So what next?

So again, it's been awhile since I posted anything, so I'll just catch you up on the big news, which most of you who read this should know by now. But just in case you hadn't heard...

I'll be staying for another year in Austria! I was accepted for a placement in Weiz--the town 30 minutes from Graz where I happen to be teaching now. The suprising thing about the placement is that I will remain at the technical school, and it will become my home school; this is something we'd requested but were told it was impossible to change home schools or to break the connection between Birkfeld and Weiz. Teaching in Birkfeld was great--the students, faculty, and the school itself were great--but waking up at 5 am for 4 days a week was not something I really wanted to repeat next year. Next year I can wake up at the reasonable hour of 6 am (my, my, how my concept of reasonable hours has changed!) and enjoy the beautiful commute through the countryside to Weiz. My home school will be the technical school with all the boys, and my second school will be in the same building and--for good balance--mostly girls! So really, it's quite a good arrangement. And now that I'm in the same school for another year, I'll really have to learn these guys' names!!

It's also quite noteworthy to mention that I've begun to receive visitors! (*hint, hint*) The week before Easter, 3 friends from New York came out for Spring Break in Austria, and we had a blast traipsing around Graz, further into Styria, and beyond to Vienna. They have the honor of being the first from back home to visit me in Austria, and aside from the fun and the laughter and the adventure they brought with them, they brought enough warm fuzzies and I-love-you-guys moments to last me for quite some time.

Last weekend I also had the chance to meet up with my aunt and cousin in Venice! I'd never been to Venice before, but since Venice is between me in Austria and my cousin in London (just go with it!), we met up there for a long weekend of countless photo opps and rich Italian food. It was fantastic to see family again, and seeing Venice--the city that hasn't changed in hundred of years--was intriguing. More warm fuzzies!

I've got more visits in the works for May and August, so if you want to jump onboard and follow suit, feel free... :)

Coming soon: Graz's ridiculous new cell phone law...