You Mean Soccer Right?

Today was the start of the second week of my German course at the DeutschAkademie. I am happy to report that I did not end up in a different country on my way home today and that I still am very much enjoying it the course. We have a really good group of eager (at least I think so...hope so too) learners and an awesome instructor! The rest of last week was spent walking (a lot of walking) around Vienna with new friends from the course, taking photographs, and practicing some major self control. All of the clothing shops and bakeries and chocolate shops are just calling my name; they all want what little money I have!! I have let myself go in a few of them to browse, but I have not purchased any unnecessary things. Because, if you will recall from a previous post, the grey shoes and the postcards I bought last Monday were both indeed necessities.

I have walked along the Danube Canal and both the old and new parts of the Danube River. I have eaten lunch sitting and chatting with a friend in the Museums Quarter. I have been inside the Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna) multiple times, and really everything else that Vienna is "famous" for I have merely seen from the outside.

The "Blue" Danube River

Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna)

As I mentioned before, I have had Wienerschnitzel, and today I had my first Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel). I had some time to wait in the train station before heading back to Hollabrunn for the evening, so I stopped in Felber, one of the chain bakeries here, and enjoyed the delicious apple taste. Since I had no one accompanying me, I don't know if it was a "good" one, but it most definitely tasted delicious and was "authentic" enough for me at this point.

Today felt like summer. It was in the low 80's and I believe that a similar day is forecasted for tomorrow as well. However, I think tomorrow will be the end of the shorts and tank tops weather. Wednesday is calling for rain, and from then on dear Mr. WeatherBug is telling me the temperature will drop significantly as well. Walking around in a sundress and going back and forth from wearing your sunglasses on your face and as a hair piece is nice in the warm sunshine, but I must say that I am ready for the Autumn season. I am ready for layering and jeans and hoodies (I hope they wear those in combination here...if not, I'll start a trend) and dresses and leggings and scarves and hats. Always the scarves and that hats! Ahh, I just love Autumn.

I will share one of the many highlights of last week. I was talking with my German instructor and she asked me if I was in to football and if I'd like to go to a game with her sometime.
"By football you mean what us silly Americans call 'soccer' right?" I reply.
"No, I mean real American football, guys hitting each other and stuff," she said.
No way?!?! Who would have thought I would meet an Austrian girl who properly enjoyed the sport enough to attend a game. Apparently there are two decently well know club ("professional") teams in Austria: the Danube Dragons and the Vienna Vikings. Who knew? This news had me all riled up and excited as I had been eagerly awaiting September 5th, when the Giants (my team) would play the Cowboys.
{An aside- yes, I know they lost. However, we are the greatest underdogs that ever lived, so I'm not worried. Eli, you're great!}
We went on to chat about the sport, how we both think it's great, and opinions about different players. Oh, it  truly was lovely. Needless to say, I am well excited to attend a game once the season starts back up in October.

Finally, yesterday I attended the International Chapel of Vienna (ICV) again in addition to the Young Adult Group's (YAG) bible study prior to the afternoon service. It was really really great. I met more people from the YAG and had very encouraging and uplifting conversations. I was reminded by the sermon just how awesome, big, and everlasting our God is. He exists outside of space and time and has left us all we need to know about receiving and living life to the fullest measure: through Jesus Christ. The Bible is the only truth to be relied on one hundred percent and it supports itself time and time again. Did you know that twenty seven percent of the Bible is what they call predictive prophecy? I didn't before Sunday, at least I hadn't recalled it. That means that over one quarter of the entire book is prophecies that were told and described in great detail about things that would happen hundreds of years after they were told, specifically and most importantly, about Jesus. What He would do, who and where He would from, and how He would die...it's all in there. Twice- once in the prophecy and once by the people who recorded it's actual occurrence. Amazing. Wow. That just makes me really excited and assured of the fact that God has known what's up from the very beginning of time. Even down to knowing what's up with me!! Hard to truly comprehend, but that's why it's called faith.

I could go on and on, but I just said goodnight to the girls, in a made-up-on-the-spot rap song, and that means I should start doing a few other things as well. The first being improving the rap skills that I do not have. Noch nicht (yet).

Until the next time,

~Sarah