Family and Spring!

I have been slacking on the posts lately...too much going on.
Last week my family visited! It was perfect timing because it was the point in the semester where the homework was piling up and everyone was getting peeved at each other for dumb things. So hanging with the fam was a pretty good escape. I found them during all my free time-showed them all the cool churches, palaces, went to a bunch of cafes. the usual. We saw the stables for the Spanish Riding School-I would love to see a show for real though.
Anyways, on Saturday, we decided to be super tourists and go on a tour of Salzburg with a tour company. We took a bus through the lake district (gorgeous) with nice picture stops along the way. In Salzburg the tour guide gave us an 1.5 hr tour through the city, then we had free time the rest of the day.
SUCH a pretty city...my fam wished I had studied there, I think they liked it better haha. But it's a smaller town, and being in a big city in Vienna is such a contrast to any where I would ever go that I think it's a really good thing I am there instead.
Anyways, we walked through Mirabell gardens, and most of the Old Town. We stopped for lunch in some Italian place to get pizza, and continued to walk around. We saw lots of places from The Sounds of Music (The catacombs and cemetary, to name a few), and went through the market street.
It was a fun way to spend the last day with my family before they went home. Hopefully Cole wasn't too bored in Vienna...most of the sites there are for music nerds and history geeks, but it's still really cool to say, 'oh, i think ill go to a palace today' and be at one in fifteen minutes.

Anyways, this week we are all counting down until spring/Easter break. Everyone as IES is soo antsy and kind of over the whole school work thing. The weather is finally nice! About high 50's to high 70s (yesterday it had to have been 80) and it's gorgeous out. I love walking through all the parks, and definitely want to get some people together for soccer or something before we leave.

Wednesday I had my internship at the high school, and got to talk to the students about their perspectives on their schools, versus what they know about American schools, and then I told them about schools at home and got to see their reactions. The first class was the older grade, and they had a lot to say about how their school could improve, and about what they liked.
For example, in schools here, each class is the same group of kids for every subject, every year. Also, they take 15 subjects at all times with about 50 minute blocks. Granted, I am teaching at a special music school so the same doesn't go for all schools...but generally most schools have a similar format.
In both classes, the kids asked me if American schools really have "cheerleader groups" that date the football players and hate everyone else...that kind of thing. I had to explain that since classes change, and there are a lot more clubs...people are generally a lot nicer, but there are still cliques sometimes. My favorite was when one kid asked if students really burst into song in the hallways when the bell rings...(High School Music, what have you done?)

The next day I went to the third classes I help teach, it's a private group vocal lesson with about 5 kids. This was the day it was about 80 degrees, and the kids were begging to go rehearse in Stadtpark (a city park by the school). The teacher rehearsed with them inside for a while, then decided we needed to go outside. We took the students, and sang two of the rehearsed songs as we walked through the streets of the first district. We got to one of the main streets, stopped, and stood on the side of the street singing four part harmonies. It was amazing. Some people stopped to listen. It was just so fun.

Anyways, this was by far the best week of my internship. Generally the teacher just assigns me a topic to teach about...and this school is lecture based so I stand up and lecture about music for the period. It's definitely not as fun as back home, but I'm also not used to it and haven't really explored different ways of doing things yet. If anyone has any good ideas of American traditions or music that I should teach, let me know...I'm trying to think of fun stuff to do that they would remember. So pleaseee let me know if you think of anything:)

Anyways, figured out courses for next year and housing this summer. I'm going to be a senior...what???
Also, I'm starting to realize I'm leaving here in a matter of weeks. It's so strange...I really miss home but I know I will miss Vienna so much.

Anyways, I'm currently preparing for an apartment dinner party type thing, so I've got to go make sure nothing's burning. If you read this entire thing, kudos, let me know of some teaching ideas. ;)

post script: ITS APRIL??! Let the birthday countdown begin.  Celebration suggestions are also welcome.