It's over!!

The election is over and now we can go back to our regular lives. One thing that is nice about being in Europe: no campaign ads! I personally spent election day totally ignoring the computer. I had spent Monday absolutely glued to the stupid thing and I decided that I needed a life and not a computer screen. So I set about on Tuesday to better myself and take some steps towards accomplishing things that I had intended to do when I came here.

I KNOW that I have mentioned the bureaucracy that seems to pervade every nook and cranny here. I have tried several times to "register" with the Magistrat. When you come to Austria, you have to register your presence and address with the local authorities. When you leave, you have to "unregister" or fill out another form and go to yet another office that's only open on Mondays and Thursdays....unless it's Saint Swithin's Day, in which case they are closed for a month.

I decided to start by getting my student ID card validated. I went to the appropriate office only to find that they are closed this week. No explanation. Maybe St. Swithin's Day is early this year? Next to the notice that the office was closed was another notice that a new section of beginning German was being offered because of high demand. WooT! I hurried upstairs to the correct office (which was only open for another 7 minutes) only to find that the class was already full. I said "Maybe if I go to the class and beg to be let in?" The secretary said "You can try." So off I went and sure enough, half the people that signed up for the class didn't show up (this I've found is somewhat typical) and I got a seat. The best part is.... it's FREE!!!!

Buoyed by the success with the German class, I went to the information window and asked if I could borrow a viola. I left mine at home assuming that since I was studying at the Mozarteum, I would be able to rent or borrow one. After making several phone calls, filling out many forms, going to a couple of different buildings and paying a nominal fee for insurance, I am the proud caretaker of an extremely nice viola that reminds me of my axe at home! Now I can play chamber music with my two classmates who are violinists and one of my professors who is a cellist. Additionally, I can play in the all comers non-auditioned orchestra for fun.

I was on a roll. Feeling extremely exuberant, I went over to the Magistrat to register. I managed to fill out the form correctly in German without help. Wow! Talk about empowered. I pulled out my passport and waited in line (of COURSE!) for the next available clerk. I smugly handed over my form and passport only to be told that I needed YET ANOTHER FORM!!!!! I didn't get mad. Having experienced so much success in other arenas prior to this one, I simply smiled and said "I'll be back".... to borrow a phrase from one of Austria's most famous ex-pats. I may go back tomorrow. Who knows?

I did do SOME surfing on the internet on Election Day. I found an article on CNN about Democrats Abroad (apologies to my Republican fan base) and after some surfing around discovered that there was a group here in Salzburg. Furthermore, they were having a pizza party to celebrate. All I had to do was RSVP.

The party was held at The English Center which turned out to be a coffee shop / book store owned by an American. The pizza was great and I am not usually a pizza fan. I met a composer, a painter and a nice man from Ohio who plays the French horn in a local orchestra. He told me which one but I forgot. I was chatting with the woman who owned the place and told her that I used to own a coffee shop and if she needed any help let me know because I was really experienced. She looked at me for a minute and said "As a matter of fact, I just placed an ad in the paper. I need someone for about 15 hours a week." The hours she needed covered fit exactly into my class schedule. I have a proper interview on Friday. Keep your fingers crossed! I don't even need to speak German! And I can teach some music classes to children whose parents want them to learn English. I'm really hoping it works out....

Now, here's a quiz question for all you Orff nerds out there. And I KNOW you're out there. St. Swithin's Day is a real day, I didn't make it up. Plus it is mentioned in Music for Children. Find it and I'll send you some Mozart balls. Maybe. First I need to land that job.....