Sunday.
I got to sleep in some. It was very very nice. I got up around nine and went down stairs to eat, which is always good. Afterwards, I went to shower and get ready. As a group, we walked to the St. Augustine Cathedral which is on the edge of the Habsberg quarter but closer to the State Opera House and to my school than expected. The high mass started at eleven and we arrived at ten fortyfive and it was still packed. There were no seats and we were preparing to stand the entire time. But a man came and led us down to the front of the altar and around the corner we realized where he was taking us and we were nervous. We were seated behind the altar, between the priests' seats and the altar. I was a little scared because I felt like I was in a holy place and that if I messed up the priest would use his good connection to smite me down or something bad. During the prelude and during the beginning of the mass they had a choir singing and an orchestra that was playing classics like Mozhart and such. The cathedral was made in the gothic style and had the perfect architecture for the sound and music. It was soo beautiful but of course somethings were lost in translation considering I have only been taking german classes for two weeks at this point. I really enjoyed it though.
We have a Bible test thursday and a German test friday but we get to leave for Italy on this Saturday. I am very very happy about that. We will be there for ten days and we will see Rome, Florence and Siena. I have been learning about Catholic history, traditions, and religion throughout history. This trip will be very beneficial to both of my many classes with the Prof Hortons.
About Me
Monday, September 28, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
FK Austria Wien play SV Josko Ried - My first soccer game in Europe!
A big group of us decided to go to see the local team play. Their colors were purple and gold, hmm seem fimilar? haha They played okay but they werent the best when it came to pressuring the ball and following shots. The teams were both teams in the Austrian league, I dont think they were a big deal but they seemed to have many fans among the Vienna teens and young people. My student ticket was only about 11 euro. The fans were wild and crazy and were proud and annoying. It was great! haha The game ended in a tie, one to one. I was a little dissappointed by that. But all in all it was a great night. And to put a cherry on top a few of us walked to the gelato place by the hotel :) Poppy, after eight(mint chocolate chip) and Schokolade (chocolate) our favorites! I love you and miss you all!
Prague Tour
We started in the morning by going to the Strahov Monastery, it was on top of one of the mountains surrounding Prague. The biggest library is housed there in the Monastery. After seeing that we started walking down the hill towards the town. As we were walking our tour guide told us that the Prague Castle has the biggest castle grounds of Europe because of our all the churchs, stores, and homes. We also saw the palace guards who stand at every enterance like at London. And of course I had my picture taken with one of them haha. On the hill, on our way down to the town, we also saw the replica of the Eiffel, it only 1/3 the size of the actual one though. I also saw the Schuassenberg Palace. It was built in the 16th century. It is done in graffito style. And it was damaged in 1542 by a fire but has been restored since the fall of communism. Our tour guide said that alot of the family palaces and big homes were taken away during communism and finally given back hundred years later to whoever was left in the family, where ever they were, but the palaces who in horrible shape. The European Union paid for most of Prague's expensive up keep jobs. Another thing I learned was that the Czech unemployment rate is only 2.1 %! And that their Independence day is October 18, 1918. Which is only a day and like 81 days from my birthday haha. Within the main palace's inner courtyard was the Kohl Fountain, aka- fertile fountain. The tradition goes that if a woman throws a coin into it within a year she will be pregnant. Maria Theresa threw 16 coins in it, and sure enough she birthed 16 children. Also within the palace walls is the Cathedral of St. Fitus. It is built in the neo-gothic stlye. It is the biggest and longest church in the Czech Republic. One of the windows in the palace is very very famous. It is the symbol of 2nd Prague. In 1618, there was a fight between the Protestants and Catholics. The story goes that the Protestants pushed Catholics out of the 2nd window and the fell to where the cross stands today. But none of the people died, they were just bruised. They believe that Mary saved them. This act started the 30 years war. We also crossed the Charles Bridge the oldest bridge in Prague, it was a walking only bridges bc of the age but there were tons of people selling jewelry and prints. That is when I decided what else I want to collect other than my patches, PRINTS form every city or country! On the other side of the bridge there was the biggest night club in Europe, it was five stories and every floor had a different theme and types of music. I didnt get the chance to go but I got pictures during our tour. Our tour guide said that Prague has a big night life. Soon after that our tour ended and we had a little while to shop. I got a pretty stone necklace and walked around the parts of the city I didnt get to go the day before. On the bus home we all studied for our Humanities test 2, We had an oral exam and I got an A!! Be proud haha
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Prague!!!
Day ONE:
We left for Prague at eight in the morning on Saturday and arrived at about noon. I slept almost the whole way, and every time I tried to study or stay awake it was a failed mission. When we got off the bus we had six hours to explore the city. We walked across the Charles bridge, named after Charles the fourth and went into the old town square in the historic part of the city. On the way we passed alot of very exspensive stores such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Lacoste and many more which I had never even seen with my own eyes. I was scary because I didnt want to even get too close to the stores because of how much things cost there. Haha When we came to the square Daniel, who is Lipscombs travel agent said we had 15 mins to go to the restroom and exchange euros for czech krowns, at that moment was when I realized I had forgotten my wallet with my debit card. Leah got extra money out for me on her card and I ended up paying her back in euros. As Leah and I got done with the long line for the money exchange and debit machine, we turned to walk back to the meeting place. Once we realized we were all alone and our group had left us, we started to freak alittle. I decided we would just wonder around and we what we could see and not worry about the group. We saw soo much! We walk for a good hour and a half before stopping for lunch. We went to a little caffe that had amazing food, Mom we had wonderful Quiche and mozzarella n tomato salad and a mini pizza to split. Then later we got dessert, a chocolate eclaire and chocolate mouse! We were soo full than we didnt eat dinner and the meal was pretty cheap because we had walked so far away from tourists. After lunch we walked past a mall that had lots of little shops inside, and I got Addison's christmas gift! A handmade and paint zebra and giraffe! They were exspensive but worth it, about 20 US dollars. Then later walking around I found a Patagonia store, which is an outdoors store similar to Columbia or Northface. But this store was better and special because it was an outlet store, I got a really nice jacket that would have originally been 150 US dollars for about 40 US dollars :) that was a good day! After that, we stubbled upon a church that just looked like any other old church but then when we went inside we realized we were in the Church of St. James the Greater, which is actually a Basillica, not that I know the different. But I did read that the new pope was there just a month before. I got some great pictures. Leah and I began walking again at about five with two hours left till we had to meet up with the group. We came up on a huge group of crazy loud youger people dressed in scary customs, and yes I was pretty scaried of them haha, there were police and people everywhere and loud music everywhere. We asked a cop as we acrossed the street what was going on and we came to find out that I was a carnival of anarchists and squatters. They were drinking out on the street as they were following a parade of huge decorated van with tons of different rock and inappropreiate music. They were yelling horrible things aloud and were dressed in rediculous clothing making fun of the government. They all were huge hibbies with long hair and tiedied clothes. The cops said they were doing this jsut to show that they were free to show their oppinion and get attention. It was like a huge party that was just full of loud nosense noise and scary drugged up people, and they were also dressed with as little clothes as possible. Leah and I watched for a while then continued walking back towards Charles bridge. On the way we saw a modeling shoot going on right in the middle of the crazy people, it was the real deal. I felt like I was watching a runaway show but in real life! Once we met up with the group, we got back on the bus and headed to the hotel where we just all hungout in the lobby until bed time. The next day, Sunday, we took a tour! I will write about that one tom night! love you all.
We left for Prague at eight in the morning on Saturday and arrived at about noon. I slept almost the whole way, and every time I tried to study or stay awake it was a failed mission. When we got off the bus we had six hours to explore the city. We walked across the Charles bridge, named after Charles the fourth and went into the old town square in the historic part of the city. On the way we passed alot of very exspensive stores such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Lacoste and many more which I had never even seen with my own eyes. I was scary because I didnt want to even get too close to the stores because of how much things cost there. Haha When we came to the square Daniel, who is Lipscombs travel agent said we had 15 mins to go to the restroom and exchange euros for czech krowns, at that moment was when I realized I had forgotten my wallet with my debit card. Leah got extra money out for me on her card and I ended up paying her back in euros. As Leah and I got done with the long line for the money exchange and debit machine, we turned to walk back to the meeting place. Once we realized we were all alone and our group had left us, we started to freak alittle. I decided we would just wonder around and we what we could see and not worry about the group. We saw soo much! We walk for a good hour and a half before stopping for lunch. We went to a little caffe that had amazing food, Mom we had wonderful Quiche and mozzarella n tomato salad and a mini pizza to split. Then later we got dessert, a chocolate eclaire and chocolate mouse! We were soo full than we didnt eat dinner and the meal was pretty cheap because we had walked so far away from tourists. After lunch we walked past a mall that had lots of little shops inside, and I got Addison's christmas gift! A handmade and paint zebra and giraffe! They were exspensive but worth it, about 20 US dollars. Then later walking around I found a Patagonia store, which is an outdoors store similar to Columbia or Northface. But this store was better and special because it was an outlet store, I got a really nice jacket that would have originally been 150 US dollars for about 40 US dollars :) that was a good day! After that, we stubbled upon a church that just looked like any other old church but then when we went inside we realized we were in the Church of St. James the Greater, which is actually a Basillica, not that I know the different. But I did read that the new pope was there just a month before. I got some great pictures. Leah and I began walking again at about five with two hours left till we had to meet up with the group. We came up on a huge group of crazy loud youger people dressed in scary customs, and yes I was pretty scaried of them haha, there were police and people everywhere and loud music everywhere. We asked a cop as we acrossed the street what was going on and we came to find out that I was a carnival of anarchists and squatters. They were drinking out on the street as they were following a parade of huge decorated van with tons of different rock and inappropreiate music. They were yelling horrible things aloud and were dressed in rediculous clothing making fun of the government. They all were huge hibbies with long hair and tiedied clothes. The cops said they were doing this jsut to show that they were free to show their oppinion and get attention. It was like a huge party that was just full of loud nosense noise and scary drugged up people, and they were also dressed with as little clothes as possible. Leah and I watched for a while then continued walking back towards Charles bridge. On the way we saw a modeling shoot going on right in the middle of the crazy people, it was the real deal. I felt like I was watching a runaway show but in real life! Once we met up with the group, we got back on the bus and headed to the hotel where we just all hungout in the lobby until bed time. The next day, Sunday, we took a tour! I will write about that one tom night! love you all.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Touring Museums
Today was a light day. We got to school as normal and had our German class, which has always been good so far, and then as a class our two teachers took us to the Natural History Museum in the Museum Quatier and the to the Kunst Historiches Museum. I got to see a huge collection of Egytian artifacts, Greek, Roman and then also a huge dinosaur collection. In the Natural History Museum I got to see the Venus of Willendorf, which was the first found art work. It is a tiny little statue of a fat, fertile women that the artist must have made to carry around with them at all times. It is the start to what we know now of art. I also saw lots of tombs of Egyptians and parts of really mummies! Super cool!
So on a more sad note some girls and I had ordered our tickets to London for fallbreak then we are going to Ireland and Scotland also. We had look at some papers one of our teachers gave us and it had the wrong date on it, so we havebeen spending quite a bit of time trying to get money back or change our flight plans. I know it will all work out but it just might cost more than we had thought at first. I just know thats really what I want to do for my long trip.
So on a more sad note some girls and I had ordered our tickets to London for fallbreak then we are going to Ireland and Scotland also. We had look at some papers one of our teachers gave us and it had the wrong date on it, so we havebeen spending quite a bit of time trying to get money back or change our flight plans. I know it will all work out but it just might cost more than we had thought at first. I just know thats really what I want to do for my long trip.
The Ballet
The other day I was running around to different cites with Leah and we stopped to ask about the tickets to the Opera house which is right across from the school. We found out that almost everynight the plays/musicals/operas are soldout because all the big important people buy them first. So Leah and I investigate and found out that if you come about two hours before the show you cant stand in line and fight the crowd to get standing seats. We brought a blanket with us that someone had taken from our flight overseas and sat on that. We waited in line and finally bought each ticket for 4 euros! It was amazing, because they ended up being great seats. We were right behind all the floor seats and under the four story balconies. The Opera House had bars set up for us to lean on and we were in the second or third row of about ten! The ballet was so amazing, it started our more classical and by the end of the second half it was very modern. The skill was amazing. I loved it, and it wasnt exspensive. And with our humanitites class we give to do a certain amount of things around the city and then sketch and write about them.
School and Breakfast info
So, I wrote on my blog for about a hour or so last night and then when I went to submitt it the internet had cut me off and lost it. I was sooo angry that I couldnt start all over again. I wanted to tell you all about my schooling and the awesome breakfast I get every morning. There are big bowls of yogurt and tons of different breads and rolls. They have cerals and room temp milk with big bowls of fruit! They have bacon but its just like thin slices of fat, which isnt good at all so I stay away. Dad, they have dirty eggs like the kind you have made me since I was a kid! I have them every morning! They have about seven different jellys and jams. And DAD, they also have tons of cheese! Now on to school stuff, Everyday I get up about 6:30 to shower then I go eat breakfast and afterwards have about a ten minute subway ride to the American Institute. First we have a 20 min chapel everyday then we have our German class with Mr Wassertheurer, who is a native, then we either have humanities or bible depending on the day. My favorite class so far has been the German class by far. The teacher is so funny and so helpful. I have been learning alot lately and Im trying to put it into work on the streets.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday.
We split up into groups and went to different shopping centers or areas around Vienna. My group went to the Mariahifer Strasse which is compared to the Magnificant Mile in Chicago. It was beautiful because you see tons of shops for miles then you look up and they are in all ancient buildings, totally european! We ate at a pizza place for lunch bc it was cheap and their pizza wasnt too good. We went to the Belvedere Palace, which was given as a gift to the General of the Vienna army that fought off the Turkish back in the good old days it was huge. And I dont remember if I wrote that friday we went to the Schonbrunn Palace, which is where Maria Antoinette grew up untill she later married the king of France. Then after the Belvedere we went to a huge amusement park, the Prater, in Vienna. They have like no regs on the rides so I was too chicken to ride them, but Dad I did get my first country patch! Its an Austrian one of course. Later that night Leah, a boy named Brett, and I got on the subway, the Ubahn, and road around to random places and got off and wondered around! We saw soooo much! It was neat but way different night scene than you would think. The people are very chill and calm but the drinking is heavy, we saw teens just walking around with beers! Scary! But then we got on a above ground train/bus because we hadn't riden one yet. It went into the outs of Vienna and stopped, we waited forever to go back to the city and then when we did we went to bed. What a long day!
Sunday.
Today was amazing. We got on the Ubahn and rode to Stephanplatz and went to the cathedral, Stephansdome. It was a huge gothic style building and absoluting beautiful. We went to catholic mass there and it was unbelievable, the choir was made up of trained professionals and the fact that the cathedral had been around since 1147 when it was built is just mind blowing. I really felt God in that place. Then as a class we went to a festival down the street to eat. It was a Thai festival with great food, my food was too hard to pronounce and really spicy! It had lots of red peppers, Mom! :) Then later we rode the Ubahn out to the end of Line 4, which is the purple line, to a town named Kahlenberg which was a little mountain village type place! We rode a bus to the top of the mountain and took pictures. Then we hiked down the trail through vineyards of purple and green grapes, Dad wine country! We stopped and had a devotional and communion half way down the mountain then made our way back to the village to eat. Leah, Allison, Ricki (whos a girl) and I split a dessert that was like a non sweet version of fried cheesecake fried but then covered with sweet vanilla sauce! It was Beautiful!! We bought fresh fruit, pears and apples, from a lady with a stand on the way down the mountain. I have had such a wonderful weekend, absolutely great. I have decided that I am going to go to the UK with some girls for fall break!
We split up into groups and went to different shopping centers or areas around Vienna. My group went to the Mariahifer Strasse which is compared to the Magnificant Mile in Chicago. It was beautiful because you see tons of shops for miles then you look up and they are in all ancient buildings, totally european! We ate at a pizza place for lunch bc it was cheap and their pizza wasnt too good. We went to the Belvedere Palace, which was given as a gift to the General of the Vienna army that fought off the Turkish back in the good old days it was huge. And I dont remember if I wrote that friday we went to the Schonbrunn Palace, which is where Maria Antoinette grew up untill she later married the king of France. Then after the Belvedere we went to a huge amusement park, the Prater, in Vienna. They have like no regs on the rides so I was too chicken to ride them, but Dad I did get my first country patch! Its an Austrian one of course. Later that night Leah, a boy named Brett, and I got on the subway, the Ubahn, and road around to random places and got off and wondered around! We saw soooo much! It was neat but way different night scene than you would think. The people are very chill and calm but the drinking is heavy, we saw teens just walking around with beers! Scary! But then we got on a above ground train/bus because we hadn't riden one yet. It went into the outs of Vienna and stopped, we waited forever to go back to the city and then when we did we went to bed. What a long day!
Sunday.
Today was amazing. We got on the Ubahn and rode to Stephanplatz and went to the cathedral, Stephansdome. It was a huge gothic style building and absoluting beautiful. We went to catholic mass there and it was unbelievable, the choir was made up of trained professionals and the fact that the cathedral had been around since 1147 when it was built is just mind blowing. I really felt God in that place. Then as a class we went to a festival down the street to eat. It was a Thai festival with great food, my food was too hard to pronounce and really spicy! It had lots of red peppers, Mom! :) Then later we rode the Ubahn out to the end of Line 4, which is the purple line, to a town named Kahlenberg which was a little mountain village type place! We rode a bus to the top of the mountain and took pictures. Then we hiked down the trail through vineyards of purple and green grapes, Dad wine country! We stopped and had a devotional and communion half way down the mountain then made our way back to the village to eat. Leah, Allison, Ricki (whos a girl) and I split a dessert that was like a non sweet version of fried cheesecake fried but then covered with sweet vanilla sauce! It was Beautiful!! We bought fresh fruit, pears and apples, from a lady with a stand on the way down the mountain. I have had such a wonderful weekend, absolutely great. I have decided that I am going to go to the UK with some girls for fall break!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
First Night in Vienna
We flew into Vienna at about 10:30 today. After loading our bags onto a bus, we took a drove tour around and then to the hotel, where we dropped off our things. Our rooms werent ready yet so we didnt check in right away, we went to lunch and then walked about the city for hours. Later in the afternoon we were able to move into our rooms and finally shower and brush our teeth!! Leah and Allison are my roommates and of course they are great! We get along well. We went to dinner at a medium size dinner place. I got something that I forgot the name to, it was something like a toasted ham sandwich with bacon, tomato, onions and an over easy egg on top. It was pretty good but I was also pretty hungry haha. Afterwards we went and got icecream and on the way home we got pretty lost. What an adventure?! I am excited about our day tomorrow! I believe we are headed to the school to do somethings
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Night Before Departure
I am staring at mounds of clothes and suitcases, and I am trying to figure out someway to pack for three months! I am very excited and nervous at the same time! I cant wait to just get on the plane tomorrow at one o'clock. I will be flying from Nashville to Charlotte to Munich to Vienna! I will write again soon!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
One Week till Departure!
Wednesday, Sept 2nd '09
Today, I'm sitting in the Lipscomb media classroom, very bored and very ready to leave. I am learning that I need to repack and do so lightly. Can't wait to leave!
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