I started working at my school on Tuesday 4th of October as the school had kindly allowed me to take Monday off so that I could move myself into my new accommodation.
I was a little nervous truth be told. I had previously suggested that I visit the school the Friday before I went to Graz but a communication error mean that this did not happen. I was a little embarrassed. I had hoped to make a good first impression but I was failing miserably.
My betreuungslehrerin asked me to turn up about 0730. I had sussed out the location of the school (a short tram ride from my new home). I was confident of the direction but not which tram to take.
Despite my ambitions to have a 'trial run'. I found myself gambling on Tuesday morning. All my impressionable eggs in one basket. It was a success, although I did get lost in the maze that is the HTL.
They eased me into lessons on the Irish, Ireland and stereotypes with me speaking a great deal so that the kids might get used to my 'special accent'.
It is comforting to note that the Irish diaspora has cemented our reputation as melancholic alcoholics who relish wet weather and work in a mainly agrarian economy.
I had hoped to disprove all of the above misconceptions but I understood it was going to be an uphill battle. With my special accent I described myself and where I cam from ('halfway between Dublin and Belfast'), as the crude map in their text book highlighted only 3 cities, Dublin, Cork and Belfast.
Every lesson was the same.
I would speak a little, talk about myself before uttering a few words of Irish, a language most of them had no ideas existed. Some even disputed that it was a language, instead saying it was a dialect. I proved them wrong.
I spoke a few words of Irish.
Hello.
My name is.
I am from.
I am working in Vienna.
Not only the lexicon but the vernacular amazed them.
To think that a European language could sound so different from what they knew.
I also gave them a brief description fo the GAA and gaelic games.
As a people interested in a variety of sports from all over the world they lapped up all information about the GAA greedily. Gaelic football had a familiarity but a uniqueness they had not known before.
A cross between football and rugby? Or soccer and basketball?
I let them decide.
On Thursday I was invited by my betreuungslehrerin to attend a short English musical with her fifth form class. It chronicled a the foundation and crumbling of a relationship between a man and a woman; wonderfully uplifting stuff. Still, highly entertaining.
Thereafter, I met with other TAs and commenced our weekend relaxation.
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Return to Vienna
Sept 30th - Oct 3rd
Poked and prodded aboard the train we finally found a seat to rest our weary legs. The journey from Graz to Vienna is not overly far. The exhaustion of the previous week in Graz had extracted its toll.
When we got to Miedling there were a few sad and sorry goodbyes, promises of reunion and pacts to meet at regular intervals.
I called my friend who had helpfully suggested I stay with him until I secured the keys to my flat on the following Monday. My friend, Jon, had just acquired the flat the night before. He and his new flatmate had gone out to christen the deal & say farewell to an old friend who was to fly back to England the next day.
My phone call stirred Jon from his slumber. I was to make my way to Ottakring on the U3, then call for further instructions. Jon sounded a little groggy. I, with my heavy luggage dragged my burdens to Ottakring where Jon and I were reunited after a week's interlude.
He needed food.
So did I.
We went to Schnitzelhaus to seek out a remedy.
It was the cure we had craved.
Jon led the way to his flat; a pretty, if dusty Viennese flat with a high ceiling.
Pretty.
but it needed a scrub.
It was also distinctly lacking in furniture (as many Austrian flats are, they don't believe in furnishings).
There is a couch type thing. I lay down and I slept on this. Several hours later, I am roused from my sleep as Jon and his flatmate, Liana return from an excursion.
That evening we bought pizzas at a nearby supermarket but without any cutlery or utensils our dining options were severely limited. We use our Schnitzelhaus boxes as plates tearing lumps off from our pizzas.
It's a pathetic scene.
Or one of improvised genius I am not sure.
The departing pal , Guy pays a brief visit.
We shake hands.
I would have liked to know him better; his stories were something to marvel at.
The next morning we watched a film, all of us lazy and slow to move.
'Submarine' a strange Welsh film.
Later on we went on an excursion through the city. Jon and Liana bought bed stuff at Zielpunkt.
I bought a blanket and two jumpers reasoning that it's time to bulk up my meagre supply of garments.
Cleaning fluids and bleach were purchased.
Extensive cleaning took place.
Rearrangement of wobbly furniture followed.
After a short time of intensive scrubbing my hosts withdrew to the sitting room/Jon's room for a cigarette break-no more cleaning is carried out that evening, however, we can safely say that we took the sharp edge off of it, dusting, however, small.
I missed out on an invitation to go to late night at the museum. Regrettable, but our night continued on to G-punkt and then Beer and Songs-I declined to sing.
The next morning was slow, sluggish and lazy. We spent our time sharing various TV shows, The Big Bang theory and Game of Thrones etc.
The next day our mutual friend, Niamh, would fly in from Dublin and I would collect my key for my new flat.
Two weeks in Vienna but finally I would have my own space to lounge. I would have to move in there before I started at my new school.
Monday had a lazy start. Jon and Liana had their first day of work. I dossed and dozed until Niamh arrived with Jon to deposit her luggage while we went to collect our keys.
We wandered into town to Flanagans for lunch before moving on to the office to pick-up our keys.
It was a gruelling three hours.
After this ordeal, it was a relief to have somewhere to call my own, my little humble abode.
Poked and prodded aboard the train we finally found a seat to rest our weary legs. The journey from Graz to Vienna is not overly far. The exhaustion of the previous week in Graz had extracted its toll.
When we got to Miedling there were a few sad and sorry goodbyes, promises of reunion and pacts to meet at regular intervals.
I called my friend who had helpfully suggested I stay with him until I secured the keys to my flat on the following Monday. My friend, Jon, had just acquired the flat the night before. He and his new flatmate had gone out to christen the deal & say farewell to an old friend who was to fly back to England the next day.
My phone call stirred Jon from his slumber. I was to make my way to Ottakring on the U3, then call for further instructions. Jon sounded a little groggy. I, with my heavy luggage dragged my burdens to Ottakring where Jon and I were reunited after a week's interlude.
He needed food.
So did I.
We went to Schnitzelhaus to seek out a remedy.
It was the cure we had craved.
Jon led the way to his flat; a pretty, if dusty Viennese flat with a high ceiling.
Pretty.
but it needed a scrub.
It was also distinctly lacking in furniture (as many Austrian flats are, they don't believe in furnishings).
There is a couch type thing. I lay down and I slept on this. Several hours later, I am roused from my sleep as Jon and his flatmate, Liana return from an excursion.
That evening we bought pizzas at a nearby supermarket but without any cutlery or utensils our dining options were severely limited. We use our Schnitzelhaus boxes as plates tearing lumps off from our pizzas.
It's a pathetic scene.
Or one of improvised genius I am not sure.
The departing pal , Guy pays a brief visit.
We shake hands.
I would have liked to know him better; his stories were something to marvel at.
The next morning we watched a film, all of us lazy and slow to move.
'Submarine' a strange Welsh film.
Later on we went on an excursion through the city. Jon and Liana bought bed stuff at Zielpunkt.
I bought a blanket and two jumpers reasoning that it's time to bulk up my meagre supply of garments.
Cleaning fluids and bleach were purchased.
Extensive cleaning took place.
Rearrangement of wobbly furniture followed.
After a short time of intensive scrubbing my hosts withdrew to the sitting room/Jon's room for a cigarette break-no more cleaning is carried out that evening, however, we can safely say that we took the sharp edge off of it, dusting, however, small.
I missed out on an invitation to go to late night at the museum. Regrettable, but our night continued on to G-punkt and then Beer and Songs-I declined to sing.
The next morning was slow, sluggish and lazy. We spent our time sharing various TV shows, The Big Bang theory and Game of Thrones etc.
The next day our mutual friend, Niamh, would fly in from Dublin and I would collect my key for my new flat.
Two weeks in Vienna but finally I would have my own space to lounge. I would have to move in there before I started at my new school.
Monday had a lazy start. Jon and Liana had their first day of work. I dossed and dozed until Niamh arrived with Jon to deposit her luggage while we went to collect our keys.
We wandered into town to Flanagans for lunch before moving on to the office to pick-up our keys.
It was a gruelling three hours.
After this ordeal, it was a relief to have somewhere to call my own, my little humble abode.
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