Welcome to Graz. Here comes the Orchestra.

This is the view from my balcony.

A few days after I got here, it snowed and it was absolutely beautiful.  Everything is beautiful and amazing (I think I've used those two words more than any other words throughout this journey because I dont know how else to describe it).  As Landy and Jordan says China is Wakanda welllllllllll I kinda feel the same sentiments "AUSTRIA IS WAKANDA HAHAHAH!!!

You like my sexy Olaf!!! 

So, this week was my last week of school for 2019.  I came from NZ I had finished school for a week and then I started at a Catholic School for two weeks.  I have had to pay 150 € a month to attend school.  Which is about $250nzd a month, so you work out the math.  I have also had to pay three months worth of bus and tram tickets for me to be able to get to school and home daily.  These were the main things I had to do when I first got here.  Mama organised everything including my sim card bless her.  I have been very lucky because everything was organised for me before I got here and all I had to do was pay for the things I needed to pay for.  I had already prepped in NZ the funds I needed and allocated my school fees and bus and tram fees so I am really happy that I have paid for that now so that I can play with whatever I have left.  I do have a weekly, monthly budget that I am sticking too and to be very honest I havent needed much.  My host family are really good people I dont just say that lightly they have made my first few weeks much easier to start with.

I know its important to my mum I setttled so we've done the best we could for me to be able to be here.  Also yes mum I get why mum makes me work now I really do and as much as it pains me to say it MUM you were right 😏.

I have been here for two weeks now going into my third week.  The Christmas holidays has officially started. My classroom 5b had a mini celebration yesterday during period 2 and 3 and I thought it was super cute last day of school and all.  They were supercute my friends. We exchanged gifts and we all ate some Christmas gifts everybody made. Cookies, cakes, chocolates you name it.  I have been taking some of my NZ candies to school and shared with my friends as well.  I thought it was really cool, like I’ve never seen anything like it because my school finishes early before Christmas. I even got a gift from my friend Leoni and Katja too! ☺️ I must remember to return the kind gesture before I return home.

Let’s rewind back to the last blog ! 😂

Cable Ride to Clock Tower.

So you know I travelled all the way to Vienna on my own.  Welllll to date I attend a Catholic School in Graz.  I catch a bus at 7am from where I live and then I catch a tram from Bus station to school.  I wake up at 5:20am super early to catch my bus everyday.   I actually go to bed at 7pm here too lol.  I have to get there early or else I dont get a seat on bus because there is sooooo many people like heapppps of people.

Then I join in on different classes throughout the day.  I have joined the choir so I only have one day that I stay at school bit longer than usual.  School finishes at 1:30pm, would you believe it school finishes early.  I then hop on the nearest tram to the bus station to catch my bus back home.  Mamma Bridgette has been very helpful in ensuring I settled so she organised for me to get sim card and data so she can stay in touch with me.  I have had one day where I missed the bus and I freaked out.  I called her and she guided me to another tram to get to where she was that day.  Lets just say it was a confusing afternoon but I got home in the end.  The thing about Austria is it gets dark real fast so I have to make sure I get home before it gets too dark.  Tram rides I have decided I dont particularly enjoy.  Only because I feel like I am squashed half

Clock Tower, Graz 2019

the time with so many people on the same ride heading the same direction.

Everyone goes to the city for work and school and Fridays are the worse day.  I know I'm not use to it because I come from a small town in New Zealand and we dont have a lot of people there lol.  But where I am staying reminds me alot of Paeroa because its small town and close knit community.  I still have to wake up early like I usually do at home to catch Dee's bus to go to school.  So my routine hasnt really changed in that way.

Last weekend my host mum and dad took me to the Clock Tower and then we caught the tram to Eggenberg castle.  I tried a hot drink which was apple and pear and yeah nah not again I burnt my mouth.  I took heaps of photos the view was breathtaking I absolutely loved it.  With the snow on the tree branches that was amazing.  I also managed to take a selfie with my host parents.  They remind me so much of my nanny Libby in Hamilton.

Eggenburg Castle

Okay, so Monday I woke up at the same time I always do, 5:20am so I can get myself ready and have some breakfast. Everything was all great. I got on the bus from Hitzendorf to the train station where I get onto my tram.

However, today the tram was delayed by 13 minutes so I was bound to be late to school. WHICH I was 🤦🏽‍♀️......Eventually I got to school, but I had to basically run to class which meant I had to climb 75 set of stairs.  Everyday we take 75 steps to get to class and yup I never knew how unfit I was until I cam to Austria (well I kind of knew hahahahah) who am I kidding right 😭🤣

My school ! 

On  that same day there was a workshop that was going on during period 1 2 and 3.  I was so confused because I did not understand anything the workshop was about 🤣 I kind of just went with the flow.  Most lessons are in German so I have to pretend I know sometimes to keep up.

But honestly in NZ we take English for granted because we think we can understand it anywhere in the world.  Try going to a school as the foreigner and have to sit through that wellllllllll that was a lesson in itself.  I speak English well and I also understand and can write in Niue language so I understand the importance of language out in the world away from NZ.  It also reminded me of the time we were in China not understanding anything and having to translate things.  In saying that I am getting a handle on the language.  I can understand some German, but not a lot.  I have a translator on my phone that I use for most things.

In Maths this week I was freaking out because the formula was in German I just took a photo of it and my phone translated it for me.  I did the equation and it was correct.  Math's is not a strenght so I was shocked.  I thought I was so off track that I already doubted the answer.  So that was another lesson in giving things a real go.  Mama Brigitte bought me a Deutsch (German) vocab  book so it can help me for when I’m in class 😌 and I am learning to use it.  I have to keep an open mind about things I really have to tell mysef I have tooo or else I am going to loose it in class and really throw a tantrum(whose gonna wanna see that, shame).

On Tuesday it was just a normal day, things were slowing down being the last week of school and all.  My friends got their tests results back for their subjects and I on the other hand just did what I could in class because there isn’t really much I can do I didnt really mind it tho.  My form teacher has said that when we get back to school in new year I will be doing German lessons so I am looking forward to that!  Along with German lessons I will also have Music.  I have learned that my voice is Alto for Choir.  Alot of songs I have heard are in English so I am looking forward to it.

Early morning rides to Train Station.

On Wednesday I had P.E with my friends and one thing I really like about this school system is they seperate the boys from girls, so when we play games and all, I actually get the ball.  In NZ boys dont usually share the ball in PE and they only share the ball if and when I yell at them for the ball😌🤣 no but honestly.

In PE we played this odd but very popular game called Fergaball (or something like that) its kind of like dodgeball but there's only one tagger and oh my gosh I have never run so much in my life 😆they even have competitions for this sport coming up in January.  I have walked and run heaps to the bus since Ive been here its the most exercise I have got in my life time lol.  I have signed myself up to play fusball as well so I am looking forward to what January has to offer roll on 2020.

Every class is different to anything back home and I have to say I love it more than my school in NZ (haha no hate sorry) it’s so unique and there’s even a cafeteria!  I have never been to a school that has a CAFETERIA (like the ones in the American movies lol😂) Yes these things we see in the movies, its a cool thing to do with my friends, hang out at the cafeteria.  Yes Hauraki Plains College lets get a cafeteria (meanwhile in my head I know my friends are gonna say I am such a snob when I get back home).

On Thursday I had a church service which again was very different to what I am used to.  It was such a beautiful Church and sadly I was not allowed to take any photos. My class sang in German and there’s this one song that I cannot get out of my head, it’s a very popular Christmas song which is absolutely beautiful 🙌🏻 I am going to learn it and add to my many many songs.
Last but not least, FRIDAY!!! YAYEEEE Friday arrives and its all sorts of emotions.  Schools out, I dont have to wake up early to go catch a bus and tram and I have free days to chill and maybe hangout with my host family.  Although on Monday I am spending time with the STS Austria team so I am looking forward to meeting new friends from other parts of the world who are here doing the same thing to me.

From the first day at school, these girls who did not know me at all invited me to go hang out with them and just get to know each other yuh know? 😌 and I am so grateful that I met these girls because they are so kind and beautiful, they all remind me of my friends back home which is why we all built such a strong bond so fast. Their names are (from right to left) Cindy, Katja, Mara (in the middle) and then Andrea. (The other girl I didn’t know her, she knew my friends 😊).

Learning to IceSkate

 They took me ice skating for the first time ever, and oh my lord, I fell flat on my backside more than 5 times. I stopped counting when I fell the third time 🤦🏽‍♀️😭 now I’m kind of starting to bruise.  But every time I fell the girls told me to get a penguin (it’s a toy that helps beginners to balance lol) but I was determined and stubborn to do it on my own and eventually I got it! (You know me aye mum, always up for a challenge and try not to ambarrass myself too much.) I did enjoy myself hanging out with some friends that was supercool.   Skating in NZ is nothing compared to doing it in real life.  Also next year is Olympics year so people are starting to flock to Austria to prepare for the Olympics.  Ice Skating is a thing.

After about 2 hours of ice skating (in my case learning how to ice skate) we all took a tram into the heart of the city and took a little walk around some stores 😉.  I may have gotten a little carried away and bought myself my first pair of Airforce1s and a hoodie 😅 but come on! It’s Christmas 🤣 right mum lol (she hates the shoes that I like, too bad I got it from Nolo).

My friends and I.

I do have to say, even with all the Christmas decorations I have seen lately, I dont feel christmasey at all yet. 2019 has gone so fast, I’m into my third weekend here and it’s just flying man, like everything is going so fast 😫😭.

Hopefully this week coming will mean things will slow down so I can enjoy the spirit of Christmas.  I did manage to wrap my taoga from Niue for my host family and now I am just waiting for it to go under the xmast tree.

View of Opera House.

Anywho, after sight seeing and shopping a bit with my friends, Katja and Mara had to leave which left me with Cindy and Andrea 😊.  Cindys family owns a Chinese restaurant which is not far from the Opera House (which was where I needed to be at 7) soooooo Cindy was kind enough to invite Andrea and I to her restaurant for a quick meal on the house, and it was DELICIOUS. Nothing like some good Chinese food in Europe am I right? 👀🤣🤦🏽‍♀️It reminded me of when I was in China.  After food I said thank you and Andrea and I left the restaurant so she could show me the way to the Opera House because I was going to watch the musical called Cinderella with Ingrid (my host mums daughter) her daughter Miriam and her niece Selena.

Graz Opera House 2019 Cinderella Musical.

I eventually got to the Opera House and sadly my friend Andrea had to leave.  So I took the opportunity to take in the amazing building and view.  Even inside was unreal.  I waiting a few minutes and Ingrid and the children arrived.  We went inside into this little booth on the side of the Opera House and lucky for me I was seated right in front of the Orchestra.  I have never ever seen an orchestra in real life until then and let me tell you, it is a whole different experience when you hear classical music played live. I mean it’s nice and all on soundtracks but in real life man, wow.

I even cried abit because the music was just so amazing and I was emotional because with music everything I have done I have done with mum or mum and nan.  To experience this on my own was different.  Mum and I joke alot about music but this moment was so surreal I dont quite know how to explain it.

 I never took my eyes off the stage or the orchestra. It was just so surreal. I really couldn’t believe I was seeing what I was seeing, like. It was just that amazing. Maybe next time if I was to go to another musical I will try and dress more formally 😬 I had Nike shoes on and pants while everyone else had dresses and suits and high heels and ahhh all that expensive rich stuff (you know).
I did feel a tad bit underdressed 😂😂 so yes theres a lesson for me.

I think it’s safe to say that Austria is perfect for me :) and I love it soooo much ☺️❣️
 The people are so kind and lovely it all just remind me of home 🇳🇿.

So all in all, this past week has been amazing. I’ve made heeeeaps of new memories, heaaaps of new friends and I know for sure there will be more of each to come 😌🙌🏻.  Tomorrow I am going to Neuberg for a birthday celebration with my host mum, I am very excited because there might be more snow!  This is all for now ! But there will be another update next week same time !

Until next week everyone!  Monuina e Kerisimasi.....Merry Xmas everyone, nanna, mum, aunties, uncles and my cousins.  Love you guys!  God bless!

Auf wiedersehen xoxox ❤️