I am at the university typing a new blog because I have discovered the campus wireless network. If you could see me right now I am jumping up and down with joy. The internet at my dorm is so frustrating so I am glad to have this option. I try not to be too dependent on internet, email, Facebook, and the like. But I know that it is my lifeline (so to speak) to everyone in the US.
Here are just a few randoms thoughts and happenings to share:
Yesterday my roommate (she and I are in a picture together above) woke up and her first words were a question to me. I thought it was funny that she thought of this first. She asked: Have you gotten your absentee ballot? I'm not sure if she was dreaming about the election or things like that but I laughed to myself when she asked this.
On that note, I have not received an absentee ballot, which is disappointing. I comfort myself in a way by thinking that my vote wouldn't have made much difference because we have an electoral college and my homestate (Alabama) isn't a "battleground" state like Ohio. I would loved to have voted and been a part of the political process. If you are in the US and can still register or are already registered, be informed and don't forget to vote next week.
I will have to ask my roommate, Kristen, to clarify a bit, but sometimes I will make a remark. Then she laughingly responds, "that is so Mary Beth" or "that is such a Mary Beth thing to do". For example, this morning I said matter-of-factly that I plan to meet the Governor of Salzburg today at a new students event. I also told her that I'm pretty certain I saw the governor riding on her bike in the Altstadt (old city) the other day.
This Saturday is a holiday in Austria/Germany. It is roughly translated as All Saints Day. My teacher described it as a day when people go to the grave of loved ones, put new flowers there, pray. When is our equivalent holiday? I'm pretty sure I have heard of this in the US before but I couldn't think of when we celebrate it.
Lastly, the pictures I put in this post are from a dinner we had at our advisor's house. Dr. Ted Rippey and his wife Karen made chili and brownies. It was a great meal. I don't eat nearly enough meat here. Later after the dinner party, Kristen and I went out to a dance club that had an 80s theme that night. Aside from playing German 80s music that I didn't know, the American 80s music was a lot of fun to dance and be goofy to.
We have a thing like this called decoration day, but it isn't a holiday. Each cemetery has one for the families buried there and we all bring food, and clean up the cemetery and put new flowers. Generally a pastor comes and says a few words as well.
ReplyDeleteHey Mary Beth! We do have an All Saints Day in the Episcopal Church. It is actually celebrated this Sunday. It is a day of celebration and growing up we would usually have a pot-luck lunch and clean up the church as well. Check out this website http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/All_Saints_Day.htm when you can!
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