The land of the Swiss

Now onto Switzerland. We departed at about 8 AM and are expected to arrive at 4 PM so it’s was a long day of traveling on a train that’s for sure. We had a few stops one in Milan and one in Brig before we would get to our ultimate destination in Geneva. It was all going good until all the sudden we stopped and it seemed as though everyone on the train was getting off and leaving. We thinking that we didn’t need to get off until Brig decided to stay put and wait. Luckily for us a nice lady decided to tell us that we were supposed to get off the train if we were going to Switzerland (they had made an announcement but it was in Italian so obviously we didn’t understand it). Well that was about the extent to the excitement while on the way to Geneva.

The rest of our trip to Switzerland was a great one to say the least. It was very nice to get away from the crowds and be able to experience true nature. We stayed in Switzerland for 4 nights traveling to four different cities(it’s very tiring not something I would suggest). Just about every where you go in Switzerland is beautiful with the mountains in the background. One interesting thing about Switzerland was how quickly through the country the language changes. Near the border of Italy they speak Italian, to the west they speak French, and to the East they speak German(with some small towns speaking a language known as Romanish that is slowly dying out). It was amazing how a 3 hour train ride and it would go from completely French to German like we had just crossed into a whole new country.
So now for a few main points about Switzerland

· Exchange rate 1USD=1.12 CHF (well too bad everything is more expensive anyway)
· I couldn’t find an I heard Switzerland shirt anywhere damn
· 4 National Languages
· Thanks, I mean Danke, I mean merci what language are they speaking here again?
· Swiss money is very colorful with a creepy looking guy on the front.
· If they don’t speak English talking louder will help right?
· 3 days three languages I don’t know any of them I guess it doesn’t make much different then.

Firenze

So looking back on Florence it was an amazing city, but yet I was definitely ready to leave Italy. Although I enjoyed Italy its one of those places that is full of tourists and sometimes you just need to get away. One of my favorite parts of Florence was the Piazza de Michelango which basically overlooked the entire city giving you a great view.

One surprising part of Florence was that it was quite small(although that might just be in comparison to Rome), but in Florence it was quite possible to walk from one end of the city to the other rather quickly without using and public transportation. While in Florence I was also able to see the David statue which I would have to say is just about as impressive as everyone makes it out to be. Although the one thing I was surprised about it was that it was in a very small museum which other than having the David Statue probably wouldn’t have many visitors. Which leads me to wonder how did it actually end up there?

Well leaving Italy with several souvenirs (Soccer jerseys, belt and most importantly 9 new coasters for my collection) although unfortunately no I heart Rome/Firenze/Italia shirts. So now I welcome Switzerland with a favorable exchange rate of 1.14 CHF per 1 US Dollar along with a test to see how much French I actually learned in 4 years.

The Land of St. Francis

Now don’t get me wrong places Rome was amazing and beautiful, but sometimes being in the midst of thousands of tourists it start to get to you. After leaving Rome we headed north a couple hours to a place called Assisi, Italy. If the name rings a bell it’s probably mainly from the most famous person from there St. Francis of Assisi or San Francesco de Assisi in Italian. This is the place where he created the Franciscan order and he along with St. Catherine of Sienna are the patron saints of Italy.
The first church we visited was the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. This was a church which immediately impressed me (which is surprising after visiting St. Peters in the Vatican.) This church was the founding place for the Franciscan order and the place where it is said that St. Francis turned the bushes into a rose garden.
Assisi, Italy is located on a Hill (see picture above), and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli was located just on the foothills of Assisi.
We then made our way up the Hill and found the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi. This church was one of the most impressive that I had ever seen.



The reason why was this church was built into the side of a hill and consisted of the upper church, the lower church, a crypt where St. Francis was buried, and an accompanying friary. Walking through this church it was as if it never ended you could walk up stairs and down stairs and it was as if it was a while new church built directly on top of each other. It was an amazing church with very unique architecture.


Assisi was a beautiful town and a great place to get away from the thousands of tourists (ok yea were tourists also…). Next Stop Florence aka Firenze.

When in Rome.......

We all know the saying..When in Rome do as the Romans do…blah blah blah
So what exactly does that so here's a list of what Romans do and what Americans should not do.

• Italians love their food

• Every couple owns their own small Italian restaurant.
• If you ever need flowers in Rome your in luck because the shops are open 24 hours.

• Traveling to Rome with little kids is pointless just take them to Disneyland they will appreciate it more.

• Some tour guides have no more knowledge than me of art.
• Rome has earthquakes turns out we didn’t just happen to all have the same dream.

• The Romans stole 20 obelisks from the Egyptians, and on our quest to find them all we stopped short at 9.

• Turns out the pope doesn’t go to the back of the church and shake everyone’s hand after mass.

• I’ve never seen Nuns run so fast before.
• The market was so fresh some of the food was actually still alive.
• When the Collessum was originally built it was pink(the cleaning material turns a pick color when it oxidizes.)

• The skylight in the Pantheon is nice, but what happens when it rains?
• Dinner in Italy isn’t until nine so if the place is crowded at seven that means they are all tourists.

• If you’ve think you’ve seen road rage you haven’t been to Rome.
• The best way to fit in with the Romans is to wear an I heart Roma shirt.

and if your looking for pictures just go to http://picasaweb.google.com/abrice25

Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Its been a month in the “lovely” Wiener Neustadt and I’m finally starting to settle in. With anything there are always some adjustments to get used to. Since being here I’ve found out many strange things lets list some:

• Garbage is sorted into 7 different areas and if there is any confusion they are also labeled in 7 different languages
• Everything is closed (except McDonalds) on Sunday, and if you happen to wander to downtown Wiener Neustadt on a Sunday you’ll think you’re the only one alive.
• All lights come equipped with sensors wouldn’t want to waste any energy.
• The drinking age is 16, and sometimes I feel like I’m the oldest one in the bar
• Anything can be made with some olive oil and a frying pan.
• Smoking is not only allowed it’s almost expected.
• Class schedules can change from week to week and from month to month.
• Flying is cheap and trains can take you anywhere.
• Going into a coffee house without ordering something is “not possible.”
• The translation for Heineken is Heineken.
• When in doubt just order Wiener Schnitzel mit Pomme Frites because Kaise is literally just bread and cheese
• Austrians think of America as a dark dangerous place

Excursion to Venice

Well on Friday night at about 11:00 we left on our excursion to Venice. This was a trip planned out through the FWHN (that’s the name of my school stands for Fachoschule Wiener Neustadt) and we were all taking a bus there to see Venice for the day. It was a carnival in Venice, and most people there were all dressed up in costumes with masks on.


Saturday was one of the most crowded days to go to Venice which made it quite hectic. Navigating our way through Venice wasn’t exactly easy, but we had some much needed help from some people who had been there before. It was amazing how old everything there was all the buildings looked like they had been there for hundreds of years. Also after just about every corner was a beautiful view down each one of the alleyways with water that you just had to stop and take a picture of. I won’t even attempt to describe what it might look like as it is much easier to simply place a picture into this post.

When we got to lunch time we were going to try and get away from the crowds and find a smaller place to relax. This was much easier said than done as we got sucked into eating at a much pricier place. While walking with our group they have people waiting outside the restaurants trying to suck you into theirs, they won’t ask you if you’d like to eat there they will only ask you how many and basically start to seat you as if you had already agreed to eat there. With a group of ten people many of which were very hungry we got sucked into this Italian restaurant which wasn’t bad exect that I felt we had been scammed into going there.

After lunch we were able to finally get away from the crowds and relax in the ghetto. Yes, we went to the ghetto although it isn’t really the ghetto any more. Supposedly awhile back they used to take all the criminals and put them in that area so after a certain time at night you wouldn’t be allowed to go to that part of Venice. Well this place looked like no ghetto and we were able to enjoy a few drinks while sitting on the bridge. Venice was beautiful and kind of sad to leave and at about six pm we ventured back to Wiener Neustadt.

First week in Wiener Neustadt

Well Its been a week in the beautiful Wiener Neustadt(well ok the area isn’t that beautiful but the mountains in the distance sure look nice). One thing that has really surprised be is that adjusting to a new environment with a different language hasn’t been all that difficult. Many Austrians are quite fluent in English so it is quite easy to get by knowing very little German. Well of course I know the essentials Grosse Gut=hello danke=thank you die rechnung bitte!=check please and auf wiedersan= good bye, all of which I most likely spelled quite wrong but I believe I can pronounce them correctly.

After my first day here we made a venture downtown Wiener Neustadt because we all had to register with the bank which is required to do if you are going to be living here for an extended period of time. After that a few of us decided to go out to eat at a local place. There were four of us Danny, Will, Vincent, and I. Danny Will, and I are all from Drake and Vincent is from Paris. The three of us from Drake know pretty much no German, but Vincent knows enough German to understand and order. It was very interesting because Vincent is not fluent in English so he had to try to think of what the English word for the German phrases were.(That is Wiener Schnitzel on the left)

Classes here are interesting they go by an ETC system so normal students here are required to take about 30 ETC credits, but exchange students are only required to take about 20. Many of the classes are very long up to about three hours a class, but do not necessarily meet every week. Some of the classes do not even last the whole semester I actually have a class that will be finished before spring break. The whole program is in English and many of the Austrian students take classes in English I would assume because English is such a universal language. When calling out attendance in one of my classes just about everyone was from a different country and the two of us were the only Americans in the classroom.

The other night we went out to the bar for karaoke night and much to my surprise just about three fourths of the songs were not only played in English but were also American songs. Of course I had to make my contribution and sang a wonderful rendition of Build me up buttercup.