Hello there. Servus.

I thought I might, just might start blogging again. I've been living in Vienna now for 16 days. Hard to believe. Here are a few things that have happened in that time:

1. I was surprised at how much German I remembered.

2. I was simultaneously disappointed with how much I had to learn...

3. I have been in 9 coffeeshops/cafes for hot chocolate (almost a daily ritual).

4. I have inquired after work in 12 bars/restaurants, sometimes with disastrous use of the German language (I would say it's my fault, but you haven't heard the dialect here).

5. I learned... finally, 16 years later... the German articles and adjective endings in the 4 cases.

6. I started feeling a lot better about my German, especially with more than a few compliments from Austrians (it takes a lot to convince me).

7. But I still have no idea what the hell they're saying in Wienerish.

8. I have inhaled a lot of second hand smoke, usually during meals.

9. I cook every day. It's hard to make myself go out in 25 degree weather (Fahrenheit) after 6pm.

10. I have had my first jazz piano lesson.

11. I attended my third flamenco workshop.

12. I have come to terms with schwarzfahren.

13. I went hiking in the snow.

So that's Vienna in a nutshell. The people here are a bit zurueckgezogen (literally "pulled back" - withdrawn). Or perhaps that's just at first.

The more I learn, the more it strikes me how logical German is. English is such a conglomeration of the various cultures that passed through England - Romans, French - but here the language has an inner logic, where words make obvious sense. For example: Flugzeug, literally flight kit/stuff - airplane. In English, what is a plane, outside of simply knowing its meaning? It's not obvious... similarly, Fahrzeug - literally drive kit/stuff - vehicle. What's a "hicle"? Where did the "ve" come from? And eifersuechtig - literally seeking ardency - jealousy.

More musings to come. (Nachdenken - after thoughts)

Mary Helen