Arrived Safely in Austria via seat 1C on Austrian Air

[Note: no pictures yet until I can get them uploaded - it's different here]

I am safely in Austria.  I had no trouble getting to Toronto, but once in Toronto, there was a problem with my boarding pass.  After patiently waiting I finally received my boarding pass.  I asked for an aisle seat and the flight member said, "you won't be disappointed."  With that I boarded the plane.  As I boarded the plane, I noticed that all of the women attendants wear all red and a blue scarf (including red tights and red shoes).  When I sat down, I said to the gentleman next to me, "these are really roomy flights."  And to that he said, "this is first class."  I couldn't believe it.  I received a four course meal, a hot towel, a massage chair, a comfort care kit, and was able to lay completely flat and sleep 5 hours on the 8 hour and 25 minute flight to Vienna.  What a blessing.  I even received a good breakfast. 

In Vienna, passport control let me through even though I didn't have a boarding pass.  Once in Sazburg, I took the bus to the train station.  The bus dropped me off, but I had no idea where to go since all of the signs were in German.  I headed down a flight of stairs, but there was absolutely no one there and the information desk was dark.  I only slightly panicked knowing I only had a 25 minute window until the train left.  I found a sign saying that Graz (direction of Schladming) was on platform 5.  I asked one young man how to get there and he pointed back upstairs and said,"upstairs and straight."  So I did that but no obvious signs.  I asked another person and they directed me.  When I arrvied at platform 5, the sign did not say Graz.  Asking another person, they assured me that it would appear shortly after the last train departed.  Whew.  I did get on the train safely and met a few other students going to Tauernhof.  People have been generally very helpful here.

By train, the view was spectacular.  It's like out of a movie.  Rolling green hills, little cottages, cows in green pastures, and a castle.  We arrived at Schladming a hour and a half later and met a few more students headed to Tauernhof.  After a 20 minute walk through downtown, we found the school thanks to a kind guide and a German speaking student in our group.  And downtown is simply charming.  Like a picture out of Holland.

After being greeted by a few of the staff, we toured the main building and the other rooms.  I'm in the main building with the dining facilities.  I'm in room 1. And I only have one roommate (there can be up to 6 in a room).  Danny is from Germany and speaks very good English.  She is in her late 20's, married, and is studying to be a teacher. I practiced my German on her and she is helping me.  So, maybe I will know German after all. 

I'm headed off to dinner, and very thankful for a safe journey.  Tomorrow class starts.