Well today is the mark of TWO WEEKS here... so crazy!!! I feel like I'm adjusted to being here now, can kind of find my way around, and can pretend like I know what I'm doing :)
My German intensive course is going well, I'm learning a lot! It's so hard to learn German grammar, as they have "cases" that we don't have in English. Very confusing. But I can have a basic conversation with someone, kind of understand what a waiter/waitress is asking me, order a kabop, ask where the bathrooms are, tell people what my name is, where I'm from, what nationality I am, and what I study.
Yesterday, I did laundry for the first time since I've been here. It was SO OVERDUE! I'd been re-wearing dirty running clothes because I didn't have anything else to wear, and going commando for a few days. My friend Christina, from Innsbruck, Austria, showed me how to use the machines. I'm so thankful she did, because the German that we've learned in class wouldn't have helped me at all trying to figure out how to use the washing machine and paying machine! There are only two small washers, and one dryer, for the entire set of apartments (almost 200 people). Needless to say, you have to reserve a time slot to use the machines. And your chances of getting to use the dryer are 50/50. Most people don't dry their clothes anyway, they just hang dry them in the commons room. But to reserve a time slot to do laundry, you often have to schedule it at 2 or 3 a.m., or weeks in advance. It's seriously crazy. I will never complain of laundry again after this! I hand washed a few things in the sink with soap and detergent, and then hang dried them, but I definitely prefer the way the clothes come out of the dryer! Not so crunchy...
After class today, I met up with my friends Sophie and Stina, and we went to lunch at this adorable little cafe. Sophie has been so sweet to me! We went to a computer lab after lunch, and she helped us look up courses to take for the semester. We have to register for classes later this week. It's harder than I thought it would be to find classes in English within my major. You can take sports classes, but they cost additional money, and you don't get much school credit for them. There are also "excursions" to other countries, that you go on with professors and do work while you are there. They do cost money, but you get school credit for them, and get to visit some pretty cool places! There is an excursion to Greece, one through different parts of Italy, and many more. I need to talk to an academic advisor about it soon!
This afternoon, I went running, and through the trails I saw this magnificent building. I knew it had to be something very fancy, and I wanted to find out what it was. Things often appear closer than they really are. Let's just say it took a little while to get there. I kept running toward the building, not knowing what it was, and it didn't seem like it was getting any closer. But finally I made it there, and it was a beautiful basilica, called Basilica Maria Trost. I went inside, and stood out like a sore thumb wearing my sweaty running tights and under armor shirt, with a hat and gloves on. I didn't care though. There was no way you could smell me with all those inscents anyway! Hahaa... I wish I would have had my camera with me, but I'll have to go back. The ceilings were so tall, with murals painted on every inch of the walls and ceilings. There were stained glass windows with the most intricate details, and lots of "stations of the cross" to go to, with lit candles all along the way. Outside the basilica was a beautiful view of the mountains and the town below. I stood up there, leaning against the fence, for a long while just soaking it all in. God's creation is absolutely magnificent! I love being out in nature, because it makes me realize how small I am, and how BIG our world is, our universe is, God Himself is! The sun was starting to set, and I had a long run home, and had to factor in a little extra time for the likelihood of getting lost, so I started back the way I'd came. I passed a large cemetery, and went inside for a second. It was very pretty, with fancy graves. As I went to get back on the Leechwalde Trail, I saw three women riding toward me on horses. Once again, I had a moment of awe. I could see the horses riding through the mountains, the basilica 100 yards away, and the mountain landscape behind it. Snow and icicles covered the trees, with the pink sunset painting the sky. Dang. God is quite the artist if I do say so myself!
I think that a few of us are going to be traveling this weekend. Stina still doesn't have her passport, so we're going to go somewhere within Austria. There is the Carneval Celebration in Venice, but we don't want to chance it with Stina not having her passport. Getting stuck at the border wouldn't be too fun. A group is also going to Salzburg, but I'm not sure if we're going to do that or not. We're thinking of maybe just going to this place that's like an hour away called Merringer. There are huge mountains, a ski resort, and a place you can "sled" down the mountains on a toboggan run! We would probably just go for the day, so that we don't have to worry about finding places to stay and all that. Maybe we would do some hiking through the mountains, and rent sleds for the toboggan run. It's not for sure yet- just a thought! Sunday is Stina's birthday, and we want to be back Sunday afternoon to streamline a church service and make some birthday dinner! Last week, we streamlined a church service in Georgia, and it was so good! A few other friends watched it with us, one from Russia, one from Turkey, and one from Kosovo. They had never seen church with guitars and drums and contemporary music, or a message that was "applicable to our lives," they said. They were absolutely amazed by it. This week, my new friend from Iran, Niloufar, and another friend from Albania, Idre, and Curtis, from Canada, are all coming to join us too! So excited!
Well, I'm heading to bed, because I'm meeting my friend Bella to run together early tomorrow morning. I think we're going to meet at the supermarket, and then run along the Mur River! I'm excited to have a running partner! But the alarm will be blaring way too soon, so I'm out for tonight.
Thankful for where God has me in life right now.
Sending all my love,
Lyndsey
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