Wow, I'm behind

Sorry, everyone, that I haven't been putting things up lately.  I have been in London and Ireland the past week and had papers to write before leaving for there.  I got back from Ireland yesterday and leave for Poland tomorrow...and I have two papers to write before I leave.  So, when I get back, I will be in Brno for 2 weeks, just going to class and actually staying put!  During that time, I will post my pictures from Vienna, Berlin, Slovakia, areas of the Czech Republic, London, Dublin and Cork, and Poland.  Wow, no wonder I don't have any money left.  Thanks for reading my blog though!

The US Election

Finally, the election is almost here.  The polls close in only a matter of hours and I can't wait for it to be done.  I have gotten my fair share of election information here, mostly by choice, from the internet--no nagging TV commercials or phone calls.  However, I have gotten more than my fair share of questions about the election.  Ever since I arrived in Europe on August 29, I have been bombarded with questions about it.  Whenever I meet someone new, regardless of age or nationality, they first ask me where I'm from, and that's always followed by the exact same question.  They don't ask things like my name or what state I'm from or why I'm in the Czech Republic.  The main thing they want to know is "Obama or McCain?"  They don't even take time to make it a full sentence.  Some just say, "Obama?" or "McCain?" and leave it at that.  I've gotten mixed responses when I have said I am voting for/have voted for McCain.  

As you may know, Europeans have a weird love affair with Obama.  His "rock star" status is almost as prevalent here as it is at home.  While most Europeans would be Democrats (even Europe's "conservative" parties more closely resemble the American left), there are some that like McCain.  The professor of my History of the American Presidential Elections class likes McCain and identifies herself as a Republican.  A French student here told me he liked McCain also, and then said the US and France are/should be such great friends because of the French helping us during the Revolutionary War.  While all the Europeans seem to have their choices about who should win, some have acknowledged that they don't really know the issues that face our country.  They admit that they can say who they like better, but they aren't concerned with many of the issues in the US, primarily the domestic issues.  

They are always interested in hearing what we have to say, however.  My pres. election history class is overflowing because so many students I suppose hoped there would be much discussion about the current race.  When a professor from Mizzou came to talk here, I was the only other American in the room.  They had a translator and everyone who wanted could get a headset and have her talk translated into Czech.  That room was also overflowing.  The sad thing is, though, that we all feel election fatigue.  I do and I'm a political science major and even have an interest in all this (granted, being from Iowa, I've had to deal with it months longer than any other Americans here).  The non-Americans who ask us who we favor when we are in groups are always in for a nasty surprise--we don't all agree!  Some of us are Republicans, others Democrats, some Independents, and some who couldn't care less.  The other night, we got into a heated debate which involved people yelling and screaming.  However, reflecting upon that, someone pointed out that it is great that we live in a country where we can do that.  We can yell and debate who we want to lead and not always agree, but have our opinions heard (even if we have to raise our voices to do so).  I think I would be okay with either candidate winning, having spent several days pouring over the policies of both candidates.  The whole world will be watching with rapt attention, and it will be interesting to see the reactions.  On a side note, the Canadian elections for prime minister were held last week and no one noticed.  I only realized this because I read the international news online.  I will be here in Brno on Wednesday to see reactions, but I leave for London on Thursday and so I'll get to see what the Brits think of the results.  Oh, if anyone knows of a continuously updating feed or internet broadcast of the election, I would like to know so I can follow it.  I plan to stay up into the wee hours of Wednesday morning to hear the results (I'm 7 hours ahead, so however late it is for you at home, it will be 7 hours later for me, but I'm that interested).  

Connected?

Although I am spending a lot of my parents' money, I found a way I am helping them out right now.  On Friday, my dad and sister were driving the van and hit a deer.  The van is totaled and my dad is disappointed that he can't claim the 10 point buck as a trophy, because hitting it with the car doesn't count as hunting.  However, since I am here, my mom, who normally drives the van, can use my car (which I'm obviously not using) and my family can have plenty of time to go van shopping.  So you're welcome, Mom and Dad, now please send more money.  

Many people have asked if I am homesick, as most of the people here are becoming.  As the study abroad people showed before we left, there is a graph of how people feel when away for a long time.  If you put how you feel along the vertical axis and time along the horizontal axis, the graph becomes bowl-shaped.  You feel excited and everything at the beginning and it hits a low point in the middle, before turning up when you are approaching the time to go home.  Sunday was my halfway point in Europe--57 days down, 57 to go.  I have mixed feelings about this.  I'm sad that I only have so much time left, but in a way, I'm anxious to get home.  I feel like I'm learning a lot, but much of the time spent in Brno, we don't do much.  We go to classes and do homework, but other than that, there isn't much to do.  Boredom is sure a common thing for everyone.  European colleges don't have a student life at all.  Students go to school and that's it, no organizations, no organized sports, etc.  Masaryk University has about 28,000 students, but they hide them pretty well.  So, when we complain about nothing to do in Ames, there really is stuff to do, compared to here.

We have all decided we need a break from everyone.  We hang out with the same people all the time and everyone has said that although they like their roommate, they just can't wait to get away from them.  People who act like they are best friends here always say how much they would just like to have time with other people.  At home, this is very easy.  Here, not so much.  We hear the same stories from everyone so many times.  As nothing new or exciting happens, there's nothing really new to talk about, so conversations are mundane and repetitive.  Everyone's attitude is just that of same old routine, same old people.  Going away for weekend trips brightens everyone's outlook because they are such a change of pace and a chance to interact with new people.  

Fortunately, with technology being the way it is in our glorious modern era, this problem can be helped.  Although it is not exactly experiencing a culture, it really helps.  I'm talking about the wonders of the internet.  Everyone here (at least the foreign students) thrive on it and would die if the internet went out.  I have been able to talk to friends at home online through instant messaging.  Facebook allows us to see what's going on at home, personal things that don't get reported in the newspapers.  We also can see pictures on Facebook posted in real time.  We are very connected to people at home.  The only thing that is different is that we have to subtract 7 hours whenever we are talking to people at home.  (For this week, I am only 6 hours ahead of CDT as daylight savings time ended yesterday here in Europe.  The US will do this upcoming Sunday.)   The best thing has been using Skype.  Skype is talking to a computer's microphone and contacting other computers or phones.  For $8, I bought a pass to call any cell phone or landline in the US for 3 months.  Yes, $8 for unlimited calls home for 3 months.  I use it a lot to call my family and friends and just shoot the breeze.  I have also used it to take care of business at home.  I had to set something up with the bank at home.  I had called them and they told me I should just come in to the bank and get it taken care of.  They had no idea I was actually 4700 miles away at the time.  Video messaging is a feature on Skype and some IM services, meaning I can talk to (and see!) friends and family from here.  Everyone here uses this feature.  We are never out of the loop.   I even registered for second semester ISU classes while I was here, contacting my adviser via email and doing the online registration.  I am updated with what is going on in my organizations at ISU as I am still on all the email lists and get emails all the time.  Whenever I miss ISU, I just go to website with the webcams overlooking the campanile and the library lawn and see the campus.  I can even zoom in and see faces of people walking to class (creepy, I know).  

I also get all my news here.  While I can't go to ABC or NBC and stream TV shows like at home (copyright restrictions against playing things for free in Europe), I have found some places where I can get some TV shows, at least "The Amazing Race," one of my favorites.  I also download the NBC Nightly News podcast from iTunes and watch it every day.  I can also download songs and everything from iTunes, which gives me comforts of home.  Some of the local news stations, ie KWWL and KCRG, also have downloadable news programs or clips, so I can see the local news.  I also check the Des Moines Register and Waterloo Courier websites for news from home.  Since I am asked about the US Presidential election every time I meet a new person, I have done a pretty good job of keeping up to date on every aspect of the election.  Also, I voted absentee last week.  I had my ballot sent here and I simply sent it in to my county from here.  So, my Facebook status that day was "David just voted and he's 4700 miles from home.  What's your excuse?"  

Next Post

Sorry I've been really procrastinating on new posts.  I have pictures to post of Slovakia and Vienna.  Tomorrow, I'm leaving on one of our excursions to several small towns in east Bohemia.  I get back late Sunday night and then I get to study for a midterm I have on Monday.  On Tuesday, I'm headed to Berlin and will be there until the 31st.  Then I have a few days at home before I leave for London on Nov. 6 through the 12th.  Then, we turn right around and head for Krakow on the 14th-16th.  After that, I don't have anything planned until Dec. 5th.  It's sure creeping up on me.  

Innsbruck, Austria

This post is from the same trip as the last one, but that would have been too many pictures on one post.  From Bern, Switzerland, I headed to Innsbruck, Austria.  I arrived in Innsbruck around 9:30 pm, so it was very dark (obviously) and I wasn't really impressed by the train station or area around it.  I had reserved a hostel room that day (or so I thought) but the check-in ended at 10pm.  The hostel's directions weren't very good, either.  At the tram stop, I met a kid from California also looking for the hostel.  An Australian helped us get there.  We got to the check-in just as it was closing, but fortunately were able to get a room.  They only accepted cash and I only had a few euros on me and there were no ATMs nearby.  The Californian had enough euros and I usually carry American money just in case, so I gave him $20 and 5€ and he paid.  I woke up early the next morning to be able to tour Innsbruck and still get on my 11:30 train for Vienna.  Stepping out the door of my hostel, I saw what I had missed in the darkness the night before:  the Alps!  Finally!  It had snowed the night before in the mountains, so they were all covered in white and very photogenic.  Some of the people in the hostel had skis and snowboards.  Innsbruck, after all, is the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics.  

My hostel...and, oh, yeah, the Alps

View from right outside the hostel

I went to the tourist information and said I had 2 hours to explore Innsbruck, what should I do?  The info man replied, "Cancel your train and stay for a week."  Not having that luxury, I walked to Innsbruck's Old Town and wandered through its streets.  I saw Innsbruck's iconic Golden Roof, which dates from the 15th century.  I walked along the river Inn, basically to see more of the mountains.  "Innsbruck" comes from the German word for bridge, "bruck," and the name of the river, "Inn."  

The Golden Roof in the early morning shade

The Inn River and some mountains

Alps!

 

On my way back to the train station, I stopped at the Stadtturm, or "Town Tower."  The viewing area up the stairs is 197 feet over Innsbruck and gives a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding Alps.

The Stadtturm, or "Town Tower"

The Golden Roof as seen from the Stadtturm

Once I got to the train station, I realized how amazing the view was, even from there.  You could see mountains all around.

The Alps, as seen from an Innsbruck train platform

The train ride took me back to Vienna and then I took a bus back "home" to Brno.