My Host

Last night was the first night in my host home. I live with an elderly couple (2 adult and moved out daughters) on Florianigasse (a street in District 8 which is near the center of Vienna).

FRAU SPEAKS NO ENGLISH. She learned it at one point or another 15 years ago, but it is clouded in such a thick accent that it is just as hard to understand as her German. Frau is VERY Austrian--all 70-some-odd years of her. Her soft wiry gray hair is nestled in a flat bun on the top of her head. Conversation is 1% English, 49% German, 48 % charades. She's very good about helping us learn the language and says everything to us in German before she helps us in another way (which usually means a game of charades). Frau's house is something I pictured in a magazine from war-torn Europe. To date, I have successfullz figured out the hand shower, ancient pull-cord toilet, and how far each door opens before it squeaks. I haven't met her husband yet.

Our housemate is Kate, a 21-year old student from McCallister. Lucky for us, Kate is a German minor and serves as our personal translator. If Kate is home, Frau has Kate to help with communication. When Kate is not home, she calls her daughter Judith, or tells us she will tell us whatever whe was trying to say 'later' or 'in the morning.'

I AM IN LOVE WITH VIENNA!!!

I am so glad Frau put us in the corner room--a dream come true, really. A window is on each wall. Through one I can see down the city street all the waz to the Rathaus (beautiful city hall building) and the view from the other is purely residential. Our 'across the street' neighbors have a cactus collection. Tall ones are on the top shelf and six smaller pots sit on the bottom shelf.