The Week Before Vienna

I have wanted to write a blog for the longest time, but now that I actually have the opportunity to do so, I feel like I have nothing to share. Funny how that works.

I won’t bore you with personal introductions (for that, allow me to direct you to my blogger profile). Instead, let us begin with a cringeworthy study abroad haiku:

A Cringeworthy Study Abroad Haiku

by Audrey Steiner

Procrastination
preparation, and packing
hello, Vienna

“Ugh!” you say. “That was an awful haiku! Stick to prose!”

I agree. We can discuss this past week of my winter break. In prose. Sound fun? I didn’t think so, but at least it’s not subpar poetry.

On Monday, I hung out with my high school piano teacher, who assured me that Vienna is the coolest place ever. I already knew, of course—that’s why I chose to study abroad there. As a piano nerd and music major, I can’t wait to explore a city tied to composers like Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert.

On Tuesday, I read some IES Abroad blog posts with the intent of getting some inspiration to write and complete my own. Unsurprisingly, I ended up questioning my writing ability and putting it off for later.

On Wednesday, I worked through a few German lessons on a language app since I can’t speak German. I learned French during middle school and high school, yet I chose a German-speaking country as my study abroad destination. But that’s cool—I love languages and would learn all of them if I could!

On Thursday, I practiced piano and decided to change one of my audition pieces (Vienna music students have to audition for private lesson and chamber music placement). Somehow, I thought it was a good idea to try to relearn a piano sonata two days before leaving for Austria. Looks like I’ll be studying the score on the way there.

On Friday, I tried printing out the necessary travel documentation, but our printer wouldn’t connect to the internet. I drove to the public library only to discover that the internet wasn’t working there, either. I was finally able to print what I needed at a neighboring town’s public library, but when I got back home, lo-and-behold, our printer had magically connected to the internet and printed all of the documentation perfectly! So much for the library!

On Saturday, I will head off to Vienna, Austria! This will be the longest I’ve been away from home at one time, and I will undoubtedly cry when I have to leave my parents and my cat (That’s my cat in the featured photo, getting his dander all over the clothes I wanted to bring with me).

Nerves aside, I can’t wait for this semester-long adventure! *insert enthusiastic German sign-off here*