Quick update

Sorry I haven't been able to blog too much, I have too much to do!

Breakfasts are great where I'm staying! I've been playing for lots of great singers and learning lots of new rep.

Yesterday I went to Innsbruck (photo) with my roommate who was studying there last semester and has a dorm room. It's a very pretty town and reminded me of Galway. Went to McDonald's finally and the Austrian version of a Home Depot (photo).

Last night we went to a Tiroler Abend, which is much like German Fest or Polish Fest. Lederhosen, dirndls, kids doing the slap dance and a bench dance and a logging dance.

I'm too tired to really say anymore at the moment. We have our first big concert tomorrow!

lamps just don't fall off of the wall...

MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSIC!!! IMHO, Maurach is even PRETTIER than Vienna. Here are some pictures of a TGI Friday's in Vienna, Stephansdom in Vienna, Maurach am Achensee in the ALPS, and drinking out of a mountain spring. Playing for singers all day, it's absolutely amazing and y'all better be totes jealous. Sorry I'm not more articulate. An english GQ is 12 euro, WTF?!?!?! And what did I just do? I pulled my computer, which pulled the cord, which pulled the wine glass. As I tried to clean up, I knocked into the wall scone next to my bed and it broke...i'm NOT drunk at all, just a klutz.

I apologize for some of my questionable grammer in these posts; I'm usually on the run, doing German homework, or translating Wagner that I sometimes forget to read what I write.

The OOO-Bahn is much better than the Strassenbahn.

Helvetica-land

I had this idea to take pictures of all the Helvetica I could find, but it was much cooler in my brain than as actual pictures. I did take about 14 pictures of it walking down one little block.

I GOT A KEY FOR THE KLAVIERRAUM!!! DANKESCHÖN, GERALD!!! Waiting to get my money from Summer Music Clinic so I can feel even more financially bequem? I need to practice my German...

Pictures: Rathaus (city hall), Ancient Roman ruins, Dome at the entrance to the Kaiser's place, some library, and the sheets that I brought that match the countertops in my room.

Last night, I ate at this Indian buffet that is pay what you want...crazy concept but good food! It really wasn't spicy enough for me, though.

I also ate Leberkäse, something we would NEVER eat in the U.S. Look it up.

There's also a British pub right by my dorm...it's really cool inside, but sort of expensive. They had Bulmer's, something I haven't had since I was in Ireland five years ago!

TIME TO PRACTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Noisy day

I woke up because there was a gnat flying around my ears and wouldn't go away. Last night was really noisy because Spain won the World Cup. During class today someone was drilling and hammering on the floor below us. The Ankor Clock also had it's organ thingy at noon.

I just handwashed clothes for the first time and it's actually pretty fast and easy (except for the drying...).

OH YEAH, I FORGOT

I had my voice lesson on Friday!!! It was very interesting...she's a very kinesthetic teacher. I'm working on Der Lindenbaum as my first song, in the high key (which I guess is not really that high).

Samstag

So, after going out on Friday night with some Spaniards (bars close at 4am in Vienna!), one of them told me to take this certain night bus back. It said Nußdorfer, which I figured meant Nußdorferstraße--NOT THE SAME THING. So I ended up getting off somewhere and miraculously ending back up downtown. I waited 45 minutes for the first tram that I knew would get me home. Then I fell asleep on the tram and missed my stop by a little bit. I decided to walk back down a side street...BAD IDEA. I ended up even more lost and didn't get back until 6:30am! Needless to say, I was exhausted all day, but I did see a lot of Viennese backways and some beautiful homes. Did I have my camera, NO.

So I slept until noon. Then I bought a phone to use the Austrian SIM card that my aunt gave me. I called her and she told me to go to Grinzing. So I walked around Grinzing, but didn't really have any wine nor could I find the vineyards, and took only one picture. Hopefully the picture comes out right-side up when I upload it...

I went back and met an Italian and then we got dinner at a restaurant that was half Chinese buffet, half FlatTop. They have a CityBike system here that lets you ride around for an hour FREE, any way. You could ride around for free all day as long as you wait at least 15 minutes in between trips!!! We biked around downtown and he gave me a tour of the city...this place is too damn pretty! I wish the bikes had gears, though :/ I ORDERED a shake from McDonald's in GERMAN, their menü is SO different...

Did I have my camera? Of course not. I'll have to do it again and take pictures of the Museums Quartier and The Rathhaus, the libraries, it's all ridiculously old and absolutely beautiful, unlike anything in the US except D.C., sorta kinda.

I FINALLY heard back from the guy about getting into the practice rooms...he told me to go to the office that told me to go to him :) Actually, he was very nice and offered to go to them tomorrow for me and get me a key!!! VIELEN DANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm writing in translations into my music and doing my German homework today. I could live here but I really need to work on German!!!!!!!

Finally, some terrible pictures

I always feel like a real tourist when taking photos so i try not to...here are three pictures out of my dorm room window and a picture of my German classroom.

Shady websites and other things

So the English website for Weiner Linien (the transportation system here in Vienna) cunningly leaves out some of the better valued tickets and passes! I learned.

I finally met some other Americans! They're from Virginia, though :P I also met a ton of Ukrainians that speak English. It's relieving since I can hardly say anything in German, let alone grammatically correct.

My German teacher is Czech, speaks German, Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese, AND English fluently. We aren't we doing this in the U.S.?!?!?!?!?!?

Tonight we had a social gathering at the Esterházykeller but I didn't say a word about the Esterházy's and Haydn. Then some of us went to this outdoor café to eat and watch soccer (not me). I had some really good Schweisesomethingschnitzel. They had WIFIIIII!!!! I went berserk and pulled out my iPhone and checked everything I could and got my first Skype call!!! It was from the director of TOP Opera, telling me that the other pianist was having visa troubles and couldn't make it for the program and that I would be the ONLY pianist for a little bit...20 singers, 4 arias each, and ensembles...SCHEIßE!!! They are hiring another pianist, Danken Sie Gott (?)

I really need to get to this piano in the building, but that requires a key from the office, which is hardly open over the summer...even when all of the dorms are pretty much occupied...

I swear I'll take some pictures and put them up SOON.

Gute Nacht!

baby steps

I just ordered a pastry in German!!! Then I had no idea what she said back to me...i got no bitte for my dankeschön...

Time to be an ignorant, possibly arrogant, American

No window screens...yes bugs could get in, but so could BIRDS and BATS.
No A/C...it's really not that bad since I grew up without it, except when people are smelly
WC separate from shower...why can't we do this? It's way more logistical.
The period and comma switch in numbers...looks like typos.
Thinking everything in French because I'm in a foreign country makes my brain hurt.
The kleenex I bought here is big and sturdy, but is scented.
BEER IN VENDING MACHINES. LIKE.

It's actually not that bad, and I finally feel much better after my first German class.

I'm finally here

Despite very smooth flights and arriving on time (except running through Amsterdam's airport like a crazy man not to miss my flight), the first day in Vienna was a bit nightmarish!

More later, I'm tired.