Italia Part I: Bologna, Florence and the way to Rome

Since this was such a huge trip I am going to be splitting it into two sections. This is the vacation I took just before the Easter holidays, so as you can clearly tell, I am way behind on my updates and I apologize but your going to have to live with it.

So after arriving back in Graz from Vienna on the last train, which pulled into Graz at 11:30 I scurried back home, packed my things, which by the way all fit into my puma bag, 5 days worth of clothes and products, needless to say I am a champion. As I lay my sleep head down to catch some ZZZ's for the up coming trip I realized no one had written down directions to and from all the cities we were going to so I spent a good hour and a half coping google map directions to rightfully secure my title as chief navigator. In addition to those responsibilities I also had the distinct pleasure of coordinating our living situations in each city.

After a long night of research Tommy (my roommate) and I awoke on departure day and met our fellow voyagers Sam from Australia and Etienne and Leticia both from France at the car rental agency to pick up our automobile. Eager to begin our journey we raced to what we thought was our car (a Ford Focus station wagon) only to be severely disappointed instead receiving a Mitsubishi Colt, aka tiny for five really tall people.


Once we managed to squeeze into our vehicle we headed off for Italy. Of course at the boarder we needed to take a picture so we all got out and a police officer offered to take our picture but at first I thought he was telling us to get back to our car so after a really awkward exchange of conversation we finally attained our picture and were officially in Italia enjoying our vacation.


Our first stop was Bologna. We decided to stretch our legs, grab something to eat and simply enjoy the city for a few hours. It was gorgeous, with covered sidewalks, fountains and a very Medieval feeling to the city. After that quick pit stop we refilled our tank and were on our way to Florence.


Since there was more traffic then expected we decided to call the hostel to let them know we were going to be late. He assured us it would be no problem and we continued on our way. Once we made it to Florence we of course got lost and decided to park the car, orientate ourselves and go to the hostel and find a garage for the car later. After finding our hostel we rang the bell and after not hearing a response called. They said they would be down to get us, long story short, the hostel I booked for our first night in Florence didn't exist.

Many of you who know me well know this would have seemed like a national emergency seeing as it was 9pm in a foreign country and there are five of us with no place to sleep. So after being semi-kidnapped by another owner of a youth hostel he arranged another hotel for us to stay in for the same price aka a god-sent. After calming my nerves we decided to go out to eat and rest up for the next day.

The next day we were on the prowl for food and started exploring the city by first standing in line to climb the dome of the Duomo. We waited for what seemed like ever but the views and the experience were totally worth the 8 euro.

We decided to cut out the world famous museums in Florence because the lines were epically long and were also quite expensive. So we settled for going grocery shopping and having a picnic in the park. Lucky for us Sam has a relative who lives in Florence and he invited us to his home for dinner. We were all very excited to experience a really Italian meal along with the famous Italian hospitality.

But before then we had some exploring to do so we made our way through Piazza della Signoria and climbed to Piazzale Michelangelo to experience one of the most breathtaking views I have ever witnessed. Florence at sunset. It was a dream.






On our way to Sam's Uncle Filippo's we stopped to pick up some flowers and were on our way to a huge Italian feast. After introducing ourselves we were welcomed into Filippo and Lucia's beautiful two story apartment. There was so much food we had no idea what to do with ourselves! We were served a salad, a pasta dish, potatoes, bread, cheeses, sliced meats, and STEAK, it was huge and beautiful and my first experience with quality food in months. For desert we had strawberries and cream and of course homemade schnapps my favorite was chocolate.

We were barely able to thank Filippo and Lucia enough for their kindness but after managing just that we rolled ourselves out onto the streets and into our beds exhausted from the huge day we had endured.

The next day we got an early start and made our way to Rome with pit stops in San Gimignano and Santa Liberata. San Gimignano was our replacement for Pisa, we were told by Filippo that the city is the tower and there is nothing else to see there so we may as well not waste the gas to get there. It took us nearly the entire day but we finally ended up in Rome with a free place to park (a miracle)and our hostel existed, one out of two isn't bad. Needless to say I was pleased.

Up Next: Italia Part II: Rome and Siena

The Stonebergs in Vienna

The weekend after Lisa came to visit me in Graz I had the most fortunate news that two friends from home were going to be in Vienna and I was not about to let them wonder around Vienna alone so I made sure to figure out when they were coming and show them 'my town'. The night before, Friday, was the birthday celebration of my buddy here in Graz. So we went to a Cuban bar and had a few drinks, I was finally able to remove the vice grip that I have placed on my wallet and paid for an amazing rum and coke. It was so good. Anyway, since I am an attention whore and like to embarrass people, especially the ones I know, I decided it was a good idea to get the entire bars attention and make them all sing Happy Birthday. It was great, I was using those conducting skills Mr. Standstrom taught us way back in 5th grade band class and I led the jolly chorus to its conclusion. Needless to say Kati, my buddy was really embarrassed (because especially in Austria, no one would EVER do that). We then proceeded to 3 monkeys (a club here in Graz) and drank the night away.

After awaking and shaking off the remains of the night before aka my hangover and drink stained shirt I hopped on a train to Vienna to meet Lauren and Brette, sisters who go to the U and are also members of my favorite sorority Alpha Chi Omega! After enduring the two and a half hour train ride to Vienna it was a beautiful day so I walked from the train station in the south of Vienna to the North train station where Lauren and Brette were to be dropped off.

After finding the girls and excitedly greeting each other for the first time since December we made our way to the girls' youth hostel, got them settled and then were off to meet my host family. Funny side story, as I was in full tour guide mode, and describing some Viennese historical fact, I was crossing the street and looking directly at the girls and I some how managed to run directly into a van. Like full on body slammed this automobile, of course my reaction was to scream at the top of my lungs, "I JUST RAN INTO A VAN! OMG!" It was quite humorous and we giggled all the way to my host family's apartment. Sad for us my host family already had guests arriving so we were not able to experience my host mothers amazing cooking and hospitality but I was glad I was able to show my friends such important people from my life in Vienna.


Once we hit the mean streets of Vienna we walked around the city center taking in the sights of Stephansdom, the Hofburg, Karlsplatz, etc. After getting hungry walking around I suggested we eat a Centimeter a fairly cheap place. We ordered and waited forever for our food, after finishing we waited a good hour and a half for the bill. Getting fed up I went to the bar with a 50 euro note and attempted to pay but they told us to wait yet again. Completely frustrated we left after waiting an additional 30 minutes. I feel we were justified but Karma later made me pay dearly for such actions. (albeit 2-3 months later)

After dining and ditching we made our way to Lisa's apartment and had a coffee and decided to call it a night since we were all quite tired. So I walked the girls back to their hostel and then met Lisa at a bar for a quick drink then we went back to her apartment and rested our sleepy heads.

The next day we met up again and went to Schonbrunn, Oper, we ate Sachertorte and sipped coffee at Cafe Central, grabbed some ice cream, hung out with Lisa in the park for a bit, at at a calzone place and then the girls saw me off for my train back to Graz and they continued on their way to Salzburg. It was so great getting to show my city to friends from back home. I had such a great time with the girls and I hope they did as well.

Up Next: My Italian Escape!

Lisa does Graz

As promised here comes my update about Lisa's visit to Graz. I was so excited when Lisa finally told me she was going to come to Graz! Not only would I show her a great time but I would also save 30 Euro which is always a plus! (It costs 30 Euro round trip to travel by train to Vienna) But finances aside it was a really enjoyable weekend.

Lisa first arrived in the afternoon on Friday, since I live so close to the train station we decided to drop her stuff off at my place before venturing out into the city. Now, Lisa and I have been friends for quite some time now so I didn't feel the need to impress her by any means but I am almost certain she was not ready for the mess known as Tommy and I's room. She literally sat on my bed shocked that I could live in such a manner. It was quite humorous for me. After many assurances that humans are able to exist along side massive piles of shit we went for a walk into the city.


While in Graz Lisa was staying with her cousin so we called him to arrange Lisa's stay and his mother, Lisa's aunt, invited us over for cake and coffee at her really nice, really big apartment near the university. It was really nice to get to know some of Lisa's family and disscuss with them American Politics and other such interesting topics currently fashionable at European dinner parties. And lucky, just as Lisa and I had planned, we were invited for dinner the next day! We graciously made our exit and made our way along with Lisa's cousin and girlfriend to a local bar were the conversation turned to roommates and living situations. After chiming in that for the past year of my life I lived in a fraternity house with over thirty guys with no cleaning lady, I won the competition.

After growing tired we all retreated to our prospective homes. Lisa and I planned on meeting the next morning to begin our big day in Graz. We met at Hauptplatz and ran into one of my friends who is also an exchange student here from Sweden who also had a friend visit. So we hiked up the Schlossberg, although Lisa needed a few breaks (she just turned 25) we made it up in one piece. Once we finished soaking up the sights we descended and decided to check out the Kunsthaus which is that really strange blue looking building which protrudes from the red roofs of Graz like a sore thumb.

The architecture there was amazing it was unlike anything I have ever been in before. After making our tour we went into the observation needle which is basically a long narrow room with floor to ceiling windows looking onto the center of Graz. Since we were the only ones in the museum we decided to have a bit of a photo shoot in the needle. From there the day continued and we wandered around the city enjoying each others company and making plans for what we were to do later that evening.


As promised we were received for dinner by Lisa's aunt which we both really enjoyed. After a few hours of conversation and story telling we were off to experience Graz by night. After a bit of difficulty we were able to find Postgarage which was featuring a Russian Disco in one end and a Supermarkt party in the other. As we were deciding which one to attend the line to the Russian Disco wrapped around the block so we decided to risk the Supermarkt party which turned out to be so much fun. They played M.I.A., Santogold, MGMT and other favorites so I was more then happy with our choice. After dancing the night away I walked Lisa back to her cousin's and finally back home to recover from our night out.


The next day was rainy and since we were both fighting the final stages of our hangover Lisa and I decided to keep it classy and hang out in the McCafe in the train station until her train came. Overall it was a really great weekend and I am so happy that Lisa was able to find time to come visit me in Graz. It was a short and sweet weekend which was a great success.

Up Next: The Stoneberg's in Vienna!

Budapest

I know I haven't updated in ages, but just hang with me and eventually I will get everything up to date. So I am going to backtrack about a month to explain my trip to Budapest, Hungary. I can begin by saying it was quite the experience. It was a last minute trip; I heard of some other exchange students planning a trip to Budapest and deciding that I also wanted to experience the land joined the conversation and expressed my interest in joining along. Because they wanted to rent a car for the trip they were more then happy to let me join in on the fun. I ended up going with Chris who is from UMN-Duluth, Tine from Belgium, Radka from the Czech Republic and

Nikos from Greece.

We booked our 7 Euro a night hostel (including breakfast) Thursday and picked up the rental car on Friday and were on our happy way to Budapest. It took about 4 hours but was entirely worth it. Driving into the city, crossing the Danube and getting lost trying to find our hostel was so much fun, I wanted to jump out of the car and start my exploration of the city. So we finally orientated ourselves and checked into our hostel and found a typical Hungarian meal and decided to check on the car before meandering the streets. As luck would have it, our car had a nice shiny red boot on it because we had parked too far into the pedestrian zone. So that was a huge stress in my life because the car was under my name but luckily we got it all figured out and it only cost 10 Euro each to get it off.

After that whole ordeal we decided to trek over to the Danube and check out some of the sights by night. It was really cold and windy when we were there so that first night of sightseeing was a bit rough but I was able to manage to take some really great pictures. After a couple hours we called it quits and headed back to the hostel for a movie, hot coco and meeting the other travelers. While we were in the common room I met two guys backpacking through Europe for a couple months/years and got to know them quite well and decided to go out with them that night seeing as the others I came with were too tried.

Always up for a party, I ran to my things whipped out my flash and began pre-gaming for the night ahead. The two guys I met Jak from London, and Vlad from Australia had been in Budapest a few days previous, and were able to figure out where all the cool hotspots were. They took me on a whirlwind tour of several alternative and underground clubs and bars. It was really amazing, especially the part about half liter beers for 1,25 Euro! Normally I pay 3 Euro for the same in Graz so I was more then happy to stimulate Hungary's economy in the best way I know how. One of the bars we went to reminded me of the loring and it brought back so many great memories. Anyway, that night lasted til 6am and I was expected to meet the rest of the people I came with at 8 30 am for breakfast.

After dying aka getting up and ready for the full day of sight seeking ahead. I met my group and we hit up all the important sights in Budapest. I especially liked the fish market and parliament, such cool and unique architecture from both buildings. Toward the end of the day we made our way to Hero's Square and finally one of the most beautiful spas I have ever been to. It was so great to relax in the thermal waters especially after the night before and the whole day on our feet. It felt incredible. It was difficult but we managed to leave the spa around 7pm and went to a store to buy supplies to cook dinner in order to save some money, even though Hungary has been the cheapest place I have traveled yet.

After bragging about my adventures from the night before everyone in my group wanted to go out. So I reached down deep and mustered up my remaining strength and managed to go out with the gang lasting until about 3am. Calling it quits, I retreated to my bed and awoke the next morning on the search for postcards and stamps which I got and addressed to friends and family. In the late morning we left the hostel and decided to go to the terror museum which depicted the occupation of Hungary by the Soviets after the second world war til their independence in 1990. It was a really powerful and educational experience I am glad I attended.

After leaving the museum we went back to the hostel checked out and said goodbye to our amazing hostel owners and jumped back on the road to Graz. It was a great weekend full of meeting new people and experiencing an amazing new European capital.

Up next: Lisa's visit to Graz...

Life, what a ride

I have finally found both time and motivation to update you all on what is going on with my life. Lots has happened since the last time I wrote so it is going to be quite long but I will try to just bring out the main events. But overall, everything is going well and I am really enjoying my time here.
The weekend after Venice I again traveled up to Vienna and helped Lisa celebrate her birthday and hang out with the fam and friends. On Wednesday for my arrival I was invited to Lisa's parents apartment for dinner which was of course amazing and it was so much fun getting to catch up with the Piller's after so long. They are like a second host family to me, when I was in Austria with AFS they invited me to ski with them for a week in their vacation home in the alps. They are really great people and it is always so much fun to meet up with them. For Lisa's birthday she invited everyone over to her apartment for Arabian food, it was a nice intimate dinner party and it was great getting to know new people and catching up with old friends. I was also able to discover how much I love hummus! At the dinner a met a really interesting new friend, Sara. She is an American living in Vienna, she paints, sings, dances and is quite possibly one of the most interesting people I have ever met. We met up the next day at the Naschmarkt (the produce and flea market in Vienna) and had coffee, later I went back to AMAZING apartment and met other friends of hers and had a great time.

Later that weekend (I was in Vienna from Wednesday to Sunday)walking around with my really cool orange shoes on and I was waiting to cross the street at a cross walk and a Hummer limo pulled up. I saw the window roll down and in German a couple girls yelled out to me that they liked my shoes. Without missing a beat I responded in English, "If you like them so much let me in!" So they did! hahah It was amazing, they drove me around a little bit and chatted a bit and of course I showed off my shoes it was so funny and random. I love spontaneous adventures like that.

After my lovely weekend in Vienna I started my first class on Monday. My very first class was Introduction to Law and of course it was in German. I found the classroom ok and sat down, it was a huge lecture hall and there were a lot of students already there. I decided to sit near the front so I could see and hear everything properly. Class began simply enough but I quickly realized how sub standard my academic German was. I can get around and chat with my friends just fine but understanding all this specialized German is difficult. The professor started the lecture with a little class participation and was asking students questions such as what is politics and other such general question. Then he asked another question and I had never heard of the word before, then he looks right at me and asks me what it means. After pointing to myself, looking side to side, and behind me I was certain that I was indeed his lucky target. Panicking and turning a bright shade of red, I responded in German with , "I am an exchange student please dont ask me!" It was so embarrassing, he laughed and moved on but I wanted to die as all 300 people or so looked at me and chuckled quietly to themselves. Needless to say, I dropped that class and took a different one that would get me more credits for back home. So a very interesting first day indeed.

Later that week there was a huge party for all the exchange students, other people were also invited, but it was at a huge club and the music was great. Unfortunately, I enjoyed the party a little too much seeing as I had an entire bottle of champagne, four vodka oranges, and two shots of tequila. So I guess I had fun at the time dancing my little heart out. The next morning was a different story entirely. I had to miss the official international student welcome from the dean of students because I was throwing up all morning.



Later that weekend esn the international student organization in Graz that helped arrange Venice offered another activity for all the exchange students. This time we took a tour of a chocolate factory and later went to a spa. It was so amazing! I am not sure I have ever ate so much chocolate in my life. there were fondues and bars of chocolate everywhere and at the end there was chocolate milk. I was beautiful, like my own Willy Wonka experience and I was Charlie. Later we went to the spa and it was so much fun to just relax and enjoy the water and unwind. Definitely need to go back again sometime.

And now, a tragic tale. So I have been on the quest to find the perfect bike to peddle around Europe. And I found it. It is a beautiful blue Italian vintage bike I named it Umberto. So pretty, I keep meaning to take a picture of it but it just hasn't happened. Anyway it has the curly handlebars and everything, I look so Eurochic i love it. Anyway, the very first expedition I have with it on the way to Uni tragedy strikes. I was biking along, proud of my new purchase and as I was in the bike lane I crossed the street at the exact time that a huge brand new Audi decided that he was going to cross the bike lane. Needless to say we crashed into each other. The end result: me freaking out, Umberto was fine, I was fine (albeit a bit shaken up) the Audi- not fine, Umberto and I had managed to put a nine inch scratch into the side of the car. So I am shaking in my boots hoping this man never contacts me to pay for the damage because there is no way I can ever hope to afford that. I am sure you can imagine how distressed I was, so I will stop here and let you lol all over the place and move on with my report.



Last weekend was also very fun because I made a trek to Slovenia. I never really though of Slovenia as a very interesting or beautiful place but I am so happy I went! It is so incredibly beautiful, it was simply amazing. I awoke at the crack of dawn and caught the 6:30 train which took me first to Maribor where I got off and looked around a bit before my next train left. Then I went to Ljubljana which was so beautiful but I was only able to stay in the main square for about five minutes because I met some friends there and they wanted to go to Bled. It was supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world and it was! We spent the day walking around the lake and enjoying the wonderful spring weather. It was a perfect day sun shining and birds singing. I can't wait to go back to Ljubljana again in summer and enjoy the city even more.

That is all I have for now and I think this is already long enough. Hope everyone is enjoying spring break! See you in five months!

Wait...I was in Venice?

Yes, it is true, I was there! It seems so surreal, everything that is happening in my life right now just seems like a dream. So many great opportunities and adventures seem to have wiggled their way in front of me and I am so happy they have. But enough of that emotional stuff and on to the more dramatic and comical parts of my trip which are indeed quite crazy.
As stated earlier, I would be arriving to Venice via Party train and I was not about to leave that train without drinking my fair share of alcohol, a task which I most heroically took upon myself, leaving only my ego a bit bruised. The story is as follows: It was Friday night and I had just finished my intensive German course test and felt as though only a stiff drink would cure my nerves. Needless to say I downed a whole bottle of red wine in about a half hour aka good to go. So I made my way with a bunch of exchange student friends to the Hauptbahnhof (Main train station) in Graz and proceeded to travel to Bruck am der Mur which is a town about 40 mins away in order to catch our beloved party train.
After waiting for about a half hour our Harry Potter-esque train pulled into the station. I feel it is necessary to describe the train a bit. First off it was a normal train with normal passengers, then on the back they had added about 8 extra wagons which were reserved for us soon to be drunken exchange students. There were about 7 sleeping wagons and a disco wagon with a dj, lights and everything. In each wagon there were about 7-9 cabins which slept 6 people each, meaning there were a good 300 exchange students on this train.
As we walked onto the platform it was snowing and the train seemed to never end so it looked really cool, especially when we passed the disco wagon and heard the drunken screams of our fellow exchange students bumping and grinding to Usher's "Yeah". At this point I was in a full out sprint to get on the train and find a bar. Which I was able to accomplish in a jiffy.
I shucked my things in my cabin and rushed off to the bar. The bar ended up being the volunteers cabin stocked full of the cheapest alcohol Austria has to offer and I wouldn't have it any other way! I ordered a vodka orange and decided I should order two since the line was long. After I got my drinks I downed them in an instant and returned to the line determined to get even more hammered. The second time around I had my wits about me and asked for two vodka oranges with a splash of orange. This worked out perfectly! After I got my pure vodka shots I hung around the cramped bar to wait for a friend, at which point I saw out of the corner of my little eye a bottle of rum. Those who have drank with me before know rum holds a special place in my alcoholic heart and I knew I had to have it. So when the intoxicated bartender was distracted by a little South American girl with a remarkable rack I stealthily extended my scrawny 12 year old girl arm and snatched the bottle and ran back to my cabin to show the rest of my friends my remarkable treasure.
And that is where it all ends. I don't remember anything else the entire way to Venice which was about a seven hour train ride.
Except that is for one 30 second clip. Where I grab some random (I cannot recall the name, place of origin, hair color, eye color, or clothing of this random) by the hand and led them into the piss and puke covered bathroom for a make out sesh. After that it all goes back to black. Only Jesus knows what preceded and proceeded these events, and at this point in my life I am sure he doesn't want to talk to me.
I awoke the next morning to a lady entering what I thought was my cabin telling me we would be in Venice in 10 minutes. I opened my vampire eyes and found five Latin girls looking at me and telling me they were surprised I was alive (always a good start). I jumped down from my bunk, which I realized wasn't even mine and stumbled out into the hall and proceeded to scream out, "Where the HELL is my stuff" Like a true alcoholic I eventually found my things in one place and nearly ran over my fellow exchange students as I began to barf into the lovely toilets in the train.
After my cleansing session I brushed my teeth, put on my stunner shades and exited the train to start my day in Venice.
Venice was beautiful and amazing. It is truly a sight to behold. No pictures can do it justice, I kept walking around asking if it was all real. While I was there I bought a mask, ate Italian pizza, pasta, and ice cream, and threw up in the streets of Venice. It was my own personal way of giving back to the city. Now I am just wondering whether I can get philanthropy hours for my most noble deed.
By the end of the day I was a walking Zombie whose shoes and jeans had little bits of puke adding the perfect accessory to my outfit. We returned to the train at 11:30pm and I passed the fuck out for most of the ride back to Graz.
In my next post I will describe my first day of school, which was as imagined eventful. Also I edited my posts so that everyone can add a comment at the end of my posts so make sure to leave a comment if you feel like it! Enjoy the pictures!