Surrounded by the Alps

If one day you get the chance to climb the Alps and look down into a beautiful city such as Innsbruck, it is one of the most magnificent experiences. It was cloudy and raining sleet on my friends and I, yet I still was completely amazed.

So here I am, attempting to keep up with a blog while I spend the next six weeks living in beautiful Innsbruck, Austria (Wish me luck). I've only been here for less than a week, but I can feel myself getting into the rhythm of things here in Europe: there is usually no tipping at restaurants or bars, Innsbruck's bus schedule (after a few misguided attempts), lots of pork, and the way people leisurely live their lives. Perhaps thats the most refreshing aspect of this six week excursion: getting rid of my ridiculously busy American life and slowing down to appreciate the things I'd otherwise miss. Especially with the stress this last semester put on me and all the emotions/feelings/decisions I put myself through, I can finally sit down (metaphorically) and sort through everything; I can figure out who I am as a person, and the kind of person I am and possibly hoping to shape myself into while here. I felt for a while I had lost who I was, and I think I'm slowly remembering whats important.

On a lighter note, I also got the opportunity to go to Vipiteno, Italy for a few hours yesterday for an extremely delicious Italian meal and a violin concert performed by some Stetson alumn. It was such a quaint little town, comprising of only one main street, and one or two side streets.

Tonight I'm off to one of my favorite Innsbruck bars, the Theresienbraeu.

Auf Wiedersehen!