Our host mom, Irmtraut, has a piano!! Big thanks to the homestay coordinator for placing us according to our hobbies and interests. There is also a small community ice rink outside in the park next to us!
Here is the group, minus a couple students in the corner that I couldn't fit in the picture. We are eating at a restaurant called the Rosenburg Market. It is a popular restaurant chain, buffet-style, in Austria. Many of the students are from the Portland area but there are also students from California, Nevada and Ohio.
Today we did a lot of walking around in the main city center. We saw the stables where the famous Lipizzaners are kept (right in the middle of the city!) and a lot of giant churches, court yards and old emperor quarters. I didn't take any pictures even though I told myself I had to... but I plan on going back on my own or with one or two others to get a closer look at everything. I will take pictures then, I promise!
Tonight will be our first night out because we have tomorrow off! A friend I met in Vernon, BC came to Austria a couple years ago and has some contacts here. He gave me his friend's contact information and we chatted online a bit last night about where some good places to go are... Hehe, should be interesting.
I forgot to tell you a pretty funny story from our first day here. One of the girls in our group, Maria, had to visit the hospital the day she got here because her hand fell asleep on the airplane and never woke up! She was freaking out a little bit but the doctor apparently wasn't too surprised and explained that it happens all the time. He gave her a splint and said she'll need to wear it for 2-4 WEEKS! The feeling in her hand still hasn't started to come back, yet... how crazy!
I will be sure to fill you in tomorrow on tonight's adventures. Good morning to everyone back home! :)
