Classes, Salzburg, & Munich

Since my last post, I have managed to keep quite busy! After returning from my 10 day trip, I immediately started up with my semester classes.  In total I have 5 courses: German, Music in Performance, Central European Literature, Nations and Religions, and a Teaching Internship.  So far I am really enjoying all of the classes and my professors are all very knowledgable about the subjects they teach.

For my teaching internship, I have been assigned to a fourth grade classroom at a school that takes me about a half hour to get to.  I have been twice so far and have loved it! The kids don't speak as much English as I had expected, so communicating is at times a bit difficult.  The first day I showed pictures of my family and friends, while teaching them English words for people -- Grandma, cousin, etc.  This past Monday I taught the kids about California, showing them the state flower, bird, places I like to go, etc.  As I teach them the English words, they help me with my pronunciation of the German words! . . . as they try not to laugh. . .

Salzburg--
About two weeks ago my friend Chris Clark arrived in Vienna from his Summer program in Ireland.  Chris stayed with me for a few days, and then a group of us took the train to Salzburg for the weekend. We had made arrangements to take a tour of the salt mines and to take the Sound of Music Tour.

We stayed in a hostel (which was more like a hotel) and kept busy all weekend exploring and taking tours.  When we arrived on Friday we immediately went for hike in the mountains behind our hostel.  On our way down, we crossed passed with an older couple who were also out for a hike.  We had so many questions for them that they invited us to their outside patio (overlooking all of Salzburg) for a drink and cookie!

{With our new friends Isabelle & Franz}

{Before heading into the Salt Mine}

{Top of a mountain with Chris!}

Oktoberfest--

This past weekend a group of us took the train to Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest with the Germans! We left on Friday after our German class and spent the weekend in the tents in Munich.  We stayed mostly in the Hoffbrau tent which is well known for Americans.  I was able to meet up with many of my friends from Santa Clara who were also visiting!  It was all around a really fun trip and definitely an interesting experience!

{Bri (friend from SCU), Me, and Meg}