The Mensa from across the courtyard. This is a little glimpse of the Austrian Caf. On the menu tonight: Heart-Attack Hot Dogs (at least that's what one guy called the hot dogs wrapped in bacon!) and a lot of yummy but unidentifiable foods.
A corridor of the Kartause right across the courtyard from the beautiful church. Doesn't it look like something out of a fairytale? Or something waiting to be raced down? ;-)
This bonfire crackled merrily away in the courtyard while everyone partook of free drinks and the opportunity to chat with old friends or approach some new ones.
The view from my room... it's almost like a really well-furnished palace attic!
My bed and desk (multiply this times 3 and you'll get my room)
My StairsAfter three long flights I have made it to Austria! All my flights got in early (one even made it in 45 minutes less than the projected flight time!), which was good when I discovered that they had switched departure gates without any sort of notification. Unfortunately I was not able to take any pictures while I was on the plane, so you will have to imagine the glowing red sunset, the twinkling lights of Limerick, and the vast network of glowing orange lights in Brussels that I saw from 37000 feet. In Frankfurt I met up with three other FUS students for our flight to Osterreich. Once we got there we spent some time looking for the bags of two of my fellow students... fortunately mine made it through without a hitch. Then it was off through customs and into the waiting group of students and faculty waiting for us and the next bus. The two-hour drive to Gaming was picturesque, informational, and not very conducive to sleep. Then we drove into the stone driveway of the majestic and ancient Kartause Marienthron... a building older than our country! Little boys wearing lederhosen tore around the bus on their trikes while the older kids rushed to greet us with a friendly "Gruss Gott!" and a yellow rose. Then a mad rush of getting in lines, signing papers, getting passkeys, lugging bags up flights of steep stone steps to the very top floor ensued.
I am on the "Sixth Floor", which is really only at 3rd floor level, but it's in a different wing of the building, so they call it the 6th. Coincidentally the two other girls who were on my flight from Frankfurt to Vienna are also on the same floor as me! I am in a 3-person room, but the last person hasn't shown up yet... we think she might be an international student. My roommate is named Lara and is from Long Beach, CA... what a coincidence! The showers are really confusing, so be forewarned, Austria group of Spring 2010! Figure it out before you get in! I fell asleep while unpacking and missed a not-so-important meeting and woke up very disoriented. Tomorrow we are all off to the famous abbey of Melk, just up the road. Keep tuned, Gruss Gott, and Gute Nacht!
I am on the "Sixth Floor", which is really only at 3rd floor level, but it's in a different wing of the building, so they call it the 6th. Coincidentally the two other girls who were on my flight from Frankfurt to Vienna are also on the same floor as me! I am in a 3-person room, but the last person hasn't shown up yet... we think she might be an international student. My roommate is named Lara and is from Long Beach, CA... what a coincidence! The showers are really confusing, so be forewarned, Austria group of Spring 2010! Figure it out before you get in! I fell asleep while unpacking and missed a not-so-important meeting and woke up very disoriented. Tomorrow we are all off to the famous abbey of Melk, just up the road. Keep tuned, Gruss Gott, and Gute Nacht!
