Firstly, the weather—I think it has become summer around here! The weather has been consistently warm and sunny, and everything is in bloom. Since it’s been so nice, I’ve spent a lot of time outside and have lots of pictures to show for it. See below:

A small part of the harbor in town.

Colin and I walked to an island nearby (via a bridge) called Insel Mainau, which is entirely covered in flowers. It was gorgeous!

A view of the Alps from the island.
There was also a butterfly house. The butterflies were frantically flying all over the place, so I was so excited to be able to take this picture of a still one.
This is part of the neighborhood we walked through to get to the island.
The same beautiful neighborhood.
This is where I live. If you pretend like the big, ugly cement buildings (ie. our houses) aren't there, it's really very pretty.
A view of the lake and a neighborhood from the University.
Another view of the strange architecture at the Uni.

The view of the Uni I see everyday on my way to class.

My house decided to have a grill party on Saturday. Those of us who could pull ourselves out of bed by 10am went grocery shopping together in the morning, and then we spent the evening grilling and having fun. It was possibly one of the best nights I've had here! Not everyone could make it (and some people from other houses joined us), but pictured here from the house are Eve (Poland), Augustina (Lithuania), Marcus (Sweden), Brigi (Hungary), Arthur (Poland), and Mehmet (Turkey/Kurdistan). Missing are Yen (China), Annelise (Estonia), Lina (Bulgaria), Francois (France), and Isabella (Romania).
Just last week I found myself starting to lose patience with all of the cultural differences I am encountering here. Because I’ve always loved learning about and experiencing other cultures, I was surprised that the differences I usually find so intriguing were getting so very annoying. I realized, however, that I was simply sick of being aware of how ‘different’ I am; I was sick of being foreign. For example, I was sick of being told that I was “too thinly clothed for the weather” and responding that in Minnesota, this weather is considered warm. Although I found my housemates’ amusing preconceptions about America amusing (we eat ice-cream at every meal, school shootings are so common we are afraid to go to school, we are the greatest country in the world, we are the worst country in the world etc.), I was getting sick of being the American and of discussing American politics. I was getting sick of the response, “Ohh…” that inevitably followed when somebody found out I was from the States (and of not knowing exactly what that person meant with this one little word). I was getting sick of having my meals critically scrutinized. The worst, however, was when I wore flip-flops into town last weekend and was subject to people blatantly staring at my toes for the rest of the day. It is not fun to be stared at! I still am not sure why they found my footwear so odd—perhaps the weather wasn’t quite warm enough for them yet. While being foreign and different is often uncomfortable, being in the position of the ‘different’ one is humbling and is teaching me real empathy for everyone else who, because of their clothing, accent, skin color, food of choice, body shape etc., is subject to stares and criticism in the place where I fit in as ‘normal.’
Then, one day, something clicked and I suddenly felt like I belonged here. Granted, I have been seriously considering telling people that I’m from Canada and not the US, but I am beginning to feel like I am really a part of the community around me. I have been going to dinners hosted by the Catholic club on campus (and am finally meeting some Germans!!), and am comfortable and familiar enough with the people there that I can joke with them and feel like a ‘regular.’ My house is also becoming more close-knit, and I am really getting to know the people I live with. I am becoming the house’s English tutor, as most people in the house are either taking English classes, wish they were, or are in classes that require knowledge of English. It feels great to be useful!! So, I guess the discomfort of feeling foreign had to build-up and reach its breaking point before things got better and I really started to feel like I fit in here.
On a last note, I am going to Vienna Friday thru Tuesday. I still have two travel days left on my Eurail train pass that have to be used before the end of the month, and Monday is a holiday here, so I thought-- why not! Neither Amelia nor I really have class on Friday or Tuesday, so we’re going to make the 10 hour trip.
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