The Final Countdown

Today marks my last two weeks in Salzburg/Austria/Europe.  It was also our last pay day.  Prepare for a random list of thoughts, remarks, and recounting of what has been happening.

This past week at school was bizarre.  Monday, after a few lessons on regional cuisine in the U.S. and jokes (yeah, I taught a lesson on JOKES... let us just imagine how well that went), I participated in a life-sized foosball tournament.  To get an idea of what it looks like, here in a similar field to what we played on:

Then, on Wednesday I got to participate in the "Matura" (like the senior class) soccer tournament, on the teacher's team, and well, I ended up in DEFENSE, which I have never played before and ended up with a GIGANT welt on my shin.  So much for shin guards... I find it a little strange that having played rugby for the past 5 or so months, the most serious injury I've gotten here is from the "harmless" sport of soccer.  I truly do believe that pads and helmets and guards make people two aggressive.  Also, to add, three+ students of mine took me to the ground.  I was told that they go easy on the ladies.  pshhhhaaa. 

Last weekend was fabulous.  I met up with a lady named Hannah (whose father is from Germany, so her parents have an apartment in Munich) and we biked around Munich, found BURRITOS that tasted decent and were SPICEY, ate fro-yo covered in silly-german toppings (you know they don't have things like chocolate chips) and prepared for Frühlingsfest!  Frühlingsfest is Oktoberfest's little step-sister, twice removed.  It is a SMALL event, that takes up about 1/6 of the space Oktoberfest does, but includes all the same things: carnival rides, fair food, beer tents, and people wearing silly clothes.  Here are me and some of the ladies dancing in the 'wiese:  

apologies for the middle finger in the bottom right, Katy is British, what can you do!? :) 

This weekend is my last in Salzburg, as I am headed to Vienna next weekend for my next race.  I ran in the Salzburger Marathon's 5k and won.  It probably was the SLOWEST winning time of ever, but the course was over a 5k, something they don't really tell you.  Here is my finishing face: 

After that race, my goals are pretty low, but we'll see :)

Also, I went to Bozen in Northern Italy and saw all sorts of cool things.  First, the city is spectacular and small and German-speaking.  Second, right outside of the city you can take a cable car to many mountainous villages.  They also have these CRAZY things called the earth pyramids.  They look like this: 

How weird, right?

Okay, well now I'm off to explore all my possibilities for THIS weekend.  Thanks for reading all my ramblings. I felt like I somehow had to acknowledge the fact that I have two weeks left, in order to "fully embrace" these last days, but honestly I am not embarrassed to be excited to be home.  Many of the TAs dread their return to America.  I think that is silly.  I love my family, I love my communities and teachers and friends and so much about the U.S.  I just think the worst part is going to be the end of teaching and the end of being part of a school community.  It might mark the end of me being able to draft and craft and design and strategize and learn and come up with lesson plans that engage, inspire and very often, bore the minds out of young Austrian farmers.

That is all.  Cheers. 

Easter Break & ushering in my last month...

I returned from the Southeast a while ago and for those of you who don't know, it was a week spent roaming the coast of Croatia.  Like every major holiday, I was given 12 days off, so I felt that one last big trip was necessary.  Particularly because I am returning to the U.S. of A. in just 4.5 weeks!!!! Yeehaw!

I teamed up with a fellow teaching assistant, Liz, and together (mind you, having planned VERY little for this trip)I think we did a pretty dern good job.  Here's the run down.

Day One: Train from Salzburg > Zagreb (the capital of Croatia).  
We found dirt-cheap, first class tickets to Zagreb and after 6 short hours, we found ourselves in Zagreb at a hostel with a black lab, naturally named Nastia :)  Also, even though Croatia entered into the EU last summer, it is not yet part of the Schengen Agreement (for those of you not familiar with European travel, movement and law, it just means you have to show your passport at the border) so we got checked on the train, a first for me!

Day Two:  Zagreb > Plitvice National Park > Zadar.  
We caught an early bus to the Plitvice National Park, which is filled with beautiful lakes and waterfalls.  On the nearly three hour bus ride we caught up with other post-grad Americans working in Brussels.  They were also on the move with a fellow Austrian TA, but she seemed rather disinterested in our affairs.  Once we arrived in the park, we (and our backpacks) hiked all around.  Here are some visual aides, for your enjoyment.  It felt like water was just seeping out of the ground and pouring over every surface. 

a collage of the pathways, lakes, and waterfalls 

After hiking around the lakes, running into a Tacoman, and SOMEHOW catching our bus, we headed off to Zadar.  Just so you are all pronouncing it correctly, the Croatians say ZA-daar, not za-dAR, and certainly not Zaider (you silly, silly girl from Philadelphia), emphasis on the first syllable.  Once in Zadar, we checked into our extremely-centrally located hostel and went to go catch a disappointing sunset.  According to Alfred Hitchcock, the sunset in Zadar is the world's finest: ""Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world, more beautiful than the one in Key West, Florida, applauded at every evening." (1964). Well, our first night was gray and a little drizzly but the second night did NOT disappoint.  After sunset, we had a pizza feast in great company.  We met up with Liz's good friend Ali (a Kentucky girl currently living and working in Brussels) and her comrades from her hostel.  At dinner we were three Americans, two Frenchmen, one Mexican and a Taiwanese-Canadian.  Sound like a song you may know, right?  :) 

Day Three: Zadar! 

We spent all day roaming around Zadar, which was not hard.  Smalllll town but very historical!  It was ruled by the Illyrians, Romans, attacked by the Venetians, Austrian, French, and then again Austrians again.  During WWII, the city was occupied by the Germans and then bombed by the Allies, leaving about 60% of the Old Town totally destroyed.  THEN in 1991 Yugoslavia launched an attack and Zadar was essentially under siege for three months.  But, now it is all pretty, and in tact and belongs to Croatia, whew!  

sunsets, old architecture, and BOATS. 

I also got to go on a long run, which is easy in coastal European countries because the coast (or river, or lake) practically always has a pedestrian pathway alongside.  I did a sunny 75 minutes down the coast and through a beautiful park.  In the middle of town we saw the old forum, and seriously there are just piles of old artifacts lying around.  Children play upon them, adults drink coffee on them, it was the beginning of a trend: Croatians really incorporate their history into their daily lives. 

We also met a hilarious Belgian named Manu.  He was more than a character.  At one point, after showing me how to deconstruct my shrimp, he sucked the head out and dropped the legs on the floor only to then break into a fit of choking on pepper.  He then introduced us all to Rakija, essentially Grappa. 

Day Four: Zadar > Biograd > Krka > Sibinek > Split     

As I mentioned before, we met and dined with some friendly Frenchmen (one an author, the other a software engineer) and since we were all headed in the same, general direction: south, we thought it be wise to all go in on a rental car.  Not only did we all save money, but we got to take the coastal road down (at some points just feet away from the water!) and make stops along the way.  The best stop was a second, water-fall centric national park: Krka.  So many consonants, so few vowels!   Here, more visual aides: 

Day Five: Split > Mostar, BiH > Split

We talked our French friend Sylvain into driving us into Bosnia, or as he likes to call it: "smuggling".  We left pretty early and by 12:30 we had arrived in Mostar.  Mostar is a fascinating city and I really felt like we had just dipped into the east somewhere, where remnants of a modern war were still very visible.  Mostar is named after the bridge keepers who used to guard the Stari Most, the old main bridge in town.  According to Wikiepedia, the Star Most, "built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most recognizable landmarks, and is considered one of the most exemplary pieces of Islamic architecture in the Balkans."  Sadly, it was destroyed during the Bosnian war.  We visited a local museum that displayed photographs of the town during the war, which was really fascinating.  It's crazy to believe that during my lifetime such a destructive war took place. 

After walking around town, eating massive amounts of Bosnian food, trying the local beer, and exploring a new country, we headed back to Croatia with, most importantly: new stamps in our passports!

a mixture of bosnia and croatia. 

 Day Six: Split

This was by far our most relaxed day. We took a city tour of Split and learned all about Diocletian's Palace.  Our tour guide was a fabulously passionate Zadarian (?) who really made the ruins come alive.  Fun fact: scenes of Game of Thrones were filmed there (not as extensively as in Dubrovnik, but good enough!).  Be jealous you nerds!

We had a delicious lunch at an olive oil bar and then hiked up the top of Marjan Park (where I ran earlier that morning).  Sadly the Burra (cold, northern wind, personified as most European winds are, see: Föhn) was blowing that day and it was rather chilly.  For dinner we made reservations at a lovely restaurant with the kitchen right in sight, an old Croatian women hard at work.  Simply charming. 

Day Seven: Split > Zagreb

We flew midday to Zagreb and then had all afternoon to explore the city.  I must say, of all the major eastern European cities, Zagreb is by far the most charming.  It really had mixtures of Vienna, Berlin, Prague, Sofia, and even a titch of Amsterdam, but never felt over-touristy.  It was a place I could picture myself living in, never feeling too on the outside.  I just had a really good feeling the whole time.  I just cannot explain it.  

Day Eight: Zagreb > Salzburg.  We got up super, early, spent our last Kuna, and lounged in our own 1st class compartment for 6 hours.  Once I arrived home, I had a job interview with the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, who might have opportunities for me in Portland (FINGERS CROSSED) and Denver.  Then, I lounged around in sweat pants, recuperating.  

My Easter celebration was alright, I've been relaxing all week and I think it is rather subconscious, more like a calm-before-the-storm thing.  Meaning: my last month might be rather busy.  

Next weekend I will head to Bozen, Italy in the region of the South Tyrol, which used to be part of Austria and they actually still speak German there.  My main goal is to see the DOLOMITES. mmmmmm mountains.  I also have a 5k in Salzburg!  Then, I head to Frühlingsfest (think Oktoberfest in the Springtime!) with some girlfriends from Western Austria and THEN the next weekend I might head to Bayern to visit friends and Augsburg (meine Heimat!) and THEN for my last weekend I will be in Vienna for the Austrian Women's run! yahoo! 

So there it is. 

Hmmm. 

My New Year (from February!)

For me, the new year has just begun.  Finally, I feel close to 100%, can run again and have settled back into a more routine, routine.  For the past month I've been juggling visitors, eating out, showing people the touristy sights, visiting Turkey! and feeling more like a visitor myself.  But, today marks the beginning of the new semester at school and I too feel renewed.

So!  What have I been up to?

First, Cate and Eric (two good friends from Linfield) came and visited.  We lounged (they had been traveling for three weeks leading up to their arrival in Salzburg), hiked around Salzburg, ate traditional food, drank traditional beer, took a tour of the Stiegl brewery & museum

...caught up on life back in America and what I've been up to, and somehow I was able to talk my school into letting the two join me on a student-planned trip to the Schladming night slalom.  Even Arnold Schwarzenegger was there!  It was quite the event in beautiful weather

Eric departed after a few days and Cate stuck around for a bit before jetting off to New Zealand, we we're like mini roommates for a while, quite fun.

Then after she left, I flew off to Turkey for my school's semester break.  Luckily for me, one of my very favorite and best friends from the states, Ms. Caroline Craft, was to join me and my friend Liz. We all meet at the Ataturk Airport and bussed to our hostel, in between the coast and the Galata Tower. In Istanbul we saw the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, the Bazaar, Spice Market, the coast, took a ferry to the Asian side, ate delicious falafel, soups, meat balls, herb salads, baklava and drank the most amazing, street-side, freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice imaginable. yum. Here are a smattering of photos:

Interview Season

I'm in a state of complete confusion and conflict.

And (yes, I'm starting a sentence off with a conjunction -- so hard) let me also just say: 

I do not know what I'm doing in the next couple of months. 

Okkaaayyyy?  Let's just clear the air and get that out there.

But, that does not mean I am option-less, indifferent or inconsiderate to the people my decisions will effect.  In fact, the opposite: I have many options, really care about where I will be and what I will be doing, and am thinking about my family, my current co-workers and all my dear friends both far and near. 

So, here is a peek into my haphazard thought process and what I'm currently "going through":  

I was officially offered my teaching assistantship for a second year, starting in October, at the same school.  This is great news and I am so thankful to be recognized as a vital part of the USTA program and the HLFS Ursprung. I also love Austria.  It has fully rejuvenated my love for silly German dialects and over-exaggerated mountainscapes (like, really Austria, can you calm down?).

My experience has been quite honestly, nothing but positive... Well except for you January, you know what you did to me and my ears, nose and throat.    

That being said, I must remind myself of why I came here in the first place:  to gain experience teaching and to see how international agricultural systems work and how agricultural education is supported by public policy.  Additionally, I wanted to live on my own, by myself, think about me! my future! and what I am really passionate about.  Essentially: a little taste of isolation and contemplation.

When I first packed my bags to leave I was more than prepared to leave for two years to teach because applying for jobs back home is a heart-wrenching experience that makes me feel like poo on a log, and I was just plain scared of getting rejected so.damn.much.  Now? Well, here are the reasons why I think my days in Austria are numbered and that my work here is complete.  

1.  I am no longer scared of applying for jobs.  This is kind of a lie.  Yes, of course, I am still scared but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop.  I now have two years of work experience in working with both local and school communities, planning lessons, writing, editing, teaching, instructing, explaining, collaborating, helping, achieving goals, and learning.  Plus, it doesn't hurt to have money saved up and family that (hopefully!) has beds you can crash in :) 

2. I have options now!  The title of this post is "Interview Season" for a reason.  I applied to countless jobs in February and March and now I am finally harvesting requests for interviews.  Such a great feeling.  First, in February I was offered a summer horticulture internship in Poteau, Oklahoma at this place here in this link!  3 months of paid labor and learning in practically-Arkansas.  This is definitely an option I'm considering.  Second, I just received e-mails about interviews with a German-speaking emersion summer camp in Vermont (just for the month of June) and with an Americorps program in Portland that would start in June.  I also re-applied for the FoodCorps (in California, New Mexico and Montana).  FoodCorps is like an ex-boyfriend who you keep going back to, I just can't help myself! 

3. I miss American and it's people. This might seem an illegitimate reason to some, but hey!! I'm entitled to my homesickness, I am allowed to love who I am related to, I am positively permitted to miss my friends and want to live in communities that always understand me :)  More importantly, I do not think I'm not the best version of myself when I live by myself working only 13 hours a week.  I am kind of lazy and I'm bad at keeping in touch; I'm not a great friend, a good athlete, or a good daughter, grand daughter, and sibling (also, soon-to-be-aunt!).  I want to come back to the U.S. and share what I've learned here, starting running competitively (or maybe even join a BA rugby league in Seattle or Portland) and help make the U.S. food system a system that empowers its citizens. 

There are so many other reasons why I want, or do not feel I can stay, but I think my mind just might be made up. I'm sorry if you were planning a trip to visit me, maybe I can just accompany you.  I am a great tour guide (ha!).

That all being said, I am excited what the future holds, I'm tired of dreading it, or fearing it, it will take it's path.  As a very wise professor once wrote me (in German, but I'll translate it for you): 

The path into the future is rarely straight

and well, if that means I might be spending 3 months in OK, or start working right away in PDX, so be it: I am ready.  

So, ladies and gentlemen put May 29th on you calendars!  I arrive at Sea-Tac at 3:35pm! 

Now, off to enjoy my next two months.  

Next stop?  

Croatia!  

2014: a rough start

Yesterday (Saturday the 11th) marked the first day of the New Year in which I was able to go running. I went all out.  Running, hiking and ice-skating as I just wrapped up another beautiful weekend in Bad Hofgastein.  

Some of you may or may not know that I have been suffering from a mean case of tonsillitis since the 1st of January.  Initially I thought it was just a sore throat, but as swallowing became more difficult and my condition worsened AND after the infection spread to my ear, I finally decided to contact a doctor.

The pain really began to worsen in my ear, turning into a severe, burning pressure slowly hiking up my Eustachian tube.  In the middle of the night it finally released itself and a beautiful stream of brown, bloody phlegm followed.  It was miserable.

This was on Monday morning (around 3 a.m.) and in such a moment of hopelessness I finally contacted one of my teachers who unfortunately was out of town but gave me the number of the doctors who are on-call over the holidays.  Monday, in case you didn't celebrate, was 3 Kings Days (so, from Friday to Monday nothing was open) meaning that no doctor's offices or pharmacies are open.  So, I called the country doctor and through my sniffles and cry-voice he slowly figured out where I lived and what was wrong.  It took him all of 10 minutes to diagnose me, write a prescription and show me where to find the only open pharmacy.  With my prescription in hand I headed into town, got my antibiotics (ick!), nose drops and gargle solution.  Now, a week later I feel like I just have the common cold and a little pressure in my ear.  I'll head to the real doctor tomorrow or Tuesday to make sure everything has healed properly.  Whew.  I, in fact, learned a lot about how to find doctors and about the anatomy of the inner and middle ear and how unfortunately connected everything is, but I also realized how important it is to have someone there for you when you're sick.

You possibly can't feel more alone when you're sick in bed in a foreign country fearing that your ear might explode.

One of my teacher's reminded me of this once I got to school and she kept saying, "and no one was there to make you soup? or tea?  or help you?  all alone?" She of course, reminded me that I should have contacted her, but you just don't really think straight when you're immobilized.

Now, done with the drama.  It really wasn't that bad, it was just another experience... a part of life!

Christmas break was pleasant but extremely long.  3 weeks!

Week 1: Switzerland
     
Three days in Wengen :) and almost a week in Bern.  I got to see almost all of my lovely host families and Jana and have never experienced so much hospitality.  I am always overwhelmed by how kind and welcoming they are.

Week 2: Austria

Week 3: Partially in Germany, specfically Heidelberg, where my friend Teddy lives!  If any of you read about my travels in Freiburg, Teddy was my closest and dearest friend.  She's an American who is currently studying her masters in Heiderlberg.  We caught up for about 6 hours as I was there with a class trip.  

of christmas

I’m on a train!  That means extremely detailed blog post! I’m currently about ten minutes to the Arlberg, heading west towards Zurich and have been on the train for about 3 hours now.  I’m deep in the alps with wonderful wintry countryside views.

The past week has been fantastic.  Last weekend I was in the Tyrollean alps in a small town called Fulpmes, staying with a fellow PNWerner/Teaching assistant.  We are not that rare of a breed I’ve come to find.  Rachel hails from Eugene and went to the University of Portland.  We of course have a couple friends in common, because it’s a small world.  Duh. 

She lives at a rentable mountain chalet/youth hostel called Doug’s Mountain Getaway (Doug makes a mean crocheted head band).  That means that sometimes she has a room, sometimes she doesn’t.  When I showed up there was a “Russian Invasion” going on, meaning we had to share a room with a youth-hostel employee and answer MANY thick Russian accented-questions: “Heff ewe heffer beeeen tu Moss-cow.”  

Terrifying? Sometimes.  Entertaining?  Highly. 

Fulpmes is just a bus ride away from Innsbruck and on Sunday we spent the day at the Christmas Market overlooking the city. And, I bought a snowboard!  I sadly didn’t get to see much from the inside of Innsbruck, but I think I would have a hard time living in such a severe valley, only having sunlight directly on me for about a quarter of the day.  SAD. I’m happy to live in a somewhat more exposed valley.    

But, the mountains scapes are unbeatable: 

It was good to check it out though, because I was thinking of reapplying for the program for next year in Innsbruck at the only ag. school out there.  But, now I’m happy to stay put in Elixhausen. 

That’s right!  I had to fill out paperwork this week to put in my application for an extension.  This by no means means that I am for sure staying for a second year.  But, I can only do one more year right now, never again.  Plus, it never hurts to have options, which I learned the VERY, HARD way.  Last, I love my school and teachers so much I just think I have a lot more to learn about education and agriculture.

So, that brings me to what I have been learning!  This week I got to attend the afternoon practical work session with the forestry class.  They were learning to cut trees with hand saws (we start chainsaws in January).  I’m also going to a few slaughter houses next month and was invited on a variety of class excursions.  On January 7th and 8th I’m going with a class to Heidelberg (which is so convenient because my friend Teddy lives there!) and then 3 grades are taking buses to the Schladmig Night Slalom ski race on the 28th :)  It shall be an experience? 

This week was also my last week of teaching leading into winter break (which now with this trip to Heidelberg is going to be three weeks long--like I didn’t not work enough already?).  So, we talked a lot about Christmas and sang carols.  Did I mention I went caroling (Anklöpfen) with a class?  We yodeled, farmers invited us in for schnapps and cookies and hey!  2 of my students can play the accordion (technically the Ziehharmonika is different than the accordion, but you get the picture).  

On Thursday, the 5LW (oldest class, Agriculture based, LW means Landwirtschaft) invited me to their christmas dinner celebration.  This involved many spare ribs, knödel, heublumen beer (which was NOT good) and did I mention knödel?).  They are sweet kids, they like to talk to me, I like to talk to them, but they all hung out on their cellphones and smoked outside a lot.  Typical teenagers :)  

Last, on Friday I went to my school’s concert .  I thought this was supposed to be a christmas concert and part of it was, and was lovely.  My students played in a band that was as equally as good as my middle school band (we were good for our age, right?).  But, can I quickly say that adolescents and clarinets do not mix well.  So. much. squeaking.  

But, then the concert took a turn for the bizarre?  First, good bizarre: more accordion, harps, yodeling, harpsichords, etc.  But then they sang a happy birthday song to jesus in English.  and if you know anything about german speakers and the word birthday... it becomes something like boerseday or buthday. Kind of painful and awful.  Why not something classic?  

Stille Nacht anyone?  

Oh Du Fröhliche?  

Oh Kommet Ihr Kinder?  

ANYTHING.  

Not a crappy birthday song for jesus! 

Don't you know that jesus doesn’t want you to sing bad songs, he wants classic german christmas carols.  sheeesh. 

For goodness sake Stille Nacht was written just ten minutes from my school!  

Then, it got even worse when a four person band dressed in flannel and leather (I have never seen these students before, maybe they are students?) sang more english songs.  Granted the girl’s voice was okay, but she kept smiling coyly which made me SO angry for some reasons and she did that diva hand things which is also annoying.  AND THEN she sang stand by me.  Really?  Is this a reference to god standing by you?  

Okay..... but why not something CHRISTMASY.  

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A CHRISTMAS CONCERT.  

I EXPECTED CHRISTMAS.  

Needless to say, I was more than slightly disappointed on the note if left on... BUT a 14 month old baby named Magdalena found me and could not get enough.  She crawled right up next to me and then we danced and clapped and boogied until the concert was over.  She was adorable, had a huge head, and lots of drool.  But she could understand klatschen and tanzen, so it was pretty fun.  

Ah!  It’s 11:00 a.m. and I’m on the side of the valley where the sun is just ever so slightly peaking over, it’s absolutely breath taking being on the other sie of the Arlberg and on towards Switzerland.  Today I am training through all of the alps.  all of them :) 

Now, I hope you enjoyed this little run-down and that you are all listening to as many christmas carols as possible and eating candy canes for me (you know they don’t exist here, right?).  Oh!  And don’t forget the Muppet Christmas Carol!! MUST WATCH. 

Merry merry, tivis tam tame (that is not German, it’s Katy)

Christmastime in Austria

Today is the second Advent, bless you all!  My students taught me this lovely song, in celebration of this time:

Wir Sagen Euch An Den Lieben Advent

This means that the christmas season is in full swing!  What might this include in Austria? So far, school Christmas parties, concerts, caroling, Christmas markets, Glühwein, baby Jesus, snow, St. Nikolaus and of course his whip-yielding companion: Krampus.

It's been quite an adventure since the first advent, especially teaching.  My students have been telling me bundles about how they celebrate (actually a very sneaky tactic in getting my students to talk for the entire class period).  My favorite has been explaining to them how scared I am of Krampus and asking them what I should expect.  Who's Krampus?  Here's the rundown:

Krampus accompanies Nikolaus on the 6th of December.  All the good children, if they recite a poem or song receive a chocolate, peanuts and satsumas.  The bad ones?  They receive a good whipping from Mr. Krampus and if they're lucky, he snatches them up in the basket and takes them away.  Here are some friendly greetings from the beast:

This is my own Krampus photo from the Linzergasse Krampuslauf on the 6th

Terrifying right? Well, in real life these look like monsters, some of the little guys look like Ewoks, which is almost more frightening.  They run down the street with giant bells on their backs, which have an eery ring to them and snatch you form the crowd, mess up your hair, and whip you with horse tails or switches.  It's all rather exciting and really awakens this primal fear inside.  Fun fun!

Christmas markets are your standard collection of huts filled with Austrian goods: sweaters, roasted nuts, leather goods, decorations.  My favorite stands are the food stands.  In Hamburg and Vienna (for some reason not in Freiburg or Salzburg) they don't have Potato puffs, rather, they have baked potatoes (not as delicious).  So, I stick to mulled wine or cider.  Another delicious treat is Kaiserschmarrn, or scratched pancake with powdered sugar and apple sauce.  I recently went to the Christmas market at the palace of Hellbrunn outside of Salzburg.  It looked like this!  

Part of the Water Tricks at the Palace

the windows are the advent calendar! 

For some reason google added the twinkles and the snow, but it's a fun addition to a rather twinkle-less blog.

This week I'm baking cookies with a teacher, going caroling with my class and am headed to Innsbruck for a snow shoeing session.  

For those of you who were as concerned as myself about spending Christmas alone, the Schwarzenbachs in Switzerland have opened up their ever-open door to me and the Christkind will be visiting me there.  Because of course Baby Jesus flies through your window on Christmas Eve to decorate the tree.