This week marks one year since I arrived in the schnitzel and schnapps land I now call home. Austria. While moving abroad isn’t always easy, it is always interesting. Here are a few things that continue to snag my brain about living here.

Weather

Austria has seasons, something I haven’t seen for awhile. Leaves change, snow falls and the sun burns you up….sometimes all in one day. I have learnt to always carry a jacket, scarf and where possible an umbrella, when heading out the door.

Language

While I am far from fluent, German no longer sounds like the harsh language I heard when I arrived. I can now distinguish Austrian from German – there is a difference – and understand the importance of the ending of a word. There is no arvo, servo or Davo here!

Wine festivals are the best

I often get told that I am ‘always at a wine festival’. Yes! Why not! The wine here is amazing, cheap and it keeps you warm when the temperature drops. Plus, our town is super pretty and nothing beats sitting in the garden of a winery in summer before walking home.

Vienna is old school

…and they like it that way. The Viennese cling to their tradition and history in a way that is charming and gives the tourists something to talk about. You can still sit and smoke for hours in a booth of an old coffee house – no smoking laws here – or visit almost any town outside Vienna and find people in traditional dress going about day-to-day life. Not to mention the horse and carriages that can be found beside you at the traffic lights.

And finally…the nakedness.

While I applaud Austria (and Europe) for being open and accepting of their bodies while the rest of us hide them away, I am not quite ready to venture naked into a sauna. When IF I do, I will be sure to let you know about it.