PICTURES!

Ok, so I put all my pictures on facebook and it took forever so I don't have the time/patience to do it all again on my blog so I hope this link works!

Vienna Pictures!

Shönbrunn

Today was most excellent indeed! Naomi went off to Budapest with a group of friends so I was left here to enjoy the freedom of choosing my own experience! This morning I left the apartment about 10:00 and hopped on the U4 at Shotternring, which is a short walk away. I rode to the Schönbrunn stop just before 10:30 which is when I was supposed to meet up with some other girls who were coming to see the palace. I was the first to arrive and everyone had not assembled until 11:15. So it was a long wait, but luckily I was prepared for with some reading material.

After leaving the station, we followed the signs and our fellow tourists down the path that seemed to lead to Schönbrunn palace. As we rounded the last corner, we saw before us an expansive yellow building that seemed to go on for a mile. I was sure it would take me about 10 minutes just to count all the windows on the building. I was astounded at how large a dwelling the royal families got to live in. As we stood in awe and wonder at the place, I envied the Austrians for having such beautiful buildings in their midst.

But the fun didn’t stop there. The gardens were nothing if not more beautiful than the building itself! They were also many acres long and wide. We spent some time wandering and a lot of time taking pictures as we viewed the absolutely breathtaking array of flowers, vine covered archways, and intricate fountains.

After viewing an incredible statue-clad waterfall, we travelled up the extremely large hill just behind it. From the top we had an amazing view of the back of the palace as well as the city of Vienna behind it. It was an incredible view and we spent quite some time just enjoying the view and the good weather. Long enough even for me to get a sunburn on my neck.

There were other features such as a maze and a zoo that we didn’t enter because they cost money but I’m sure those would have been fun. A couple of the girls did, however, spend 4,50 to view an apple strudel making demonstration and receive a small sample. They were pleased to report that it was both exciting and tasty.

Dejá vu

Every Sunday night a few people from the group are in charge of making dinner for everyone. Yesterday I went with this week's dinner makers to the grocery store to buy the supplies for their meal. After we bought everything (including raw chicken) we took the U-bahn to the Minert's apartment where Sister Minert was waiting to let us in and store the food. When we got there, however, There was no answer to the doorbell or her cell phone. Sound familiar? I think my calling in life might be to wait outside Austrian apartments while the person inside is unaware of my presence. Luckily Brother Minert showed up after not too long and let us in. I hope that chicken wasn't out long enough to make anyone sick.

The grocery store we went to was super sweet though. It was inside a mall-type building I guess and everything was the best price I've seen so far in Vienna. I think I will definitely go back and do my own grocery shopping there. I also split a giant fruit-tart looking thing with my cheesy friend Brihkhjkhkgyfth... i mean Bri and it was quite the party in my mouth.

After we dropped our food off at the Minert's we went to buy some fancy ticket for train discounts in Austria. The place was already closed but (after some confusion, difficulty and some super cute photos) we got the "passport-like" pictures we needed from a photo booth so that we'd have one less step to do tomorrow.

This turned out to be a VERY good idea because of the little adventure we'd have today. So Bre and I were at the Institute about to leave for the Minert's where everyone was supposed to meet before getting our train discount card thingy. Since we went there yesterday we figured it would be no problemo getting back. So we followed our trusty memories and were pleased when we saw things that we recognized, building our confidence that we were in fact going in the right direction. When we ascended the U-bahn steps 5 minutes before meeting time, however, we found that we had not traveled to the Minert's at all, but to the grocery store. Typical Shelly moment? I think so. This is what happens when I think I can do things on my own... I am wrong.

Longbottom Days

I hear you Neville. Truly I hear you. I think these days always happen when you didn't get enough sleep the night before. For the past few days my roommate, Naomi, and I have been staying at a hotel because our host Frau has not come to collect us. Today, after about 5 hours at our first day of school we finally got to meet Frau Feest (faced). We were assured that she would be very embarrassed and sympathetic about the misunderstanding that landed us in the hotel a few extra nights. The first thing she said to us was that she didn't understand how we didn't get into the apartment because her neighbor was waiting there for us... chastise much? So a lady at the institute called a cab for us because we need a large one to go pick up our extra large baggage. But this was not fast enough for Frau Feest. So she hailed a taxi on the street while the other one was on the way. As she yelled at us to hurry up and get in the taxi, Naomi gave our director’s wife Jeanne a look that she hoped conveyed the message, “help me!”

Once we got the baggage and were having a hard time fitting it into this randomly chosen taxi, Frau Feest called us “verrückt Menschen.“ Yep. Crazy people.

Once we got to the apartment she showed us to our section of the apartment, separated by a few doors from her section of the apartment. She showed us our bread, butter and tea bags for breakfast and told me "breakfast separate" when I asked if we could breakfast with her. Her English was about as good as my German so I got really confused when she told us a French boy exchange student would also be staying at her house. Uncomfortable? ya. (I found out later he won’t be sharing our bathroom so that makes me feel better.)

Once she was gone we started to unpack and I went to try out my converter in the outlet. Sparks and a fried circuit? Check. Electricity failure? Check. So... go tell Frau Feest? Hesitation? Check. Outright Fear? Check. You know it's bad when she comes in and all you can understand is "Sehr schlecht! Sehr schlecht!" (very bad, very bad). Luckily it was an easy fix. Moral of the story: American appliances=schlecht. Then I had a second realization: today I received Mother Nature's monthly gift. How thoughtful of her.

Never Fear! There is good news to the bad! We have a beautiful view and our magic windows shut out all the noise!

But unfortunately the bad news doesn't end. On Mondays the LDS Outreach Center, where the missionaries and LDS young adults hang out, have dinner for only 1.50 Euro and then FHE! Awesome right? So we set out for the Center and got there with no trouble at all! Perfect ending wouldn't you say? Well we got there about 7:05 and they stop serving food at 7. Out of luck. After everything that happened to me today, it was a struggle to hold back tears and I think the mission pres could tell cause he took pity on us and fed us anyway. Some mercy at last! Dinner, an FHE lesson in German, and cupcakes to boot! I think this day has turned around at last. Neville's killed the snake and the Dark Lord can now be vanquished!

I believe that every time someone makes a big decision, they always have that moment or day when they think “What in the WORLD have I gotten myself into?”. Up until this point I was naive enough to think that I had escaped having one of these moments. I guess Heavenly Father just wanted to lure me into this false sense of security so my unforeseen and unanticipated conflicts would frustrate me enough to give him a good laugh.

It could be worse. I could be in the Psych ward at St. Mungo's cause Bellatrix tortured me to insanity. Man, those Longbottom's have it rough.

The day we meet our Host Families... I think.

So today was another great one full of too much walking for our tired feet and information for our tired brains. The breakfast at the hotel Baronesse was quite charming. In fact it was probably the best at a hotel I’ve ever had. They even had the cutest little dining room with floral, cushioned seats, glass plates and a lady who served coffee (or hot chocolate which is what we all had). I don’t think I will ever tire of saying “danke” and hearing “bitte schön” in response.

Afterwards we went to the Austro-American Institute of Education, where we were briefed on our courses for the semester. Markus, our guide from the institute, showed us around more of the city. It is a very big place. We went to Nachs Markt (Sample Market) for lunch where I had a sample of some delicious candied pineapple. Now I know why Slughorn was so fond of it.

A while later we all went back to the institute to wait for our host families (or host person) to come pick us up. One by one the families/persons arrived and drove their students away. The host of my beautiful roommate Naomi and I recently lost her sister and is out of town for the funeral, so her neighbor was trusted to come pick us up. Then we were told that we needed to take a taxi to the apartment and she would be waiting for us there... Buuuuuuuut, she wasn't. So we waited there for a couple hours and tried to reach her on the telephone but in vain.

Now we are back at the hotel because no one knows what happened. It's a nice place and all but I hope we're not here for much longer!

And don't worry, the luggage all came last night.

Mall of America and Missing Luggage.

Well I'm here! I made it alive!!! I am in Vienna! Or, Wien, as the locals would call it. But unfortunately I am not a wizard and it took more than a simple apparition to get here. Our first layover was in Minneapolis and it was, oh, 7 HOURS LONG. This was not all bad, as Minneapolis is home to the Largest mall I have ever seen. 4 Stories of shopping and entertainment with a theme park

yes, a THEME PARK right smack dab in the middle. Needless to say, passing the hours was not very hard to do. Too bad the only pass you could get was almost $20 so we didn't actually get to ride any rides... But other than that we had a grand 'ol time.

Finally, after too many hours of airplane, we are here in the beautiful city of Wien. We took a tour of the city pretty much as soon as we arrived, but because of the lack of sleep, this is what I remember seeing:

Ok, I did take some real pictures but as Delta has not yet located our luggage, I won't have to cord to add those for a while. Never fear, thanks to the wonderful teachings of my parents, I have enough clean shirts and underwear to last about 4 days, along with all of my toiletries. Hooray for preparedness.

Kylee Quotes~

Why did the chicken cross the road? To love Shelly!

It's too bad Grandpa's missing all the fun today.

Ah nuts

Are you wearing hair?

Mikayla is doing that because she thinks I would do that.

You should try this one day when you get dead again and turn back into a kid.

Thankful that we're having fun with Shelly here.

Gotta get down on Friday

I like Mckenzie [Nikenzie] a teenie bit more than you.

(About the guy behind us in church) Is that Harry Potter?

One armed, four-eyed flying purple people eater!

You made me mess up my consteration! (concentration)

I think I know what makes hiccups. It's when you have a liiiiiiittle bit too much treat
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