When I was in Ireland that first week of December I decided I would not come back to Vienna. For various reasons I do not want to go into here I believed it better to remain in Ireland after the Christmas break.
At first I was a little reluctant-I did not want to leave this city that offered so much, a city I could feel at home in, a bizarre mix of bohemian cosmoplitanism. True, at times it frightened me and I felt an alien here because my language was not up to scratch. However, I also learned a great deal about myself with much previously taken for granted called into question.
Vienna had been my epiphany.
In truth I expected nothing less.
When I first came to this city, many moons ago in 2007, I was a 'new' man of the world. I had seen so little abroad and it was my first time truly alone. Without friends, without family it was something altogether new for me but I was determined to attend this IKI sprachkurs and improve my German.
It was quite possibly some of the best weeks of my life. I met many interesting people, some of them I am still in touch with, people who opened my mind. Young people from the world over. People like me. Curious, hungry and maybe a little naive.
I learned about countries I had hardly heard about, challenged notions I carried of those I had and encouraged me to think about my own homeland.
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