It’s commonplace in Austria to have complete strangers help with small things. I’ve had help getting the stroller on and off buses, into and out of shops, on an off the strassenbahns, down flights of stairs and once, very memorably, a woman missed her train to help me shepherd Benjamin, Liam in the stroller and Benjamin’s bike up an escalator when the elevator was broken. I’m also pleasantly surprised at how much help and kindness I’m shown when I need help somewhere and I have to resort to English (because the issue is well beyond even attempting in German) — like much of the help I got with my dress search and then, this week, when I had to explain to a teller at the bank that my ATM card had stopped functioning and I needed a new one. People here are generally helpful and patient (especially when I’m out with the kids and I’m at least attempting to communicate in German). My days are much more pleasant for the kind gestures, and I’m incredibly grateful.
Archive for the ‘Adventure in Vienna’ Category
The kindness of strangers
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Glittery snow
Monday, February 6th, 2012We woke up this morning to an unexpected dusting of snow. Not enough to make it tricky to get around, just enough to be a little pretty. As soon as Benjamin saw it, he suggested making a snowman. I explained that it probably wouldn’t be enough for that, but that we could go out onto the terrace and play in it a little, anyway. He was excited, so we went (my only additions to his pajamas were boots and a coat — we didn’t stay out long). He “skated” around and caught a few flakes on his toungue. Liam came out and wandered around, too. Then we all got cold and went back in.
Feeling more like Cinderella
Sunday, February 5th, 2012We really did have a great time at the ball yesterday — it was grand, lovely and truly, quite an experience. Although, I was kind of feeling down about my dress. I didn’t love it, and I’m a little exasperated that it didn’t even fit properly. Also, I forgot to put my glitter on. I have some (a lot) from my dancing days, and brought it with us expressly for use at a ball. I found it, got it out, and put it right next to my hairbrush in the bathroom . . . and then completely forgot to use it. (Bummer!) But, I’m done with feeling bad about my dress or feeling sad about our experience yesterday at all.
To the ball
Saturday, February 4th, 2012After a lot of deliberation (and a lot of shopping for accessories for both dresses) I ended up deciding to wear the first dress. Even though it still didn’t quite fit properly (after 3 fittings — seriously?) it just seemed like the more appropriate one. Besides, I liked the jewelry that went with that one better. So, this evening, Dan & I got all fancied up and went to the ball . . . me in my blue dress. We got the boys through an early dinner and bath, and our downstairs neighbors came up to watch them, while we went out.
Bonked head
Friday, February 3rd, 2012Both of my boys are currently of an age where they get lots of (thankfully minor, so far) injuries. Liam is great at walking, so now he’s trying more ambitious things, like running, jumping and climbing on the furniture. Benjamin has entered the phase of maleness where he believes he is invincible (which, as I understand it, will last until he’s nearly 40, at least). Consequently, they get their share of bumps, bruises and bonks. Just a few weeks ago, B had to go to the Emergency Room (the Accident Department here) for an x-ray to rule out a broken nose, and today, Liam fell and got a bad bonk to the head.
It’s supposed to be hard
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012I remember the first few days and weeks (and even maybe months) after the birth of each of my boys. I remember being overwhelmed, emotional and stressed (and a lot of good things too). I felt like I’d never be able to manage everything. After Liam was born, I posted to Facebook something like, “I have no idea how you other moms all do this with more than one child. This is so hard!” and the first response I got back was a friend of mine from college who has two kids: “It’s supposed to be hard!”
The cold and the warm
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012It’s cold here now. Really cold. (I’ve heard, though, that it gets colder. I know, what was I expecting? I moved to Vienna.) This is the kind of cold I’ve only had a passing acquaintance with — as in, once every few years of my life I’ve experienced cold like this, only for a few moments, on the way from my house to my car or my car to wherever I was going, and on very few occasions, for longer — when I would have to do something for one of the horses at the barn (but I usually avoided the barn when it was this cold).
On the other hand
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012I love sharing the fun, adventurous experiences we have here, like going to Innsbruck and sledding down a mountain. I share all of this in part to document the experience, and in part to encourage others to do this kind of thing — to travel with your children, to push the envelope of what you think is possible, to explore the world. But, it isn’t all sweetness and light, and I want to share that part, too. I was so euphoric from our trip to Innsbruck when I wrote about it the other day that I didn’t include the other side of the trip, and I think it’s only fair to capture that part, too. Travel with kids is challenging. There are going to be moments where you think, “Why did we do this again? Wasn’t this supposed to be fun?” But those moments will pass, and it is fun, and you’ll be glad you did it (I am).
Dirndl
Monday, January 30th, 2012I thought about it over the weekend, and decided that my best bet (for my sanity, if not for my bank balance) in dealing with all of my current dress drama was just to go out and buy another dress. That way, if the first shop surprises me and makes the dress like I wanted it, I’ll end up with the good problem of having two nice things to choose between, rather than having to scramble at the true last minute if it doesn’t work out well. It took me a while to make up my mind about what to get — I didn’t want to go out and get something similar to what I’m having made: then I could, potentially, end up with two dresses, neither of which I like very much. This would pretty much defeat the purpose of having a “plan B dress”.
Just go
Sunday, January 29th, 2012Innsbruck was wonderful. We had a good time, we played in the snow, we explored, we saw the Alpine part of Austria. I now feel comfortable saying “I like Austria”, rather than just “I like Vienna” (I’ve been saying, “I like Austria” but I really didn’t have much data beyond Vienna). We’re already planning for the next time we go to Innsbruck — what we’ll see again, what we’ll do differently. I want to go again in the winter and also in the summer, but I also have a long list of other places we want to explore, so we’ll have to see exactly how it works out.