Study Abroad AUSTRIA

A week or so ago I got down my suitcase and started dropping items from my newly created packing list in it - in no apparent order or neatness! Yesterday, I began to make it neater...packing in order to be ready to go. My list has stars by what I still need to purchase, circles around things I still need to get from my office or the house. Again, I am packing my roller carryon INSIDE my larger suitcase so that on my shorter excursions I am not lugging a larger bag around.

I’ve also spent time fixing the itinerary and getting everything ready. It’s weird to think I’ll be there alone without another adult leader. But I’m getting excited to be with 5 new students - we always end up as family by the end 😊. Additionally, Krista is coming for the Salzburg portion of the trip and then Natalie from the study abroad office is coming as we visit our new partner site in Ostrava, Czech Republic! While there we will be visiting Auschwitz - a stirring and humbling experience for sure.

This time next week I’ll be getting ready to graduate Spencer from seminary then send him off to work in Fort Worth, TX all summer to make money for his mission. Crazy how fast life goes!

This time around is SOOOO much different than the first. The students, the other professor I am with, my kids with me...the list goes on. The ONE thing that has not changed is my time to actually keep my own blog. Because nothing is really NEW to me, I get pics, but maybe not as many of the actual buildings and scenery. I enjoy them just as much, just not with pics.

We have done a couple NEW things this time around as well. We went on a tour of the city led by a homeless person. It was eye opening to say the least. She told us about the housing they offer to the homeless, how to recognize it. I think I have seen maybe 3 others as I've been walking around. They take care of the homeless so much better than we do in America. I don't want to say America gets it all wrong, but some things we just don't do well. Not sure if the cart or the horse comes first, but regardless...some things are better here. Here is one of those housing units we found all over Vienna.

I haven't been keeping up with this Blog so well. I spend time reading the student's blogs and getting things ready for the next day.

We've had a great time. I'll post a video of pics....

On Tuesday we left for the west. We stopped at Mauthausen, the Concentration Camp, and my heart still felt as heavy as when I first visited a year ago. Unimaginable atrocities! Mauthausen! How do I speak of Mauthausen? I didn’t go as slowly, nor as completely his time around. It was still heavy, but I knew what to expect. But still my heart ached for these people of not so long ago. The memorial Italy erected is still a bone chiller for me…all those pictures of such young hearty men whose lives were cut short, very short!

This time I noticed station 19, where the secret prisoner resistance began in Camp 2. It was mainly a network to help others with rations and hiding people. The guards didn’t like when the could see prisoners with solidarity with other prisoners, or maintaining a will to survive, or holding onto self-respect. “In a place where dehumanization is the aim, and often the norm, ANY attempt to preserve humanity must be seen as an act of resistance.”

Spencer said it well…This place is deceptively beautiful.

My thoughts … Walk slowly/softly, you’re treading on sacred ground.

In Salzburg, I met up with Igor again yesterday…he is the street artist from Salzburg! He hadn’t done my picture yet because he wanted it to be perfect for me. Ha!

Salzburg didn’t disappoint! Of course, no one can compare to Erich from last year…but this guy was good. He took us to the fortress…for ½ the cost, a nice perk. But it was getting late and everyone was getting tired and hungry….meaning HANGRY! But the views were spectacular. Some said this was the MOST beautiful thing they had EVER seen. Wait til tomorrow, I would respond. Tomorrow is Hallstatt!

And now…today is Hallstatt! THIS is one of my favorite places…it is SOOOO beautiful! I can’t wait to see how the students like it.

One highlight from Hallstatt, besides the mountain views, the salt mine tour, and riding on a little boat on the lake for an hour, was Spencer's decision to actually take a dip in the lake. He had been talking about it and had decided NOT to.....until Avery called him a "chicken." That's all it took...and we were off to find a good, semi-secluded spot. This boy of mine...he is pretty dang funny and awesome! ALL MINE...that is for dang sure!!

It was a long day...but a good one!

Two students are sticking close to us a lot – NOT because they are not capable of navigating or are scared, but because they aren’t fitting in with the others so well. This makes me sad – sad for them. They are a little whiney and a little different. I can see it is grating on Lisa’s nerves, mine too if I am honest. It’s mostly when we are tired at the end of the day.

When we got back to Salzburg we found a very CLOSE and semi cheap (albeit SLOW) Italian place to eat. We were the only ones there for MOST of dinner. Spencer was ravenous ... got TWO (count them T.W.O.) meals. We have been having fun together....Lisa, the kids, and me! We taught Lisa SnapChat....what a hoot!

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Today was the Sound of Music Tour. Where I had been excited to get up on the mountain again, our guide was NOT at all like Erich from last year. I knew that after a few minutes the first day, but it was even more evident. Mondsee and the wedding chapel was nice with the lake region, but NOTHING like the mountain. I felt like I let the students down, and Lisa too. But mostly I really wanted to be up there again…and I knew Spencer did too.

But we made it to Dorfgastein and they were all happy. Last year they struggled with NOTHING to do. This year, they immediately went exploring. Spencer went on a run by himself then on another one with Grayson. They went UP in the mountain! Both Kelsey and Spencer like it here. Kelsey stayed and played with their grandson, Fabian, who is 11. He is learning English. They played ping-pong, badminton, and a little soccer in the backyard. I played with his little sister, Jasmine, who is 6 and their cousin, Emily, who is 2 or 3. We had a fun time. All the students got back and just hung out playing outside. I like these times and it seems like they do too.

Tomorrow we will find out if we can go Paragliding. It really depends upon the weather. If we can’t…at least we will be able to go hiking up the mountain and exploring. THIS is my happy place for sure! The mountains bring my blood pressure down and make me feel safe and secure. I feel most at peace in the mountains.

I am excited about tomorrow! I’ve been excited for a long time about paragliding for the kiddos!

I’m falling very behind on reading blogs…the wifi has not been good in the last couple places we have been in. But I will catch up this weekend.

WE GOT TO GO PARAGLIDING!!!!!!!!! Here is the proof! Not much more to say...it was expensive but AMAZING!! I'm glad we did it...when will we ever have the chance again??

I think I am caught up (sort of)....our quiet weekend at the apartment was well needed. We didn't really do anything, except shop a bit at the Naschmarkt on Saturday and go to church today. We got some cool finds at the flea market....here is Kelsey's faves!