Time in Austria

Yes there are some percs to traveling for work:) For instance- the view out of the front of your hostel! I was in the states for Christmas and new years and then came back to Brussels for about 12 hours before heading off to Austria to help out with a regional conference. We had to be at the airport at 5AM- not nice! then flew to Rome where we had a layover and then flew to Munich where a friend picked us up and we drove the last 2 hours to Mittersill, Austria. I felt like an American tourist for the 1st time in a long time(being in 4 countries in a day!).

I was doing childcare while the region had their meetings. At night we got to hang out with friends and play games like nerts and I even learned some crazy game called the settlers of catane or something. We did have one free day while we were there and so most of us went to the ski slopes- not to skit but to sled down a 14km run! it was awesome. We took the ski lift to the top of the mountain and here's the view!

Then we got on our sleds and tried to get down without killing ourselves. We had a bit of a rough start- several accidents amongst the group-including skiiers being taken out, sleds running off without sledders, and sleds running into innocent Austrian children! But after we got the hang of it we had a blast. it took about an hour to get down the run! It is so fun a bunch of us went back up and did it again after lunch. Here are Ashley and I at the top. Ashley lost her sled the 1st time and had to ride on my sled for a bit- that's when we ran into the poor Austrian/German child who apparently proceeded to curse us out in German-go us:)

all in all a fun trip. Now i am back and settling into Brussels for a another semester at warp speed.