Okay! Now that we're all aboard on this new blogging adventure, let's begin! Moose and I left yesterday morning for Austria.  It feels like it was just this morning that I left but somehow now it's 8:00 at night and though it's only Tuesday night my body is waking up like it's noon on Wednesday... and I'm all sorts of confused. What I know is that  I am tired and it is almost 9 pm and regardless of what time zone I am in, 9 pm means I can go to sleep soon.  Hopefully I can get on Austrian time soon....

The trip was surprisingly uneventful. Everyone who knows me knows that
A). I get very stressed at very bad times.  My favorite example of this is when I was staying with my sister at our grandparents house.  We were making potatoes and watching a movie when the smoke detector went off.  Corie looked up in surprise as any normal person would.  I, on the other hand, began to panic, ran to the smoke detector and tried to rip it off the wall and then, noticing that it was firmly bolted, I ran out the door to the safety of the backyard.... and
B). I tend to lose track of key items that one should never lose (car keys, id cards, drivers license just to name a few things I've lost in the last month). Luckily only "A" happened this time and stress I can deal with... I am a music major after all. Moose was my main cause of stress, I was worried that they would try and check him under the plane at the gate--send him off with all the strollers and car seats and things of that nature because he is rather obese-- but I was worried for nothing.  In fact, on our trip to Munich Moose even got upgraded to the first class closet!

I met several interesting people on the plane. Jen, the person next to me was an American who now lives in Bulgaria doing work for the Peace Corp. I believe she said teaching English there, although she is also working with the leader of the area to bring back the traditions of the small country to attract tourists. She was fun to sit with. I had a brownie in my lunch that I didn't want ( a small half squished brownie on an already nauseating airplane? I think not) so I offered it to her. She laughed at it with me and then said we should keep it for later just in case. When I got back from the restroom it was stuffed in my tray table that was up. When she got back from the bathroom I had hid it on her seat so she sat on it (it was in a package mom I'm not cruel) and we continued thinking this moving brownie trick was hilarious until we both got a little sleep and realized we had just been delirious and it was in fact just gross.

One of the other people I met was actually going to Salzburg college as well to do the same program I am doing! He had seen my "violin" (gag) case and figured I would be fun to talk to. When he asked me what I was doing with a "violin" (double gag) and I told him. He was really surprised to find that we were in the same program and kept saying so. I didn't think it was THAT strange considering our arrival date is the same and we're coming from one of two major connection airports, so I asked why he thought this was so out of the ordinary... apparently all the kids in the program are from Florida with the exception of me. Apparently all of them have been going to meetings for a few months to prepare them and help them with the application process, with the exception of me. They were all friends on Facebook and have been getting to know each other, with the exception of... must I say it again? Odd man out right off the bat... I like where this is heading.

I finally arrived at my host families house.  My host family is really cool. There are just the two "parents" they are both elderly and are retired. Gerhard was in the hotel business and loves American tourists because they are always up for anything. He is very eager to teach me new words and help me with everything to get me settled. Margot is a great cook and is full of energy. They both talk over each other and talk loudly and ask questions and state opinions as fact...  I love it.

My room is inspiring. A slanted ceiling with pale walls, lots of oak; the beams, the doors, the wardrobe, the bed, desk, window frames, floors... you get it. It has some unique artwork that is really colorful and my room opens out to a balcony that overlooks their garden and the beginning hills of the Alps.

That is more than enough of a tired persons rant. I will post pictures when I up my technological skills.

Love you all,

M & E