Travel Monkey

So apparently I am just a little travel Monkey. I mentioned last post the I was in Winnipeg two weekends ago. Then last weekend I was in Lacombe and Wetaskiwin, I unfortunately for got my camera and Teddy. And now I'll be heading up to Edmonton for a day. Who knows where I'll go next. It has been pretty amazing though.

In Wetaskiwin I was with another girl from work, S, and we had a blast. We ended up in a place called the Reynolds Alberta Museum. If you are ever in that part of Alberta, go there. It was amazing!!! They have so many cool artifacts and historical information on Canada & Alberta. Especially cars. ONc eyou have visited the museum you have to go to Huckleberry's. It was absolutely delicious. Have dessert first, trust me. They make a great steak and pasta dish, but their dessert is what you go for. As S and I found out the hard way. I had a turtle cheesecake, wow!!!! I almost couldn't finish it, it was so filling. Their Huckleberry pie is also to die for!!

Now dont worry. This time I have both Teddy and my Camera and will be snapping photos, so that I have something to show everyone who is still reading this.

Hope everyones having a good time, and enjoying the Olympics!!

Tiny

PS This is the song that I have had playing in the car for the whole week, so that I keep driving. (And yes I have been good about speed limits!!)
Dallas Smith- If it Gets you Where you Want to Go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR6Nx7EOOhc

Weekend in Winnipeg

I know, I know, I have been horrible at keeping this thing up to date, but here's a post. So last weekend I went to the lovely city of Winnipeg. It's still in the west of this wonderful country, but east of home. I was there to visit with my Grandparents, who I haven't seen since I left. It was a ton of fun. (I do have a pic of Teddy, but my camera is currently unavailable for me, you'll see why in my next post). Anyway, we got a chance to catch up on all of the family news, and also my travels in Austria, and I finally beat my grandfather at Crib!!!!!!!!!!!!! (It's a card game that uses a pegging board to count points, trust me, it is awesome to play!)
We also got some shopping done, and went to this really amazing Italian restaurant in "little Italy", it's kind of sad when you've been to the real place, but still, it was fairly authentic food.

I also had a chance to go out with some of my friends while I was in Calgary, and got some work done. So all in all it has been pretty awesome since the Stampede ended. I am feeling a little bit of culture shock, in the form of not always being my normal chipper self. But it's easy to deal with, I just listen to "Afro-Sibirischer Lovesong" and that helps.

This is a special note to P (since I am on the thought line of songs that annoy me :P) I was trying to find some music to listen to on the plane home, and I got onto the 'kids' channel on the airplane and the most wonderful song came on. I nearly screamed and ran to the back of the plane to jump out. It was a little number called .... "Scnappi". If you haven't listened to it, save your ears. If you have, or have seen me listen to it, you can understand just my feelings about it. :) Needless to say, I meant to post that on my first one back home, but forgot about it.

Wow, that was longer then I expected it to be. I promise I am not done yet, now that I am working more regular hours I'll be more consistent with the posts!
Talk soon (and this time I mean it),
Tiny

PS, a HUGE thanks to M and A, their cards made me smile, and I look at them when I really want to get out of a culture shock rut!

Pancake Breakfast and Unpacking

Howdy Y’all. So the Stampede is now over, and I am at regular work, although not today, because I had to get everything unpacked from my suitcase. It was harsh. I thought it would be super easy, because I’m at home and I just have to put everything away. Not true. It was like putting away memories. Trust me, not cool. Alas it has completely demotivated me and I am now sitting here trying to think about what I am going to do for the rest of the day that is somewhat productive yet takes almost no effort. :P

The reason for the pancake breakfast title though is that, if you’ve been reading along, you’ll know that we had a few over the year. They were small, I had to cook three pancakes at a time, because I didn’t have a proper grill. It being the Stampede and all, you have to go to a Stampede Pancake Breakfast, so I thought I’d show everyone what that is supposed to look like. Enjoy the photos, I need to get some work done.

Cheers,

Tiny

Now that's how you have a REAL pancake Breakfast!

Pancakes and Sausages!

As Easy as Riding a Bike!

As I have done that, I can honestly say, no it is not. It is easy to remember all of the things that you learn in driving class, but with a bike you can’t hurt as many people as with a car. However the day after arriving, and I should say morning after because I landed at 5pm, I got back into a vehicle and drove to the office, which means the most annoying road in the city. But hey it was fun and after that I got to drive all over the place.

My Family also had a welcome home dinner, and I cried when I saw the sign. They had made a ton of our family's 'comfort food' which was just what I needed to remind me how awesome living here is!

Now it is Stampede and I have been working pretty much non-stop since landing.  Which suits me fine, it means I haven’t had time to feel homesick for Graz yet. I do miss the people and my bike, see a pattern there. I can barely get on mine here it is so tall, but there you have it. Anyway. I said I would keep people updated. And I am trying, but it may be a long time between posts. I hope to have some more pics of the Stampede, and of me, but for now enjoy the ones that I have, and there’ll be more. J

Yeehaa,

Tiny

Teddy in the Frankfurt airport. I ended up in line for the wrong
flight home, so I had to run from one terminal to get
to the terminal with the first flight, and then to the end of the
third terminal. Luckily I made it on time!

This is Greenland!

Teddy ready for his first ride with me!

Me ready to do the first drive!

Happy Canada Day

So today is Canada Day, and I am here, melting slowl, in Graz. But not for too long now. The apartment is looking pretty bare given that M has packed all of her things, and I am starting to pack all of mine. Who knew how much stuff you could gather in 10 months. Needless to say I am glad that I have A here (from Finland) to help with all of the cleaning.
Yesterday was the hottest day of the year, so naturally we spent most of it at the outdoor pool. It was wonderful, if a little bit colour draining on my hair. But well worth it. I think I may also have got a slight tan, but with 50SPF sunscreen applied every 30 minutes or so it does make it kind of hard to get a tan. (but more importantly hard to burn, which I haven't!)
Then it was supper with M and A from Finland. It was a really awesome day overall.

Today we went for a kebap (maybe my last one) in honour of Canada Day, and I was wearing my Canada shirt, but it is black and made for a Canadian summer, so I had to take it off. But I have pins so that I will still be Canadian, even without the Canada t-shirt. Then tonight we are having a party to celebrate, and I get to pick my parents up from the train again.

It has been really really awesome here, and I cant believe it is already coming to an end. Not sure when my next post will be, but if it's not for a while don't worry, I will be back.

Till Next time,
Tiny

I didn't make this, but I love it, and I hope
you do too! Happy Canada Day!

Finished

Hey,

Sorry it's been so long, but I have had 6 exams in 3 days, and I had to get my paper all edited before that. Needless to say it has been busy here. Slowly but surely everything is coming together, classes are now finished, and I'm starting to get all of the paperwork that I need organized and reorganized.

We've also been having lots of 'goodbye' things going on here! It's really sad, but also a little happy, because it means that I am getting even closer to home! It's so hot here right now that I just keep wondering how I am going to survive back home. :P

I know this should be more exciting, with lots of pictures and stuff, but I really dont have all that many, and my computer doesn't seem to want me to load pictures today. If I get them online I'll maybe post some tomorrow.

Now back to the piles,
Tiny

Back to Business

First off, I’m sorry that I haven’t done so well with blog posting. I left off last Saturday, so this one may be a little bit long. Sunday M, L, R and I went to the town Armoury, and saw all of the old armour. Every time that I go there I learn something new. It’s also nice when you can talk about some of the things that you learned while living here and put them into context for the people who come to visit!  We went to the Glockenspiel and it didn’t go, we found out later that it was actually broken. But it was ok, we had a delicious meal. Then we all had a nap/finished some homework that needed to be done, and then my friend A (from Taiwan) had us over at E & P’s for some amazing apple dessert! Then it was hair-cuts/movie night for M and me, while L and R went out for supper with some friends.

Monday was a shopping day, and we seriously shopped till we dropped. We dropped because it was like 32 degrees with 90% humidity which made it feel like almost 40. It was crazy hot. It hasn’t cooled down yet either. But back to Monday, we came home and got M packed and then we went out for supper with the whole gang.

Tuesday M headed home and then L, R and I went around to all of the places that we hadn’t been yet, the Schlossberg(even though R ,M and I had been there on Monday) and up to the University, because even though this is all cool , I still need to go to classes. Then we went to this really cool Tapas place for supper. So tasty!!

Wednesday I had classes all day and me up with L & R in the evening, where they got to meet N and M(from Finland) and we had a really awesome supper.

Thursday L &R left, and since then I have been crazy busy with classes and studying, trying to get ready for my exams next week. Hopefully they all go well, it has been a lot of hard work, and I hope it pays off!

Until Later,

Tiny

R and M at the top of the Schlossberg

This was from the elevator down, it was
so nice and cool in the tunnels that we didn't
want to leave!

M & M at Monday's Dinner