Alright - I made it! I'm here in the pretty town of Graz. Population: 250k. English speakers: maybe 5 (out of the 20 or so people I spoke with). Lesson of the day: Learn more German!!! It doesn't help that the Styrians speak a different dialect of German than I'm used to. Fortunately I will be taking German classes once my program starts next week.
After a night's sleep on the world's hardest bed, I got myself downstairs for a tasty breakfast of bread, meat, cheese and scrambled eggs with the other hotel guests. I'm staying on Mariahilferstrasse, which is very close to the main part of town and across from the Art Museum. On Monday I will move over to the Studentenheim where all of the students and faculty in the AIMS program will be living over the summer. After breakfast I made my way over to the Hauptplatz (main square). Since it was Saturday, almost everyone was out shopping and running their errands. Lots of energy! I sat down at the fountain and was just people-watching when I witnessed an impromptu concert. A few people started singing randomly at various parts around the square, and then cheerleaders started doing a routine while others started playing American football. All in the middle of the main square. The singers congregated and sang two songs and then they all left. It all happened over the course of 10 minutes. Random but cool. After that activity was over, a wedding party came out of the Rathaus and posed for photos by the fountain. It was so neat to see the entire wedding party (bride and groom included) wearing traditional Austrian Trachten - lederhosen and dirndls.
Another discovery: I found a department store! While I'm pretty sure I packed my entire closet into my two suitcases, there is a fabulous Nordstrom-like store in the middle of town if I need anything over the summer. Five or six stories of goodness. I found a few cute things for my daughter in the kids section, and plan on sending them to her when the post office opens on Monday. Fortunately I have been able to talk with her over Skype two times so far and she seems to be doing well. I'm bummed I am missing her first baseball season but I'm grateful she will be joining me here in Graz later this summer. How many more weeks until I can see her? Oh yes, five. :(
After touring the town, I spent the rest of the afternoon resting, organizing, and updating my blog. :) For dinner I had a burger at a cafe and *almost* made it through the whole process in German but forgot how to ask for the bill auf Deutsch. I need to keep a cheat-sheet with me.
The weather has gotten pretty cold and cloudy - a la Seattle - so I feel right at home in that regard. I'm grateful I brought several pairs of jeans and my rain jacket. The weather is usually in the 80s in Graz over the summer, so I'm hoping to see the sun again.
I plan on spending the rest of the weekend relaxing and studying my music. I want to make sure my voice is rested and ready to be at its best for my auditions next week. While sight-seeing is fun, I haven't forgotten the real reason I'm here and how next week is super important. I want to make a really great first impression on the AIMS faculty, and rock my audition. That second audition (I already auditioned to get into the program last March) will determine which voice teacher and voice coach I will be working with and which concerts I'll be performing in over the next six weeks. Big stuff, but I'm ready for it!!!
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