Lessons learned

2009-10-22

Never again!

A taste of Linz

2009-10-20

Post three following my return to the city of Linz.

First of all, like I might have mentioned in the first post following my return to Linz, I see that some improvements have been made to the city since last year. There are some things I would like to underline:

• More cultural hotspots and arrangements. Since the city became the cultural capital of Europe 2009, it has become more "cultured" and less "alternative" so to speak. Linz is a heavy industrial city with a lot of concrete. Highly sophisticated Museums, buildings and improved technical solutions to the already existing infrastructure contributes to make the city less dull and more interesting.
• The tram is now running round the clock on weekends, and that is a huge help when we go out. Less taxis (that might not even show up) and more environmental transportations impresses me.
• The responsible people of the dorms and campus have realized the simplicity and smoothness of WLAN. Wireless Internet is a must in all western European cities. Period.
• Like I mentioned yesterday, I see less people with festival outfits and more people with professional appearances. More of that please.

There are however still things that I dislike, regardless of where I might find these things I might add. The following things do not impress me at all:

• Bad water. Linz is one of those cities where the water running out of the tap tastes bad. It makes the coffee taste like saltwater, it leaves unpleasant stains on surfaces and in pots, and last but certainly not least, it forces me to buy mineral water in order to not dry out. I consume about 9 liters per week.
• The cleaninglady who is supposed to clean my apartment for me. She is an urban legend, I barely see her and hear her. And of course, I don't see any work being done in my apartment! I am paying for room service but all I get is someone who empties my trash three times a week. She doesn't even change the plastic in the bin, she just empties it in her cart, slams the door and disappears. Imagine how disgusting it is to use the one and same plastic bag in the bin for over a month.
  I have been thinking of buying my own mop in order to make things a little better, but if I do that she will probably never come back.
• Stores (and other common places) that are closed on Sundays. Austrians are very catholic, and because of that they strongly believe that no work should be carried out on Sundays. I don't like that. 
  
• The concept of air-conditioning  appears to never have reached the Austrian nation. In a country with one of the highest smoking rates in the world where smoking indoors, both in buildings but many times also in public transport takes place, it only makes it worse. Every country has flaws, and I would most probably nag about something else and bring it up here if I was still in Sweden, but this is beyond anything else. I find it difficult to breathe at some of my lectures. The lecture halls are spartan, the furniture and equipment that has been equipped there belongs to another century. Dust flies around by the least motion, causing endless coughing, sneezing and also creating health risks. What we breathe in will eventually end up in our lungs, and getting it out from there is quite some challenge.
  A Swedish lecture hall:
  
  
  
  
  
  A lecture hall in Linz:
  
  
  
  
  

That was all I had to say for this time. In my next post, I will thoroughly go through my apartment (with images of course) and grade the different features. Thank you for reading.

Good morning

2009-10-12

I give up, it's 05:34 and I haven't been able to sleep at all since I went to bed sometime before midnight. This is going to be a nasty day.

Back in business

2009-10-06

Almost one month has passed since the last post and a lot of things have happened since then (as you might have guessed already). The most obvious and also most significant reason is that I have (temporarily) moved to another country (once again). I am back in Austria and I have spent the last three-four weeks to set up my new life here. My classes have begun and I am currently taking both Italian and French classes (again). The challenge now is that the courses are being held in German, and it is quite some task to understand what the lecturers are saying.
The parties are continuously taking over from one-another, the beer is cheap :D, the pubs are cozy, the weekly (sometimes daily!) football games are played with a great sense of passion and friendship and the exchange students from all over the world contribute to make this place interesting and challenging in a positive way.

Some differences have taken place since last year. The most obvious one seems to be that the Austrians have attended fashion schools, they all look much better than how I remember them, and I have seen less boys and girls in lifeless pink hairstyles, too tight and outworn jeans topped with turquoise fleece-jackets. I saw a representative from Amnesty International on my way home from campus today, and she was really struggling to attract the attention of me and my American friend Lauren, but Lauren declined abruptly by saying that she might have paid more attention to her offer if she didn't look like a gypsy. Harsh perhaps, but brutally honest at the same time.
They still seem to have a great passion for piercings, cigarettes and weed though, but I guess I can live with that. So here's the things I've seen (that are perhaps worth sharing):

The stadium of Linz where L.A.S.K (what a stupid name) plays. 

The botanic garden of Linz.

The beautiful towns/villages Hallstatt and Gmunden (Gmunden, hahaha).

The fantastic annual Oktoberfest in Munich.

Even though I have been here for more than three weeks already, I'm still trying to keep myself updated on what is happening back home. Even though I miss it sometimes and I remember many beautiful and warm things from home, I still believe that I have made the right thing. I'm back in action, one year older, a few kilos heavier and generations wiser!

Thank you for reading.