Pre-Departure Thoughts: 2 Weeks To Go

Austria is just around the corner :) So much has been on my mind lately. Here is a glimpse:

The past couple of weeks have mostly been a blur. I feel like I've been prepping for this journey for the past 5 months straight. Oh wait, I have! I can finally say that everything is in order. My residency permit has been processed; all I need to do is submit fingerprints. Receiving that news was probably the biggest relief. Flight itineraries, housing confirmation, receipts, dozens of e-mails, forms, copies....it's all organized into two folders that I will be taking with me on my flights. Now it's time to get serious about packing. I'm used to packing for up to 2 months of being away...but not 9 :)

Let's face it, us girls like our clothes and shoes. For months I've been envisioning what I will wear while in Austria. It's kind of like going back to school in the fall. You're excited to have a few new outfits, meet new people, integrate. Except this excitement is much bigger. I'm going to be living in the 9th largest city of the European Union, the capital of Austria. Since I grew up on a farm in a very rural community, this is a big deal. I'm currently deciding what clothes I'll take with me. I'm trying to take as much with me as I can, winter-clothes wise, so that I won't have to do a lot of clothes shopping when I get there. I also might have my sister send some winter clothes to me once I arrive. Having lived in Vienna a few summers back, I do know that the H&M near Stephansplatz is fantastic. They have way more choices than the H&M in Portland for example. The prices there are surprisingly reasonable. I'll find out from the locals what a typical winter is like there before I do further shopping. In addition to winter clothes in general, I have to think about clothes I can wear on the job. I have the impression that the dress code for my schools is casual to semi-formal, but I will find out soon enough. Something I'm excited to bring with me: My cute pink Dirndl. :)

Since I'll be arriving on a Sunday, not many stores will be open (if any). I'm planning on bringing some snacks with me, as well as anything I'll need for my first day there. On Monday I'll make my way to the local authorities to register, and then to the immigration office on Wednesday. In between I'll have time to explore my new neighborhood, meet people, buy some groceries, and hit up IKEA for some bedding. I'll also need to purpose all necessary transportation tickets for Vienna as well as my commute to Gänserndorf. The following Monday through Friday I'll be in Graz at the Orientation Seminar. I'm really looking forward to meeting other TA's and getting started on this new adventure. As you can see, there is a lot to do upon arrival, but it's all manageable. Luckily I've spent a good amount of time abroad, and know (somewhat) what to expect. This will be my 6th international trip (my 5th trip to Europe). I honestly can't believe it. I feel very lucky to have had many opportunities to see the world and experience other cultures. There is not a doubt in my mind that living and working abroad is something I can do.

One thing that I haven't had much time to work on in the past year is my German. During winter term of 2012 I took a German translation course which helped, but I have definitely been out of practice. However, I have been reviewing old course books, listening to deutsche Lieder, and doing whatever I can to keep it fresh. Being the curious nerd that I am, I decided to research the German that's spoken in Austria. Similar to Germany, Austria has many different dialects which are spoken in different regions. Most Austrians speak "Standard German" (Hochdeutsch) but it is often times mixed with some dialect. Last summer I spent some time in Obersalzburg with family friends. I was able to speak Hochdeutsch with them easily, but as soon as they got into their dialect, things got complicated. I recently did some research on "Viennese German" (Wienerisch, because Vienna in German is Wien), the dialect spoken in Vienna. I'd like to learn some of this dialect, and I'm thinking it shouldn't be too difficult, since I'll be there for 9 months. Between the German spoken in Germany and the German spoken in Austria, in general, there are many differences. Vocabulary is one of the biggest differences, as there are different words used for the same thing in both countries. Some of the most obvious differences I caught a few summers back were the words used for potatoes: Kartoffeln in Germany vs. Erdäpfel in Austria; bag: Tüte in Germany vs. Sackerl in Austria, and stairs: Treppe in Germany vs. Stiege in Austria. Those are just a few differences in vocabulary. I'm not even going to touch on grammar lol. I'm still learning German, and people say that learning a language is a lifelong journey. I can't wait to practice German and only get better at it.

I can't wait to live in Vienna. After (barely) getting to know the city in 2009, I always dreamed of one day returning for a longer period of time. This city is so beautiful, and holds so much history in every corner. It was also the first European city that I lived in alone (meaning without family along - other students from my university lived near me). I cannot wait to visit my favorite restaurant in the Museumsquartier with the best Wiener Schnitzel I've ever had. I'm also looking forward to visiting the little Eis stand near Stephansplatz where I would always get zwei Kugeln: Erdbeer und Zitrone. And don't even get me started on the Sacher Torte at Hotel Sacher. Thinking back to that time, I had so many unfortunate yet funny things happen in Vienna. I can't wait for more :)

Emily