Apotheke

The internet has been out for almost three days and I feel like so much has happened in that time.  We have lecture, sports, meals together and even attended lectues at night.  There is a lot packed into the schedule, but it feels well-rounded and there is time to study and just spend time in reflection.  As for the past few days, I've had a few new experiences.

On Sunday, I spent the day resting. Partly because everything is closed on Sundays in Austria (Dani, my roommate says that foreigners practically starve becase they don't know this) and partly because I started to get a bit of a cold. While a day of rest helped, I decided to get something for it. I talked to Katherine in the kitchen, a young German woman, and said that I wanted to get some medicine for my symptoms and explained them. She understood what I needed and asked me, "do you want to go to the Apotheke?" "Yes," I replied very proud of myself for knowing that this was a pharmacy. I learned this word and other common high-German phrases by listening to tapes for about a month before I left. I checked them out of the library and looked past the fact that they were cassette tapes. So, when I arrived in Schladming on the first day of class, I practiced on Kerstin (from Germany). "Guten tag Fraline," I said. My roommate was nearby and they laughed and said,  "Fraline? No one uses Fraline anymore." Ah, the tapes were a bit more ancient than I thought. But when I need to make them laugh, I call Kerstin, "Fraline." And she laughs.

So, after I explained that I needed some sinus medication, the girl in the kitchen said, "ask for Kiefer/Stirmhohlenentzundung." Um, could you write that down for me, bitte (please)? So I headed to the Apotheke, checking at the corner store on the way, but quickly realized that they only sell medication at the Apotheke. At the Apotheke, I asked for the medication, and the young pharmacist gave me tablets and said, "take 3 to 6 a day, these are very good." When I showed my roomate Dani the box, she said that she had taken them before and that they were good. I confirmed that I heard the dosage correctly and she said it is no problem to take a lot because they are plant-based, not medicine. I was even happier about this.

We've had three days of class with a new teacher, Rob Whittaker from the Capenwray Torchbearer school in England. He's teaching on 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy and is starting off by explaining the history and context so that we understand when, where, and why the letter was written to Timothy.   These instructors are so interesting.  They teach, the're fit, well-travelled, and can relate to all ages.  In fact, we went on a hike with Rob this afternoon.  And he and Hans Peter Royer, the teacher last week, who is also the director of Tauernhof, went paragliding yesterday.  Being here does certainly make you more adventerous. I may wait a bit to go paragliding. : )