Living the Dream

First things first: Fact: There are more holidays in Austria than any other country. I love that!

I've been here for about a month and it has been wonderful seeing everyone in Austria and Germany. School started on October 4th, and it has been an absolute adventure since day one. Things are a little different here, seeing as how most classes only meet once or twice a week, and most students don't have class on Fridays--hello 3 day weekends. :) That means, however, that most of the work is student-directed, and I haven't done nearly as much research as I should because I've been so distracted--That leads me actually to my second point. Everything here is so close! I have gone to Munich twice since I've been here, Vienna was last weekend, and this weekend I'm headed to London to meet one of my cousins who is going to be there for work.
There's so much for me to say that I don't really know where to start. I am so excited to be here, and I know that I am so blessed to have an opportunity like this, though I don't know exactly how I deserve it. My roommate here is a girl named Amy. She's a grad student from the same program as me, and we're having a blast! Some of the undergraduates in the group have given her the title of "The kindest person on the planet," and I couldn't agree more. She knows more about music than I ever thought was possible, so I'm learning a lot about history through a musical perspective.
The dorm that I live in is more multicultural than a UN Conference. On my floor alone, there are people from Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Mongolia, Mexico, USA, (and that's only the people I know so far...). It's a blast to learn about all the different cultures and the varieties of cooking never cease to amuse me. I think I'm gonna like this year.
Another perk: living near the city of music means that there are a plethora of musicians here. there's no denying that there's something amazing about them. they have a different view on life, and add new dimension to a lot of things. So, if anyone is looking for a musical vacation, this city comes highly recommended. :)
With all of the great things that have been happening, I still haven't avoided getting homesick. Last week, I was frustrated and tired--of the party scene here, and of being so far away from people who mean so much to me, not to mention the fact that I don't speak perfect German yet. I hate making mistakes... In any case, after calling several of my family members, and getting a little bit of rest, I realized that I am living my dream. I chose to come here, and it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live like this and study here where there is so much diversity. One year is not that long, and it's definitely a major blessing to me to understand my strengths and my weaknesses, and to realize that the Lord will help me overcome trials that come in my way.