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Published: October 15th 2008
I would like to first thank wholehearted my parents for giving potentially the most American/Anglo-Saxon name possible. Kudos, parents, kudos. :-)
Today was a very good day. I woke up at about 9 to check my email, as I knew the ÖAD office would be opening at about that time. Of course, I had really been awake since 7 o'clock, when the city workers decided to start jackhammering the street right outside my window...However, I heard from ÖAD and got some pretty good news. Apprently the deal with the German girl leaving my friends' place is that she had to find somebody to take her spot, and she already has, so I can't move there this semester. HOWEVER, I can move there without a problem second semester, should I decide to stay...
After having an internal celebration since the Alchi was still snoozing as it was before the evening hours, I headed out to go back to the bike store I went to last week with Libor. The man there had told me to come back this week, and since I had volleyball tonight and it was supposed to rain tonight, I decided today was a good time. I went back and he was just as crotchety, except multiply that by about 4. I promptly turned around and walked out. He lost a potential customer. Oh well.
Once back at my place, I discovered that the bread I'd bought on Sunday already had mold on it, which annoyed me, but such is life. I found two clean pieces, made a quick sandwich, then headed up to school. Today, I had none other than my first lesson in čeština, Czech! Libor's taught me a bit and it's hands-down the coolest language I've yet encountered, and since they offer it here, why not? My professor is really young, and she's originally from the Czech Republic but is married to an Austrian. She actually studied in Brno, the Boston of the Czech Republic, where both Libor and my friend Táňa study. There were only about 13 kids in the class, so we went around the room and had to say our name and why we wanted to learn Czech. I was the last one in line, and when it was my turn I said, "Greene." As she looked up and down her list about 12 times, she finally looked at me and said, "You're not from here, are you?" "Nope." "Do you speak German?" "Yup." "How well?" "Enough." "Then why in God's name do you want to take Czech through German?" I gave a little explanation that I think the Czech Republic is cool and I like how Slavic languages sound, and since I'll probably be going there for Christmas, I should know a bit. She thought that was pretty cool, and so class began.
I absolutely love it, it's going to be such a great time! The professor is really cool, I can't remember her name at the moment, but she's great, and ironically, I think I was the one who understood everything best. About halfway through class, a kid came in and sat in the free seat next to me, and kept asking me something things, so I'd explain them to him. Finally, with about 20 minutes left in class, he asked my name, which was a subject I was trying to avoid. Absolutely nobody here can say my name unless they've seriously studied English. The -th- is what gets them. Anyways, I finally said my name, and he was goes,
"That's not very Austrian."
Me: "Who says I'm from Austria?"
Him: "What?! How are you not from Austria, you speak German!"
Me: "Yes?"
Him: "Are you from England or something?"
Me: "Nope. The US."
Him: "So wait, your first language is English, and you speak German, and now you're taking Czech IN German?"
Me: "Sounds about right."
He couldn't get his mind around the fact that first I spoke German, and second I was willing to learn another language. It was quite entertaining. Overall, the class should be great fun, I've already said some of the things we learnt to my two Czechs and they both were pretty excited.
After that, I went on my merry way back to my place, making a stop in Spar to find some food. About two times in the last two weeks, I've gone to a new Spar that just opened while I've been waiting for the bus and grabbed a sandwich there. The ladies already know me. They see me comin' and start getting the sandwich ready. I'm pretty popular in Graz, the ladies at two supermarkets know me....Anyways, I had a great victory today because the woman I usually talk to there started using the "du" form with me, instead of the formal "Sie," which really makes no difference in English, but it's cool to see the change in German. It means we're friends now. Hooray.
That's about it, though. Had volleyball tonight where the coach enjoyed pointing out that, "the American named Matthew" was doing it like this and everyone should try it, too. Sweet. Oh well.
Time to go read some Italian from the 1500s! Great!
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kristy
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"'du'de" ... you're a rock star! Did du get my joke? Hey, cut me some slack it's 4:30 AM here! :) xok