While I've really enjoyed being home these past few weeks, I don't have the necessary wires to upload my pictures. This makes me sad because I've been fortunate to see so many good friends, as well as family, and I'll have to wait until we go back to Vienna before I can show how much fun we had!
We fly to Vienna on Jan. 2 with my brother and sister-in-law who will stay with us for 9 days. Leaving home is easier when family goes with us! We plan to see Prague and Budapest with them, and it will be quite nice to be together. And, for anyone who is curious, Taylor will not be joining us on this adventure.
Happy New Year to all!
I made it back to the US safely and was surprisingly not as tired as I imagined I would be. I spent two days in Nashville before heading to Houston, which is where I am now. It's so good to be back with friends. I am reminded of how sweet it is to "be" with friends. Talking on the phone is sufficient, but it's completely different and refreshing to be in each others' presence.
Michael has another review this week and will be home on Friday! We are both so excited about having time with family over the holidays. Speaking of family, I saw my niece, Taylor some before coming to Houston. I will share my favorite story of Taylor, and I promise it will be worth reading even though I don't have pictures on this post. :)
Characters in the story: Mom, Dad, David, Sara, Taylor, and me.
Setting: lunch at Jersey Mike's.
It was Saturday afternoon, and we met for an early lunch so "little miss Taylor" would be home in time for her nap. Taylor is smart. She knows how to push the limits so lovingly set by her parents (David and Sara)...especically when grandparents are around. Taylor had settled on sitting in Bubby's (my dad) lap and continued to eat her sandwich.
For some reason, Taylor thought it would be a good idea to slowly stuff her mouth full of bread. In the process, she dropped crumbs on Bubby's arm. She was cleaning the bread crumbs off his sleeve, when she quickly realized her mouth full of bread was not a pleasant situation. David and Sara, seated at the opposite end of the table anticipated her next move, knowing her solution to this problem.
Sweet little Taylor proceeded to turn Bubby's hand over in the shape of a cup, and before anyone else knew what she was doing...out of her mouth came the soggy bread. That's right, she spit it right into Bubby's open hand, so conveniently ready and waiting for her.
The uncontrollable laughter drew attention to our family in the restaurant, but we didn't care. The situation was surreal enough that we were trying to grasp the reality that it had even happened! Oh the joys of having niece who has no problem being the center of attention!
In celebration of completing my German class and Michael having his mid-review, we decided to take a weekend trip to Germany. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew we would have a good time, but I must say that our experience far exceeded my expectations. I'm not a museum goo-roo by any means. The thought of spending hours in an art gallery is not appealing to me.
However, my attitude towards museums in general has drastically changed after this trip. We were fortunate to visit 3 museums, all of them unique and educational. We also were able to squeeze in some shopping--always a good addition to a trip!
I'm trying to be creative with my photo-collages, and I must give credit to Michael for this idea. His projects necessitate an understanding of the location, so he spends quite a bit of time manipulating maps. Therefore, this suggestion was naturally his first. Either way, I think it turned out well. I realized we didn't take any pictures of "us." Oh well. We'll do better on future trips!
My countdown continues...since today is almost over, I can say I only have 6 more days until I fly home! And, as you can see from my last post, I'm going to incorporate a little German into my blog. I'm sure you can figure out what the title of this blog means in English. If not, ask a friend.
For several weeks, we have seen Christmas lights being hung in the streets, but they had not been turned on. A good friend of mine was studying abroad here this fall, and she was anxiously awaiting the beautiful lights. Unfortunately, the lights came on the night they left! I wanted to post these for her, but I also knew others would enjoy them as well.
We've been listening to Christmas music, which is making us even more excited to be coming home soon! My count-down has begun...9 days. We had a wonderful time in Germany last weekend, and I will have those pictures ready soon. Weihnachten kommt!
During my parents' visit to Vienna, we spent a weekend in Paris. Unfortunately, the public transportation was on strike, so we endured more walking in the bitter cold weather than we anticipated. Regardless, the trip was memorable, and we enjoyed sharing the experience together.
These pictures are a brief summary of our adventure. My dad and Michael were avid photographers, which I appreciate. Their passion means one less thing for which I am responsible. For those of you who prefer a description of each picture, scroll down; and, remember you can double click the image to make it larger. 
Top left going clockwise:
-Notre Dame cathedral
-Eiffel Tower illuminated (Luckily, you can also see the blur of an Asian woman who darted across the street in spite of oncoming traffic. Michael was proud of this picture.)
-Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
-Eiffel Tower
-Stained glass inside Notre Dame
-Dad, Mom, and me
-Arc de Triomphe
-A bridge we liked because you can access the main part at two different places
-Michael and me with Notre Dame in the background
-Eiffel Tower
-Interesting building with a "green" facade (The exterior was wet from where the plants, grass, etc are watered)
-Les Invalides
-Interior of Notre Dame
-L'Open Tour bus (This served as our taxi for the weekend!)
-More stained glass inside Notre Dame
-Notre Dame cathedral
-Michael and me
-Champs-Elysees
A few more funny details of our trip...The first day we went by the Louvre but decided not to stay because it was getting late. The next afternoon we arrived at 4:30 thinking we could finish our evening enjoying the exhibits. To our dismay, they were closing at 5:00 due to the transportation strike. However, at least we realized this (by reading the MANY signs posted) before buying tickets, unlike another guy who was practically begging for a refund. I don't think they felt sorry for him though.
Another missed sightseeing excursion happened the morning we left. Due to long lines and it not being our top priority, we waited to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, it was very foggy that morning! On the other hand, the temperature had dropped and it was windy, so we weren't too upset.
Two more days of German class. Michael's mid-review is also on Thursday. Then, we are headed to Germany for the weekend!
Today in class we learned about German phrases related to the size of countries/cities, population, etc. After we participated in a class exercise, we paired up to discuss our individual countries and the related statistics. My partner, Marina, came to Austria from Italy. We handled the assignment well and did as we were instructed.
One of the ladies in another group is from New York (we will refer to her as Linda). Since Marina and I were finished, we listened to the other students' discussions. I was participating with Linda's group as they were asking her questions. My utter disdain for Linda's ignorance was validated when she doubted the accuracy of my answer to the question: "how many states comprise the U.S.?" She adamantly believed there were 51, if not 52, states...starting with Puerto Rico.
Additionally, my teacher asked me if Texas was larger than Austria. My response, of course, was, "yes, it is much larger." Linda, confident in her knowledge of geography, once again questioned my response. Unbelievable! I tried to contain my frustration at this point, but it is hard to endure the consistent stupidity when second-guessing questions which are not even directed towards you. However, I behaved myself.
For those of you who know me well, I do not like being told I am wrong. On the other hand, how gratifying it is when, in spite of facing opposition, my answer is confirmed through Wikipedia that Texas is, in fact, 8 times the size of Austria!
It just doesn't get much better than that. Job well done.
Yep, my sister-in-law is pregnant again, so we will have another Whitfield grandchild in June! I hope no one jumped to conclusions by the title of this post; however, it would be funny if you did. Not cruel, just funny.
Michael and I are both so excited that David and Sara will be having another child, and we hope Tay-Tay enjoys it after the baby arrives. Since she is the 1st grandchild for both families, she's had quite a bit of attention, to say the least. Here are some pictures of Taylor (and David) from Halloween. Isn't she the cutest lady bug?! (I borrowed these pictures from David and Sara's blog.) 
My parents are coming to visit for Thanksgiving, and we are headed to Paris this weekend! I'll post pictures after we return--Happy Wednesday!
That's right--we had our first snow yesterday! What a relief to know we didn't have to drive during the inclement weather. Once again, I appreciate public transportation at a time like this. My only opposition to snow is that it eventually turns to slush, and when one has to be out and about, the slush is not a friendly companion. Who wants wet shoes/socks and cold feet?
Regardless, we enjoyed the snow, even though it didn't last very long. Please excuse the angle of the picture of us. As you can see, the tripod was not cooperating! :)
Another week of German class...hopefully I'll have some stories soon!
I'm not afraid of my feelings, but I recognize my hesitancy to be vulnerable. Ultimately, I fear not being able to control what happens. This reality was painstakingly clear today as we headed into the city. Michael was going to studio, and I was going to my first day of German class. Instead of being able to tell Michael I needed him to accompany for moral support, I asked if he wanted to see where the Deutsch Akademie was located. After a little protesting, he agreed to come with me. Michael is wonderful because he understands me even when I can't express what I'm thinking. I don't give him enough credit for that.
Why was I nervous? Oh, maybe because there was no guarantee that any other students would speak English, and the class is taught entirely in German! Luckily, 6 of the 7 students know English; although, the nonverbal communication of confusion is universal and quite humorous. It will be interesting to see what results from taking this course because I'm hopeful to know more than just basic conversation, but we'll see.
I have a new appreciation for people at home who don't speak English. It's intimidating. Sometimes I feel like I draw unwanted attention to myself, but, in reality, people couldn't care less about figuring me out. I must overcome my fear of being embarrassed and embrace this experience for what it is worth. However, I promise to share the embarrassing stories so that everyone else can enjoy a good laugh at my expense!
This is my formal apology to Lucy and Ethel for not having this post completed sooner. By providing a "floor plan," I hope it's easier to grasp the lay out of the apartment. We have plenty of space, which comes in handy when we do laundry. (For those of you who don't know, we hang everything to dry. It's not as energy efficient to have a dryer, but I sure wish we did!)
We did not dress up in Halloween costumes, but, for those of you who have posted pictures of your cute kids (or your adult selves), I am thankful. Michael is feeling much better, and we appreciate everyone's concern. Provided that Michael has progressed with his project, we hope to be touristy this weekend. I start my German class on Monday, and my hope is that the experience will bring many laughs and great stories to tell. We will keep you updated!
This particular adventure is not one we anticipated happening. Of course, we had prepared ourselves that it might be necessary were his condition not to improve. However, Michael seemed to be getting better until this morning. Another sleepless night with continued "stomach problems" was the determining factor.
We were very hopeful that this trip would not consume the entire day, and we were pleased to be seen in a timely manner. We got many confused looks when we explained that, yes, we live here and are from the U.S., and no, we don't have insurance. It probably would have helped if the first doctor we saw actually spoke English. The attendant was very helpful and explained the lab results would take a couple of hours. So, the waiting began. The waiting room was small, and the chairs were cramped together. Therefore, we were not disappointed when the room began to empty.
The second doctor who discussed his lab work was very kind and patient. He wants Michael to return tomorrow so they can monitor his progress. Apparently, the doctor noticed an infection in his blood but his white blood cell count was fine. According to the doctor, we should receive a bill in the mail, but, if we're lucky, it might not come until after we leave. Who knows. After 4 1/2 hours, we left the hospital with a prescription in hand and high hopes that Michael would start seeing good results. Overall, today was a day to be remembered.
Michael and I took a short trip by train through Austria to see the country side. We enjoyed our time away, and it was surprising to then return "home" to Vienna. Being in this city is becoming more familiar and comfortable, which is truly a blessing.
One of my good friends from college, Moriah, began making photo collages on her blog, so when Michael told me that I could easily do the same, I decided to try it myself. My hope is that these collages will capture our experiences in a different way. Due to some technical difficulties, this post is later than I anticipated (and lacks some pictures), but, nonetheless, here it is.
(DOUBLE CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE LARGER VERSION)
You will notice a couple pictures containing bridges, which was Michael's obsession. I don't completely understand the fascination, but, I must admit, the images look impressive. Also, we enjoy drinking Coke light, which tastes much better than Diet Coke, and we always take time for gelato. Look carefully at the bottom middle picture as it is a water fountain made for drinking--this was great!
Michael is in Istanbul, Turkey with his studio for a week, so my mom came to keep me company! We are having a wonderful time together, and I am so grateful she was willing to visit. Please know that we miss our friends and family so much, and we are very serious about wanting visitors!
Unfortunately, it’s taken a while to get this blog started, but my hope is that it’s been worth the wait! So, thank you for your patience as we begin this journey together. I promise to be concise with what I write so you will actually read the blog, even though you may tempted to just look for pictures. And, please don’t hesitate to leave comments, so I know I am not just doing this for
myself (and for our parents, who will, undoubtedly comment on everything!)
We came to Vienna with a potential “furnished” apt to rent. However, there was a misunderstanding of what furnished meant, as the old bed, musty couch, and antique table were not going to be sufficient living quarters. Not to mention, the shower was in the kitchen! Therefore, we lived at the Hilton for a few days while we waited to move into our fully furnished apt that we absolutely love.
Our apt is the bottom floor of a two-story house, and the girls that live above us, Katrin and Kerstin, have been very kind to us as we adjust to being here. They have both speak English and have intermittently lived in other places, so, not only can they communicate with us (which is huge), but also, they understand how we feel being out of our element and in a new place.
Michael’s studio is going well, and he enjoys being at the Universitat fur Angewandte Kunst, which translated, is the University of Applied Arts. They are traveling to Istanbul, Turkey, next week, and, luckily, my mom is coming to keep me company while he is gone.
Since my responsibilities are limited as of now, check often for new postings!
Other Pictures from Vienna:
