Linz at last!

Hello everyone!!!  This is technically my sixth day in Linz, and I guess high time for update..I have had nagging from various camps, so I am finally buckling down to this blog business.  I really hope to make this entertaining and not just a useless list of things I have done...so let's start with anecdotes/facts:

Fact: My taxi from the Munich airport to the Munich train station cost more than the price of the train ticket from Munich to Linz.  OUTRAGEOUS.  I think it came out to like $80.  But I honestly had way too much luggage to figure out public transport.

Anecdote 1: Picture me, Linz train station, a fairly small person (in case you forgot).  I had pretty much 18 gigantic suitcases.  I am also smelly, red-faced, and extremely over-tired/jet-lagged.  I need to find a phone to call my landlord so I can get the keys from him to enter my flat.  Picture now a horde of bemused Austrians, watching while I struggle to carry MY LIFE - this is seriously probably the most I have ever carried at one time, and at one point my hand started to go numb- across what is basically just one large room.  So you've got the set-up.  I spot an Info desk and waddle over, "Uh, excuse me, where is a telephone?" (remember this is in German) woman responds, "Deutsch deutsch deutsch deustch deutsch" and gestures vaguely behind me.  My eyes widen in confusion.  Sweat drips down my forehead.  So apparently the phones are all the way across the train station again?  I find the phones, but they eat my Euros and I never hear any ringing on the other end.  At this point we are dangerously close to a throw-luggage-down-on-ground-and-cry hissy fit.  Thankfully I restrained myself, lugged my stuff to a taxi, and asked the taxi driver something that probably sounded like, "Sorry, I need also phone.  Must call landlord so that I can get a key.  Phone there works not." (Yoda would be proud).  The taxi driver was super friendly though and let me call on her cellphone and everything worked out, so yay happy ending!

Fact: Not packing a towel seems like a good idea in order to save space, until you arrive and smell like 48 hours of travel and have no towel with which to shower.  I used my sweatshirt.  I don't recommend it.

Anecdote: First morning after my arrival, Friday, sitting in the kitchen in order to catch the faint and spotty wireless, but also with the hopes that my roommates will come in and eat breakfast and introduce themselves.  Roommate 1: enter tall, pale man with glasses.  He rushes to the refridgerator, grabs something, barely glances at me and furtively blurts, "Morgen" (good morning) before scurrying away again.  Maybe he is in a bad mood?  Roommate 2: enter chubby dark-skinned man with a mullet, he passes by the kitchen on the way to the bathroom wearing only a towel and gives me a sort-of-smile.  No one else appears.  I have not procured names.  FAIL

SO after this occurrence I spend the whole weekend worrying about the fact that my roommates clearly do not want to make friends and are uninterested in me, and so who will I talk to for the next 10 days before the orientation?

Enter Josh and Ross, two super awesome British TAs that I met up with on Tuesday and have been hanging out with ever since.  Roommate problem seems less frightening now, and incidentally, pretty sure Roommate 1 is just an extremely awkward guy.  He apparently fast-walked past Ross in the hallway and begrudgingly threw out a "Hallo" before quickly retreating to the safety of his bedroom.

Fact: Not yet dreaming in German.  Definitely dreaming in a British accent.

Fact: One of the schools where I will be working is ridic.  I went there today to meet my supervisor and look around.  It's called Bischoefliches Gymnasium (don't even try it, not to mention 3 times fast).  It is palatial.  There is an astronomy tower (yes, JUST like Harry).  And a courtyard w/ fountain.  They teach Latin and Ancient Greek.  It's a private school.  You get the idea...

I could describe Linz for you, but this is getting long.  Next post I will put pictures, then no description necessary.

And I'd like to add:

1. ME: Wow, Josh, you brought a whole tub of books!  I'm jealous that you drove, I could only bring like one book in my luggage.
ROSS: Isn't that a lot for an American?

Typical.  

2. Check this out, it was on a website that was IN ENGLISH (not google translated) for tourists in Linz:

"One thing is to be noted that if you have a fancy for drinking then the city of Linz is a nice place for you where you are going to taste the velvety magic of exclusive drinks."

 Horrible English, but oddly convincing.  I was like, "dang, sign me up for some velvety magic!!!"

Other than that, everything I have done is boring and I said I didn't want this to be boring.  So I will list it here for your viewing pleasure, or you can simply press the "x" at the top right corner of your screen at this point.

Boring List Of Things Done:
-registered my address at the courthouse
-bought a cellphone
-opened a bank account
-found the grocery store, bought groceries, cooked
-ate a DURUM = amazing
- went to a couple bars
-jogging down by the Danube
- am currently trying to figure out my electricity bill and also how to get more reliable internet

More soon.  Promise.