Fun in the sun

What? I had to title this post something. I am refering to the unseasonable (according to actual Austrians) weather we are having which led to 27 degree temperatures and bright sunshine today. I am not complaining.

I realise I left my dedicated readership in a terrible state of suspense the other day, so I must hasten to recount the further adventures of 'me trying to actually get a question answered by a petrologist.'

Let me tell you, it was not easy. Upon my return at 12 the next day, I was forced to wait 40 minutes before my coordinator reappeared. Luckily he was able to answer my question in about 5 minutes. Which of course he could have done yesterday. Ho hum, I am healthier for the walk (45 minutes now I know the way and if I want to work up a sweat). My mistake appears to have been thinking that there were rules. There are no rules! As long as I end up with my required number of credits (by attending and passing exams) nobody gives a damn what lectures I am going to, or even in what department for that matter. I had a paranoid feeling of being questioned about my presence at every turn, this is apparently not what will happen.

This is all very liberating, and though I'm not about to attend icelandic history modules or whatever it will make next semester's choices hugely easier. Plus it means I can follow my clever (and doubtless unoriginal) plan of turning up 2 out of 3 times a week to the equivalent of the 'geology 101' lecture. Now, of course I learnt all of it 2 years ago. But this is a huge advantage as I can refocus any effort that would otherwise be used up in trying to write notes, understand concepts or keep from sleep to make lists of vocabulary, most of which I can figure out from the context. I covered 2 A4 sides in german geo-vocab this morning. Otherwise the lecture would have been as boring as 1st year intro lectures always used to be, despite the novely of being in a room with at least 60 people.

Later on I went climbing with Ruth and 2 of her friends. Pluses: sunny sun, 30m+ climbing wall on the side of a giant concrete flak tower with an aquarium inside. Also, speaking the Deutsch for quite a while. Minuses: It appears if you don't do any serious climbing for like 8 months you get RUBBISH, plus I never had any endurance anyway as all I ever did was boulder. Soon though, climbing wall. Soon. Even if you do close for winter in 2 weeks.

Sprechening of ze Deutsch, I am actually encouraged to find that I might be improving. Or at least returning to a good level. People always compliment me on my language, but it is hard to tell if they are just doing that cos I am english and speaking a foreign language (seriously! we may stereotype the germans but our stereotype is that we are lazy buggers who can't ever speak anything but english. I am glad to be knocking it a bit).

I can now hold a shaky one to one conversation about uninteresting everyday stuff with a German (or Austrian taking pity on me and speaking nicely). In groups of people I can basically get what everyone is saying and if I have had enough alcohol, maybe make 1 witty comment per conversation. If the people in question are Austrian however, and especially my buddy and her friends, I cannot get much. Ruth comes from somewhere called Vorarlberg, the really mountainous bit right on the border with switzerland. So their dialect is by their own admission completely unintelligible. Damn hill folk :-)

Tomorrow, real lectures! And polish vodka. NOT at the same time.