Last Day in Wien

I am hanging out in the Dulles International Airport - my pilot is two hours delayed - so I decided now is a good time to get some photos up and to reflect on my last 24 hours in Vienna. This seems like so long ago, but I haven't slept in a bed since my German final exam on Friday morning. All-nighters to make the most the last few hours with these wonderful girls that I don't know when I will see again, time zone changes, and long flights with random meal schedules make for a very confused Amalia. I'm hanging in there, and will sleep like a baby when I finally get home. 

On our way to the German final - last time riding the tram all together. 

Saying goodbye to the Kaertnerstrasse and die Oper. 

Hey look, they have LEOs in Wien too!

 

Jenna and I decided to dress in our dirndls for our last dinner out as a family to a traditional Viennese restaurant. 

Cuties - I'm going to miss these girls so much!

Now that's a lot of fried cheese! I could only eat half of it, and I'm sure my stomach would have preferred I ate less. 

So much Schnitzel and cheese on one table!

This feels oddly familiar...

My sweet roommate ready for her travels home - I'll miss this girl a lot.

Trying to savor the last few hours together. 

Saying goodbye was very hard this morning, and included a lot of tears. I'm of course excited to be going home and spending time with family, friends, and my cat, but I don't know when I'll see these girls again.  

Table Time on Thursday

Today was my last trip out to the Vineyards in the nineteenth district, and I was greeted by a dusting of frosty snow. How beautiful! 

After my meeting I made my way back home and packed for a bit before going to IES to study German, which I am convinced just made me more nervous about everything I'm supposed to know! Why is my last final the day before I leave this wonderful city?! 

This evening we had table time with tea and studying. And more tea with some cookies. Then even more studying. I don't want to go to bed because this is our last table time. :( Feeling a bit sad this evening. 

Nussknacker

Oh how the days are dwindling. There is no time to slow down!

This morning I went to breakfast at a cafe down the street with Natalie, Karen, and Jenna. I drank a cappuccino and enjoyed my bread with marmalade. It was quite good!

After that we went to the Schoenbrunn Christmas Market and enjoyed the huge Christmas tree and various home craft stands.

Tonight was the main event! I went to see the Nutcracker performed in the Vienna State Opera house played by members of the Vienna Philharmonic. Wow! Such beauty. The gasumptkuntswerk made me tear up at times.

Today made me feel very Austrian. : )

Christmas Markets

The past two days have been exam days here in Vienna. But I am now done with three of my four finals, with only German left! 

I have visited a couple Christmas markets and have enjoyed their individual characters. Here are a few pictures for you to get a little taste. 

This is the cutest merry-go-round I have ever seen!

 

I hope you all are having fun getting festive and ready for Christmas. 

Procrastibake

Christmas season at Liebhartsgasse means it is time for Christmas cookie baking! A morning of studying was rewarded with an afternoon/evening of baking, so many cookies, Christmas carols, and a cheery spirit all around! We made four sorts of cookies: Leberkuchen (gingerbread), Linzeraugen (butter cookies with apricot jam), Afghans, and a sort of Austrian Macaroons called kokosbusserl. They are all so good! I keep changing my mind about which is my favorite.

Vienna at Night

I got home late last night and then chatted with my roommates for a while before finally going to bed at about 2 am, needless to say I didn't have time to blog about the exciting day I'd had!

This past week and this weekend have been very conflicting, because I know that my time in Vienna is limited, but I also have final exams coming up and I need to study! Yesterday was a very productive studying day though. I started to prepare for my three finals on Monday/Tuesday, and I finished/turned in a term paper! Meanwhile, I listened to some Christmas tunes and spent the day at the table with my roommates. 

In the evening there was an end of semester party at a cafe a couple ubahn stops from our apartment. We all put on our jeans and going out black shirts, and went for what we hoped would be a fun time of dancing, snacks, and socializing. Instead we found a somewhat awkward situation of not-quite dance music, too many people, and too small of a space. That soon became too few people as a huge group of people decided to go check out a club. So, Jenna and I decided to leave and have our own adventure. 

Vienna knows how to decorate the streets, I love these blue globes!

After a bit of wandering and ubahn transfer-ing, we ended up at a cafe at 11:30 for a piece of cake! 

Mozartkuche - chocolate cake with moose and pistachio cream! 

Then we walked along toward Stephansdom, which is beautifully lit at this time of night, before making our way back home. It was a cold night, but it felt good to be out walking around and enjoying the city on our last Saturday in Wien. 

Sweet Jenna when we were back home and chatting with Karen about our nights. 

Catching Up

We've been having some internet problems in the evening, and I've been going to bed super tired, so I have a few days to catch up on! It has been a busy and fun few days!

Wednesday included my last class other than German and more snowflake making!

Thursday was the last day of German, my last day in the third grade class (we played Christmas themed Bingo to celebrate), and the last IES Chamber Recital.

The lyrics to one of the songs reminded me of Hood River:

Faithful, quiet peaceful valley, 

I feel at home with your cottages;

Even if all the riches of the world

Were offered to me,

Faithful, quiet peaceful valley, 

countless riches I would not trade
For you my beloved valley.
Cheerfully I climb uphill at dawn,
To look at the scenery from the top,
And my eye can freely roam
And merrily without restriction,
And relishes near or far,
The landscape's magnificence!
Many a valley's lush greenness
Attracts and captivates my eye,
The tenants' busy efforts adorn it,
and I drink in the sight with pleasure;
Why the hesitation? Ah, no!
Home is just this one place!

The music was beautifully played and covered a wide range of styles, and the reception afterward included Christmas carols!

Friday evening Cheney and Tess had a short and sweet, but very impressive piano recital, to which six of the seven Whitties (students from Whitman) that are in Vienna this semester came. So we had to get a team Whitman picture!

As an apartment we went ice skating yesterday evening! I haven't been on skates in probably almost ten years, but it was so much fun - and I didn't even fall (granted I was being a little bit cautious). We had a blast skating in the open air rink, and even started a conga line at one point, which a bunch of fourteen year old Austrians added onto. :) 

And now it is time to study!