Trip around the Danube river valley

OK, so we're back already - but we had a great trip. We went with Zia in his BMW - so it was nice to have him drive and the GPS made the whole trip a lot easier. We started in Krems an der Donau - which is a charming little wine town. It was a really pretty town just to walk around and enjoy the beautiful fall day. We had lunch there and then decided to move on and see the Abbey out near Melk, Austria. It was a pretty impressive structure which is more palatial than abbey-like. The drive out was pretty - the car was a convertible, so we had the top down and were able to see all the ruins of castles throughout the Donau river valley. There are a few PICTURES of them - we didn't stop and see them however. We drove on from Melk to Linz, Austria - which we officially dubbed the Detroit of Austria. It had the same feeling of being industrial and a bit run down in the outer areas. The downtown area was nice, however, and we had a nice dinner before settling down at a bar called Sax for an hour or so. It was so weird - I kept getting groped by men, which is an entirely foreign scenario for me, personally. So we had a good laugh about that.

Today was a little more depressing. I really wanted to see the KZ Mauthausen though. For some reason I felt compelled to empathize with the people that died and those that survived being interred in a concentration camp. I did, however, bawl my eyes out most of the time. I was down in the crematorium by myself and I literally thought I was going to throw up. It was hard to see it all, being there. But I'm glad I went. Had I not gone, I think I would have felt like my trip was incomplete. Mauthausen was the last camp to fall at the end of the war. It was such a desolate and lonely place. But contrasted with the hills and the pretty houses around it, it felt stark and out of place. I can't imagine living in that town with all those people dying and being treated like animals in my back yard. I couldn't live with it. I realize that they would have been subjected to the same fate had they tried anything, but that doesn't make it any less agonizing to think about it. I don't think Zia was too keen on the place, but I think he'll appreciate it more later. For me, it was remembering.

Wine party and weekend plans

I had a bunch of friends over to my place last night for wine, munchies and all around hilarity. So much hilarity that eventually the neighbors complained. But we had a great time and I was just so glad everyone came over. I took a bunch of PICTURES - realized I've been slacking in that department lately!!!

Tomorrow Viola, Z and I are driving out to Linz. I'm looking forward to the trip. We're going to wander around the Danube Valley region on our way and check out some of the wineries. We have a hotel booked in Linz and Friday we're heading out to Mauthausen-Gusen - the concentration camp there. It was one thing I really wanted to do in Europe. Some find it gruesome, to me it's acknowledging the pain and suffering these people endured. We're going to wander back Friday afternoon. Z has a car here and he offered to drive, so we're going to zip around in his BMW convertible. It's pretty thoughtful of him to offer.

In not so bright news, Leah's uncle Galen died this week. I had myself a bit of a sob fest last night. Galen was such a wonderful person - one of those people that it's just so wonderful to be around. I looked at plane tickets this morning to go back to MN for the funeral -but they are well up into the $2200 range now and I can't swing that. But I feel so bad for all of them.

Harriet the Spy and other ponderings

I went down to the Rotunda in the C building this morning to buy a new Moleskine (mine is completely full of scribbling - I had to squirrel it away the other day) and it made me think of the book Harriet the Spy. Am I the only one who remembers her? She used to spy on people and write it in her notebook and one day everyone found it and she was ousted. I loved that book. Only I'm not spying on other people when I scribble - I'm usually spying on myself. Which is, intellectually speaking, and interesting thing to mull over. Spying on oneself implies that you can observe yourself objectively - as a person who doesn't know someone would watch them and record their activities, speculating on what they might mean. Are we really capable of observing ourselves objectively? Is that a talent, skill, or something that is psychologically impossible?

This morning I woke up scared. I keep wondering when I'll lose the need to move, to see, to be. When will mediocrity and complacency finally catch me and lock me up? I feel like it's coming and I feel suffocated by it. I think it's been chasing me all my life and I've always managed to just stay one step ahead - trying to never settle and scramble up the ladder just a little faster than the forces that pull me back down. I sometimes wish I could go home, and sometimes I think about going home and I panic. What waits for me there? There are so many places in the world that I haven't seen yet. That I haven't experienced yet. What if I never see it? But it's almost like the question of being insane - does the person who is insane know they are insane? If you can think "I must be insane." then you can't possibly be suffering from the condition? A question of self awareness.

OK - back to pondering whether the Kyrgyz Republic understood the assignment or if it's all been lost in translation.

Wedding!

So, I have to say (with no offense intended for anyone's wedding that I might have either participated in or attended) that this wedding was one of the best weddings I have EVER attended. I had such an amazing time, it was incredible. The service was in the church in the small town the bride grew up in about 20 miles from Vienna. It was a Catholic service - all in German - very pretty. Afterwards there was oodles of wine and open faced sandwiches as a snack in a wee building behind the church. Afterwards, we went to the Heurringer. It was amazing - everything was really beautiful, and let me just tell you how flattered I was that they had actually rearranged the seating arrangement and made me a placecard. Dinner was amazing, dancing followed (including a Mariachi band - which was phenomenal). Around midnight they brought out more food - the party continued until people really started leaving around three in the morning! I got home at 4 a.m - so today I'm pretty tired.

I don't know quite what made it so wonderful, but I think part of it was that everyone was so friendly and there was just so much fun to be had!!! I enjoyed every single moment of the day. Because Karin's family is from Austria, Michael's friends and family are from Minnesota and El Salvador, everything was printed in German, Spanish and English. Toasts were given in all 3 languages. Music was played from all three countries. It was just amazing. I felt so welcomed and as if I was a part of the family. Karin's family is delightful. It's difficult to express in words how great it was. I am so glad that I went. I've spent most of today chilling out and just being exhausted - it was a whole lot of party. I'm wondering what time I can realistically go to bed and still live with myself. I tried working on my paper - but I'm entirely brain dead from lack of sleep. I think I'll just read my book for awhile before turning in.

Much fun!

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila...is this thing ON?

Oh my WORD - I had the best night last night! I went out with the Americans that I met for their son's 21st birthday. They planned this whole amazing night for him. We went to a restaurant called Tacos Lopez which had the most amazing food (if you are in Austria and you want food with a little kick to it - you MUST go. They are Mexican...the food is phenomenal. Link to their webpage above or it's at Praterstrasse 55 A-1020). There we had drinks and ate good food, laughed a lot...about 10:00 the tequila shots started. We went back to their apartment and danced until 2 in the morning. I had at least 5 shots of tequila on top of 2 glasses of sangria...and I didn't feel a dang thing. Should this concern me? It was over the course of 8 hours...so that might be why. I also ate a substantial quanitity of food. This morning my tummy's a bit upset though. I'm going to the wedding on Saturday - the bus leaves at noon. Now I just have to find a gift.

Well...on to more database magic!

How to be inordinately happy...

OK, so Viola and I finally went and found the mall this evening. I don't know why I'm so delighted...but I am. I even bought this really cute jacket at H&M - see, in Europe, H&M has a line that is called BiB (Big is Beautiful). These are clothes that are cut to fit more than a stick figure. I'm just a wee bit over (or think I should wear a bit over - I can squeeze, but it's a really bad, bad thing) most sizes in "average" stores. So, I need to shop around a bit to find clothes that fit me properly. Imagine my delight finding such a store so close to my house. Viola found a dress that looks astounding on her.

I've managed to astound and (I hope) delight my supervisor. I thought that Access was fairly common, but no one ever built a database to house the information from this fairly extensive survey (actually surveys plural - there were 2 of them) pertaining to implementation of the New York Convention pertaining to arbitral awards. I threw one together somewhat quick & dirty this morning, and was met with great success! I've been given leave to continue foraging ahead with it and my supervisor asked if I was going to be in the States in February - she offered to put me on the list for the 50th Anniversary of the Convention in New York. I'm thinkin' I'm going to go! My report and database will be presented as a current status and it would be so lovely to see my work come to fruition. Viola invited me to stay with her and I might just take her up on it. Like as not she'll be attending too - it will be like a reunion!

Next week - having a wine party at my place on Tuesday night (of all nights). Should be fun!

Happy Banned Book Week!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Banned Book Week!!! I think we should start a movement. Everyone go out this afternoon to your nearest bookstore and buy one of the 100 most challenged books in the 1990's. Be a rebel - educate yourself or someone you love. For more information on Banned Books Week - you can go to Amnesty International, the ACLU, or the American Library Association webpages. I've decided that this is one area of my life where I am entirely committed be being totally subversive.

In other news, last night I had 5 girls over to my place and we had a blast! Viola helped me make baked pasta and brownies, then we all sat around and drank 4 bottles of wine and just had a good time. It was a lot of fun. We've planned the Rebecca White wine party 2007. Next week we're going to get all dolled up and have wine and munchies at my place, then go out on the town. How fun will that be? I think that me getting settled in here has pivoted on getting to know people here and developing a strong social network. I consider myself really fortunate to have met a great group of people. It's making my stay here even more enjoyable. As Leah and I were discussing last night - I'm going to be talking about this year for years to come...I need to have something to talk about.

Now...get out there and buy your favorite banned book!!!