After months of anticipation and mounting excitement, we’re finally here! We arrived in Prague at 9:30 a.m. on September 22. We traveled in style with Delta getting the star treatment in BusinessElite (notice full size pillow behind my back and amenity kit feature Korres natural skin care products :). Once in Prague we took a train to Vienna where we were greeted by our friend, Matthias. Thanks to him, we now have an apartment, cell phone ("Handy"), internet and a new Austrian bank account. We are eternally grateful for his help.We spent my birthday in Vienna catching up on sleep. We logged an unprecedented 14 hours of nonstop shut-eye! Once we wiped the sand from our eyes, we took care of some move-to-Austria-business like opening a bank account and getting a “handy” (phone).
We then took a little jogging tour of Matthias’ neighborhood before heading into the city for dinner and some sight-seeing. We rode the free Vienna city bikes around Ring street before calling it a night. For a 1 euro annual fee, you can ride anywhere in the city for up to one hour free.
September 24, 2009.
It’s time to move to Pӧchlarn! On Thursday, we repacked the suitcases and headed an hour west to Thӧrringerplatz 7, our new home. We were greeted at the train station by Frau Harrauer and her grandson who drove us and our suitcases to the apartment. They were still doing some cleaning when we arrived. Probably didn’t matter since we cleaned the whole place again
(see left – spider killing), but they had the beds made and curtains on the rod. I finally let out the breath I had been holding all morning. This place was gonna be alright.
Later that night, we went to the Harrauer house/farm in Erlauf to sign the contract. Mr. and Mrs. Harrauer have three grown children and some grandchildren. We were welcomed into their home and met just about everyone. When you don’t understand a thing, you just have to go with what’s happening, smile and nod. As far as I could tell, they were all really nice. Of course, that’s easy to say when I don’t understand a thing!
Pretty soon a plate of meat and cheese was put out in front of us along with some bread and Sturm – the season’s new wine in its semi-fermented state. Apparently this is what Austrians have for dinner. Little did I know. I went home and had second course: frozen pizza. On a side note, we found frozen pizzas for 1,85! A person probably shouldn’t eat anything that costs this little, but they’re surprisingly good and look just like the picture on the box!
The Harreuer house was a bit of a disaster. I didn’t really want to touch anything, but I politely sat through the meal and whatever discussion was taking place. It’s a little awkward sitting there and not saying anything, but I got over it. Instead I observed. I observed a roll of something sticky hanging from the ceiling with dozens of flies stuck to it. I observed Charlie, the dog, sprawled out under the table. I observed the grandson soaking up attention from his grandparents and uncle. I observed the cats springing to attention when the Frau said, “Milch, Milch!” From time to time, I’d catch a word, like “Butter,” then I’d silently congratulate myself for understanding and go on observing. I left reading and interpreting the contract up to Michael. We signed and then headed home, but not before they gave us some pots and pans, coffee, fresh apples, pears and grapes straight from the vines as well as some eggs from the chickens that “run around outside.”
We're off to a great start here in Pӧchlarn!
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