'Tis the weekend....

I started to write this yesterday, but I realised that I didn't have a great deal to talk about, and that I was half asleep...I think I've rectified both of those issues now, though :)

First off, I worked yesterday morning (Saturday, I know!) as a favour to one of my schools, and I get tomorrow off in return. I had a decent lie-in today, so I'm a lot more awake and on the planet than yesterday, too :)

Two hockey-related things that amused me today - firstly was the Ranger game last night. Tied after overtime, it went to a shootout, which lasted for *15* shooters on each side, until Marek Malik (6'6", 240lbs, a stay-at-home defenceman who hardly ever scores) scored on one of the most ridiculous moves I have ever seen - faked to his backhand, slid the puck back between his legs and roofed it, knocking the water bottle off the top of the net - 'twas a thing of beauty. Funniest thing about it was afterwards, he didn't go crazy, just nonchalantly waved to the fans, as if he knew it was going to work all along....I laughed :)

Secondly, I got a text off Tasj today telling me that Paul Spadafora, an ex-Fife Flyer, and a fan-favourite, was on TV playing in Denmark! I love that I have a girlfriend who understands the love of hockey and tells me things like this :)

Anyhow, enough hockey - what else is happening? Not a great deal, alas - Ruth's been in Prague all weekend, and I've not seen Rachel either, though I plan to rectify that tomorrow. The Studentenheim's been quiet, until today when, completely inexplicably, about 40 people of various different nationalities suddenly appeared - apparently there's some kind of international week this week, so they're here for a few days. Doesn't affect me in any way, really, except that it's an excuse for a big party on Wednesday, to which I'm apparently invited. Score :)

No real plans for the rest of the week, though there's talk of going skiing next weekend, which should be great fun. I've not skied in a while, but I'm okay, so it should be good! I also plan to look into buying a pair of hockey skates at some point soon - even if I don't end up playing hockey here, I'd use them to skate *loads*. €3 for 2 hours of skating, every day of the week....I can see that taking up a number of my evenings! I'd like to find a team to play for, but equipment's the main problem - there's apparently a thing called "Hobbyspiele" a couple of nights a week, so if it's just pick-up hockey, skates and sticks, then I'll do that. If I can borrow gear, there's a rec team I could play for - I've seen them play and I think I could get a game for them, so I shall investigate....

So, no work for me tomorrow.....what shall I do? It's a hard life, I know..... :)

That was fun :)

I had a *great* evening :)

I had a normal day at school, and a fairly relaxed afternoon in town. Had a coffee with Ruth right after school, which was nice as I hadn't seen her since last week, then had coffee and lunch with Rachel afterwards (I'm fitting in plenty hot beverages, that's for sure :)), and I got in at around 5. I had no real plans for the evening, until Dominica, one of the Polish girls from downstairs, mentioned that there were plans to go ice skating. Me being me, I was up for it.

So, we went. I should explain first, that the rink here is entirely outside (oh yeah, they play hockey in the snow), and it was about -4 outside, but that made it all the more fun! I'd not skated in too long (nearly two months), and it felt good, despite the dodgy hired skates, having not bought my own yet. Not sure what it was, but it was just great fun - it was all the international students here in the Studentenheim, and we all get along really well, so it was fun. It was followed by going into town and standing outside drinking glühwein to warm up, then going to the pub.

So, after having nothing planned for the afternoon or the evening, I think I did a pretty good job in keeping busy! No classes 'till 12 tomorrow, so I get a lie-in too! Oh, happy days....

Also, I've discovered some new tunes - the Motion City Soundtrack, to be precise. Only got the one song by them just now, but it's damn good, and I can't get it out of my head.........

Sunday Morning.....

As Maroon 5 one sang.

So, it's Sunday today, and as such, nothing's open and I don't have a great deal to do! I'm currently sitting talking to folk back home (and in China, in Kenny's case) on MSN, and looking at hockey scores from last night. NY Rangers 4-3 Carolina. Get in :)

Went to Vienna with Rachel, one of the other assistants here, yesterday. We decided to be cultural and went to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the biggest art collections in Europe, which was seriously impressive. The building itself is a work of art, and the works inside are numerous and impressive. So after that, we went outside into the snow (oh yes! :)) and went to do the other thing we came there to do - I needed a few shirts for school, so that occupied an hour or so. Me. Clothes shopping. Tasj would be so impressed :)

Today I've successfully done sod all, to be honest. I wandered to the train station (home of the only shop open on Sundays) to get breakfast and lunch, and vanilla Coke (no idea why, and it's not particularly nice), and emailed a few folk at home. There appears to be nobody here - everybody's either asleep, making Paella in the kitchen (in the case of the Spaniards, anyway) or God knows what else. It's nice and quiet though, so I've got some tunes on, and am watching the snow fall outside. It's only a very light shower, but it was quite a bit heavier yesterday, and the grass is still covered. It's not warm outside - I'm fairly sure it's not got above freezing yet today, but I like it. Makes me feel all Christmassy - I'd be bitching about it being too early to be Christmassy if I was in Britain, but it's cool here - pretty lights and stands outside selling glühwein to warm you up. Can't beat it :)

Still, I shouldn't complain about the cold - I am Scottish, afterall, and I can handle it fine. I like it, actually - and I was speaking to Kenny ,who's living in Changchun in China, yesterday, and it was -25 where he was. Near Siberia, apparently....

Anyway, I think I'm going to go and be productive and clean my room - I need space to chill, and my room's a bit of a shambles at the mo! Might ramble more later, if I can be arsed... :)

Later :)

Well then...

This is something of a first for me. I've never run a website (not sure if this counts as that, but hey...) or an online-journal type thing before, so here goes...

First off, I have issues with the word "blog". It just sounds plain daft, and I shall refrain from using it as much as possible :)

Anyway, a bit about me - I'm Mike, I'm 19, and I'm from St.Andrews in Scotland. I'm in my third year of an Honours Degree at the University of Edinburgh, studying in German. As such, I'm spending this year in Austria, working as a Language Assistant in two schools in a town called Krems, about 70km North-West of Vienna. I'm really enjoying it here - my job's great, they pay me (!!), the people I live with are great fun, I've made a bunch of other friends, I get to travel (Salzburg, Innsbruck and Copenhagen in the last 3 weeks :)) and there are no deadlines 'till the first week of 4th year.

I've been here for nearly two months, so I'll spare you all two months of ranting, rambling, and general nonsense, and just start from now. It'll make sense in my head, anyway....

Right, not got much time just now, and I'm going to Vienna tomorrow, so I might post something tomorrow evening, depending on how much I get into this whole malarkey...