Seminars, Sturm, and Schloss St. Martin
for the past five days, i've been attending an english language TA training seminar just outside the second largest city in austria, Graz. population? less than 300,000 people. i found out, too, that the entire population of austria is somewhere around 8 million, which just blows my mind. there are 11 million people in the state of ohio alone! (can you tell i've been researching on google?).
the training seminar/orientation was fairly amusing, and a good break from my usual routine of checking my email all day and taking myself out to movies at night. there was a colorful mix of american, british, irish, and scottish TAs, most of whom spent the week giggling and poking fun of the way the others spoke english. i tried my first (and second... and third...) glass of "Sturm": new wine that is only available for one month during the whole year. my first impression was that this "Sturm" tasted much like a liquid Jolly Rancher, then Jungle Juice, then a fizzy Christmas punch. if you find yourself in austria within the next few weeks, be sure to order yourself a cup.
the orientation took place in Schloss St. Martin, a castle on a hillside overlooking the city of Graz. the castle, complete with courtyard, tiny rooms, and a small garden, was much nicer than any venue i had dreamt up in my head. i was anticipating living in a hostel or dormitory situation, and instead was given a single room and three hot meals a day. ... it was a sweet deal.
on friday, i took the bus back to Wien Südbahnhof/Vienna South Train Station with several others who are teaching in Wien and the vicinity. it was a little odd watching a group of people bonded by four days of community-living and long seminars all hop onto different trains going in different directions, all about to embark on the same adventure but dispersed all over the country. although i didn't feel that i absorbed a whole lot from the seminar, it was helpful most of all to know that there were more than 200 other people who would be sharing many of the same experiences.
for the past five days, i've been attending an english language TA training seminar just outside the second largest city in austria, Graz. population? less than 300,000 people. i found out, too, that the entire population of austria is somewhere around 8 million, which just blows my mind. there are 11 million people in the state of ohio alone! (can you tell i've been researching on google?).
the training seminar/orientation was fairly amusing, and a good break from my usual routine of checking my email all day and taking myself out to movies at night. there was a colorful mix of american, british, irish, and scottish TAs, most of whom spent the week giggling and poking fun of the way the others spoke english. i tried my first (and second... and third...) glass of "Sturm": new wine that is only available for one month during the whole year. my first impression was that this "Sturm" tasted much like a liquid Jolly Rancher, then Jungle Juice, then a fizzy Christmas punch. if you find yourself in austria within the next few weeks, be sure to order yourself a cup.
the orientation took place in Schloss St. Martin, a castle on a hillside overlooking the city of Graz. the castle, complete with courtyard, tiny rooms, and a small garden, was much nicer than any venue i had dreamt up in my head. i was anticipating living in a hostel or dormitory situation, and instead was given a single room and three hot meals a day. ... it was a sweet deal.
on friday, i took the bus back to Wien Südbahnhof/Vienna South Train Station with several others who are teaching in Wien and the vicinity. it was a little odd watching a group of people bonded by four days of community-living and long seminars all hop onto different trains going in different directions, all about to embark on the same adventure but dispersed all over the country. although i didn't feel that i absorbed a whole lot from the seminar, it was helpful most of all to know that there were more than 200 other people who would be sharing many of the same experiences.
posted by Leah at 11:20 PM
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