Wow, it seems like a long time since I updated this!
So, last week I had the induction week in beautiful Graz with the rest of the Teaching Assistants. After two weeks of sightseeing partly on my own, it was such a blessing to be around people again! We were put into seminar groups according to where we were placed, which was useful as I've now created a really great support group of other people living in Vienna. I can also honestly say that I've made some friends for life too.
Sadly, I didn't take my camera to Graz and I'm instantly regretting it. However, when my fiancé comes to visit me, I'm thinking it will be a good excuse to go there again. It was really beautiful - much less hectic than Vienna, and less smoky.
The induction course was great and really reassuring. We had several workshops in which we practised lesson planning, classroom management, fillers and games and general teaching techniques. I felt so much more prepared than before and it was nice to see that everyone was pretty much in the same boat. I also got to sleep in a room which was in the turret of a castle, always exciting. All in all, much alcohol was consumed and many friends were made.
Back in Vienna now and I'm all moved into my new flat which I'm sharing with Sandrine (also from Durham Uni). We're currently putting up a couple of friends from the course, Tara and Phil, as they hadn't found anywhere yet and it's a good laugh. Getting up at 6am for your first day of work is a little less daunting when you're all in it together. I was especially nervous because I found out that one of my schools - my Stammschule- is one of the most prestigious private schools in Vienna. Erm...ok. Way to make me panic.
So. My first day. I got to the tube station, walked outside and realised after a good few seconds that my mouth was hanging open. The school (Theresianische Akademie Wien) is stunning, and huge. Inside were humongous oil paintings on the walls and grand staircases. Not really used to that... So I walked in and asked the porter to tell my Betreuungslehrer that I had arrived. The porter was pretty Austrian (rude) but as soon as I met my Betreuungslehrer everything went fine and I really enjoyed my day. They gave me my key to the staff room, pigeon hole, email login and address, contract, photocopier code (pretty impressed at the organisation) and then I got to meet all the English teachers. They then proceeded to have heated debates as to which of the 20 English teachers in the school were going to use me for the 7 hours a week that I will be working. Tense.
One of the best things about my day was meeting the head of music, Herr Wagner (I love that his name is Herr Wagner :-D). He was so genuinely happy that I wanted to get involved in the music department, and when he found out I play the violin he asked me if I would join the orchestra. I told him I didn't have a violin and he marched me to the music department, showed me around and then told me to take my pick of the violins and borrow it for the year. So I did :-) He also offered to help me find a singing teacher which was lovely of him because obviously there are looooads here and I just have no idea where to start!
Then I was dismissed for the day at lunchtime (score), proceeded to get lost in the quad before I found my way out, and spent the afternoon with some fellow TAs celebrating a good first day. Tomorrow I go to my second school, in which I will be working for 6 hours a week. I'm glad I'm working in two; I think it will be nice to have variety as the two schools are very different. I'm actually living next door to my Betreuungslehrerin of my second school which is amazing because she has a kitten (called Raffi - so cute!) and she said if I miss my cat I can go round and play with him. She also told me he likes to jump from her balcony to mine, which I am obviously fine with :-D
I'm really really glad I'm here. There were times last year when I had flashes of really not wanting to do a year abroad, being engaged and very happy in England. But I am so lucky and I realise that. I'm looking forward to a year (cheesy as this may sound) of grabbing every opportunity and saying yes to everything (within reason!).
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