My School Life, written from Geography class on 29. September 2007
I just realized I would do nothing this class. I guess the obvious thing to write about would be school as most of my time here is spent in school. And mostly, I have written in emails “School is just school” However, there are a lot of differences between school in the United States and school in Austria. As I am writing in my Geography class full of kids laughing and fooling around while the teacher is teaching, I can safely say it is stricter in the US. I don’t know why it seems that we give more respect to our teachers, maybe because they are more personable or reach out in more appealing ways. Even in my CP1 classes aren’t this bad. Honestly, I think it comes down to tests. These kids have exams 4 times a year in Math English and German. Teachers have not quizzed us in the month I have been in school. These classes are also the only ones we have homework in. 2 or 3 problems a night, tops. As for the huge number of other classes I take, nothing really happens in them, and frankly, no one cares. I sit in the first row, where students pay the most attention. The second row is all girls who at least have their books out. The back table would not be able to tell you what they learned in a day. We remain in the same classroom all day, so it is always this way. Also, no one gets in trouble for writing on desks so everyone does it.
Now, my school schedule is 8am to 1.40, Monday to Friday.
Monday begins with Math, which I guess everyone tries in. Usually it will be like, one person learns and everyone copies their homework in other classes. The idea that math is the same in every language is not exactly true. They use many different symbols and find my problem solving methods strange. They also integrate a lot of math together before they know all the methods of say, geometry or algebra. The teacher moves at a very fast pace and informed me last week I would be receiving a grade in her class. This is bad news because even though some things are review for me, I have never in my life learned advanced geometry or trigonometry or calculus. I will also take exams. However, I look forward to math as much as I dread it because it is something to do. After is a five minute break.Next is either French or Old Greek, and I go to the second year students to take German class with them, (11 years old). The past few weeks I did little, but now they gave me some free books so I can learn too. Honestly, it helps. The kids are very interested in me, but often too shy and afraid of the language barrier. After is a 10 minute breakEnglish class is next which is laughable. The teacher has often fallen back on asking me or Franziska, who lived for eight years in Michigan, to explain things. The kids don’t speak English as well as I expected though. After is the 15 minute break.Next is history, which I know the theme and take notes in, or copy from someone when she dictates. Despite this, I am not actually learning history because I don’t know that much German. I can say “oh, we are learning the Russian Revolution” but that’s it. I can see myself improving already, so maybe by December I can say “we are studying the Russian revolution, and this is what happened” However, I didn’t buy school books, and in this class we use it sometimes. Even if I had the book, I couldn’t read it. Thankfully it is not necessary, just note taking really. Also thankfully, she types out her notes and puts them on the overhead projector. Austrian handwriting is dreadful for me to read and misspelled German words do me no good. A five minute break.Next is Psychology which is very advanced technical vocabulary. I take notes if she writes them, but I have come to terms with the fact that there is nothing I can do in this class. I handed in a paper we had to write, supposed to be like pages or something. It had four lines of text in very simple German where I defined very briefly the terms we were supposed to explain in detail. Under that I wrote in German “This is just comprehension practice for me. Let me know if it is mostly right, but do not grade it” My way of letting them know that I am not wasting my time by just sitting in classes all day with no clue what is going on. A ten minute break.The day ends with 3B who I don’t like so much. Except the day does not quite end. Monday is special. I have my elective on Monday in the eighth and ninth hour. Basically the school gets out at 1.40 every day, but after a one hour break, school resumes until about 7 in the evening. I go home and eat lunch (big part of the family life, which I will write on later) and then come back at 2.30 for Informatik. I thought it would be basic word processing, but it is HTML. They are impressed with how fast I can type and I usually have time to use Email by the end of the class. Everyone else in this class is a 14 or 15 year old boy. The teacher is my religion teacher also, and always wants me to understand. This is so kind and dear to me as most classes they ignore me completely even if I take notes and try to participate.
Tuesday begins also with 3B which is extremely tiring. Tuesday is a bad day for me, there aren’t really any classes I enjoy. Next is two periods of Sport which sucks. Of course it sucks. It sucks internationally. They are shocked that you can get out of the requirement in the US. In Austria, you can’t so someone who sucks at sports does not exist. It is two hours of misery to be there sucking so much.And after this hell is another one: Geography. I don’t have a book, the teacher speaks in dialect and it is almost all Austria. They seem to think that it is the center of the world. We are supposed to be looking at something on the overhead projector right now and taking notes on things she is talking about on the map. No way I can do that. Next is German. They are reading Schiller, I am reading a children’s book. At least it is something to do, and it honestly helps. I feel so proud of myself as I read faster and faster and use a dictionary less and less. Math ends the day.
Wednesday is German again in the morning, then Chemistry. We leave the classroom to go to the lab. The French teacher has this as her other subject. We take notes, thankfully, not by dictation. It all seems pretty basic so far. Sciences aren’t stressed so much ehre as in the US, so that’s why it is only 2 times a week. No homework. Next is Physics which I completely do not understand. They have known it every year since they were ten years old. The teacher looks like the lead singer of System of a Down, with curly long hair and the soul patch. Apparently he’s wicked funny, but he speaks in Viennese dialect. We don’t learn much Physics, I know that for sure. Psychology is next, which already know is a dream. =P3A German in the fifth hour, where the teacher has purple hair. Last week they had to memorize ballads. The Austrians really appreciate Schiller and Goethe and many other ancient poets’ ballads. And for such an ugly language, they are so gorgeous. I relished in listening to them. We got a huge book of them from the library, and there are thousands of them! My family enjoys memorizing them for fun. Wednesday finishes with English, and Thursdays begin this way
After English on Thursday is Chemistry.My favorite German class is this day, 1B. They are ten years old and so sweet. The teacher is the nicest man I have ever met. He is so helpful to me and gave me a bunch of German workbooks the kids use for free. He even corrected my dictation work and wrote things like SUPER and FEIN all over it.Then History, Math, and Geography.
Fridays are interesting and there is little work to be done, which is a good quality for Fridays. It begins with Physics, then German, and then I have an hour free. There aren’t any German classes this hour.Next is religion which is my Informatik teacher. It is always a discussion, things I can almost understand. It is very frustrating because I have so much that I would like to debate on Catholicism, but it is just beyond my grasp. In this class, the child deficit in Austria was brought up. Parents are only having one or two children. My teacher asked, wouldn’t it be nice if women could stay home with their kids. I said no, of course not because there wouldn’t be enough money and women can do more than raise children. Interested, they asked me how many kids Americans have. I said about three, but most people would know a family that has 4 or 5 kids. They found this stunning. My Austrian family is an exception where the grandmother has 35 grandchildren (or 53, I get the German numbers mixed up) Everyone in the family has 4 kids, and one of them has 9.Anyway, next is two hours of art to end the day. And I must say, American kids are taught to draw quite professionally. We can draw whatever we want according o theme. Stress is on creativity, if there is any. The kids do not draw what they really see with shading and depth and tone and directional marks, just symbols, like kids or nonartists. Even my skills, which were at the bottom of my art class seem to amaze them. They think I can draw so beautifully. That’s nice I suppose. The only real downside is that you have to buy all your own surprise.
And that is my school week! Hopefully that was interesting.
Montag, 1. Oktober 2007
Happenings (Life becomes normal)
It’s been a while, though I’m not really sure what’s new. I guess life here is sort of normal for me now and not worthy of writing down but then at times like these in Psychology class, when I realize that I don’t actually have to do anything in this class, I remember how different things actually are.
The big thing to write about happened last week. My host mother introduced me to two girls, Florentina and Julia. Florentina is in the year above me and Julia began University today. They were immediately friendly and a lot more down to earth than the other people I’ve met my age. Last Monday, they came over and my host mother made apple strudel. First real pastry that I’ve had here, and they eat it with this really good hot vanilla sauce. While we ate, they invited me to go with them to the opera on Saturday to see Tosca. It costs €2 to stand in the Gallery, which is not bad at all, even though it’s packed shoulder to shoulder with tourists. Considering, the most expensive seats in the opera cost over €200. There are these screens there that translate the Italian music into German/English so you can follow it even easier. The music is so beautiful and I absolutely loved it. Any tragic love story is great, but there was something so glorious about the voices and the costume and the really beautiful scenes of the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper)that makes it an absolutely amazing experience. As my grandmother hoped, I think I will come home addicted. We waited afterwards for autographs and apparently the orchestra director (notably the most polite of all the people we met in the Opera…) is extremely famous. After, we went to Starbucks which is open late on opera nights. We stayed really late and talked and it was a lot of fun, but it was so late that the public transport stopped running. We had to walk home (me in high heels… boo…) and I got home at 12.30. I worried this was a problem and that I would be in trouble, but my host parents thought it was wonderful that I had such a nice time I had to stay out later. I think that when I come home to America some rearranging of my curfew is in order… I suspect I will have a hard time cutting it back to 11. Even this summer that was a problem.
Speaking of the theatre, I actually went to the Staatsoper for the first time two weeks ago. With my host father and sister, we went to see Romeo and Juliet as a ballet. I loved that as well. I am so glad I live in the city where going to the theatre on weekends can be a legitimate hobby and be extremely inexpensive (compared to going out to eat or going to a club).
On Friday night, I registered for dance school. One of the AFS American girls, Deirdre, is taking this class with me. That’s something to do, but it comes at a rather high price. I am currently very poor, as almost all of my money is gone. It’s a shame how little value the USD carries here! However, I am looking forward very much to this class. It’s a beginner course in all the ballroom dances – waltz, tango, foxtrot etc.
There was an AFS meeting last week. Being with these kids remains some of the funniest and most enjoyable times I’ve had in Austria. We all seem to be pretty close but we all understand each other so well. We just know. It should be easier to seem them now on weekends as my host family gave me a really old cell from (a Nokia from around 2002… still has a black and white screen). However I am only receiving calls, because I haven’t bought any minutes for it yet. That should be relatively inexpensive for my needs as cell phone service here is much, much, cheaper than landlines and also America.
The weather has been beautiful so my family often goes together to parks to enjoy the sun. Sometimes this means sitting around and reading which I like to do. However, they always strongly object to my lack of scarf. It is so European of them. They even insist that I wear a scarf to bed. Most of the time going out means taking very vigorous walks. We climbed a mountain yesterday, except not really. It was just a really, really, steep hill which led to this nice little village at the top where we stopped to read. I hadn’t expected this though, and was extremely exhausted by the walk. So steep!
And speaking of reading, I visited the city library’s main branch. It is a three story modern-art building with panoramic views of Vienna. And the resources are huge. There’s say, a section for art, but in this section there are sub-sections for art history, Austrian art, etc etc. There are many other language books too, and a good amount in every European language, and even Arabic and some Asian languages. Not just a few books either, but a few shelves. If I want to read in English, which there are the most of in foreign language, then I will have no problem. When we were here I found one of my favourite books translated into German. I understand it pretty well. Natively written German books, I am still at the second or third grade level.
That’s all for now, I have a few posts coming up on a few specific subjects so watch out for that (I’ve written them already, I just don’t like taking the time to type…)
Take care!
PS-- my first month here officially passed on Saturday. Time flies!
Montag, 17. September 2007
Friend Meetings, Weekend Explorations
This weekend was awesome for a number of reasons. I had something to do every day which I did not expect, though often times I would be on my way there, and still have no idea where I was going.
Friday there was an AFS Wien-Chapter meeting, at the Prater. This is an extremely expensive and famous amusement park in Vienna known especially for the giant Ferris wheel. I hate to admit that I freaked out on it, but I did. However it was well worth the scare as the view was awesome, and simply because I can now say I have been on the Prater Riesenrad! I am planning to steal photos from others. I also met my AFS liason during this trip who is a 21 year old college student named Sonja. This is cool, because normally it's an older person, but she can tell me real things and happenings about Vienna. (Not just history and facts)
Unfortunately I could not stay longer with my AFS friends. I had to leave about an hour after my arrival as we were having a dinner party. It was cool to see my family get their apartment all decked out, especially the dining room and stuff. However, after a day of concentrating in German, and also an entire week of Austrian school, I am exhausted. Around nine thirty when we sat to eat at the table, I was already zoning out extremely. At 11 my host mother told me it was not a cultural faux-pas or whatever this word is, to excuse yourself from the table. Honestly I had no idea what was going on and German begins to sound just like the water in a brook perhaps.
Saturday morning was the open house day at the Raimund Theater. Musicals are very popular here and there is a particular musical star called Uwe Kröeger who my host sister adores. I went to a little dance workshop in the afternoon. That morning, my host mother pretty much insisted, which was very cool of her, don't get me wrong, that I have my own AFS meeting because people would be happy that they were invited somewhere and probably wanted to do something similiar but didn't want to initiate it. I invited Cory and Deirdre from USA, Heida from Iceland and Jordyn from New Zealand to come over and we would do something. We met at seven and my host mother was very hospitatable and gave us all drinks and these pretzel things that were more like rolls. (Soft pretzels of course). We left the house around 9 and explored Vienna at night, which is gorgeous. This is how I finally fell in love with the city. It is all lit up and there is so much going on, it does not feel dangerous at all.
This night I felt sort of like I was a part of the city, that I almost had a home here. It was familiar to me, and it was sort of belonged to me as well. This is a very positive aspect of switiching cultures. On the other hand, the past week I was in a few situations where it felt horrible to be an American. When you meet new people and they ask you where you're from once they hear your beginners-German, you sort of lose credibility for being an American. You can win this back easily by honestly giving an effort. However the humiliation you can feel from this is enough to make you want to give up. I am in a transition stage from Beginners to Intermediate German and I can pick things up very easily.
Today in school I talked to more people, just had conversations about anything. To them it doesn't matter how good you speak, or what you're talking about. It pleased them to see you make an effort. As I have said, Austrians are very friendly, but it is hard for them to let you in fully. You must truely push your way in for acceptance.
Today also Cory showed up and wanted to take a walk. I learned sort of how to use the U-Bahn (subway). We went to a famous baroque church called Karlskirche, which is gorgeous. You can take these shady rickety stairs all the way up the dome and up this tower. The whole time you can see how high up you are which is so frightening! I needed to stop for a moment because I felt like I might panic (my breathing was acting this way). However I did it, and the view at the top of the dome is spectacular. What is also truely amazing is how painters managed to do those ceiling paintings on church dome roofs. I needed to get down ASAP but they had perhaps years of work up there to make the paintings.
Another week beginning, but I feel really okay about it.
Keep in touch!
--Julie
Friday there was an AFS Wien-Chapter meeting, at the Prater. This is an extremely expensive and famous amusement park in Vienna known especially for the giant Ferris wheel. I hate to admit that I freaked out on it, but I did. However it was well worth the scare as the view was awesome, and simply because I can now say I have been on the Prater Riesenrad! I am planning to steal photos from others. I also met my AFS liason during this trip who is a 21 year old college student named Sonja. This is cool, because normally it's an older person, but she can tell me real things and happenings about Vienna. (Not just history and facts)
Unfortunately I could not stay longer with my AFS friends. I had to leave about an hour after my arrival as we were having a dinner party. It was cool to see my family get their apartment all decked out, especially the dining room and stuff. However, after a day of concentrating in German, and also an entire week of Austrian school, I am exhausted. Around nine thirty when we sat to eat at the table, I was already zoning out extremely. At 11 my host mother told me it was not a cultural faux-pas or whatever this word is, to excuse yourself from the table. Honestly I had no idea what was going on and German begins to sound just like the water in a brook perhaps.
Saturday morning was the open house day at the Raimund Theater. Musicals are very popular here and there is a particular musical star called Uwe Kröeger who my host sister adores. I went to a little dance workshop in the afternoon. That morning, my host mother pretty much insisted, which was very cool of her, don't get me wrong, that I have my own AFS meeting because people would be happy that they were invited somewhere and probably wanted to do something similiar but didn't want to initiate it. I invited Cory and Deirdre from USA, Heida from Iceland and Jordyn from New Zealand to come over and we would do something. We met at seven and my host mother was very hospitatable and gave us all drinks and these pretzel things that were more like rolls. (Soft pretzels of course). We left the house around 9 and explored Vienna at night, which is gorgeous. This is how I finally fell in love with the city. It is all lit up and there is so much going on, it does not feel dangerous at all.
This night I felt sort of like I was a part of the city, that I almost had a home here. It was familiar to me, and it was sort of belonged to me as well. This is a very positive aspect of switiching cultures. On the other hand, the past week I was in a few situations where it felt horrible to be an American. When you meet new people and they ask you where you're from once they hear your beginners-German, you sort of lose credibility for being an American. You can win this back easily by honestly giving an effort. However the humiliation you can feel from this is enough to make you want to give up. I am in a transition stage from Beginners to Intermediate German and I can pick things up very easily.
Today in school I talked to more people, just had conversations about anything. To them it doesn't matter how good you speak, or what you're talking about. It pleased them to see you make an effort. As I have said, Austrians are very friendly, but it is hard for them to let you in fully. You must truely push your way in for acceptance.
Today also Cory showed up and wanted to take a walk. I learned sort of how to use the U-Bahn (subway). We went to a famous baroque church called Karlskirche, which is gorgeous. You can take these shady rickety stairs all the way up the dome and up this tower. The whole time you can see how high up you are which is so frightening! I needed to stop for a moment because I felt like I might panic (my breathing was acting this way). However I did it, and the view at the top of the dome is spectacular. What is also truely amazing is how painters managed to do those ceiling paintings on church dome roofs. I needed to get down ASAP but they had perhaps years of work up there to make the paintings.
Another week beginning, but I feel really okay about it.
Keep in touch!
--Julie
Mittwoch, 12. September 2007
City Exploring
I did three things of note today--
1) took a city map and went for a walk all by myself
2) shopped for the first time on Mariahilferstraße
3) rode a motorcycle for the first time!!!!
Today was one of the first days without rain so my hostfather allowed me to take a walk for an hour. I got lost and stuff, exploring around the Volksgarten, where there are many roses, which are so beautiful. I also lost track of time, so I came home like 20 minutes earlier than I was supposed to. However it was a very quick walk and so it was very good exercise.
I live on the fourth floor of my apartment so even though the food is very rich and delicious here, I am perhaps slimmer. Not in a bad way, I promise, I'm looking very healthy.
The Mariahilferstraßse is a very famous street where there are many stores, some expensive, some supported by child labor and very cheap. I had to buy special shoes for my gym class (which sucks, because Wien is so expensive...). I also bought house shoes which are knockoff birkenstocks, but not the Jesus sandal kind, they're crisscrossy.
Also my host father took me for a ride around Wien by night on his motorcycle. Very fast. I am in love with it. I want one now. ehhe.
I should go now. Baba!
1) took a city map and went for a walk all by myself
2) shopped for the first time on Mariahilferstraße
3) rode a motorcycle for the first time!!!!
Today was one of the first days without rain so my hostfather allowed me to take a walk for an hour. I got lost and stuff, exploring around the Volksgarten, where there are many roses, which are so beautiful. I also lost track of time, so I came home like 20 minutes earlier than I was supposed to. However it was a very quick walk and so it was very good exercise.
I live on the fourth floor of my apartment so even though the food is very rich and delicious here, I am perhaps slimmer. Not in a bad way, I promise, I'm looking very healthy.
The Mariahilferstraßse is a very famous street where there are many stores, some expensive, some supported by child labor and very cheap. I had to buy special shoes for my gym class (which sucks, because Wien is so expensive...). I also bought house shoes which are knockoff birkenstocks, but not the Jesus sandal kind, they're crisscrossy.
Also my host father took me for a ride around Wien by night on his motorcycle. Very fast. I am in love with it. I want one now. ehhe.
I should go now. Baba!
The Pope. Week Two Ends
It's been a while, but things are going well here. I said the other night at dinner to my host family, "Austria is now normal for me, and I am happy here." I felt as though I wasn't thanking them enough for what they do for me and wanted to let them know how I was feeling. AFS always said that was important at least.
So Friday the Pope visited Vienna. I left school early with a group that was mostly younger school kids and we waited for three hours in pouring rain. I saw a friend of mine from AFS USA, Cory.
There were a ton of people there and they were all really excited. I know it was sort of a big deal because it's the Pope, but the whole time I was sort of miserably wet and cold. To pass the time I imagined what the Pope is like when he's on his own. Do you think he like, stands in front of mirror and is like, "Dude, I'm the Pope. THE POPE" And when raises his hands over a crowd and they all clap is he thinking like "HELL yeah!"? I don't know.
Anyway, as soon the Pope got there I told Iris we should leave pretty soon or else she would pass out from total cold-and-wetness. She was shaking horribly. 5 minutes after I said this, the power went out.
Sunday we went to Stephansdom for his Mass, and it rained only a little, and was also like 3 hours. But it was better and I believe there were 33,000 people there.
What else? We went to Niederösterreich this weekened to an aunt's house and picked apples and pears. It seems that if you're not in a city here, you're in a farm. There is no gray zone.
School is getting better, especially when I speak German. There are two girls I am getting along with well. Gym class still sucks, and I still can't do sports, but what can you do?
I really am enjoying myself here though. These two weeks have been quick.
Now I have a little free time so I will go take a walk for a while.
So Friday the Pope visited Vienna. I left school early with a group that was mostly younger school kids and we waited for three hours in pouring rain. I saw a friend of mine from AFS USA, Cory.
There were a ton of people there and they were all really excited. I know it was sort of a big deal because it's the Pope, but the whole time I was sort of miserably wet and cold. To pass the time I imagined what the Pope is like when he's on his own. Do you think he like, stands in front of mirror and is like, "Dude, I'm the Pope. THE POPE" And when raises his hands over a crowd and they all clap is he thinking like "HELL yeah!"? I don't know.
Anyway, as soon the Pope got there I told Iris we should leave pretty soon or else she would pass out from total cold-and-wetness. She was shaking horribly. 5 minutes after I said this, the power went out.
Sunday we went to Stephansdom for his Mass, and it rained only a little, and was also like 3 hours. But it was better and I believe there were 33,000 people there.
What else? We went to Niederösterreich this weekened to an aunt's house and picked apples and pears. It seems that if you're not in a city here, you're in a farm. There is no gray zone.
School is getting better, especially when I speak German. There are two girls I am getting along with well. Gym class still sucks, and I still can't do sports, but what can you do?
I really am enjoying myself here though. These two weeks have been quick.
Now I have a little free time so I will go take a walk for a while.
Dienstag, 4. September 2007
Culture Shock
Second day is the hardest, was what my host mother said. It also happened to fall on my first day of school. I think this is an unfavorable condition, personally...
I went to school at 8 and the people are really very friendly. Except they have all known each other their entire lives (you stay in one class all day) and are not quick to let you in. This is what I was told by one girl in my class who came two years ago. She is Austrian born but raised in the United States. This is good for me, because I sort of have an ally, but horrible because people may think I can't speak german if she is the only one I talk to.
The first thing that went wrong is clearly the language barrier. My homeroom teacher was telling us very important things and I knew nothing. It was just too fast and perhaps a bit of Viennese dialect. Then there was this list showing which classes you were registered for, and I wasn't in anything! My homeroom teacher said vaguely she would work on this with me later.
I didn't realize when a teacher came in later that we were having a lesson. For one thing, all the students spoke among themselves, and she just kind of joked around sitting on a desktop. I was told this is how all the classes are. Kind of contradictory to what I was taught, big surprise, definitely. Anyway I discovered this was a psychology class and I then understood many of the themes she was discussing, that was very good.
School was then over and I chilled until about 5 when everyone came home. My hostmother began asking me important questions about what my homeroom teacher had told me, and I just couldn't give her the answer because I did not know. I could feel my face turning extremely red from embarrasement and then I also neeeded to cry urgently. The thing that most people know about german is that it always sounds very harsh, and even when they speak english it is also harsh sounding.
My host mother was trying to tell me that the next day I had to go to the AFS german class. However, I did not sign up for this because I was told it was very basic, and she was told it was levelled. And then she asked why are you crying, and I later realized she became gentler here and told me that I was having culture shock and that we would slow down. We took a walk as a family and they showed me the way to the Strassenbahn (streetcar) that I would take to my class, which I could sign up for there.
And today? It was very lovely. Much, much, better. I understood many things in school and had a history class, then a period where my homeroom teacher and I picked classes, and then art class. My german class was fun, and travelling Vienna independently on the strassenbahn was VERY fun. It helped dramatically, I spoke fluently to my host mother later.
This is all for now, but my classes are the following:
Math, English, History, Psychology, English, History, Sport, Physics, German, Chemistry, Geography, Religion, Art
AND I must take one elective
AND I have two extra german classes with 10 year old. SWEET!
love, julia
I went to school at 8 and the people are really very friendly. Except they have all known each other their entire lives (you stay in one class all day) and are not quick to let you in. This is what I was told by one girl in my class who came two years ago. She is Austrian born but raised in the United States. This is good for me, because I sort of have an ally, but horrible because people may think I can't speak german if she is the only one I talk to.
The first thing that went wrong is clearly the language barrier. My homeroom teacher was telling us very important things and I knew nothing. It was just too fast and perhaps a bit of Viennese dialect. Then there was this list showing which classes you were registered for, and I wasn't in anything! My homeroom teacher said vaguely she would work on this with me later.
I didn't realize when a teacher came in later that we were having a lesson. For one thing, all the students spoke among themselves, and she just kind of joked around sitting on a desktop. I was told this is how all the classes are. Kind of contradictory to what I was taught, big surprise, definitely. Anyway I discovered this was a psychology class and I then understood many of the themes she was discussing, that was very good.
School was then over and I chilled until about 5 when everyone came home. My hostmother began asking me important questions about what my homeroom teacher had told me, and I just couldn't give her the answer because I did not know. I could feel my face turning extremely red from embarrasement and then I also neeeded to cry urgently. The thing that most people know about german is that it always sounds very harsh, and even when they speak english it is also harsh sounding.
My host mother was trying to tell me that the next day I had to go to the AFS german class. However, I did not sign up for this because I was told it was very basic, and she was told it was levelled. And then she asked why are you crying, and I later realized she became gentler here and told me that I was having culture shock and that we would slow down. We took a walk as a family and they showed me the way to the Strassenbahn (streetcar) that I would take to my class, which I could sign up for there.
And today? It was very lovely. Much, much, better. I understood many things in school and had a history class, then a period where my homeroom teacher and I picked classes, and then art class. My german class was fun, and travelling Vienna independently on the strassenbahn was VERY fun. It helped dramatically, I spoke fluently to my host mother later.
This is all for now, but my classes are the following:
Math, English, History, Psychology, English, History, Sport, Physics, German, Chemistry, Geography, Religion, Art
AND I must take one elective
AND I have two extra german classes with 10 year old. SWEET!
love, julia
Montag, 3. September 2007
Orientation and Week One
Wednesday -- the most awkward of all the days since no one knew each other and couldn't figure out who was going to which country. The food at doubletree was really bad and I got a little sick. At the end of the night we formed groups by country, instead of random groups where they taught us safety procedures and rules rules rules. This was nice seeing people for the first time, although I didn't really like them at first glance. my roommate was from minnesota, also a semester student in austria. she thought I was cold, but I guess this is the new england in me. =P
Thursday -- was much better than wedsnesday and lots of waiting around to get to the airport. all of us couldn't wait to get out of new york city. there are about 20 us students going to austria and we all got along REALLY well. the exception to this was a boy from a cow farm on oregon who had two very pretty girls from southern california hanging off both of his arms. in austria they behaved very inappropriately and finally the rest of the group had the guts to tell them off and PLEASE refrain from the PDA because it was seriously offending the austrians, and ESPECIALLY since oregoncowboy had a girlfriend back home.
And so the flight. It was very long and most of it I fell asleep on the fold out table. I got a lot of reading done for history class. Oh yes, this was an unchaperoned flight, and so we had to figure out the way past passport control and to our next gate in frankfurt by ourselves.
Friday -- was when we arrived I suppose, it was afternoon. they had a room with food and chairs prepared for us at the world trade center where we waited for our bus that came at 8:30. there were lots of jokes we told that weren't funny but seemed that way because we were so tired. finally we got to orientation site at around 10, where there were about 130 kids from around the world and we really just wanted to go to sleep.
Saturday -- we broke off into country groups that prepared ourselves for austria according to our culture. it was a lot of fun and mostly I was just glad to be hanging out with them, bsecause all the americans got pretty close. there was a party this night and we taught everyone the cha cha slide. I went to bed pretty early because I wanted to take a shower. (with my deliciously smelling austrian toiletries)
Sunday -- my family arrived to get me at 9:15 in the morning. so far I have been to church, which is of course in a gothic cathedral. I met all sorts of girls who are friends with the stracke's daughter clarissa. they are going to help me around tomorrow at school. school is attatched sort of to the cathedral and it is 300 years old. we had a really good lunch of wild boar (?!?!?!! they have a hunter friend) and this squash soup that was absolutely delicious. I am eating much better here than in germany, I find their food is still rich but somehow more manageable, and therefore my table manners perhaps?!) we are going for a walk later and then I heard we may go to Rathausplatz which is a big center where there will an opera performance on a big screen tv there.I really have not had a chance to see Wien yet but I suppose I am ever closer because I live right here. It is very beautiful where I live and very close to this enormous theatre.
Friday -- was when we arrived I suppose, it was afternoon. they had a room with food and chairs prepared for us at the world trade center where we waited for our bus that came at 8:30. there were lots of jokes we told that weren't funny but seemed that way because we were so tired. finally we got to orientation site at around 10, where there were about 130 kids from around the world and we really just wanted to go to sleep.
Saturday -- we broke off into country groups that prepared ourselves for austria according to our culture. it was a lot of fun and mostly I was just glad to be hanging out with them, bsecause all the americans got pretty close. there was a party this night and we taught everyone the cha cha slide. I went to bed pretty early because I wanted to take a shower. (with my deliciously smelling austrian toiletries)
Sunday -- my family arrived to get me at 9:15 in the morning. so far I have been to church, which is of course in a gothic cathedral. I met all sorts of girls who are friends with the stracke's daughter clarissa. they are going to help me around tomorrow at school. school is attatched sort of to the cathedral and it is 300 years old. we had a really good lunch of wild boar (?!?!?!! they have a hunter friend) and this squash soup that was absolutely delicious. I am eating much better here than in germany, I find their food is still rich but somehow more manageable, and therefore my table manners perhaps?!). we later went to this giant recreation area a little out side of the city with a big forest and fruit trees and everything. for dinner was some potato with a little egg in it dish, and then we went to Rathausplatz to see a filmed performance of Figaro, which was so beautiful.
Which brings me to today, my first day in school. It was short, beginning with church which I went to with a girl called Clara who was the best friend of the girl I'm replacing here. The classroom stuff was really disorganized and no one really listened. A list went around showing which classes people would be taking with their other classes and there was none listed next to my name? The principal is on sick leave so when she comes back I'll find out apparently...
I guess the good news is that I won't have to pay for school books.
There was a student in my class born of Viennese parents, but grew up in Amercia and she helped me a little.
The homeroom teacher spoke to me in English, and I'm afraid they will think that I can't speak any german.
I think after we had Psychology class, but I don't know. At first I thought she was just doing another orientation thing, because everyone was talking and she just sat a desk in front of the class and kind of joked around. But then I understood her talking about the difference between the left and right side of the brain, and men and women and children, and something about dreams, and somethign about children and teddy bears. The girl who lived in America told me that classes are just like this, and that yes, it shocked her at first too.
I'm surprised mostly because what I understood from orientations was how important school is and how in order everything is and how strict.
School was over at 10.45 (half day)
I don't know what else happens today and HOPEFULLY I'll get classes??? That'd be helpful. I know they have to take the langauge they have been studying, and since I know no others, I may be able to get into a German class for younger students. (ha, like the ten year olds)
See you.
Thursday -- was much better than wedsnesday and lots of waiting around to get to the airport. all of us couldn't wait to get out of new york city. there are about 20 us students going to austria and we all got along REALLY well. the exception to this was a boy from a cow farm on oregon who had two very pretty girls from southern california hanging off both of his arms. in austria they behaved very inappropriately and finally the rest of the group had the guts to tell them off and PLEASE refrain from the PDA because it was seriously offending the austrians, and ESPECIALLY since oregoncowboy had a girlfriend back home.
And so the flight. It was very long and most of it I fell asleep on the fold out table. I got a lot of reading done for history class. Oh yes, this was an unchaperoned flight, and so we had to figure out the way past passport control and to our next gate in frankfurt by ourselves.
Friday -- was when we arrived I suppose, it was afternoon. they had a room with food and chairs prepared for us at the world trade center where we waited for our bus that came at 8:30. there were lots of jokes we told that weren't funny but seemed that way because we were so tired. finally we got to orientation site at around 10, where there were about 130 kids from around the world and we really just wanted to go to sleep.
Saturday -- we broke off into country groups that prepared ourselves for austria according to our culture. it was a lot of fun and mostly I was just glad to be hanging out with them, bsecause all the americans got pretty close. there was a party this night and we taught everyone the cha cha slide. I went to bed pretty early because I wanted to take a shower. (with my deliciously smelling austrian toiletries)
Sunday -- my family arrived to get me at 9:15 in the morning. so far I have been to church, which is of course in a gothic cathedral. I met all sorts of girls who are friends with the stracke's daughter clarissa. they are going to help me around tomorrow at school. school is attatched sort of to the cathedral and it is 300 years old. we had a really good lunch of wild boar (?!?!?!! they have a hunter friend) and this squash soup that was absolutely delicious. I am eating much better here than in germany, I find their food is still rich but somehow more manageable, and therefore my table manners perhaps?!) we are going for a walk later and then I heard we may go to Rathausplatz which is a big center where there will an opera performance on a big screen tv there.I really have not had a chance to see Wien yet but I suppose I am ever closer because I live right here. It is very beautiful where I live and very close to this enormous theatre.
Friday -- was when we arrived I suppose, it was afternoon. they had a room with food and chairs prepared for us at the world trade center where we waited for our bus that came at 8:30. there were lots of jokes we told that weren't funny but seemed that way because we were so tired. finally we got to orientation site at around 10, where there were about 130 kids from around the world and we really just wanted to go to sleep.
Saturday -- we broke off into country groups that prepared ourselves for austria according to our culture. it was a lot of fun and mostly I was just glad to be hanging out with them, bsecause all the americans got pretty close. there was a party this night and we taught everyone the cha cha slide. I went to bed pretty early because I wanted to take a shower. (with my deliciously smelling austrian toiletries)
Sunday -- my family arrived to get me at 9:15 in the morning. so far I have been to church, which is of course in a gothic cathedral. I met all sorts of girls who are friends with the stracke's daughter clarissa. they are going to help me around tomorrow at school. school is attatched sort of to the cathedral and it is 300 years old. we had a really good lunch of wild boar (?!?!?!! they have a hunter friend) and this squash soup that was absolutely delicious. I am eating much better here than in germany, I find their food is still rich but somehow more manageable, and therefore my table manners perhaps?!). we later went to this giant recreation area a little out side of the city with a big forest and fruit trees and everything. for dinner was some potato with a little egg in it dish, and then we went to Rathausplatz to see a filmed performance of Figaro, which was so beautiful.
Which brings me to today, my first day in school. It was short, beginning with church which I went to with a girl called Clara who was the best friend of the girl I'm replacing here. The classroom stuff was really disorganized and no one really listened. A list went around showing which classes people would be taking with their other classes and there was none listed next to my name? The principal is on sick leave so when she comes back I'll find out apparently...
I guess the good news is that I won't have to pay for school books.
There was a student in my class born of Viennese parents, but grew up in Amercia and she helped me a little.
The homeroom teacher spoke to me in English, and I'm afraid they will think that I can't speak any german.
I think after we had Psychology class, but I don't know. At first I thought she was just doing another orientation thing, because everyone was talking and she just sat a desk in front of the class and kind of joked around. But then I understood her talking about the difference between the left and right side of the brain, and men and women and children, and something about dreams, and somethign about children and teddy bears. The girl who lived in America told me that classes are just like this, and that yes, it shocked her at first too.
I'm surprised mostly because what I understood from orientations was how important school is and how in order everything is and how strict.
School was over at 10.45 (half day)
I don't know what else happens today and HOPEFULLY I'll get classes??? That'd be helpful. I know they have to take the langauge they have been studying, and since I know no others, I may be able to get into a German class for younger students. (ha, like the ten year olds)
See you.
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