Living the Dream

      This is day number three in Austria...but it feels like I have been here a month. Getting here and getting settled was by far the most difficult thing I have ever done. Flying over I had no one else in my row! But of course I couldn't sleep at all so the time difference was so difficult for me. When I first got to Austria my amazing "buddy" (it's an international mentoring program) Christina picked me up from the airport and my first stop was IKEA! haha how European of me. So then we got my keys and grabbed lunch where I ate my first schnitzel, which is awesome! Christina and her boyfriend brought me to my apartment to settle in and I tried to sleep. That is when major panic set in and I was basically ready to drain my savings and fly home. But I spent a little time with my flatmates that night and they are very welcoming so it made me feel much less homesick. The next morning I was left to my own devices to find my way to German class, thanks UNI GRAZ for not giving me any assistance. But I made it to class where I proceeded to make friends with all of the Americans in class, Typical. We hung out all day and shopped and then split up with plans to meet for dinner. I got back to my apartment and by some strange occurrence my lock was broken which locked me out of my apartment subsequently locking my flatmates in. No one was very happy about the situation especially because the landlord seemed to think it was appropriate for us to wait until Monday to enter or exit the apartment. Unacceptable. Luckily they were crafty enough to figure out how to unlock the door. So that was exciting. Then I hit the town with my  new American friends and everyone proceeded to stare at us because we were the loud obnoxious Americans...Shocking. We had a great night and they are a wonderful group of people who make me feel alot less homesick. Saturday was frigid! I went to the mall with some Americans and people from Graz and it looks just like an American mall. Hollister and all (which by the way smells the same internationally) I made plans to go out with my Austrian buddy at night and we went to her boyfriends apartment and just hung out and then went out. It was so much fun and they are such interesting people. Today I am just catching up on American television and lounging around but the superbowl is on later! So all of the Americans are getting together to watch it at a pub downtown. All I have to say is there better be wings and nachos. So I am very excited to celebrate this very American event in Austria. Now that the initial bout of homesickness had passed I am in the shock and awe phase where everything seems to exciting....im hoping this lasts for quite awhile. But we will see what each new day brings! Auf Wiedersehen. (yes...I do feel like Heidi Klum everytime I say it :))