had never met. I was invited to a beautiful celebration with new people, welcomed once again into a new part of Austrian culture. 

After the children and I went home, I found they were quite happy to do most of the talking. Teaching me colors and animal sounds. Asking me what it was like living in Canada. Where Canada was in the world. How one day they would come visit me. We even played "I spy." When it was late I left with the children while the adults stayed. I put them to bed and the next day we traveled the four hours back to Vienna. 

I may have just expected to make small talk with Maximillian when I asked him what he liked to do in his spare time, but like I said, the answer that I wanted wasn't the one I got.

 And I can tell you that spending an entire weekend with his family, going to a wedding, and seeing the gorgeous landscape was a much more meaningful answer to the question what do you do in your free time than skiing. 

All because I asked a question. Still baffles me a bit, but hey, I still have quite a few months left to learn some life lessons, don't it? The importance of asking questions must be the first step. 

-Ashley 



Sunday 11 September 2016

Starting School and the Not So Sad End to Summer

Well hello again! 

I'm so happy that you came back to check for an update. I know, I know. It's been a while. However. I have identified and corrected the issue: my main problem was posting too much at one time. So what can you expect in the future, dear reader? More regular posts (ahem, once a week) but perhaps shorter.

A sincere apology for not having kept you more up to date, but as I have turned over a new leaf, I am going to reset the clock. I might have the chance to fill you in on what happened in the gap between my last post and this one, but for right now let's focus on what has happened in Austria in this last week. 

As you can imagine this last week was very busy. As are most first week's of school, I suppose. Austrian schools finish a lot earlier than we do in Canada but it is still exhausting trying to figure out where I need to be and when and listening to German all day! 

Despite the struggles of adapting to a new school I have met a small group of Austrian teenagers who seem more than willing to help me out. I'm doing my best to get to know them and they seem more than happy to share details about their lives with me. 

This arrangement is very good, considering my spoken German is still shaky. The more talking they do the better! Outside of school I have made myself busy exploring the Museumsquartier and Mariahilfestrasse. 
The museums are free to anyone under eighteen, but Mariahilfestrasse is a shopping district and requires a little more cash. 

Vienna is a very safe city and I am super comfortable with taking all forms of public transit now. Tram, subway, bus, you name it. It is very well maintained and very efficient. Austrians like to be on time and so do their trains.

Although there appears to be many traditional culinary delights, Vienna is a city of diversity and there is all sorts of tasty cheap food available. I have been introduced so far to Japanese cuisine and Turkish cuisine but am looking forward to exploring a little more!

This weekend was very relaxing. On Saturday I visited the Nashmarkt, and discovered the kind of craziness that arises from having so many people packed into tiny streets. A good kind of crazy, though. Smells of smoked meat, pickled vegetables, baked goods, spices, accompanied with shouts of vendors announcing sales and swarms of people bustling around was so new and exciting but also crazy. Definitely crazy. 

After having spent the night at a friend's house in Klosterneuburg, we went on to visit the Art Brut Center Gugging, which showcases a variety of beautiful artwork from individuals with mental illness and disability; some of whom even have residence near the gallery itself. 

Having bid farewell to my friend later in the afternoon, I moved on with my host family to go swimming in the Danube, which was nearby. Although the water was cold at first, the weather is so unusually hot for September it was easy to warm up. All in all it was a good week. Filled with lots to do and lots to look forward to.

Pictures are to follow soon. With not only this past week's photos but ones I have not uploaded since I arrived. 

Thanks for reading! :) 

-Ashley 

Thursday 18 August 2016

A Belated Hello from Austria!

Thank you everyone for being so paitent in waiting for a new blog post! I know it has a been nearly two weeks since an update but as you can probably imagine things have been very crazy!

So. To fill you in on the important details first:

Everything is going so great here. I am alive and doing very well, (in addition to being very well fed on delicious bread and cheese.) The WiFi is very limited at the moment, as I am current in the midst of my two week long language camp. And despite the many warnings about the Austrian's having a dialect, one cannot really appreciate the added challenge for a new speaker unless you expierence it yourself! So of course, a little bit of extra work has to be devoted to studying and reviewing notes. 

 However, not even all the hours studying German before I came here could not have prepared me for all of the wonderful new things I am seeing, tasting, hearing, and doing here in Austria. 

"But what sort of things are you seeing (tasting, etc.) Ashley?"

 Oh! Well that is a very good question.

I suppose the best place to start would be when I first got off the plane. At least, I'll try to explain it as best as I can, considering my state of mind was not all that good. (I found that sixteen hours of total travel time really messes with how awake and alert one feels.) Finally stepping foot in the city I was going to be living in for almost a year was definitely surreal, and I must have looked kind of like a deer in the headlights because at least two people came up to me and asked if I was lost/needed help. 

Thankfully I found my way to my luggage just fine, thanks to the giant signs indicating "To Vienna". I think I started running down the terminal because I was so excited, and because of this nobody asked me if I need help again. But as I rounded the next corner I ran right into a sea of people; all of them holding up pieces of paper with names written on them. I scanned over them quickly, and there was one I recognized. 

"Ashley!" 

I was so excited, scared, happy, and tired from everything that when I saw Wolfgang and Mia, my new host parents, I started crying and gave them huge hugs. Maybe that wasn't the best way to make first introductions, but they simply smiled, said they were so very happy to see me, and ushered me to the car. Needless to say, I was very grateful I had stuffed lots of tissues into the pocket of my Rotaary blazer before hand. 

As we were driving to the aparment, I couldn't stop looking out the window. But Mia and Wolfgang seemed almost as excited as I was, and were nice enough to expalin everything we passed by. 

When we reached the apartment I was shown all parts of the house, which didn't take too long. I realized very quickly that I was going to have to get comfortable with the idea of close living quaters: but I didn't care. I was dead focused on getting into my new bed and going to sleep. 

But it seems that 1:30pm is not a normal bed time even in Austria, and wanting to avoid jet lag, I knew I had to kill some time. Luckily, Mia and Wolfgang thought it would be a perfect time for an impromptu tour. We walked across a bridge on the Donaukanal from our apartment in second district into first district. Which if you don't know Vienna, is the tourist center.

 I thought there were a lot of people in Edmonton, Alberta, so obviously Vienna was extra impressive. Wolfgang mentioned it was a quiet day and that there were way more people on the weekends, so I then made a mental note to avoid first district on weekends. 

Among all the craziness and people we found an ice cream palour, or Eis Cafe as they call them here, I attempted to be modest and politely declined, but I guess that was a no go, because I ended up with a small ice cream in my hand regardless. Did I mention they are very welcoming and hospitable?


We then took a long walk around the first district, going to St. Stevens Cathedral (Stephansdom), the Kohlmarkt, in addition to walking down many what is called Blutstraße. Which, contrary their name are actually lovely places to walk down. You really get a sense of domestic life amongst all the commericalism and tourism. 

By the end of the night, just as I thought we were going to head back home, it was time to go out for dinner at one of the many cafes. On the menu? Wiener Schnitzel, of course. Although I am not experienced in cuisine what so ever, I can confirm it was delicious and done to perfection. To be honest, I couldn't think of a better meal to have on the first day and nor could I think of a better introduction to Vienna. 

I could go on and continue in detail as to what else happened in the last two weeks, as there is obviously more to talk about, but like I said, Internet is very limited here. So sorry to cut it off at an akward spot. I will maybe just have to spread it out over several, shorter, blog posts over the next few days, so keep watching! As well, don't be afraid to send me an email, Facebook message, Whatsapp, or whatever if you want to share your own stories with me! 

So until then. All the best and take care! 

-Ashley 











Saturday 6 August 2016

Nervousness. Would it help?

At this current moment I am huddled under a small blanket in a Calgary hotel room, trying by best not to wake up my mom and sister who are sleeping beside me. (The art of typing quietly eludes me it seems.) However, I am not the only one making noise. The airport is close by and every now and again the muffled roar of jet engine can be heard in the distance. This whole set up is peaceful almost, but right now it seems that I can't seem to settle into any sort of peace.

A thousands thoughts are running through my head. With my flight being a mere few hours away now, it seems everything has just gotten very, very real very fast. But I'll try my best to short hand my thoughts for you. After all, this is a blog, not a diary. 

I have learned that a person, no matter how prepared they feel in the days or weeks leading up to the departure of their trip, will suddenly remember all the things they have (or might have) forgotten to pack, or to organize, to prepare and to plan for. Despite me planning this trip months in advance, the last minute things still managed to sneak their way in. I may have purchased enough tubes of toothpaste to stock a fallout shelter, but ensuring all my travel documents are in order managed to push itself to the day before I leave. The important take away though is that I got it done. Last minute or not.

Whether a feeling of inadequacy has crept up on me as these past few weeks because of these the general feeling of rushed preparations or not has yet to be determined. Regardless thoughts like: Why didn't I think of that sooner? Shouldn't I find a better way of doing that? How come I can't do that the right way? Still manage to cross my mind.

These self-doubting questions have certainly not helped me focus on being in a good state of mind for my coming journey and exchange. If anything, it has probably made my state of mind worse. Obviously, something had to be done to refocus myself. And for me this is taking the time to simply relax and do something I enjoy; in this case, watch a movie. 

It was while watching this movie that I discovered something quite interesting, an almost answer to how I could refocus myself. It's kind of weird that the answer is a question, but it is. And that question is simply: "Would it help?"

The quote is from Bridge of Spies; a Steven Spielberg movie. If you have seen it you will recognize where this quote fits in. In case you haven't, I'll link a movie clip so you understand the context but I highly suggest you go watch it. It's a pretty good movie:


So. As I go about all of my own worrying I have discovered one way to cope with it. Ask myself the very simple question of "Would it help?" If the answer is no, I'm sure I can manage to find a better way to occupy my time.

Now, in closing. I know today's post has almost nothing to do with Austria, so I apologize if that's what you were hoping for. But I just wanted to share what is really going through my head in the hours before I leave and if that includes Steven Spielberg, it includes Steven Spielberg, What happens tomorrow is not an unknown (my flight itinerary is pretty solid) but when I land in Vienna, well then, who knows? All I know is that I am overwhelming excited and happy about this exchange, and, in my experience those two things I'm sure would help. 

-Ashley


Friday 29 July 2016

First Blog Entry! My Thoughts Before Leaving


Wow! Isn't this exciting? For the first time I am writing a blog post- A real blog post! Fair warning, however: At this time I am still slightly lost on what one includes in a blog post, and this one will probably be one of the longest ones I will write. Hopefully I will be able to update it at least once a week and by that time I'll be really good at it. (Maybe?) But I suppose if I invited you to come read my blog I'll need to include something worth reading besides a warning won't I? So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, might I present the blog post:

Today is a special occasion of sorts. Exactly one week from today my sister, my mom, my grandma, my Nana, and I will all be in Calgary to celebrate me leaving for one year. Eleven months if you want to get technical. And for the duration of that year I will be living in Vienna, Austria. The idea of this event being a celebration may seem a bit strange. After all, they are losing my wonderful presence for one year, aren't they? (I'm just kidding.) But this celebration, including all the essential celebratory staples such as food, those we love, and more food, will be a special time for us all.

When a person celebrates, it is because they are happy. And my feelings towards my exchange are exactly so; filled with happiness. The thought of going to a country that means so much to my family history, is filled with so many beautiful things, and is completely new and foreign gives me a true sense of joy. Excitement, happiness, joy, and then of course nervousness.

As much as I like to think of myself as a person who works well under stress, I'm aware that the things I am going to be experiencing are far beyond the scope of what usually stresses me out. Late English essays may not quite be comparable to saying goodbye (even if it is for just one year) all that is familiar. The unknown often gets a bad rap for being something to worry about, and I find myself slowly seeing why this is. In times of stress it is comforting to have something familiar to fall back on. It could be getting up at the same time every morning, sleeping in your own bed, or maybe knowing exactly where your mom hides all the cookies so you can eat them when you're sad. In Austria, everything will not be familiar at first. It will take more than a little adjustment, having to be vulnerable, and having ask many important questions as to where the cookies are hidden.

I often refer to my exchange as an adventure, and there is a reason why. If I'm embarking on an adventure, the unknown itself is expected to happen most of the time. (Unless you're really thorough on planning your adventures. If that's the case, good on you. ) If I can expect to come faced with the unknown, my nervousness no longer seems relevant and I can focus back on what I'm mainly feeling: happiness. I feel prepared with the tools that my family, my friends, that my Rotary club, and my Rotary district have all given me to go forward into this adventure prepared to tackle it head on.

I am no longer as concerned with my affairs in Canada either. I have ensured I will still graduate from high school when I get back, my friends have all affirmed to me that they won't forget me, and I made sure I cleaned my room. If anything, this exchange has opened my eyes to amazing friendships, love, and overall goodness that exists in my life, and for this I am grateful. I can only imagine, if this beauty has been brought by this exchange over the past eight months of preparation what else lies ahead in the unknowns of the next eleven months.

-Ashley