Beyond Genres: Recommendations

Tell me about a book that you read recently and enjoyed or a book that is an all-time favorite. Don't try to guess my tastes; what is one book that changed your life?

This is the question that I posed to friends, strangers, students, parents, family, and professors, creating the following list of recommendations from all genres. Popular book organizers (like Shelfari, GoodReads, and LibraryThing) allow users to display what they have read, and the sites generate a list of recommended books based on (similar to) what you have read. However, sometimes you desire something completely different that is still a good read. Thus, I started collecting book titles.

This list has been in the makings for years, but it only officially took off this past spring in Wien. For the first time, I have transcribed my pile of recommendations--notes on post-its, ticket stubs, napkins, or whatever scrap was handy--to form a full list. These are books were read and loved by a myriad of different people, with a vast variety of interests and tastes. If you are reading this, please continue the list and leave a comment with a favorite book of your own!

I purposely have not sorted by genre, and only grudgingly separated the non-fiction books at the bottom. Yellow titles or authors refer to those that have been strongly recommended by multiple people. Enjoy.

The List
-Khaled Hosseini, Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
-Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated
-Margaret Atwood, (esp Blind Assassin, Robber Bride, and Handmaid's Tale)
-Milan Kundera, Unbearable Lightness of Being

-Neil Stephenson, Snow Crash (also The Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, and the three-volume Baroque Cycle)

-Ian McEwan, On Chesil Beach and Atonement
-William Gibson, Neuromancer (followed by Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive)

-John Cowper Powys, A Glastonbury Romance

-Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast novels

-Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

-James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

-Keith Donohue, The Stolen Child

-Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things and Good Omens

-Charles Dickens, Bleak House

-Ovid, The Metamorphosis

-Albert Camus, The Fall (and The Stranger)

-J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
-Michael Ende, Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte)

-John Crowley, Little, Big
-Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
-Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections
-Herman Hesse, Demian
-Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt
-any & all Kurt Vonnegut
-William Goldman, Princess Bride
-Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
-Frank Beddor, The Looking Glass Wars
-Peter F Hamilton, Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained
-Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
-Wayne Barlowe, God's Demon
-The Bhagavad Gita
-Cormac McCarty, The Road
-Bret Easton Ellis, Less Than Zero
-Jon Meacham, American Lion
-John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany
-Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
-Lois Lowry, Number the Stars
-Eloise McGraw, The Moorchild
-Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Non-fiction:
-Steven Beller, Rethinking Vienna 1900 [To counter Schorske's widely-read Fin-de-Siecle Vienna]

-Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea

-Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma

-Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
-David Sedaris, Naked

-Susan Faludi, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women

Contributers: AR, MK, MW, BB, PW, KS, Mrs. S, KM, Prof. G, Prof. H, LS, LG, CR, DC, EB, PM, GN, BB, MA, KS, FP, KS, MS, SW, MD, DP, KC, and many others... THANK YOU!

Keep this list going, and comment with your own favorite texts or authors. What are some of your all-time favorite books? What's something that you read recently and loved? What book startled you or changed your perspective on life? What would you recommend (to anyone) from any author, any genre?

Fußball, Soccer, Football

EuroCup 2008 is winding to a close with Germany's last minute victory over Turkey. Tomorrow is Spain vs. Russia, and Sunday is the finals.

The EuroCup, held every four years, is supposedly the third biggest sporting event in the world (after the Olympics and the World Cup). This year it is hosted by Austria and Switzerland, two small countries that were sadly out of the running rather quickly (there was a joke for a while that neither would be able to score a goal during their own tournament!). The finals will be in Vienna: to the despair of the cultural centers, which have suffered from depleted ticket sales and admissions. [The State Opera--probably vying only with the NY Met as the top Opera house in the world--had to cancel a ballet. That's unheard of! And I admit, I cringe at the thought of rich fans defouling the beautiful Burgtheater.]

The Fußball insanity is very real. Even in early 2008, Wien proudly began to produce banners and signs to advertise the tournament. They extended the U2 subway line to go directly to the stadium. And like the NY Times article says, they did indeed add cleats to the statues outside the Künstlerhaus (formerly THE art institution and exhibition hall, right beside the Vienna Philharmonic's MusikVerein).

Sometimes it's hard for Americans to fathom; the closest would be comparing it to the USA's obsession with our version of football (a term which I never understand, as Amer football only uses the foot to punt...). Fußball--almost the same word in every European language--divides but unites. For continent-wide tournaments like this, it divides across national boundaries as each country roots for her own team. In many ways, the sport promotes nationalism with a fervor that's rarely been seen since the end of WWI. But it also unites and shows the strengths of countries that may be less politically or economically powerful. Former Eastern Bloc countries, notably Croatia and the Czech Republic, were some surprises who advanced well into the tournament (see Croatia's defeat of Germany. It was a big deal). However, the most successful underdogs or black horses would be Turkey and Russia. (Turkey defeated the former two countries with stunning/devastating last-minute goals). Despite heated political debates as to whether or not Turkey and Russia count as Europe and whether the former will be allowed into the EU, both countries were admitted into the Euro-centric tournament and have advanced to the quarter-finals. Indeed, with a large Turkish immigrant population throughout Europe and a strong anti-Turkish sentiment felt by the "natives", it would have been interesting to see how things played out had Turkey advanced once more.

There's something universal about dribbling a black and white ball, whether you're playing in a glamorous turf stadium in Wien, or on a dusty street corner in Brasil. To quote Aishah Schwartz, "[T]he beauty of soccer is that it transcends cultural, religious, and social divides. It demands dialogue and the forging of a collective identity, for no single player can score alone; the overall experience is a true test of tolerance and endurance. 'To be able to equip girls with just a ball and see them turn into ambassadors for athletics is the key to creating positive social change'" [see the full article on AYSE and girls' soccer in Afghanistan].

Bibliophiles rejoice!

There's a new bookstore in town!  Zoomii Books just opened its doors this week... well, figuratively. Zoomii is a new concept by web developer Chris Thiessen. I love this site already.

Catering to those of us who love entering a bookstore and browsing the shelves to find a new read but prefer Amazon prices, Zoomii is not just a virtual bookseller but a virtual book STORE (the books are on categorized shelves showing their covers and everything!). Just click, drag, and scroll to move around and browse the thousands of books. All books are from Amazon's catalog and all purchases go through Amazon, but Zoomii is a fun new way to find great books.

There's still kinks (sometimes the graphics take a while to load, some of the books are miscategorized), but it's a start. Even though I will still prefer the unique feel of small independent sellers (the musty smell of the volumes, the dimly-lit room, the old creaking board below your feet, the comfy chairs in the corner to curl up and sample an unrestricted "excerpt" before purchasing...), I buy the majority of my new books on Amazon. I'm not sure yet how much I'll use Zoomii when I'm not browsing, but heck: It's a lot of fun just to play with.

Check it out!

Wien in the Movies

Following nicely after my Bloomsday post, be sure to check out the film "Before Sunrise", especially if you have ever been to Vienna. Ignore the DVD cover and ads that promote this film as a cheesy romance chick flick... rather, this is a movie about dialogue and coincidence and how complete strangers find connection ... all in less than a day. (It actually takes place on June 16-- Bloomsday). The dialogue is incredible and thought-provoking.

The entire movie takes place in Vienna. I watched the film again shortly after arriving back in the States, and easily recognized Westbahnhof, Heldenplatz, the Risenrad in the Prater, the Kleines Cafe, the top of the Albertina, riding a Straßenbahn around the Ring (and seeing the Parliament and Volksgarten in the background), and more. My favorite was one of the later scenes (the second cafe, when the camera cuts to four different tables)... I instantly recognized this cafe as the Cafe Sperl, which I frequented. It is bizarre and thrilling to be watching these places on screen, as the backdrop of a film that I already love.

Its sequel is "Before Sunset", which takes place in Paris. I have never been to Paris, so I don't have the same intimate connection with the setting of that movie, but I still strongly recommend it.


In addition, if you are going to Vienna, be sure to rent "The Third Man" ('49). This is a classic and an excellent film, set in the late 1940s when Wien was still divided and occupied by Russian and Western powers. Additionally, check out "Amadeus" ('84), which is a famous and interesting portrayal of Mozart's life.

Some other films about Vienna (that I have not seen; these are some other titles recommended by a travel guide):
-Indien ('93)
-Funny Games ('97)
-Siegfried ('24)
-Dog Days ('01)
-Lovely Rita ('01)
-Der Bockerer ('81)
-Sisi Trilogy ('55-'57)

Send me your reviews if you see them.  Happy watching!

Belated Bloomsday

As a Lit nerd, I am upset that I somehow forgot to celebrate Bloomsday this year. Bloomsday, or June 16, is a day to celebrate James Joyce and one of his greatest works, Ulysses. In this text, which is often ranked as the greatest English novel of all time (though it is debatable whether the form is actually a novel), Joyce follows his main character Leopold Bloom on the streets of Dublin through the course of one ordinary day. June 16, 1904. Because of this incredible work, that ordinary day has become extraordinary.

I was actually in Dublin in 2004 only a few weeks after the centennial celebrations of the day--traditionally, a pub crawl through Dublin. I also noted that browse plaques had been installed by the sites mentioned in the work; that's right, everything in Ulysses takes place on real locations. Joyce was meticulous. Even though he never returned to Ireland after 1912 (Ulysses was published in 1922), Joyce did his research well and ensured that every location in the text is a factual 1904 location--streets, pubs, you name it! Pretty intense.

Though most of the world has never heard of Bloomsday and could care less, one rare bookshop in Philadelphia also holds celebrations for the day. This is the Rosenbach, which houses one of Joyce's original manuscripts. I want to this celebration last summer, and it was very well put-together--entertaining and enlightening! Plus, it was a huge gathering of English nerds. Naturally, I felt right at home.


So here's to you, James Joyce. Hats off to you, your works of literary genius, and the entire Modernist movement that Ulysses inspired. Happy Belated Bloomsday!

Offshore Drilling: Digging Deeper into the Hole

Bush is urging Congress to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Why do I feel like we're only digging ourselves deeper into this hole of dependency on oil? Didn't we want to wean ourselves off of that because, oh yeah, it's a non-renewable resource. Let's think about that definition. If it's non-renewable, that means there's a limit. We're going to run out. One year or one hundred years from now, oil does not last forever. Maybe by damaging the environment, prices will go down a few cents... only to skyrocket again in a few months. But that's ok. By that point, a new president will be in office. Let the New Guy deal with it.

Europe hasn't solved the problem either, but at least they're ahead of us. Let's take some notes and focus on improving alternative sources rather than trying to cling to oil until it is completely exhausted. Improve the public transportation in cities, improve the speed and reliability of long-distance trains (esp Amtrak) to offer alternate means of transport. This would ease the oil squeeze slightly while alternative research is perfected.

I'm sure that I will have a more developed rant on this topic in the future. For now, I must call it a night.


Final Thought: When I began my planning for Europe, I was worried that I would need an International Driver's License in order to travel around the continent. I needn't have worried; I could get anywhere that I desired by train.
Not so in the States. This needs to change.

One Last Bow: Tribute to RENT

Rent opened in 1996 and soon became an international sensation. With a stage almost devoid of set and actors in everyday clothes, its appeal is in the complex characters who seem so raw, authentic, fascinating and yet universal. It is a story of love, loss, real life struggles, and friendship. This musical was a big part of high school for me, and I'm sad to see it close this September. At the Tony's last night, the current cast was united with the original cast to give one last tribute performance.

Cycle of Intimidation: Learning a Foreign Language

I need to learn to not be intimidated by every foreign language I am learning.

First it was French. Though I flourished in the high school classroom, I winced at the thought of trying to use (or understand!) Français in the world beyond those four walls. Though I didn't realize it at the time, looking back I realize that I really was in it more for the grade and for friends than for the language. I learned what I was required to learn and did well, but never pushed myself beyond that. Thus, I flopped when I got to college.

Then there was American Sign Language. A beautiful language. After taking a class every semester for the past five semesters, I'm happy to say that by last fall, I was competent--terrible, but competent. If I was given a specific topic (naming countries, telling a practiced story, etc), I passed with flying colors. But I had no social skills for day-to-day events. I gave up going to the weekly Silent Coffee nights (ASL students' social gathering), and after a semester abroad with no practice I fear that I have the little that I had. I can no longer take ASL classes, so my only option is attempting to socialize using only ASL.

Finally, I began German. It's strange that this is the language I've studied the least, and yet I am the most comfortable with it. In Wien, everyday Deutsch became second nature to me. I never had the courage to speak German with a native speaker who knew that I spoke English, but I loved hearing it around me always. I loved speaking it with friends and the Deutsch-isms that worked into our daily speech. At home, I missed the sounds of that language, and I was sick of hearing only English all the time. Now in the City, I hear Deutsch frequently once more, as many students from Germany live in my apartment. However, here I face a conflict of interest: every time I encounter a German girl-- as I brush by her or as she holds a door for me, for example-- I am caught between an "Excuse me" and an "Entschuldigung", a "Danke" and a "Thank you". And thus, the words become twisted in each other and caught in my throat, and I become the rude, ugly American and say nothing.

I hate that after five months in Österrecih, I still do not have the guts to offer a simple courtesy word to a native speaker who knows that I am American.

Feedback or advice is always welcome. And to conclude this language post, here is an old video that remains one of my favorite ASL vids:


Browse YouTube for other amazing ASL vids. Also, check out Scnappi and my German music post if you haven't already.

Vienna Notes

Mercer has released its annual Qualitiy of Living Survey, and Vienna is now ranked as the Second Most-Livable City in the World. Note the dominance of European cities at the top of the list, especially in Germany and Switzerland.

Vienna is also featured in NYT's travel section this weekend.

Day 1

And NYC Lesson #1: If you have to walk 3 blocks to the subway and then another 4 blocks after you arrive at your stop, do NOT wear heels. Especially not when it's 97 degrees outside. Instead, do what the smart kids do-- wear sandals and just change into heels outside of your office building.

Needless to say, my feet are not too pleased with me right now. I don't wear heels on a regular basis, so the uneven pavement, desire to get out of the heat, and lack of practice walking was not a good combination. It was a miracle that I didn't fall on my face.


Otherwise, my first day was great. Learned one of the perks of working at a publishing company--namely, free books. Today I got a travel guide to New York City. ^_^ It was exhausting though, and after the long trudge home during rush hour, it was a relief to get home and find that I had AC at last. The past few days were rough-- record temperatures, and I was only armed with a small fan. Much better now.

Old Classics

When we were young, my mom used to sing my siblings and I songs that she remembered from her German class. Today, with the inventions of Youtube and iTunes, I tracked down a bunch of them with her.

Du, Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen: a German drinking song; I only remembered part of the refrain "Ja, ja, ja, ja!". The Youtube options weren't so great, but Useless Knowledge.com provides lyrics, melody, and sheet music. See the iTunes store for some full versions.

Muss i'Denn zum Städtele Hinaus: a German folksong, which was adapted by Elvis Presley to become "Wooden Heart" (though I believe he modified the meaning of the song a bit). Lyrics and translation here and youtube has a few decent versions, such as a recording by the Von Trapp Family Singers.

Sag' Mir, Wo Die Blumen Sind: ("Where have all the Flowers Gone?") This was a nice find; it's one of my mom's favorites. It was translated into Deutsch and first performed by Marlene Dietrich, as seen below. Later recordings included Joan Baez, who worked with Peter, Paul, and Mary on the English version.


Schnitzelbank: a rather silly song, in which any two rhyming objects can be inserted into a verse (the Animaniacs demonstrate this while singing the so-called "international friendship song"). A user on YouTube has also created an amusing video in which the Deutsche metal band Rammstein performs the song. As is the nature of the song, it changes with every singing, so thus there's not many recordings; however, I'm told that there are entrepreneurs in Germany who work as professional rhymers and Schnitzelbank writers. ^_^

**Maintenance Note**

As of tonight, this blog has officially been returned to EST (or 5 hours behind GMT). For all the posts in Vienna and Europe, simply add 6 hours to the time stamp in order to determine at what local time the post was actually made.

Starting next week (in New York City), I hope to update my posting frequency to at least two per week: one post looking back on something from Wien (I have a list of topics that I meant to cover), and at least one commenting on the City or the current events of the world.

Bis Später!

Schnappi das kleine Krokodil

This may be the cutest cartoon that I have ever seen. The fact that it's auf Deutsch only increases the appeal to me. :) I really wish I could see his TV show now.

Week One: Re-entry

My computer is still on Austrian time. I've been back in America for a week and settled in, but my computer's clock is just one example of how Austrian ways have affected my readjustment to American life.

CURRENCY: My first hit of reverse culture-shock was in the airport, just after going through customs. I had a long layover, so I purchased some food for dinner. It was bizarre to me to be using American bills again. After the colorful Euros that are distinctly different colors and different sizes for every increment, it seemed dull and confusing to be using only yellowy-green bills of the same sizes that looked very similar. Also, as I reached to pay, I found myself opening the change pouch and seeking a two-dollar coin; it took me a split second to realize again that there was no such coin, and I quickly handed over a five to avoid counting any more change. ^_^

TRANSPORTATION: It was nice to be in a car again, but strange. Besides the trip to Bad Aussee, I have not been in a car in five months. Though it's wonderful to have the convenience of a car again, after seeing the cost of gasoline, I'm really starting to miss Wien's reliable public transportation.

SHOPPING: I arrived home late on a Saturday night, and I have to admit, it was nice to have stores still open the following day. In Wien, everything is closed on Sundays--only the tourist spots and cafés remain open. This always required careful planning during the week to ensure that we had enough food to get through the weekend; last minute trips to the grocery store were not an option. (Speaking of grocery stores, I intend to continue to bring my tote with me. You have to pay for plastic bags in Österreich or bring your own, and this eco-friendly habit has stuck to me. It will be nice to be able to use a credit card to pay again... American cards were often only accepted in the touristy areas).

RESTAURANTS: Restaurants were another challenge. After five months, I have become used to walking in and seating myself, to ordering auf Deutsch ("Ich möchte..." oder "Ich hätte gern..."), to staying as long as I like, and to handing the server the full payment and telling her how much tip to include for herself ("Machen Sie das drei Euros" oder "Stimmt schon" if you don't need change). Suddenly it seems strange (and unwise?) to leave tips laying on the table; it seems rude how frequently servers approach and try to hurry customers along--encouragingly asking for orders, removing plates, asking if they want the check, etc. And yet I know it's not rude, merely different. Additionally, it is a relief that I can again ask for a doggie bag and take left overs home; in Austria such practice is considered very rude.

Also, I'm convinced that the food tastes different here. Not homemade food, but in restaurants. American restaurants now seem bland to me and boring, as if they're not real or missing flavor. I can't quite pin it. Maybe I became used to cooking my own food; when we did eat out, it was usually at a an Austrian heurigen or something similar, which basically solely serve delicious hausgemacht Essen. Homemade foods for that one location, not chains of restaurants with identical menus and ingredients processed and shipped across the country.

MISC: I miss having a big meal at lunch. I miss saying "Grüß Gott" constantly, esp when walking in to stores or checking out at the supermarket. But I love having a dryer again. I miss seeing dogs *everywhere* of all breeds and sizes at every time of day and all over the city. But most of all, I miss hearing Deutsch and other languages around me. English suddenly seems boring. I miss the challenge of daily life, when merely trying to buy vegetables at the Naschmarkt could be an ordeal. I became a pro at those basics. And strange as it sounds, I miss not being able to understand languages around me; I miss listening to the music and rhythm and picking out a few words and trying to understand. It was exciting, and just by looking around and listening--reading signs, watching screens, listening to music or people--I challenged myself to learn and gain more.

The next big adventure is coming soon enough: NYC in two weeks.

Stay tuned.

Once more from Österreich!

Well, that's about it then. The hours are winding down, and my last day in Wien is almost over. I leave diese schöne Stadt tomorrow morning to return to the States. This will be my last post from this side of the Atlantic, but I've enjoyed keeping this blog. I will continue updating in the States--there's plenty of partially drafted entries about Vienna that I just never had a chance to finish, plenty of observations I still want to share, and plenty of adventures lying in the months ahead. After all, I'm about to move to one of the largest cities in the world. New York City, here I come!


The past few days have been very surreal. I've said my goodbyes, I've been doing everything that I've wanted to do all semester, I've been stocking up on Viennese food/goods that I won't be able to find in the States, I've had my final fill of Melange and Kebab. But the finality of it all still hasn't quite hit home. I could go on living in this great apartment for ages, walking through the Naschmarkt each day, going to the Opera or Musikverein often, passing familiar sights that now remind me of this home. Reverse-culture shock is going to be fun, but I'll return one day.

Bis später, Wien. Danke für alles.

Cinnamon and Pork

Papers are finished, and 4/5 classes are complete. *breathes*

Last night I made dinner for my roommates using a bunch of ingredients that I had lying around needing used up. I adapted my meal from a recipe that Kat taught me. She usually cooks this using ground beef, but I had a package of pork "goulash" cuts (pork cut into small chunks, one of the least expensive meat options here) and substituted that.

Cinnamon Pork mix
Recipe from: Kat
Serving Size: 3-4 people

-1 package ground beef or small boneless cuts of pork (equivalent of "goulash" cuts)
-2 onions
-rice (approx 2 cups)
-raisins (I used two large handfuls)
-cinnamon, paprika, and chili powder
-cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, whatever you prefer)

First cook the onions in a large skillet and powder them with cinnamon. Cook until translucent and caramelized. (This is also a tasty snack in its own right, as my vegetarian friends quickly discovered). Meanwhile, start the rice. Kat's tasty trick: add a bouillon cube of chicken or veggie broth to the boiling water; the rice will absorb this flavor.
Remove onions and set aside. Add meat to pan until the meat is browned. While it cooks, powder it with *lots* of cinnamon, and also paprika and chili pepper to your liking.
Once cooked through, keep the meat in the pan and add the raisins. Stir around until raisins are puffy. Add all of the rice and onions back into the pan. Mix around, letting the juices coat the rice and form a tasty mixture. Remove from heat. Grate some cheese on top and mix in so that it melts slighty. Spoon out, and enjoy!



Additionally, Kat really likes cooking with cinnamon, and here's another favorite that's even easier:

Cinnamon Soy Pork
Recipe from: Kat
-1 package small pork cuts or other meat
-soy sauce
-cinnamon
Let the raw meat soak in soy sauce for an hour or so before cooking. Then add to a skillet (might need to add a little more soy sauce), powder with lots of cinnamon, and cook until browned and cooked through. Serve with rice. Delicious!

The U4 Incident

Swamped with papers, and two exams on Monday. We're in the final stretch.

This is the U-bahn I ride every day: "Alpengluehn" metro-gig


Also, as announced two days ago, Slovakia will officially adopt the euro on 1 Jan 2009. Use those korunas now!


More in a few days.

Theatre and Musik

I'm terribly cultured. Monday I went to see King Lear auf Deutsch at the Burgtheater. This was my third time seeing a production of King Lear, so I had no problem understanding what was going on, though I couldn't understand any of the German (it's translated into an archaic "Shakespearean" German, naturally). I was especially amused because the second scene opened with Edmund and Edgar bouting, with full gear. Not only was I happy to watch some fencing (albeit, stage fencing) but it seemed to make an appropriate metaphor for relationship between the two sons of Gloucester. Es tut mir Leid, I'm a bit of a Lit dork. ^_^

Last night I went to the MusikVerein one last time to see the Vienna Philharmonic perform Mahler's Third. This was my first time actually seeing the Philharmonic (though most of the members are also part of the Opera's orchestra). The Wiener Philharmoniker, considered one of the top three orchestras in the world, is immensely popular and thus it is very difficult to get tickets. I was lucky to get a Stehplatz ticket because I bought it well in advance.

Also, it's incredible how much I've learned about classical music since being here. Prior to coming abroad, I considered classical music enjoyable and knew the basics and the big names. However, after spending a semester in one of the world's centers of classical music and surrounded by very talented vocal and instrumental students, my initial ignorance is painfully clear. Since January, I have heard the names of countless famous composers, artists, and writers referenced constantly in classes. I have seen the graves of Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, Brahms, Schönberg (all in the Zentralfriedhof), and Bach (in Leipzig). I didn't know who Mahler was when I first came to Wien. Now, I can't seem to get away from him. ^_^ His Symphony No. 3, with the sweepingly enormous size of the orchestra and the length of time and the grandeur of the movements, was quite a moving experience. Also, I received the surprise of also hearing the Vienna Boys' Choir the same night! (I had given up on seeing them in person long ago). The Boys' Choir, a women's choir, and an alto soloist performed the vocal accompaniment to the Mahler piece. Needless to say, the stage was very full. One of the best orchestras in the world + one of the best choirs in the world + an incredible orchestral piece = an excellent night and fittingly appropriate for my last concert in Wien.

American foods?

Input or ideas appreciated!!! Thursday will be my last day at my teaching internship. As a final lesson, my teachers have asked me to teach the classes about American foods and bring in some examples. However, I'm having some trouble coming up with things that I can bring in. I have two classes of 13-year-olds, about 30 students each.

I will definitely be bringing:
-chocolate chip cookies
-banana bread
-peanut butter & jelly sandwiches (sliced into bite-sized pieces ^_^)

I planned to cook an American breakfast (pancakes, french toast, eggs, maybe bacon and hash browns, etc), but it will be hard for me to transport any hot items and make enough for so many students. Any other ideas???

EDIT: Thanks for all the suggestions and help. The kids absolutely loved the food, and they were really enthusiastic about learning the recipes. Definitely a success and a great last class!

Bad Aussee and the Salzkammergut

Yesterday was Der Erste Mai (May Day) as well as Austrian Labor Day... a national holiday! Classes were cancelled, and parades and festivities went on throughout the day. In the evening, we went to the Prater to half-priced rides and fireworks. (Unfortunately, the fireworks were lame because they only lasted 5 minutes ^_^). Today the fun continued, as this weekend is Stadt Fest Wien (the Vienna City Festival). There was music and tents (and balloons!) in Heldenplatz as well as performances and special events throughout the city.

But as promised, jumping back a few days to recount this past weekend:


Last weekend I visited Monika, my German teacher from the intensive period, who lives in the Salzkammergut region of Austria. This region is very scenic, full of snow-capped mountains, reflecting lakes, and small authentic towns. Monika was in Vienna for a conference, so she picked me up in the afternoon and we drove out to Bad Aussee (approx 4 hrs on the Autobahn). She simply requested an important stop along the way: the Lindt chocolate factory! :D The factory (in the middle-of-nowhere!) had a small shop selling very discounted delicious Lindt chocolate, and also had a tray of some free chocolates to sample. Mmmmm. I only bought a small box worth (about 8 bags of Easter candies for only 5€), but Monika bought two large boxes and a mixed bags... perfect for having on hand for classes and students. This was a delicious side-trip.

We arrived in Bad Aussee around 6pm, and as I walked through her front door, I was immediately greeted by her friendly Dalmatian Kiara and her two cats, Molly and Lily. I missed having close contact with animals, and I really enjoyed having pets for the weekend. Additionally, I wish I had taken a picture of the house. It was yellow and green, complete with typical Austrian woodwork and balcony. I had my own "holiday apartment" downstairs, with views down the street into the town and with the mountains beyond.

The next morning, Monika took me into town. I was impressed by how she seemed to know everyone--from the neighbors that drove by or were walking their dogs to the people that worked in the shops! First we stopped in a Dirndl shop where I was able to see some examples of the traditional Austrian garb. A dirndl consists of a bodice, white blouse, skirt, and apron, and most towns have developed traditional colors for their dirndl. For example, the Ausseer dirndl has a green bodice, a pink skirt, and a purple apron. These colors would be worn for young and old alike for traditional festivals.

A few blocks down, Monika was able to shop me the dirndl factory where they hand-print the fabric. It was very interesting to watch the woman work! She taped down a large square of the fabric on a flat worktable and used a long wooden block for a mold (dipped in paint) to press the pattern. I observed her making a plaid pattern (so just a plain block), but there were also carved blocks on the side that would create patterns such as small flowers or stags.

Next, we stopped in a gingerbread shop! Gingerbread is another traditional food of Bad Aussee. I bought a little bit to sample, and I can't wait to try it! :) From there, we walked through the town and she told me some more about its history. Bad Aussee is a spa town located on the point where two rivers from the Alps merge into one. It is famous because of the real-life Cinderella story of Archduke Johann and Anna Plochl. Anna was the daughter of the postmaster of Aussee. Johann, the brother of the emperor, met Anna and fell in love with her, ignoring social customs to marry the girl from the lower class. Ausseers are very fond of this story, and have a statue devoted to Archduke Johann because of everything he did for the region.


After exploring Bad Aussee, Monika drove me to Hallstatt. Hallstatt is the oldest town in Austria and one of the oldest in Europe-- it is 7000 years old!!!!!!! Its name has even been applied to a period of the Iron Age. Its Salt Mines also have some interesting more recent history as a treasure trove of the Nazis. Its beauty (argued to be the most beautiful town in Austria as well as the oldest) earned it a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located very scenically on the edge of a lake and framed by the Alps. Here is a view across the lake from Hallstatt:


There are extensive salt mines in the mountains nearby; for centuries, the men worked in the mines, while the women loaded heavy piles of salt upon their backs and trekked for miles to transport the salt. Numerous monuments throughout Hallstatt honor these women, who had to continue their work even when they were 9-months pregnant. Many children were lost because of this hard life style. Today, however, Hallstatt flourishes instead from tourism rather than salt and the Salt Women are a thing of the past.

Another interesting part of the town was the ossuary at the Catholic Church. I have never seen anything like this before! Because the town is so old and there is so little space (the houses are almost one on top of another!), the church had little space for a cemetery. They would use their limited plots for temporary graves after a person died; however, after a while, their bones would be dug up from the grave and the space would be re-used. The bones were marked with the name and dates, decorated, and put on display in the ossuary. This is a picture from inside:


After Hallstatt, Monika drove me through a variety of other towns, including the more spaced-out Gosau (so many green fields), and scenic views of Dachstein and other major Alpine peaks. The views were stunning.

Sunday I left in the morning to return to Wien. (See the previous entry for notes about the wonders of the Austrian breakfast I was served each morning!). Overall, it was a wonderfully relaxing weekend, and just the right medicine I needed for the end of the semester. I really hope to come back to the Salzkammergut one day though, hopefully to spend more time and hike between the various town, and who knows? Maybe if my German is good enough, I will follow in Monika's footsteps and retire in a wonderful town like Bad Aussee.