This month school started. ?I organized my schedule so I only have classes on Fridays and occasionally Thursdays.? This way I have five to six day weekends to travel.? We noticed back when we were registering, that courses here are set up very differently.? For example, you may have class once on Friday for three weeks straight and then you are off for the next two weeks and then you have three more Fridays until you are done with the course.? So some of my classes only meet six times and another one of my classes starts in late May and only lasts two weeks!? It is pretty great so I definitely recommend WU?if you want to travel a lot during your exchange.? The catch is that there is plenty of outside work.? It is not overwhelming compared to our workload at A&M, but you do get?homework.
On a non-academic related note, Vienna is becoming a second home.? After long trips, I get excited to come back to Vienna, to sleep in my own bed, and be in familiar territory again.? I know my surroundings, how to get around, and grocery shopping is becoming routine.? I will say my appreciation for 24-hour stores, like Walmart, and 24-hour restaurants, like Fuego, have drastically increased. ?Although having to shop at different stores for different items is not totally a foreign concept to me, I have gotten used to the?luxury of superstores?after living in Texas.? I mean how genius is it that I can buy shampoo, duct tape, and some flour all in one place?? I really miss that.? I also really miss Tex Mex.? I did not realize how much Mexican food I ate on a weekly basis but apparently it was a ton because the cravings are strong.
The majority of this month I have spent travelling.? I started the month in Budapest.? I have been there twice now to visit my friends and plan to go again in April. ?It is great to see them again and be close by.? It is a nostalgic place for me since I went to elementary school there and have a lot of fond memories.? I also took a road trip to Fussen, Germany, which is where the Neuschwanstein Castle is located. ?We rented an automatic car with Enterprise, which came with a handy navigation system. ?It was great to drive around Austria instead of taking trains because it offers a different experience. ?We also drove on the Autobahn in Germany. ?Just make sure you are insured! ?I am not so unfortunately my friend did all of the driving.
?Liberty Bridge, Budapest
Bavaria is gorgeous and I highly recommend visiting if you love nature.? There are so many outdoor activities you can do and the Bavarians really love to partake because seriously, I have never seen so many people outside in the snow.? Although Neuschwanstein Castle is beautiful, it seemed more like a touristy gimmick.? It was very gaudy inside, there is not a lot of history since it is so new, and the prince who was supposed to live in it died before it was completed so no royalty has lived there (or at least for very long).? I thought for the ?11 student ticket, it was a little disappointing.? If anything, walk up the hill to the castle and view?it from the outside.? The walk has great scenic views.? The neighboring town, Fussen, is definitely worthwhile.? It is supposed to be a fun summer location because there is a lake you can swim in and plenty of resort-style accommodations.
?Driving to Fussen
?Neuschwanstein Castle
?Fussen
On our road trip, we also drove to Salzburg and Hallstatt.? Salzburg is gorgeous as always.? I have been there before and it never gets old.? A lot of people go to Schloss Hellbrunn for the famous gazebo where Sound of Music was filmed. ?Little do they know, Austria?s coolest playground is in the same park and it has a zipline! ?Definitely check that out. ?Halstatt is by far my favorite place I have been in Austria.? It is a small town on Halstatter See (a lake) with amazing views and a quaint, Austrian charm.? It is very tranquil and quiet, and there are not too many tourists.? We went in off-season though so I cannot speak for spring or summer.? It is almost too perfect, complete with swans swimming in the background. ?The swans are very friendly by the way; if you talk to them, they will walk right up to you!? I do not know how you would get there without a car or a tourism bus.? There could be a train station nearby.
?Salzburg
? Hallstatt
?Hallstatt
That?s pretty much all I have been up to this month.? We are going to Rome this weekend and ending the month in Crete for our Spring Break.