Austrian observations.

I have now been in Austria for some time, and thought I would share with you some of the observations I have made about the place. Namely, the additional charges that I face that although may seem trivial definately take some adjusting to, including a continual need for a stash of euro coins to be carried on you at all times.

1. Shopping trolleys. Irritatingly at most supermarkets (although not my particular one as it is slightly more upscale than others, it even takes Visa!) to use a shopping trolley you first must deposit a euro coin in a slot to release it. Now as a marketer, or simply a person with an IQ above 50, this does not make any sense. If people do not happen to have this magical one euro coin, they are then forced to use a carry basket, decreasing their potential purchasing capacity by at least half. I mean really, a shopping trolley is not something which can be discreetly slipped into your purse and wandered out with. It is fairly obvious if someone is leaving the store with one, and if somebody wants a trolley that much, I am sure they will be more than willing to forfeit 1 euro for it.
2. Grocery bags. Again I really dont see the logic behind this. If they want people to buy more, they certainly shouldn't be charging for the bags the customer needs to get the stuff home. Maybe they think that demand for them is inelastic and so can get away with it, or perhaps they can attempt explain this stingyness by claiming reasons of recycling. All I know is that unless I am on the ball enough to remember to take last times bags with me I have the tendancy to try and fit my entire weeks groceries into one bag as an act of defiance. Or alternatively I have seen students simply walk out with their baskets- haha, take that Billa, instead of choosing to provide a 1c plastic bag you just lost a basket!
3. In an additional note, you may have gathered that the supermarket shopping expereince over here is, in my opinion just not up to scratch. Just to top it off I'd like to mention that nobody packs your groceries over here either. So you have two options available to you, a) try and keep pace packing your stuff into your single bag with the check out girl who is flinging your roma tomatoes across the scanner at a great rate of knots. This virtually impossible however, and inevitably leads to you puting your strawberries underneath your tinned beans, and being glared at by a long line of austrians behind you. or b) putting the stuff quietly back into your basket and shuffling of to the packing area where you then have to wait for a queue of either elderly woman who choose to eat their ice creams in this area, or mothers with out of control kidlets to clear off before you can finally put your things in the bag. Niether obviously being a particularily satisfactory arrangement.
4. Towels at the gym. Granted I only have my french gym experience to compare with, but there you were given a freshly laundered white towel as you walked in, it was part of the deal. Here however, you have to pay for one, and it gets better, there are even different prices for different sizes, do you want a large towel, or a small one? For a towel that is larger than a postage stamp and able to cover you on your way to the shower you pay the premium. However, I figure you're naked once your in there anyway (don't even get me started on the communal showering habits of europe, it still is something I am getting to grips with) so I now opt for the small.
5. The bathroom. This is not just an Austrian perculiarity though, but Europe wide. Something which the rest of the world regards as a basic human right to sanitation, in Europe comes with a price tag of again, the magical euro. Last night I was in a club where like most there was the woman with a basket outside the door. To be honest I find this system an interesting one though, as I am never sure whether it is compulsary, or just a 'Donation'. To me it looked like she may well have just wandered in off the street and set up shop there, so I decided that especially after the discovery that there was no tiolet paper in my stall, there would be no donation made thank you very much.
6. Ketchup at McDonalds. I think I almost find this one the most disturbing of the lot. After ordering my Big Mac combo the other day (first foray into an Austrian McDonalds I might add) I requested that I would like some tomato sauce for my chips (actually what I said was ketchup for my fries, being understood in english is challenge enough without going for the kiwi version of things). She rung it up on the till, and low and behold there was an additional 70c to be paid. She did look a little sheepish as she took my euro, but it certainly made me remember the days when it was added to your tray or paper bag mostly automatically, and certainly free for all that asked. Sometimes being the lover of condiments that I am, I would even get two, or three sachets of the stuff, and add extra to my cheese burger. Those days are gone however, and I am sad.

I have come up with a theory behind these additional charges for things, and have decided that it must have something to do with german efficiency, ensuring a user pays system across the board. No waste or extravagence here, you want X, you must pay for X, regardless of how fundamental or trivial the good or service may be. As a result it has become my personal challenge to see how far I can push the system. The transport system is a case in point. As an exception to the rule this operates on a trust system, with no compulsary ticket/gates operating, but rather the threat of a fine if caught supposedly being enough to ensure you buy a ticket. When I first arrived I duly bought an 8 day ticket (one week, no, that would actually make sense) and intended to buy a student semester ticket. However after my attempt to purchase it and being turned away because I didn't have the correct paper work, I have since ridden the tram and underground system for a month now without paying a cent. It has gotten to the stage where even if I were caught I would still have saved money, and so am beginning to seriously wonder whether being a law abiding citizen is worth it. As I read on a friend of mines blog recently, you may have the best intentions, but sometime crime pays!

Aphrodite: The greek goddess of love

Or at least that is who I was supposed to be. In a rather last minute decision I went to a Halloween party last night, and taking into account creativity, time and budgetary constraints went for the sheet/toga option to produce this interesting creation. It was actually a really fun night so thought I’d throw in some pictures. Here are a couple of girls from Finland I met, there was actually a lot of (Finnish?) there, along with of course the myriad of other nationalities found at such exchange student type events.

Now, if you think that trying to remember peoples names at a party is difficult under normal circumstances, just imagine a room full of people with names you have never heard before in your life, and even after your fourth repetition you’re still not coming even close to their correct pronounciation. It's about as difficult as trying to remember 100 three syllable nonsense words, What was that? Gasputil? Hmmm. In the end I opted for the easier option of just calling everyone by what they came dressed as, which proved to be in an interesting exercise in itself as costumes ranged from the easily identifiable devils, to guys with half a carved pumpkin stuck on their heads.

Anyway, this next photo is of me with my body guards from Istanbul. Interesting guys, and I tell you what, with the compulsory military service they told me about in their country I certainly felt I was in safe hands!

The reason for this Halloween party being celebrated over a week early is the fact that today is some sort of National holiday in Austria. Don’t ask me what, I haven’t figured it out yet. But walking around today it struck once again how frustrating public holidays are. Great, you have a day off to do as you please. However, I for one, and I believe this would be a sentiment shared by many, would be pleased to do some shopping during this brief respite from the daily grindstone. But of course, no shops are open and so I feel like I am having some sort of dreary mid week Sunday, like I should be doing my washing (but of course I can’t as I only have the laundry key for a specified time period during the week, which incidentally must be strictly adhered to, otherwise, as it has happened before, I am rung by my land lord, who has been rung by some irate house keeper to be told that I am 40 minutes over my time limit allocated to me with the sacred key, and could I kindly return it immediately!).

So anyway, I find myself once more in the computer lab, which is as usual heated to the point that makes me wonder if the thermostat is permently broken, trying to fill out job applications for jobs I am not sure I really want. Fun times. If only I could actually be Aphrodite, she never worked a day in her life, I looked into it.

Now, before I write this blog I don't want any judgments passed thank you very much, quiet in the cheap seats out there, no shaking of heads or frowning allowed.

Today I arrived to class 4 hours late suffering from a minor case of alcohol poisoning (read, I was hung over). The cause was last night’s celebration of the completion of my horrible Export Marketing Class. For those I have been complaining to, my paper on "The expansion of UCLA into the European and Japanese Business school markets" (had to add the title so you get better understanding of the riveting subject matter I was dealing with) was finally emailed off to my lecturer last night at 11.57pm, all 15 pages of it.

I then decided to take advantage of the free cocktails on offer at Kaiko club. Put it this way, although long island ice teas go down remarkably easily, they are also extremely alcoholic, as was the bar tenders personal concoction named, if I remember correctly 'Ancient Blood' of all things. For all this drunken debauchery though I really did intend on going to my 9am class, and even set both of my cell phones to ensure that I would be up and ready for my pending presentation. Turns out that either neither alarm went off, or alternatively I managed to sleep right through both of them. I am still yet to determine which, although it wouldn't surprise me one iota to find that in my state of inebriation I pushed a wrong button somewhere along the way. So I woke up at around 9.30 feeling like death and muttering the infamous phrase "I am never drinking again".

After showering, breakfasting, and making it to uni Location A, asking at the information desk where my classroom was (the guys at that desk and I have built up a certain relationship since my arrival as I generally have to ask them directions about every second day) I trudged down the road and finally found the place, only to find a note on the board announcing there had been a room change and class was actually now back at Location A, although handily no room was specified. Needless to say by the time I slunk into class things were well underway and it struck me that I probably would have been better off just staying in bed. My excuse of being 'Ill' although accepted on the lecturers’ part, was met with pesky questions from my class mates (who know about Kaiko's Monday nights) which I could not for the life of me muster any sort of respectable sounding answer to. Only now has it occurred to me that a migraine would have been a perfect excuse (no need for physical symptoms, able to recover suddenly from and with the ability to illicit high levels of sympathy from fellow migraine sufferers) but then hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it?

And that’s about the sum of things today. I am now trying to muster up the energy to start working on tomorrow’s presentation, but think a power nap would really be the story. Actually the more I think about it the more appealing this idea becomes, catch you later folks I'm off to bed!

Welcome to my humble abode!

Just thought I'd give you a preview of my apartment, sparten and unfurnished as it is. On looking at these though it strikes me how much worse it seems here than in reality (or at least I think so), so I will have to attempt a video and You Tube link at a later date. But, some current features include:

My 'Wardrobe'. The only useful feature of this chair is that I am able to hang my clothes off it, as it is otherwise too rickety to sit on.

My 'Bed'. Mostly seen here leaning up against the wall in pieces waiting to some day be assembled. Depending on how long I stay in Vienna I seriously wonder if that day will ever come, or if it will remain as some sort of abstract art installation until I depart. Hmm.

Some other pictures I've thrown in for good measure were taken on an excursion to the Opera (Madame Butterfly) on Sunday. I wish I had been able to capture the inside of the opera house better but you can get a sense of the grandeur and scale of the place at least, and then these are the girls outside. As you may be able to tell it is very definately coat weather here already, and although I wouldn't go so far as to say it has gotten cold here yet, I'm not if I really want it to either. Hopefully my time in Dunedin will stand me in good stead for what's to come!

Nothing ventured nothing gained.....

As you may have noticed, this is the name I have given this blog, and for all intensive purposes I believe that it is entirely appropriate. Not only because of my current position which means that daily living is an adventure, but also because I have come to adopt this as a sort of mantra. Take today for example, today was even more than usual a day of firsts.

There were minor firsts; the first time I have worn my fabulous new boots, and, in honour of this, the first time I have ever in my life worn pull up stockings (not sure if I'm the biggest fan, managed to get a run by the middle of the day!).

It was also the first time that I made the leap into trying to establish 'industry contacts'. It is an age old adage that finding a job it is not about what you know, but rather who you know. However, up until now this has never been all that relevent to me. Up until now. Now, in light of my graduation date is coming up upon me rather rapidly, and I have finally realised (albeit probably too late) to be very relevant, especially in Europe. I find myself devoid of the numerous summer internships at big name companies that every european business school graduate seems to come standard with. Contacts are therefore all the more vital to me. Hence when running into my lecturer of the day for the third time (yes the day was grueling, 9am to 7pm of Export Marketing Managment) I saw the opportunity to perhaps ask him about his work, and possible options in the industry open to me. Very bold I thought, and turned out not all that stupid an idea. After a breif discussion about my background and options I am giving him my email address in case of any developments! Now I know that this is by no means a job offer, but hey, one small step for Joybells, one giant leap for her foray into determining a career path.

But I digress to my final first. My first latino dance class! Yup, I had truly forgotten how much I have missed and love to dance. Completely random taking a latino dance class taught in German whilst being located in Austria, but luckily 'Mumbo', 'Cha cha' and 'Salsa' apparently remain the same in any language. As usual it wasnt until the end of the class that the instructor discovered I dont speak german, but according to a kindly translator I had done really well- go me! Think it will be a while before you see me joining these guys, but I will definately be venturing back next week, and it is all gain baby!

Today has been a day of challenges, read, today was horrible. It began with the long awaited bed delivery. It is not only missing vital pieces (such as legs and screws) but more importantly the instructions of how to put it together. I am now left with a giant rubics cube that takes up 3/4 of my apartment. The next challenge, was my group meeting, see insert below that I wrote at the time to get a feeling of how that went.

"I am surrounded by imbeciles. You know, every time I have a course where group work makes up a component of my grade I cringe. I try to remind myself that collaboration is a great thing, of Gestalts principle that a group can be
greater than the sum of it's parts, that great minds together can result in
creative problem solving and finally that 'Many hands make light work'. However,
every time I am disappointed. People come unprepared, people take years to read
a case which is straight forward, people don't grasp basic concepts, and
basically take up my time which is a scarce and precious resouce when I am
wanting to head to Ikea on a Saturday. I know that this seems impatient, but I
always find myself coming back to the arguement, that no group can be greater
than it's best individual. I know this sounds arrogant. I am by no means
claiming that I am the brightest individual in the group. However, for better or
worse, I would like to take a gamble on this, save my time and effort, and be
graded as an individual. There you have it."

Next was my foray into the land of Ikea. Now, I first must clarify that there is no Ikea in New Zealand, and I love to shop for home furnishings. In light of these two things I thought that this experience would be one that would finally put the day on track. Oh how wrong I was. The first problem occurred when I missed the bus there. This was due to my lovely, but boring to the point of contemplating applying to patent on her as a drug free sedative group member, who insisted on telling me about how she couldnt decide where to go for her exchange semester. In her own words she thought it would take her at least a month to make such a decision. Hell woman do what I did, spin the globe, think of the wine, more importantly get on with it!

So, I missed the bus. I then got to Ikea and realised that I was way over my head. I was the definition of underprepared, and am sure I spent about quater an hour just trying to figure out where to get a trolley from and which floor to start on. Half an hour in and I was truly glazed over and had a profound new understanding for what the male species must feel like on female clothes shopping expiditions. By the time I pulled myself together, talked to at least three different sales assistants about how the shop worked (as I couldnt understand any of the signs in German, naturally) I was on a speed mission to furnish (although sparsely) my apartment to the point of habitability. It really is disgraceful that I have gone two weeks with neither towels nor a pillow (dont worry, was still showering, the gym helped out with this as did the remarkably absorbant handy towels they have over here). I was on the clock as the last return bus was leaving in just an hour. Duvet, miniture ironing board, everything was piled in the trolley with gusto, arrived at the checkout thinking I was in time I enquired about having the stuff delivered to me as advertised on their website. Straight through to the transport department and bang, the fun began. To make a long story short I have just lugged home (three different train connections just to make things interesting) the following:

A queen sized feather duvet and cover, two pillows, covers and queen sized sheets. Two pans, a pot, bowls, three oversized candles and eight wooden coat hangers. The rest is being deliverd Monday morning.

Lowlight: Missing the final bus so having to take the train, of course one of my bags broke on the walk between the store and the first station.
Lowerlight: Realising I had left the wine opener with the stuff being delivered on Monday.

Today, after being bouyed by the relative ease with which I completed my morning chores, (ie picking up the aforementioned shoes and pants) and being politely told, in German, that the internet connection that I had been waiting on since 7.30am this morning could not be installed today as I have an Apple laptop (I think that this phenomemnon of being politely told 'not possible' has also been mentioned preiously?), I made the bold decision to bike to University.

I think this was in part an attempt to recreate what a great time I had biking about Stockholm on similar beautiful days. So, after getting instructions from my landlord (helpful man, although he does call me an awful lot more than I would think absolutely necessary) I ventured down to into the depths of the building (NB Cellar= Keller in german) to uncover the bike has he has been promising me 'although is old, goes well'. Hmm, turns out to be the truth. Very upright positioning, with narrow handle bars and a look that screams almost decrepid, but not quite old enough to be chic, it does in fact go better than first inspection would predict.

Now I had been warned by more than one person, that Vienna is not the most biker freindly city in the world, and given I have no knowledge of the road code over here, I figured the best solution was to employ the world over rule of supreme confidence, (actually boarderline arrogance works better) of: "I have every right to be doing what I am doing, and what are you giong to do abut it if I am wrong?". So armed with this philosophy, and a second of: "If it looks like I am going to die I can always head to the foot path to take out a few unsuspecting pedestrians" I headed out, and I must say I can recommend the freewheeling experience to anyone. Although, it did occur to me as I was zooming along that I really should get my insurance cover here sorted out....

Even so, I am not sure whether this method of transport will replace my trusty no 38 trusty tram which stops literally on my doorstep, and delivers me directly to Uni, but it is nice to have options. If only I could figure out how to get it out of the lowest gear for my return trip up the hill would be super!

Be gentle, I'm a virgin blogger

And so, let the blogs begin....

Something I have promised, threatened, and only now have I gotten around to doing, I have finally decided to spare all of you I have been harrassing with emails, group or otherwise, and give you the freedom to decide for yourselves whether you want to be informed of my whereabouts, joys, woes, moments of idiocy, genius, and general rants.

Of course as you all may well know there is usually a catalyst for me to do anything I have been procrastinating for some time, and the catalyst for me finally begining to blog was my arrival here in Vienna Austria. I had thought that after travelling about the globe for the better part of the year by my lonesome, and managing to survive six months in France relatively unscathed, that my experience here would be along a similar vein. In fact it has been a rather different story, so different in fact that I found myself needing to record the expereince somewhere. That, and for the first time I am living alone, and have (until now as my courses begin) found myself with a fair amount of time on my hands! This living alone lark was incidentally a prospect which I predicted I would revel in, and am enjoying a lot of aspects of. But, it has also made me realise what a social animal I am, and just how isolated one person can feel when you are taken out of your comfort zone in so many ways at once; ie in a strange land on the other side of the world, a land where german dominates over english, schnizel and strudel rules over lamb and pavlova, and the only sport anybody plays is soccer, and the people you hang out with have known you for all of five minutes and you can't be sure share similar views, opinions, or even language.

So, in summary I find myself swooping from the lowest depths of dispair where I wonder, really, is it all worth it? what the hell am I doing here? and must everything be so damn difficult? To the other end of the spectrum, the dizzying hieghts of happyness, like today, where I have managed to accomplish simple things like taking some shoes in to be reheeled (which for such a simple task gives me a hugely disproportional sense of acheivement) the weather is beautiful, and I am going on an inside tour of parliament. Which by th way isn't open to the general public- but I have great freinds here! It is at times like this I truly count my blessings, wonder how I could want to be anywhere else, and try (with little success) to engrain this feeling in my mind, so I am able to draw upon it the next time some german speaking official tells me with the oplitest of smiles that what I want to do just isn't possible.

Sorry for the reflective nature of this first attempt at blogging, but I felt that you all needed a bit of a introduction so to speak, to put my future blogs in context. The next time I write I will endeavour to tell you a little more about what I have been actually doing here, such as in the weekend past 'The long night of museums', or probably more amusing will be this afternoons adventure of furniture shifting so I finally have a bed!

To all, I miss you, life is beautiful, don't forget it.