Sunday, September 20, 2015

Die Tauplitz Hiking Weekend!!

Hello again!! This weekend, the weekend of the 19/20th I was at the amazing Tauplitz ski area for a hiking weekend with all the other exchange students! There was about 80 of us in the Linzer Haus for two nights, and one full fantastic day of hiking! On Friday evening we all arrived at the train station and took a bus up to the top, and found our rooms and ate lots of yummy food. Lights out at 10! Breakfast at 7:30 and ready to hike by 9 the next morning!



The View!!


There were two groups, an easier hiking group and a harder hiking group-that was supposed to summit one of the surrounding mountains, unfortunately because of the weather we couldn't. ( Naturally I was in the harder group). Photos below are parts of the amazing hike Rotary took us on!


Off we go!



What we were supposed to Summit


Schwarze See (Black Lake) 


Watch your footing!


Maria and I at a quick break!


The American Flag made it halfway!!


North and South America!


Achtung! Sink hole!

These sink holes are everywhere in the mountains of Austria and can be super dangerous! Stick to the trail. The one above was easily 50ft deep and only 10ft wide. At the bottom there was snow from last years season!!



Fog is coming!!

The fog above was the reason we were unable to summit :( With the grey fog and the grey stone it made visibility poor and was dangerous to keep going up the mountain especially with the sink holes. 




All of the exchange students at the turn around point!!


Austrian Wildlife

The turn around point was also lunch break!! Lunch was sandwiches with an apple, chocolate and juice! The best hikers lunch! Especially the chocolate! After returning to the bottom and reuniting with the other group we were given free time for the rest of the afternoon! Jadon, another exchange from Canada, and I had not quite had our fill of hiking yet. So we continued to hike, in hopes of summit-ing a hill to look over the Schwarze See. This did not happen, we ended up rock climbing, boulder scrambling and hiking up some crazy hills-but it was a blast and I can't wait to see Jadon again and see what we do next!



Jadon up the side of a cliff


Found a cave!


Was at the top!

The photo above was what Jadon and I summited!! This was supposed to be a quick hill, until we, mainly Jadon, decided that we need to summit something a little bigger! The next group of photos was from our second night at Tauplitz where we had a torch lit night walk and also then a disco!! The disco was full of drinking coke and dancing to international songs! It was an amazing time, love you exchange students!


Getting ready to go!


Here we come!


At the disco!!




And a quick thank you to my host parents for letting me have all their children books to help teach me German! Thank you. 



Until Next Time!!!



















Wednesday, September 16, 2015

My First Month in Austria!!!!

My first month here, in Austria, has been amazing!!!! I have met so many amazing Austrians and other exchange students. For two weeks of my exchange I was in language camp with 66 other exchange students from around the world-we all had an amazing time and I can't wait to see them again at our hiking weekend. I also recently started to school, and am amazed by how many people want to talk to me and practice their English. And how patient they all have been with my German, especially my host family. This has already been an amazing experience and I can't wait to see what I learn in the months to come!!



Swimming at Language Camp

Host Brother and I in traditional clothes

Gmunden Berg



The Famous Hallstatt

Light show in Hallstatt Mine

Bein Haus-Bone House



Gmunden Lake and Castle

Dachstein Glacier





Thanks to all who helped me get here and supported me along the way!!! Miss everyone back home and can't wait to make more memories here in Austria. 

Danke
Thanks
Gracias