The Adventure Begins!

        Those nuns better get ready 'cuz imma coming at 'em!  And in less than twenty four hours!  And ohmygodicantbelieveimleavingthecountryforayear.  I'm definitely feeling a little stressed about the move, since I feel like I've been running around nonstop this week trying to get everything in order. And I still don't feel 100% ready, but I don't think I'm supposed to feel 100% ready.  I'd actually probably be a little bit more worried if I did, so I'm comfortable with my 90%.  It's just slightly nerve-wracking to leave everything and everyone behind and pack my entire life in two suitcases and a tote.  There's just so much that can happen here at home while I'm away.

         Anyway, despite being slightly stressed out and nervous, I'm still super (!) excited.  The town I'll be living in is fabulously beautiful and I've heard nothing but awesome things from all of the Fulbright Teaching Assistants who have lived and worked there previously.  For those of you who aren't in the know, I'm stationed in the town of Feldkirch, which is in Vorarlberg, Austria over on the left side of the country.

        The location is awesome.  Seriously.  I can walk to Liechtenstein from my apartment.  Switzerland is 20 minutes away by bus and I can get to Zurich in less than two hours.  Munich is only three hours away and Italy isn't all that far either.  Oh, and did I mention that I'm living in the ALPS?  I didn't?  Well, I am.  And it is awesome. 

        From my understanding, when I'm there I will be working with some middle school kids and some older college-age students.  The college-age students are "technically" my assigned students, but I've heard that the middle school likes to borrow the English Teaching Assistants from time to time.  During my stay I'll be living in a boarding school that belongs to the private Catholic school in the area.  AKA I am living with NUNS!  For those of  you that know me well, the idea of me living in a Catholic school with nuns and other religious personnel is, well, quite blasphemous.  I am not of a saintly nature by any means (hence the humor behind the blog title) and am both slightly enticed and terrified by the idea.  Who knows what nuns really do in their free time, right?  Do they pray?  Do they eat?  Do they eat, pray, and love?  (<=bad pun)  It is my duty as an ambassador to find this out!

        In the end, between actually getting to Feldkirch and filling out my paperwork and all that jazz, it looks like I'll be up and running for 24+ hours, which I'm not looking forward to since I don't really like sleeping on planes and dealing with residency paperwork and nuns...But there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  The day after I land, I'll be meeting up with my lovely friend Michelle in Augsburg (just outside of Munich) to enjoy three days of all the debacle and debauchery of Oktoberfest!

The last time I lived in Munich I missed out on the full Oktoberfest experience, so I'm anxious to be there during all the excitement and wear some traditional Bavarian duds.  Expect many pictures.

         And on that note, I bid you all adieu and hope to see you  in ten months!

 

---Mack---