I eat, I drink, but do not sleep,

and one day I know what I shall reap,

for straining my body constantly,

I'll meet my death inadvertantly.

~Chas

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Hey all,

I'm writing after having survived orientation. Now I'm not saying it was a tramatic experience, but there are some parts of it I'd live a little differently than I did the first time around.

Okay, some people make lists when they pack, some people lay out every single item they want/need on their bed right next to their suitcases as they pack. Usually those people also seal the things they want packed in plastic bags and make sure to get out all the excess air in the bags. I am not one of those people. When I pack it's like organized chaos. First I drag everything I want or think I'll need into a room where I'll debate about tossing it into my suitcase for about half a nanosecond before deciding to either chuck it in or chuck it out. Mostly I go by whatever I think of at the moment. If something later comes into my mind I'll then fetch it and pack it. It isn't a perfect system (as I can attest to at the moment) but it works for me and it's not nearly as insane as some people are.

Needless to say, I forgot a few things. What would those things be?

Black bow tie

Black necktie

Black shoes (see a pattern here?)

German-English Dictionary (Honestly I thought I threw it in, but oh well)

Digital Camera (which I purposefully bought for this trip)

So yeah, guess when I realized this? After I had battled loading my suitcases down an iced-over ramp, arrived at JFK, said goodbye to Dad, checked in to Austrian Airlines, argued about taking my Cello with me to Austria, ending up paying $350 dollars to put it in luggage (since I already had two bags it would cost me extra), stowing my luggage, went through JFK airport security, and reached my terminal. I think you can follow where my mind went next:

"You're not prepared for this trip, pack up, turn in your ticket, call dad, and go home."

You don't know how very tempting all of that was, considering this was the first time I was traveling on a plane without someone. I know I'm just like Linus and his security blanket. Meanwhile I tried distracting myself by reading (for the first time) Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen fans (of which I'm one) will be horrified to hear that I read all the other Jane Austen novels first, and that now--well into the third volume--I still prefer Mansfield Park (the least liked) to Pride and Prejudice (the most liked). Maybe it's because I have a thing for liking underdogs and not wanting to go with the majority/main stream. Who knows.

Part of the worries went away when I finally got up the gumption to talk to someone who looked like they were going to Vienna to study in the same IES program as I was. His name is Andy, he's from Northern New Jersey, and he hopes to take classes at the Universitat Wien. He sounded pretty chill and was nice to talk to.

The plane ride was SO long, especially because I couldn't sleep--even though I was tired. Maybe because reading about Jane Bennet being sick because her mother had a stupid little scheme to get her married to Mr. Bingley was just so interesting. Maybe it was because the selection of inflight movies were stimulating choices--Rumor has it, Return of the Mummy 3, and some cute dog movie. Or maybe it's because I have undiagnosed insomnia. Either way, it was a long 7 hours and 4 minutes. The food was above par for an airline, at least compared to the American airlines I've flown with in the past. It was cool at the end though, when the little TVs turned on outside cameras and we actually got to watch our landing.

Arriving in Vienna I ran into more IES students (who I had seen in the terminal but had been too consumed with Jane Austen and frantic worrying to make contact before then) and we banded together and waited for our luggage to come. My cello survived, but the bridge fell, so that was something I had to get fixed (and pray that my soundpost didn't fall as well). After that the group decided it was time to go to the bathrooms.  Guys and Girls took turns watching the luggage as one sex relieved themselves, and then the other. Guys went first because interestingly enough the girls thought we'd be faster, we were (but it's interesting to consider and compare their choice for a moment with all that feminist stuff that girls have been taught these days). During bathroom breaks, even more students flocked to us, deciding there was safety in numbers.

After having relieved ourselves we then asked about buses to the Westbahnhof (Vienna's West Train Station) where we would meet with the IES people. After finding out there were buses going to the Westbahnhof every thirty minutes we decided to relax for a few moments in a small little coffee place in the airport and talk and get to know one another more. It was fun. We fretted over going through customs, so we went to the door that was marked with no claim items and expecting to at least go through a metal dector we were surprized to find it void of any security at all. How very trusting the Vienese are!

More about the rest of the day in the next post.

~Chas