Nothing makes you feel sorry for yourself, or makes you miss home more than being sick. This is my current predicament. For the third time in only a month and a half I have been plowed down by yet another illness. This time, constant coughing fits leave me gasping for air, unable to breathe for a few seconds following, and without a voice for the past day and a half. I think I’ve slept an average of 18-20 hours a day for the past 3 days, now only waking up when said coughing fits take over. It’s been a real joy.

On the positive side of life events, my sister, niece and parents are officially booked to come over for a visit at the end of April! I think it will be the first time we have done something as a family in several years – probably not since Amanda and I were kids. Not that I can remember anyway. And before my mother makes a comment, to clarify I mean trip wise… And as the original four… Since Elizabeth can’t walk or talk yet, I won’t count her as affecting the original four. It shall be nice to be our little family again.

Anyway, this post has required me to stay in a sitting position for longer than I like, so it’s back to bed I go!

Interns Gone Wild

So, is it that obvious where we work?



Hanging out in the rotunda - a flag for every country... Can you spot Canada?



I can!!

Free Rider…

I am a good kid – I don’t usually live on the dangerous side, and anyone that knows me will know that I tend to play by the rules. Well, that was all true until this morning. After a disappointing weekend, which I won’t go into detail about now, team international had to make its way across the city for our 9am lecture. What is normally an unadventurous and easy task turned out to be quite the opposite. We made it a few stops on the U-Bahn when it occurred to me that I had forgotten my wallet at my apartment – meaning I had also forgot my transit pass. I figured I was ok for class since I never get stopped. But of course, no sooner had I realized this then I was coming up the escalator to switch lines, and there, right in front of us, we spot the transit police decked out in their florescent yellow vests at the gate checking everyone’s passes. Jordan and I saw them and turned right around – going back down the escalator, back on the train for another stop where we could get off and buy a ticket. You also have to be tricky with these guys since someone of them are easily identifiable, and thus easy to avoid, but there are also others that go undercover and can creep up to you completely un-noticed. This was our concern as we made our near narrow escape – we knew an undercover could be anywhere just waiting for us at this point… I was pretty worried since I figured because I had no id on me I would be arrested for sure, and the Canadian Embassy probably wouldn’t be open that early… I wasn’t in any sort of mood this morning for an International crisis. But alas we did make it to the next station and were able to fulfil our ticket buying operation. So, now, with our tickets in had we jumped back on the train and headed back to the station in question so we could transfer to the line to get to our class. With all the drama we encountered, we actually made it to class only a surprisingly 30 minutes late! What we found amusing was our Prof was talking about the concept of a free rider soon after we arrived… Definition: see Jordan and I – or we at least made a solid attempt to be!

By the way, yellow is now my least favourite colour!

Of all the days I could have forgotten my pass, I of course have to forget in on the one day they actually check them! We’ll see how soon I make that mistake again!

My current life story...

I have been asked a lot lately, understandably so, about my internship. I am half way through my second week now, and it’s still so far so good. I’m afraid I cannot go too much into detail since I have no idea what I can and cannot discuss, so I will err on the side of caution!

A typical day for me here starts with a line up to get through security just before 9 am. My morning tasks include the press clippings, which just means I pull all the articles that have to do with the department or our projects, read them, and put them into one document for our Executive Director. I have to hand deliver this document to his office, which usually means I get accompanied by a guy in the blue UN-Police uniform (complete with intimidating gun strapped to his leg) to the big guy’s office. They take security pretty seriously around here – even having a badge/pass, like I do, doesn’t always cut it! Following lunch and my favourite Viennese cultural activity (coffee), my afternoons are spent doing anything from interview transcripts to editing press releases, or writing talking points.

The office culture is pretty fun. I like how just outside the compound everyone is speaking German, but as soon as they pass through the gate it immediately switches to English! My team is pretty diverse, as is the whole headquarters – makes sense since we represent 192 countries. In my team alone we have a Syrian, Norwegian, Irish, Paraguayan and me – the Canadian! I have met quite a few other interns and they have all been extremely nice so far! Two girls I was working in an office at the very start with are twins from Austria. We’re the same age and they were a big help getting me all set-up here.

All in all I think it’s a pretty cool place to work and I can only hope that my time here will spawn some sort of offer so I can stay forever. A girl can dream.

Melinda's revelations...

Since arriving in Vienna I have been told on numerous occasions that I am very brave for moving to a foreign county, especially one that does not speak my language. How do you do it? How can you cope? Well my friends, that’s a very good question. Some days I have to ask myself that very question. I don’t think it necessarily takes a certain ‘type’ of person to be able to live abroad. Anyone can do it, you just have to want it bad enough. For me, there have certainly been a number of bad days, days where I wish for nothing more than to be in my English speaking homeland, curled up somewhere watching Grey’s Anatomy with my cats.

However, I just keep reminding myself about the fabulous opportunity I have in being here and just how lucky I really am. Sure, the language may be an issue, and I may still get lost in the maze of streets from time to time, but in the end, every single hardship will be nothing compared to the overall experience I will gain from being here. I honestly think that anyone should embrace any opportunity to live abroad. In the last two months I know I have learned far more than I ever could in a classroom at home.

And as for my internship, sure the 9-5 thing on top of a full-time course load may be a bit overwhelming now, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. This has been such a fantastic opportunity for me, that I just have to embrace it for all that it is worth! As cheesy as it may be, I really believe that you will only get back what you put into life. For that reason I will continue to be the crazy kid that I am, and I will continue to search out every random opportunity I can. Something’s in life are just worth the struggle.

Elizabeth's Celebrity Look-alikes

My cool celebrity look-alike collage from MyHeritage.com. Get one for yourself.



I just thought this was too funny, and so had to share... I'm kinda jealous that my 20 week old niece already looks like Audrey Hepburn... lucky kid!

Geneva

Dearest Canada...

Dear Canada,

Let me begin by saying that I really do miss you. Time and time again over the past 2 months I have come to your defence on subjects ranging from poutine, to having a beaver as a national symbol, and to what the Europeans say is our lack of an individual culture. And, you really have a good thing going for yourself with your strict no smoking laws - you can only miss something when it's gone.

You really are a great country and I'll always love you for it. I'm extremely proud when anything remotely Canadian is mentioned/seen - including, and not limited to Canadian maple syrup at the market. But alas my dear country, we have been apart for two months now and I am starting to feel us drift apart. You see, I've been seeing these other countries like Austria, Hungary and Switzerland, and their amazing culture, history and scenary leaves me feeling like there's so much more out there for me.

It's not you - it's me. In two months a lot can change - circumstances change, countries change, people change - I've changed. I'm not saying that I never want to see you again - that's not it at all. You were my first one true love and I will always be extremely proud to call you my home.

I hope you can forgive me Canada, and please don't cry for me - we'll meet again someday soon. I want you to know that there will always be a special place in my heart for you. You really are one of a kind - the true north strong and free. Take care of yourself.

Until we meet again.

Love always,

Melinda

Geneva

I leave for Geneva this afternoon. I have to go write an exam at the Canadian mission to the UN as part of the application process for the foreign service.

I never thought it would come to this, but I am so excited to be going to a French speaking city - at last I will be able to actually communicate with anyone on some sort of level. My new gesture skills can rest for the weekend. It's also kinda funny that this will be the first time in a month that I have done anything by myself. All the international kids do things as groups here, so I haven't had to fend for myself in ages... Hopefully I can still cope. If no one hears from me by Monday morning though, call the Swiss Guard (or whatever they're called)!

As for the exam, wish me luck - I will need every ounce of it possible...