Graz

So in planning this trip, I thought so much about the things that I will need, and about different things i will want to see, but so little on what to do when i actually get there!

The taxi driver drops me at my building, and I have 4 suitcases ok. all of them weighing far more than myself and you think there was anyone around to help me carry them in? Nope. So there i was doing some kind of assembly line method to bring all these bags inside and up the elevator. Btw: for those of you who know Vanier residence, this was no Vanier :( very dark i the main lobby area and kind of bland.

Ok so then I got my keys and make my way back down the elevators to my room, everyone says "Hallo!" though which is nice. I get to my room and the first thing i wanted to do was call home! You think i could work the phone?! I hadnt remembered how to call Canada from another country. And for the internet i didnt think at all that i would need a land line cable! 

So i started to panic and all i could think was why did i decide to do this ? I could be at home, with the people i love and in a place where i know how to do anything - i could see why it is called the American dream because everything is so accessible! No one even knew where a pay phone was! So I decided i need to take matters into my own hands and go for a walk and find a way to make a phone call! While looking for a pay phone, all i could see were "Camel Cigarette" dispensing machines on all the walls of the streets (i'll take a picture next time). 

The walk was nice, i saw the university which I'm very close to and got a pretzel from one of the street vendors, and if i wanted a drink - pubs here are in no short supply. Its jus a matter of choosing which one. 

So I came back to my room and turned on my cell phone (EEK) because at this point i had to get in touch with someone. Called my mom :) and things turned brighter from there. 

Later i found out how to take the bus into the main part of the city and took a walk around there. This is where I realized one of the reasons i decided to come to Austria. It is amazing. Everything jus looks so interesting! and all of the small street vendors and again all the stands to get a drink at, ahh its everything we need in Canada. I just need to meet a friend to go out with! 

So that was about it for day one. This morning I got my internet working and now I feel much better. Today i'm going to meet up with the "buddy" that i'm partnered up with and hopefully she can help me find some of the things i still need to buy - towels. you think i could find a shop selling towels? no. lol . lets just say they dont exactly have wal-marts or super stores here. but i think that aids in the beauty of it all.

o by the way: This residence only became smoke free in 2008 and we have this one room on the main floor just for smoking in. Their are couches and a TV. funny.

Bye bye for now 

i'll try and take some pictures today without looking like the Canadian tourist

Love and miss you all