You know you’ve lived in Vienna for a while when . . .

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As an American expat living in Vienna, there are a lot of things that seemed strange to me 2 1/2 years ago that don’t anymore.  I’ve changed, I’ve adjusted, I’ve gotten used to a lot of what used to be odd about living here.  I imagine that this progression is pretty common among expats who find themselves newly at home in Vienna (not just those of us from America).  And, so, I present . . .

You know you’ve lived in Vienna for a while when . . .

. . . you can say the number six without giggling in your head
. . . vanilla ice cream that tastes like lemons seems normal to you
. . . you carry an umbrella everywhere
. . . you never trust a weather report . . . not even one that is just reporting the current weather
. . . you know to walk well away from building overhangs in the winter (Achtung! Dachlawine!)
. . . you know to always check both ways, even when crossing a one way street
. . . you know that you can smell a horse a block away (or further)
. . . you know that deodorant is optional for far too many people
. . . you start to be more surprised by children who wear swimming suits than by those who don’t
. . . nudity at the pool or the lake seems perfectly normal
. . . you know that stocking up on milk and bread has to happen on Saturday morning . . . along with everyone else in Vienna
. . . you only vaguely remember what it is like to wait in an orderly line
. . . you can tell the time by the church bells near your house
. . . 24 hour time seems normal
. . . so does crossing your sevens

(More to come!)

R’s house

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Although I’m an introvert, I like to talk to people.  It’s fun getting to know new people, hearing their stories, finding out what life is like for them.  It’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed about all of our travels, and one of the (very many) things I’ve loved so much about visiting England, Scotland and Ireland — since I speak English, connecting with the people we’ve met there has been the easiest and the most rewarding.  On our first trip, we met lots of new people, and this last time (back in July and August of this year), especially since we went back to some of the same places, we made some good friends.

Our single favorite place to stay has been Littletown Farm, where the food is amazing, the rooms are cozy, the scenery is stunning and the company is warm and charming.  Besides, one of the Beatrix Potter stories I grew up with was actually set at the farm.  (What’s not to love?)

Along with our wonderful hosts there, Rob and Sarah, are their children.  Their youngest, R (he’s not my child, so I’m not putting his name on the Internet!), is only a few months younger than Benjamin, and on our first visit, the two of them instantly bonded over a love of Lightning McQueen.  Ever since that first trip, Littletown has been known as “R’s house” in our family, and both of my boys would often ask when we were going back to “visit our friend R”.  (In fact, everyone we met on our entire trip to the UK who asked the boys what we were doing on our vacation was told that “we’re visiting our friends in England”.)

My boys were so happy to be reunited with their friend on this most recent trip.  Each morning, and after every meal, the constant question was, “Where’s R?”, and Benjamin explored all over the property seeking him out to play.  (I think R enjoyed it too — he apparently talked in his sleep about playing with Benjamin, too.)  B even got to explore some parts of the farm usually off-limits to guests, since he was escorted by R.

My boys loved playing with R.  They started asking about our next visit to R’s house before we got back to Austria.  I’m so happy to see my kids making new friends as we travel, too.  And I’m sure we’ll make it back to R’s house again.

Another haircut adventure

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It had been too long.  One of the great things about wearing my hair long-ish (I can’t think of it as “long” because this is nothing compared to the waist-length hair I had in my younger days) is that I can get away with an incredibly long time between hair cuts.  My first experience getting my hair cut in Austria did NOT go well, so after that, I waited and got it cut again when I was home in the States.  That was great, but I haven’t been home in over a year, and it was (past) time.

So, I decided to be brave and try again here in Vienna.  I asked around and got three good recommendations.  Unfortunately, I ignored all of them.  Instead, I went to a place I found on my own.  They sell the (ridiculously expensive) hair products that I like, the salon is clean, busy and professional, the owner speaks English well and was nice enough to give me a consultation free of charge.  So, I made an appointment with her.

I thought, “This will be great!”  I knew exactly what I wanted — a haircut I’ve had before.  I brought pictures.  Pictures of ME with the haircut from before.  That has to work … right?!?

What I wanted

What I wanted

The haircut I wanted was a pretty drastic difference from what I’ve had recently — chin-length instead of long.  My hair, which is usually easy to maintain, does not like the water here (great for drinking, tough on hair) so I just wanted to chop it off and make things simpler.  Besides, this way, I didn’t have the uncertainty of “will that look good on me” because I’ve had it before.  I know it works.

I was so hopeful.

My experience in the salon was great.  They were (of course) right on time, and I talked to the stylist, who was surprised at how much I wanted cut off, but who chopped off most of the length anyway and sent me off for a thorough (American style) shampooing.  In fact, the salon was very reminiscent of fancy salons I’ve been to in the US — they even offered me espresso or prosecco while I waited!  When my hair was all clean, I had another great talk with the stylist (the owner) who really seemed to get what I was asking for.  She cautioned me about all of the things I knew to be true about the style I was asking for — I wouldn’t be able to put it back in a ponytail, she’d have to cut out a lot of the fullness in my hair to keep it from being poofy, etc.  I was ok with all of it — that was what I wanted.

She cut and cut.  It took a while.  It really looked promising.  I felt like she was leaving the front a little long, but I was even ok with that, because the back felt short enough.  She finished the cut, blew it dry, and cut some more.  But when she was done, it just wasn’t right.  It was still way too long, and, despite her warnings, it came out pretty fluffy anyway.  I was kind of hoping that when I came home and did it myself, it would look more like how I wanted it, but no luck.  It’s too long.  It actually reminds me A LOT of the failed haircut I had here 2 years ago.  It’s like the standard-issue Austria haircut for Americans.  I don’t like it.  Seriously — why is this so hard?  I see Austrian women on the street with good hair . . . where do they get it cut?!?

What I got

What I got

Alas, no luck again for me with Austrian haircuts.  Still, unlike my first haircut here, I feel like it looks better now than when I went in, it’s just not what I asked for.  I’ve learned my lesson.  I’m going to wait until I’m home to get my hair cut.  And if I *do* decide to do it here again, I’m definitely going with a salon recommended by a friend with great hair.  No more being clever and adventurous for me again . . . at least, not with my hair.

Celebrating Liam’s birthday

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Happy birthday to Liam!  Just over a week ago, my little guy turned the big 3.  It is amazing and wonderful to watch him grow up.  (He’s getting so big!)

014The birthday celebration didn’t quite go as planned, though.  Our original intent had been for all of us to take the day off and to spend the day at the zoo (per Liam’s request).  In the days leading up to his birthday, though, he was quite sick with no indications of a miraculous, overnight recovery.  So, we changed the plan.  We certainly weren’t going to spend the day at the zoo, and since B was going to have to miss a field trip at school that day, we decided instead that B would go to school, Dan would work for the morning, Liam and I would stay home, and then we would all take the afternoon off to be together and celebrate.  It seemed like a good plan.

071But then, Liam woke up on his birthday, and our plans had to change.  He was happy and excited that it was his big day.  He was tired and still sick, but he was starting to feel better.  And though he seemed completely unbothered by rescheduling our zoo trip, he was very disappointed that we weren’t all spending the day together.  B was too.  All Liam wanted for his birthday was his brother to stay home with him.  They were both very sweet and very sad.  How could we say no to that?

So, we changed the plan again.  We agonized a bit over the decision, but ultimately, we called the school (and got lectured a bit by the principal who reminded us how important this year of school is for B), notified Dan’s work, and spent the day at home together.  If what Liam wanted for his birthday was the day spent together, then that’s what we’d do.  And if we had to seem a little flaky to work and school to make it happen, then so be it (it was a little tough for us to truly be ok with that, though).  Liam only gets one 3rd birthday, after all.

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It was a lovely birthday.  We opened presents, the boys helped me finish the cake, and we got to Skype with Grandma.  We snuggled and watched tv and rested much more than is usual for our family on a birthday.  It could not have been better.  It was a great and happy birthday.  And, in retrospect, I’m so glad we decided as we did.  I would much rather feel a little sheepish at calling school and work at the last minute than regret not making ourselves a bit uncomfortable in order to give Liam what he wanted most for his birthday — the day with his family.  (And we’ll go to the zoo this weekend, assuming everyone is well.)

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(And, as it turns out, all was well.  B didn’t miss anything earth-shattering that day at school, Dan didn’t miss anything important.  The next day, Liam was feeling well enough to go to school, and his teacher and classmates greeted him with their own birthday celebration, including pumpkin muffins baked by the class.  It was a pretty perfect birthday, after all.)

Double Eltern Abend

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Last week we had our third Eltern Abend (literally: “Parents Evening”, think: “Back to School Night”) at the boys’ school.  It’s a chance to meet the teachers, learn about the program, write down the important dates, find out each teacher’s preferences and way of doing things, and ask our own questions.  It’s great to get the opportunity to do all of these things … but the catch is that it’s done ENTIRELY in German.  At the end there’s always some time for individual questions, which can be asked and answered in English, but up until that point, it’s roughly 2 hours of important information, all in Deutsch.  It’s intense.

To add to the intensity, this time I had to split my time between two classes.  We had planned to have a sitter come be with the kids so that Dan and I could both go and each sit in a class, but Liam was still quite sick, so Dan stayed with the boys and I went on my own.

I opted to go to Liam’s class first, since I already know B’s teachers and how his class generally works.  And I’m proud to say that the whole thing went pretty well.  In Liam’s class, there were at least three other sets of parents who don’t really speak German (and I think there are seven kids in Liam’s class — including him — for whom German is not their first language).  I think I understood better than the non-German speakers and I was even able to translate a bit for some of the others.  I understood every single word that the principal said (might be the first time I ever managed that) and I got at least the main ideas from the teachers.

I did the first hour in Liam’s class and then switched to B’s, and then went back to see Liam’s teacher for follow-up questions.  She was impressed at how much I got from the presentation, and she very patiently explained the parts I had missed.

Overall, it was really a great success.  I was able to participate in the parent exercises for both classes, and I feel great about the classes, the teachers and the school.  I’m even starting to know some of the other parents.  It was a nice feeling to come in and get greeted and waved to — that didn’t happen for the first few years (and Austrians aren’t really casually friendly to people they don’t know, so it felt a little lonely the first few times).  This was a nice change, and it felt like a success all around.  I feel prepared (or at least as much as possible) for the year, and I’m glad I was able to be there, and to understand most of it, for the boys.

(And then, when I got home, while Dan put the boys in the bath, I baked a cake for Liam’s birthday, which was the next day.  I pretty much felt like Super Mom after that!)

Vienna Masters 2013, parts 2 and 3

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Almost 2 weeks ago, Elaine and I went to see part of the Vienna Masters horse show here in Vienna.  We had a great time, and I (of course) wanted to see more.  I had planned to go back the next morning during the free program, but that was the day the kids and I first got sick, so that didn’t work out.

I figured I’d be feeling better after a day of rest though (which turned out to only kind of be the case) so I bought a ticket for the evening performance, while Dan watched the kids.  (Which works out, because although the boys might sit through an hour of “watching the horsies”, the only way I was going to get to binge on watching show jumping was to go alone.)

023It was great.  Many of the top riders in the world were competing there.  I got to see amazing, inspiring, edge-of-my-seat performances.  I loved it.  It felt good to be back in the horse world, even as a spectator, after so long away.  (It was also raining.  And pretty cold.  Which I usually wouldn’t mind, but I don’t think sitting outside in the cold and damp for 5 hours probably did much to shorten the duration of my cold.)

I learned a few things while I was there, watching from the front row.  First, horse people don’t keep quiet here when they’re watching a horse competition, any more than they do at home.  We cluck, gasp, correct, encourage and groan at the horses and riders at the same moments.  And, we do so with the same *exact* noises here as at home.  I thought that maybe since Austrians are quieter in general, I might have to hold my tongue or be embarrassed by my involuntary outbursts.  But no, I fit in just fine!

029It was a lovely night.  In addition to the major show jumping competitions, I got to see some show pieces, too, including a drill team with 6 horses but only 2 riders, a vaulting demonstration that included a guy who strongly reminded me of a grown-up Benjamin, and four young guys who jumped 1.8 m fences … on their own two feet.  All of it impressive.

I had such a great time that even though we were all still under the weather, we took the kids over to watch part of the show on Saturday morning.  They were pretty interested in the jumping, but they faded after about an hour, and we headed home, but not before Benjamin asked me if maybe he could do a horse show after we move home.  (Not going to lie — that would be pretty fun.)

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After a great time last year, I managed to go to the Vienna Masters a total of 3 times this year — not bad, given the weather and our collective illnesses.  I’m so glad we were able to take advantage of the opportunity to see such amazing performances, especially because it was basically in our own backyard.

Sick days

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The first two weeks of this school year were spent mostly acclimating Liam to school.  The week after that, I spent the first few days adjusting to the new schedule and sorting out exactly what I was going to do with my time.  And then, the Thursday of that third week, just as I was starting to enthusiastically embrace my “free” time, we started with the inevitable sick days that come along with a child starting school for the first time.

It’s just not possible for a child to start school without coming into contact with all manner of unfamiliar germs and illnesses that they have missed up until that point.  And what they get, they bring home to share with the family.  So we all get sick.  I’d been hoping we might miss out on a illness-filled September with Liam starting school — since B brought home so much sickness when he first started, I was hoping that maybe we’d already be immune to everything this time around.  (It doesn’t look like it works that way, though.)

It started with me.  That Thursday evening, I was miserable, and I went to bed at 9:15.  I was asleep before the kids were.  (I have no idea when, if ever, that has happened before.)  My plan was to sleep as long as I could, get up in the morning, take the kids to school, and then come home and go back to bed.  I was just sick with a bad cold, so I figured a massive dose of sleep would help.

It didn’t work out that way, though.  Instead of a long night’s rest, I was up with B at midnight.  He was crying from pain in his ear.  Liam was coughing.  We were sick, and no one was getting much rest.

The next morning, Dan (the only one who was still well) stayed home to take care of all of us.  He took the boys to the doctor while I went back to bed.  The kids were (surprisingly) given the all-clear.  Dan brought the boys home from the doctor and I was all set to take over for the afternoon . . . but I just couldn’t.  I was sick and exhausted — so it was back to bed for me and an afternoon off of work for Dan.

This began a week-long adventure of sick days — miserable days and sleepless nights, 104.8 degree fevers and trips to the pediatrician, days missed from school and a birthday for Liam with as much illness as merriment.  We’re just now starting to get back to our new “normal”.  It feels like we nearly have to start over in terms of sorting out our routine.  But, now that the boys are improving, I’m actually able to rest and recuperate a bit in the mornings, so hopefully we’ll all be on the mend, and we’ll be able to continue adjusting to our new schedule.

Liam’s 3rd birthday

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To my darling Liam —
Wow!  You’re 3!  What a big guy you are, and what a wonderful year we’ve had together — another chapter in your great adventure!  I love you so much, and I feel so fortunate to get to watch you grow and learn every day.  You are such a happy, loving, enthusiastic, bright and snuggly boy — I’m so glad I’m your mom!

013You’ve grown up a lot in this past year.  You’ve become quite an articulate talker, explaining everything you see and think.  (You aren’t always very patient with us when we don’t understand, though.)  You are fast and strong and sometimes a little too brave — you like to climb and jump, and you’ve got a lot of confidence that you’ll be fine when you land (or that I will catch you).  You’re a strong-willed little guy, too, and you test every boundary we set for you, just to make sure we mean it and to find out exactly what will happen if you try it.  This time last year, you were still working on leaving babyhood behind — you still carried your pacifier around with you almost everywhere — but in the past year, you’ve really become quite a little boy (although you’ll always be my baby).  I love to watch you grow.

Just recently, you started school, and you’ve done an amazing job getting adjusted.  You love your teacher, and you already have friends at school.  You *really* like that you get to go to school with Benjamin.  Each morning, when I drop you off, you happily go to play in your class — I don’t always even get a hug and a kiss before you’re off.  You are happy to go to school in the morning, and so happy to come home in the afternoon.  I love hearing about your day.

You learn so quickly.  You count, and read your numbers, and you remember things so well.  In just the first few weeks of school, you’ve learned so many new things, thoroughly charmed the teachers, and come home singing several new songs (in German)!  And you are very clever — you love to make a joke or say something silly, just so you can burst out in your loud laugh or watch us all giggle (you especially love to make Benjamin laugh).

You are just an amazing brother to Benjamin.  The two of you are so sweet together, always thinking of each other and wanting to play together (when you’re not driving each other crazy, which does happen, too).  At school, the two of you play in the garden together every day.  You love to do things together, and you’re usually quite happy to play by the rules Benjamin decides on.  As long as you’re with your big brother, you’re happy.

One of my favorite things about you is how much you like to cuddle.  You love to be held and to snuggle, and I love to snuggle with you, too.  I am so glad I get to hold you and kiss you every day.

If there was one thing that I think of when I think of you, though, it is the joyful enthusiasm with which you tackle each day.  You are a happy guy, and though you know what you want, and you’re never shy about taking care of yourself (nor quiet about letting us know what you need — which I also love), you are just generally so cheerful.  You love to play, and you will happily make a game of anything, anywhere we are.  You are a good sport, a good traveller, a good team player and just a great guy.  I am inspired by your optimism and willingness to choose happiness in almost every circumstance.

I love you, my Liam.  You are my sweet baby, and I feel so grateful to be your mom.  Having you in my life is a wonderful privilege.  I love you so entirely.  I love your enthusiasm, your humor, your sweetness and the strength of your opinions.  I love your big smile and your big laugh.  I love your clever mind and your loving heart.  You are an awesome 3 year old kid, and I am a lucky mom.  Happy birthday, wonderful boy.

Vienna Masters 2013, part 1

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20130919-151341.jpgIt’s back again! The Vienna Masters horse show, with world-class jumping and dressage competitions, is here in Vienna. And, like last year, it’s right at Vienna’s Rathaus, and this only a few blocks’ quick walk for me.

For the first few days, they have a few events each morning with free admission. Today was the first day, and I brought along my friend Elaine (also an American living here in Vienna). It’s a fantastic event — beautiful horses, entries from around the world, and the thrill of competition, all in a stunning venue.

We had a great morning. The day started with a little rain, but by the time we arrived, it had turned sunny and cool. We watched two show jumping classes and did a little window shopping. The horses and riders put on a great show, and we even got to celebrate the victory of an American rider. We got to hear the Star Spangled Banner played here in Vienna, which was a little weird, but pretty great.

20130919-151420.jpgI wonder, though, watching dozens of riders, some of whom have travelled across thousands of miles WITH their horses — how do they do it? The big-name riders who compete in the evenings do this professionally, so that I understand, but what about the riders we saw today? Are they professionals? Do they take time off from work to fly their horses around the world to participate in events like this one? And what about the pony events? Are there parents who fly their children’s ponies to Europe for the weekend? Does that really happen?!? (I really don’t know. Although I used to compete, quite enthusiastically, in my younger days, competition at this level is foreign to me.)

It was a beautiful day, spent with great company, watching beautiful horses. I’m going back tomorrow to see one of the evening events, and I think we’ll take the boys over on Saturday for the free admission program (which includes the pony jumpers). I’m so happy to have this event so close by and to have some free time to be able to enjoy it. But all of it reminds me of how much I truly miss riding (and my horses at home).

Windigkeit

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I think I may have mentioned it about 1,000 times so far, but I really love the weather here in Vienna.  I love how it’s generally pretty cool (not counting July and August), I love that rain is just a fact of life (pretty much everyone carries an umbrella everywhere, all the time), I love the snow in the winter, I even like how cold it is, and for how long, once winter arrives.  (I’d much rather be cold than hot, and bundling up to be outside makes it even nicer to come back into a cozy house.)  And although I miss thunderstorms (they’re pretty rare here — we get only a few per year), I do really love the wind.

Vienna gets very, very windy.  Often.  The wind whips right down out of the mountains and across Vienna.  It rattles the windows, and howls through the window frames and under the doors.  (It really does.  I’m not being poetic.  And I love the German word for the sound the wind makes — raunen.  It’s perfect.)

We had another very windy night, the night before last.  Even with only a few windows in the house cracked open a bit, the doors around the inside of the house blew closed in the night, the wind moaned outside and the rain splattered the windows.  It was a great night to be snuggled up at home.  It’s just the middle of September, but fall is definitely here and winter is already on its way.  (The high temperature here yesterday was only about 55, and that happened around 7 this morning.)  I love it.