Two Years.

As I began to think of ways to best mark these two years in Vienna, I went back and read what I wrote after one year, wondering if perhaps my thoughts and feelings about Vienna had somehow changed in the past year, but they haven't.  I really could basically copy and paste those thoughts here and it would all still be completely true, but that would be boring.  So, as I have mentioned before, the number one most frequently asked question I get asked here when I meet new people is "why are you here??", so on this anniversary of stepping off the plane in Austria and the start of this new adventure, I've compiled a list (with some input from some trusted friends) of my very favorite things about Vienna and Austria as a whole.  In no particular order... 

 The Ringstraße (Architecture)

Vienna is a visually beautiful city, with a myriad of architecture, in some cases spanning thousands of years, but for me, nowhere captures all that is grand about Viennese architecture quite like the Ringstrasse surrounding the first district.  Walking around this beautiful street was one of my first favorite activities upon moving here and continues to be something I never get tired of.

Drinking Good Wine

Vienna is surely a wine city.  It does help that there are vineyards within the city limits (which we will get to) but it also seems to just fit properly with the attitude and culture of the city as well.  The Austrians take their wine quite seriously and it pays off.

Markets and Outdoor Festivals

While this point on the list surely includes Christmas and Easter markets, Austrians seem to find reasons to celebrate all sorts of activities and festivals year-round.  This photo is from the courtyard of the Rathaus where all the award winning Viennese wines were assembled for tasting.  It amazes me that regardless of the weather if there are tables set up outdoors for such things, people will fill the space, bundled up or huddled under umbrellas if needed, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Lederhosen/Dirndl

This goes along with the Austrian culture/tradition thing as well, but contrary to what I may have thought before moving here, dressing in lederhosen/dirndl is not only for very special occasions or cultural events.  Going out with friends to restaurants or parties or really any activity is made that much better by these particular outfits.  And no, sadly I haven't yet found just the right dirndl for myself, but I'm getting there.

Après Ski

Austrian apres ski carries with it its own special traditions and activities.  There is an entire genre of music (and some accompanying dances) that are specifically for evenings after hitting the slopes.  Plus, if you can't make it to the mountains for some reason (or it's July and not exactly ski season), there are clubs in Vienna and elsewhere that primarily play this music and are decorated to give you the feeling of the real thing.  Learning these songs/dances early on seems to be the gift that keeps on giving..."how on earth does this American know these things?!"

Heurigen and Vineyards

This goes hand in hand with the good wine thing, but deserves it's own spot for sure.  Going to school above the vineyards in Vienna gives me plenty reason to be in them through all seasons, but as we're approaching the warm weather again I cannot wait for long afternoon strolls ending in any number of wonderful Heurigen to have delicious food and fresh wine with friends.

Love of Tradition

Tradition and Austria cannot be separated, as is evidenced by many, many things on this list, but is also one of my favorite things about Austria.  From the music to the palaces to the festivals and the food, sometimes it is easy to get the feeling you are somehow also experiencing Vienna during another time.

Balls

In keeping with proper tradition, ball season is still definitely alive and well in Vienna.  Getting all dressed up and dancing the night away in a palace was definitely a little girl's dream of mine that I never thought still existed, but it surely does.  

Coffee and Cakes

Coffee and cakes are definitely synonymous with Vienna, and while I knew that it was definitely a touristy thing to do, I don't think I ever really thought it would be an activity to just do with friends anytime.  It took me some time, but I've learned how to drink small amounts of delicious coffee much more slowly, and appreciate coffee that nobody would ever serve you in a 16oz to-go cup.

Austrian Food

I'm not sure before moving here I really had a good grasp on what Austrian food entailed, but I'm always up for trying new things whether traveling or at home.  Somehow though over these two years, this food really has captured a special place for me and become something I found myself missing when I was in the States over Christmas.  I wasn't sure that would ever happen, and not sure when it did, but I think it has definitely added to Austria feeling more and more like home.

Mountains

If you took away all the grand architecture and fancy coffee and cakes and all the rest, Austria is such a physically stunning country.  I love that on clear days I can see mountains from class, and pretty much anywhere we go on any trips throughout the country involves ridiculously gorgeous panoramic mountain views.

Inter-generational Activities

Unlike anywhere I have lived before, Vienna seems to be filled with inter-generational activities.  It is not unusual for us 20 and 30 somethings to be sitting at a table outside somewhere with a couple in their 80s to one side and a family with small children on the other, all talking and having a great time. 

"Provincial Towns"

While I do have the pleasure of living in this beautiful capital city, Austria is filled with countless picturesque towns of all shapes and sizes, some of which are on my to-do list to visit as the weather is warming up this spring.

Crossroads of Cultures and Nations

In addition to all the wonderful "typical Austrian" things, I do have the benefit of many cultures and nations all combining here.  This is partially an experience due to my circle of friends being truly international, but Vienna's location in Europe as well as being home to one of the UN headquarters also allows for some of this unique mixing of cultures.

Clean Public Transportation

Seriously, don't underestimate how wonderful clean, reliable transportation is to the experience you have in a city.  It becomes something you don't really notice until there is one can of something that has been left, or a small sticky spot under your shoe, and I realize just how spoiled I am that this is strictly the exception and never the rule.

Unlimited Time at Restaurants

This was another activity that took a long time to get used to and is now really high on the list of things I love.  Nowhere around here will you ever get rushed while eating at a restaurant or sitting to have a coffee.  If you're sitting at a table, it's yours until you're ready to leave.  This means you can easily sit at a dinner table with friends for 3 or 4 hours without ever being bothered or asked to keep ordering or pay the bill.

Music 

And last but certainly not least, the music.  From Strauss waltzes to accordion music to apres ski hits and yes even sometimes a little yodeling, music blankets the city constantly.  One of my first road trip experiences here I was surprised to find the music mix for the car (provided by an Austrian) to include everything from the top pop songs all the way to the most recent New Year's concert of the Vienna Philharmonic.  So fantastic.

That's my list!  Of course there are other random things I'm sure I could add, but I think this is a pretty good summation for now.  When I first moved here I said I was coming for just over 2 years to complete my degree and that'd be it.  I still have no idea what the next year will hold, or where I might be living a year from now, but if I'm lucky enough to still be in Austria I know I will still be enjoying all the things on this list, and will perhaps have come up with a concise answer for the ever popular "why are you here?" question. 

Winter Activities

It may be hard for any of you reading this from the East Coast of the US to sympathize with, but we haven't had much snow here this winter to speak of at all.  I was getting a bit worried that with the weather and everyone's busy schedules there wouldn't be any chance for skiing or other proper alpine activities this season.  Thankfully though, a couple of us managed a quick day trip to a place only an hour from Vienna.  I definitely used it as a relaxing day to just enjoy the surroundings, with a side of skiing. 

A gorgeous lunchtime view

Our little ski team

Aaaaaalmost sunny enough to sit outside...but not quite.  Sadly by this point it was getting pretty windy and the ice pellets flying were a bit painful. 

A little apres ski glühwein 

As I've mentioned before, the square in front of the Rathaus is rarely ever just empty, and after the Christmas Market was all cleaned up, the next up is the giant ice rink.  Along with the ice rink is this little mountain hut structure, which houses a restaurant and bar.  So thankfully even if our days have to be filled with work, in the evenings we can still feel like we're in the mountains somewhere.

And of course, sitting inside here is super cozy and properly decorated.  You do forget for a minute that you're in a temporary structure in the middle of town.  I am really curious to know where all these decorations come from.

Tricky bar stools...looks a bit chilly sir.

Generally in winter around here there is a pretty constant grey sky, even if it's not super dark, but this week we finally got some truly blue sky and views out to the mountains which we haven't seen from school in several months.

A lovely dinner out with the girls

And of course some Olympics viewing.  We went to a pub in town to watch the USA/Russia game, and by the end of this game the room was full of random Americans yelling loudly.

And winning the award for perhaps the most random event of the week, the "Kranensee" which translates to "Crane Lake", a "ballet" of construction cranes.  Not exactly ready for the public yet...this is how we got up to where we could see.

There is a planned community being built out at Seestadt, and there isn't much there at the moment, just a giant construction site.  The ubahn was extended to reach out there, which opened this past October, but none of us had been out that far yet.

There are about 45 cranes out there and someone composed a 15 minute piece of music which was then choreographed to the cranes moving and lights flashing and changing color on them.

The whole thing was oddly beautiful, with the lights reflecting into the water and the cranes moving gracefully around.

I'm having trouble getting my video to load on here so I'll try again later...in the meantime in case you're curious...several other people have posted on youtube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-AskNSb1cc

Back in the Swing of Things

According to my calendar, the month of February should be semester break, but this year that's not anywhere near the case.  I was lucky enough this year to have all my classes finish up before Christmas even though technically the semester lasts until the end of January, which is what allowed me to be at home for as long as I was.  So when I returned back here the middle of the month, many of my fellow classmates had been in school since just after New Years, and were ready for their month off.  Our new semester begins early March, but again, doesn't mean much for me now that my days are mostly spent researching and writing.

In addition to my thesis, and the continuation of a research project I'm working on with a professor at school in cooperation with the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, a team of 5 of us who are graduating this July were informed that we had been selected to compete in the regional finals of the Hult Prize Competition in London this coming March.  It is a social entrepreneurship competition run by the Hult Business School and the Clinton Global Initiative, and involves teams of students from around the world working to provide solutions to a common problem (this year's is preventing non-communicable diseases in urban slums).  This stage of the competition consists of 6 regional finals (in Boston, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, London, Dubai, and Singapore) with about 50 teams competing in each one.  So our team is working hard now to come up with a presentation of our solution.  We're very excited to be competing, but it does require a lot of thought and preparation in these few weeks we have left before London, while all still trying to keep our thesis on track.

Of course it's not all work all the time though, we took some time for an excellent International Potluck Dinner with a bunch of us from school.  I contributed my approximation of banana pudding, and in case you're wondering, vanillekipferl are a great stand in for nilla wafers.

Cheering on Jelena's fiance Jakob running a race on a freezing cold Sunday morning.  Thankfully there was a little hut serving hot tea close to the course, so we could hop in there between times he ran past.

My view most days from the library up at school.  The semester break is helpful since it means the library is fairly quiet and a good place to get lots of work done.  Even though we haven't been seeing much of the sun here lately, we have had a few days of some picturesque snow, especially up on Kahlenberg.

And of course now it's Olympics time!  We had a fun little viewing party for the Opening Ceremonies here, which were shown live, but that's about 5pm here, so we did the best we could.  Sadly I'm not sure how much of the games I'll actually have time to watch, but hopefully at least some of the events.

And that's about it for recently.  The weeks seem to be flying by, trying to get as much work done as possible during the days so I have some time to catch up with friends in whatever off time I can allow myself.  As I'm getting ready to mark 2 years in Vienna it really is feeling more and more like home which I didn't quite realize was possible.  We seem to be experiencing a lot of "life" these days, the best of it and the not so great of it all at the same time, which is helping to add a deeper richness to everything in this season.  Still looking forward to lots of things coming up in the next few months, and hopefully not completely neglecting blogging so I have some written record of these things!