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Published: November 9th 2009
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Swans of Gmunden
Also the name of the basketball team here...sounds really threatening, huh? Even though I really don’t have very many hours of work, I don’t have as much free time as it seems like I should. Part of that is because I’ve been pretty successful so far at meeting people and finding things to do. For example…
Conversation classes in Linz
I don’t go to them—I “teach” them. The Austro-American Society of Upper Austria, among various activities, organizes a few English conversation circles every season. I’m responsible for a class for Maturanten, that is, 18-year-old high school students preparing to take their final written and oral exams in order to graduate. The Matura process is much more arduous than a normal Finals Week because students are tested on ALL of the material they have learned about a given subject in all the years they’ve studied it. As you might expect, my students have chosen to take one of their seven required exams in English (rather than in another foreign language). They each have to prepare an oral report on a topic of their choice and then answer questions posed by their professors on that topic. It’s kind of like defending a graduate thesis…except less intense. My class of eight students has chosen
a variety of interesting topics including: organ transplants, Lord of the Rings, violence and gang cultures, pandemics and biological warfare, etc.
This is my favorite of all the classes I teach for several reasons. First and foremost, the students are interested in and committed to being in the class, so they’re much more engaged than the average group of high schoolers. It’s also a smaller group, so everyone really has an opportunity to take part in the discussion. Also, I prepare the lessons and set the class agenda by myself, so the lessons are generally more interesting for me and the students. I’ve taught two classes, and so far I’ve gotten really good feedback. I’ll keep teaching this class up until Christmas Break, and I might start another like it in the spring.
Kirchdorf Connections
Apparently, the worst part about a small town is that everyone knows everyone. On the other hand, the best part about a small town is that everyone knows everyone. Unlike in big cities, if you meet someone, you can reasonably expect to run into him or her again in the next week or two. You can make friends much more quickly when everyone
Wiener Riesenrad
offering the best view of Vienna lives so near to each other and there are limited venues for entertainment. My friends here are mainly teachers at Kirchdorf’s Gymnasium (BORG). They have introduced me to the musical scene in town, a decent Mexican restaurant in the area, and various interesting books and films.
As I mentioned before, Austrians are more open than I had been led to believe. Last weekend, I spent Saturday with another new teacher from the BORG. After walking around Gmunden (a city in the Salzkammergut region famous for its swans and for being the summer residence of the emperor’s family), we went to his grandparents’ farm for lunch. First they apologized for not having any vegetarian food, then they stuffed me full of salad, potatoes, bread, cheese, and these fabulous fried pumpkin patties. Then we explored another city in the region known for its salt mines. There we saw a few Roman ruins and caught the tail-end of a traditional All Saints’ Day Parade. Later that night, we made dinner at the farm after we milked the goat. Yes, that we included me. I milked a goat!!! And I brought home some cheese from said goats! So to reiterate, I’m not sure
Hallstatt
Salt mining town what everyone meant when they told us Austrians might not seem welcome.
Currently I’m back in the grind of lesson planning, but next weekend I think Prague is in the works. Pictures to follow. But I have an unusual request for you. I’m making a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner with one of my classes, and since the students are all bringing something, I volunteered to make the turkey. I have already elicited some advice on how to properly cook a turkey without tasting it, and I’m going to order the turkey (you have to special order them here) this week. Anyway, my request is this: send me any tips, tricks, or advice you have for turkey cooking—I’m going to need all the help I can get! There’s one other vegetarian in the class, but everyone else will be expecting something that resembles properly cooked poultry. Thanks in advance for your help!
Happy belated Halloween,
Meg
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Sumaya
non-member comment
Hello!
Hi Meggles! It sounds like you are having a wonderful time! I am so happy to hear things are working out well! Stay well, Sumaya.