This will be my last blog before going to England for Semesterferien; it doesn’t seem like 5 minutes since I got back for Christmas and the last month has flown by! It’s been a pretty difficult month though: I’d say the hardest so far. I’ve been up and down and all over the place emotionally with homesickness and conflicting emotions of where I want to be…but I guess it’s all character building and what doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger!
Last time I left off with being excited about a consultation lesson with a singing teacher at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. Well, it went really well! I’m now having lessons with her regularly and really enjoying it. She challenges me a lot and really is doing wonders for my voice so I’m really happy about the whole thing!
That day was also Jon’s Birthday night out which was a lot of fun – I met even more new people and generally had a great time I was just sad to have to leave earlyish because that weekend I had a Probenwochenende (2 full days of singing…) with Chorus Sine Nomine.
The Probenwochenende was fun but so tiring. I was definitely much more awake on Sunday than I was on the Saturday!!! It was nice to have the chance to talk to and get to know some other members of the choir and practise my terrible German. Food was provided in the breaks and I have to say this is what I am finding hardest about my year abroad…I love British food so much that I’m so sorry to have not appreciated it more L At this rehearsal, people were spreading mashed potato onto their bread and it was just komisch. But, as they say – ‘say yes to everything’…so I tried it. Not great. Not happening again. Aside from the food being terrible, the music was great! We started the Bruckner motets which I absolutely love, as well as some Poulenc pieces which will be interesting as 1. I can’t sing in French, as I never learnt it at school and 2. Germans singing in French sound so odd. But I’m sure it will be a valuable experience. We also continued with the Schubert Mass in A Flat, which I’m really enjoying!
The Tuesday after, we had a routine choir rehearsal for the Mozart in C Minor programme…only the usual conductor (the one from Südtirol who speaks an entirely different language altogether) wasn’t there. Someone else was conducting…and it was just amazing. I UNDERSTOOD EVERY WORD. Usually I come away from every Chorus Sine Nomine rehearsal feeling utterly useless and like I should just drop out of University and give up. But now I am reassured. It’s not me being stupid after all. It really is a different language. Sadly though, now I feel as though I have been lulled into a false sense of security, and it will be a nasty shock to have to once again sit, smiling and nodding my way through rehearsals in which I have given up on life itself.
Last night was Hal’s birthday dinner which was a fun but sad occasion because I won’t be seeing him again now, as he’s leaving for Paris!!! Got to say though, it’s a very good excuse to go there and I’m already making plans…
Phil and I went to a Schlüsseldienst today to get him a key cut. He is also going back to England around the same time as me, but not staying as long, so he needs a key to get into my flat when he’s back. It’s pretty funny because he’s moving out in 6 days and we only just got around to it…things probably would’ve been a lot easier if we’d done it earlier! But not as fun J
It’s been a really good term for teaching and I’ve had a few really memorable lessons this month. For starters, I got to go into a 2nd form (10 – 11 year-olds) which was the best teaching experience I’ve had on my year abroad so far. The kids were just so cute and enthusiastic and actually taking part. It’s so sad that in a couple of years they won’t care anymore. One of them drew me a picture and at the end I sang for them and they said they’d miss me *sniff*
My favourite class of all time is the 6th form I have on a Wednesday morning. Last week they had to do presentations and it was my job to make notes and correct anything they got wrong, but I literally had nothing to write down and felt useless! They aren’t even in their Matura (A level) years yet and are speaking so fluently it makes me want to cry. The teacher of that class told me she’s so scared about what on earth she’s going to teach them after this year!
Really, really, really looking forward to Genesis Sixteen (this weekend!!!) so much more than you could imagine. I was learning some of the music a couple of days ago though, and to my horror I found myself singing it all in German Latin. That might be a bit of a problem…and very ironic since I was looking forward to singing with English people and pronouncing everything properly…Anyway. It’s going to be awesome J I’m looking forward to seeing my sister, who will be coming to the informal concert at the end of the course. After that, I am travelling up to Durham and cannot wait to sing evensong with my college choir!!! It’ll also be great to catch up with my friends there. Next stop will be Huddersfield to visit and stay with my friend Phil…and then I’ll be going back to London to stay with Tim for a few days before I travel back to Vienna.
In my last blog I (dangerously) said I was going to start my year abroad task. Well, I’ve printed off the criteria and emailed my year abroad tutor, who has suggested I email her an outline and a plan in the next couple of weeks (I think that couple of weeks is nearly over now…). I’m probably going to choose the topic ‘Changing Places’ which is basically all about culture shock and the differences between here and home. I do feel like a lot of people will choose the topic as it’s easy and it applies to everyone, but I’m going to try and make it my own. I really don’t know if I can remember how to write essays/do academic work but I will try…
And now it’s time for me to take my leave and pack my things for 10 days in England!!!
Bis Bald xxx
