Home?

Yesterday was a big day! I couldn’t sleep after 2:45, so I got up then. A group of us (about 6 girls) who couldn’t sleep were all in a room hanging out together. One girl asked me if I go to BYU. I couldn’t lie, so I told her (and consequently) everyone else that I was still in high school and 15 years old. They were surprised and didn’t believe me at first. Apparently I am in fact a good college student.

After breakfast at the hotel, we checked out and headed to the Austro-American institute. We had an orientation of sorts there and walked around Vienna a bit. I am in love with this city. The buildings are gorgeous, and there seems to always be something interesting to observe. At one point, I saw a starbucks and an H&M on the same street. As we passed starbucks, we saw people who had just been pick pocketed checking their wallets. Our guide told us that is the international flag for starbucks. Anyway after wandering a bit, we got lunch and went back to the institute to meet our host families.

My host “family” is not in fact a family. She is a 80ish year old lady. Her name is Frau Drapal. She speaks a limited amount of English and is very Austrian. She has been hosting foreign exchange students for 20+ years. She lives in a big house all alone. I do have my own room. It is about 6 feet wide and 12 feet long. But it is mine. I am so glad to have some space of my own in this country. My house has a big garden in it. My window looks right out to it. I am excited to go play in it when it is summer.

Last night I was feeling awful. I was feeling so out of place. I really just wanted to come home. Before I left, I didn’t make the connection that I would be living in a European household, not an American one in Europe. Things are so different here. For breakfast I ate bread with butter and marmalade. I have to wear socks in the house. There is a limited amount of hot water so I don’t get to shower very often. Everything is different. I have never felt so out of place, uncomfortable, and alone in my life. I am scared. I know I will learn to adjust and that will be good for me. But for about a week this is not going to be easy.

This morning I woke up to a thunderstorm. I found it strangely comforting. It sounded like thunderstorms in Utah. I was remembering when I was little and when really big thunderstorms would come. The sky light up almost constantly with lightning and rumbling wit thunder. Lorin loves those thunderstorms. He would wrap me up in a blanket and raincoat and we would go outside to experience the thunderstorm. I liked that. Lorin would have liked this thunderstorm.

I got up at 5:45 this morning feeling really well rested. I got about 10 hours of sleep. That is so good. I need sleep. I love my little room. I like that it is small. It makes me feel safe. I am going to the institute this morning for my first classes. I have writing at 10 and German at 1. I also have to study for my AP test tomorrow. I am trying not to stress about that, but I really need to study. Class ends at 3, and I think I’m going to spend the hours after studying (at Starbucks). I think I can get a 4. I have to miss my second German class though. I hope that works out.

There is no Internet at my house. There is Internet at the Institute though. So I will, without question, have Internet on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the midday. On Friday and Saturday I will probably be able to find some access somewhere, supposedly starbucks has it. On Sunday, all the shops close down, so I will probably not be able to use the Internet at all. This scares me a lot. My connection with those I love is limited. I am here in Europe with no parent (or like figure), no (close) friends (I don’t really know the group very well) and limited connection to those I know and love at home.