I’m always
waiting for myself to come up with a good introductory sentence to each of my
blogs, but that has yet to happen. I just finished Skyping with my grandma
and Uncle John. It was grandma’s first Skype experience. I think she’s a
natural. I miss helping her with her gardening and listening to her tell her
stories. I found out my schedule today for when classes start in a couple
weeks. It really seems like the perfect schedule. I’ll be able to have a Psych
class for my major, an art class for my minor, I’ll be able to continue with my
service work through a public service internships, and surprisingly enough I’ll
be taking a “Music in Performance” class. The music class was totally
spontaneous because it was the only one that wouldn’t conflict with the others
that I needed to take.
I have so
many thoughts spinning in my brain about this whole experience. It doesn’t feel
real, but at the same time it feels all too natural to be living here. For instance,
walking around the house in my PJs, grabbing a glass of wine, and sitting down
to work on homework, I feel as though I have been living this way for years
now. I also don’t feel like I should be living this way. I keep thinking back
to my study abroad in Cambodia and India. These worlds are completely different
from Europe. I love Vienna, but I fell in love with Cambodia. All I want to do
here is smile at everyone I meet, but no one smiles back. I understand it’s the
way of life here, but these are the moments when I wish I were back in Cambodia,
where everyone smiles and they are the biggest smiles you have ever seen in
your life. I don’t mean to be sappily nostalgic or to paint a picture that
makes it seem I wish I weren’t here in Vienna. Sometimes I just feel confused.
I have a habit of comparing my different travels, when I should be living each
as a wonderful new adventure. From here on I shall make it my daily goal to do
so.
I had told
you in an earlier post about going to the Hundertwasser Haus. This evening IES
took a group to check out the Kunsthaus museum, where we looked at Hundertwasser’s
paintings and building plans for environmental lifestyles. I’ve never been a fan
of modern art, which is what I would call Hundertwasser’s work, but I did enjoy
taking in his appreciation for nature through his paintings. I can’t get over
how originally his mind worked. I’ve never seen such unique style in an artist’s
work. I was thinking of Molly Moriarty the whole time I was walking through the
museum. (She’s one of my best friends from college.) I think she has a mind
like Hunderstwasser, in terms of art. Check it out, Molls! J
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"A Rainy Day with Walter Kampmann" by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, taken from google images. |
So, onto a
new day tomorrow. My group in German class must go to the Naschmarkt (outdoor
market) tomorrow morning to buy fruits for class, while using our newly acquired
German speaking skills for buying produce at the market. Then, we have to
present our dialogue representing a potential buy at the market. Should be
interesting. I should probably go memorize my lines.
Guten Nacht!
Abbie, I went to the Hundertwasser museum too! I loved it! That museum was one of my husband's and my highlights in Vienna. We loved the curved floors and the garden especially. I enjoyed the stories of how and why he created his art. Watch out - Modern art does grow on you.
ReplyDeleteBest to you!
-Cynthia Kelley