I hope that the upcoming Christmas feeling is as strong where you are as it is here in Salzburg. There has been snow upon snow upon snow until TODAY which has been a blessing in the disguise of global warming! I have been waiting to feel some sunshine and warmth and it made it up to a brisk 46 degrees F today, which feels like heaven in comparison with the past few dreary and cold days. The sun still sets at 4:25, but at least I have gotten to see the sun for 1 day! Something not to be taken advantage of.
Well this past week has been another interesting step forward from the last. I had a pretty average week filled with school, obnoxious children, obnoxious teachers, gym dates and visiting with friends. On Friday night we (Keri and I) went to Bischofshofen to visit our Fleur(y), spend some time hanging out and have a girls night! It was really nice to get out of Salzy, since the tourists are thick in town and making it terribly difficult to get around. Of course it is great to spend some time with Fleur and to be in the quiet of the mountains, as well. It is actually unbelievable how many tourists are in town these days, it is not weird to hear English, Spanish, and French spoken on a daily basis, and the prices of everything are even more outlandish than normal, but there is nothing that one can do. You gotta eat!
In any case, Keri and I got back from B-hof on Saturday afternoon, and I caught up with her friend from college, Catherine, for some Thai food and good times. We ended up heading into town after our first round for some delicious Glühwein and Punsch, and all of a sudden heard bells. Uh oh. Bells the day before St. Nikolaus day ALWAYS mean the same thing...and after seeing scampering children coming, we saw a black shape run up the street with a whip of hair and horns. After scampering away the children, the Krampus came up to us, first to Keri to steal her hat, and then later HER! One then later came to me, tried to steal my hat but I just made him give me a hug (VERY VERY RARE) so I am guessing it was a student...
After having our run in with the Kramperl, we ended up making downtown for some Punsch and Glühwein. Punsch is usually a drink that has some sort of schnapps like alcohol and juice in it (warmed up, of course), and I went with the suggestion of my kids and tried the Waldbeerer-Zimt Punsch. Unfortunately, what they think is delicious tastes like Robutussin for me. Never. Again. I will stick to the glühwein and enjoy myself, thank youuu
We met up with Nick (from Wales) and ended up going over to the Dubliner Pub and having a few cocktails and singing songs from the past. Unfortunately we got stuck in the smokers room and I came home REEKING like an ashtray, but it was a good night all in all (ending up with me meeting my roommate's boyfriend in his underwear in our kitchen, fabulous).
Sunday was relaxed, we took some pictures, hung out and then all went to our respective places. It was time.
Yesterday Emily and I went to Linz to check out the Yann Tiersen concert. It was actually quite wonderful to spend time with some of the other people we met during orientation (they were great hosts) and to see such an awesome musical spectacle, and I was so impressed by the opening group that I bought their whole album (and of course Yann's new one as well). We started by getting picked up by Erin at the trainstation (bless her heart!), and going to get a few Glühwein to shake off the cold December wind. Afterwards we went out for some Vietnamese food and headed over to the Posthof for the concert, and were literally blown away by the intensity of it (or I was anyway). Yann's music, vocals, and melange of instruments was almost a whole body experience that took me to another place, to a different area of my mind and I found myself swaying without even thinking about it. It was haunting as much as it was fascinating.
It was also really awesome because he used the Keytar MANY a time. Bomb.
In any case, tomorrow is a holiday (Maria Emfängnis, not to be confused with Maria Gefängnis which means Maria prison, it is Maria Arisen, or something), and I am looking forward to sleeping in and spending some time chilling out. Hopefully the gym will be open although I highly highly doubt that. Anyway, only 17 more days until I go home. I am trying not to get my hopes up about anything, it seems like everything could tip to the other end at any moment and I don't want to put myself into either the mentality that I am SO happy that nothing bad could happen or into the everything is going to go wrong idea either. It is a delicate balance, an effort, and takes time. That is for sure.
Sending you all hugs and love from Salzy,
Maija
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