As I’ve said before, I’m not a huge fan of sharing my fiction. Still, every now and again I let one out of the cage. So, here’s a story that was chosen for inclusion in one of Stringybark Stories’ books a few years back. Enjoy!
(You can visit http://www.stringybarkstories.net for more info on Stringybark Stories).
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I’m guessing that most people who are used to warmer climates would assume that Austrian winter is brutal. And it is in many ways. I mean, not Iceland brutal, but still brutal.
I’m not going to lie. I hate winter here. I hate it with a passion. I’ve written many blog posts on that very topic. Like this one. And this one.
But in many ways, growing up in Melbourne winter was also not fun. Because yes, it’s cold. And when I say that to people here… well… they do not believe me at all. In fact, they think I am being ridiculous. They scoff at me, as if to say… what would you know? They ask, well, what is a cold winter’s day. And I say… well I guess we’re looking at 10 or 12 (and I’m cringing internally as I say it because I know what’s coming). And then there’s more scoffing. More ridiculing. Because in Austria they would dream of such glorious winter temperatures.
But the cold hits different in Melbourne compared to Austria. And here’s why:
The wind
The ice-cold arctic wind. Actually direct from Antarctica. Sure, temps might be up to ten during the day, but the wind chill can be soul destroying (once again, not Iceland soul destroying).
We don’t dress for it
In Melbourne I had a coat or two. And I’d rarely get them out. Because… why? Unless you’re going skiing or have to commute on public transport you’re not going out in the weather for too long. And you’ll grin and bear it if you do! I never had winter-specific exercise clothes. I never had more than one wardrobe. Whereas in Austria, I have at least 10 different coats of varying lengths and thicknesses and a stash of beanies and mittens I use on a regular basis. I have exercise clothes fit for winter, and so essentially I have an entire extra wardrobe of clothes to call upon when it’s cold. So sure, it is definitely colder in Austria, but if you dress for it, it doesn’t feel so bad.
Melbourne houses are not built for Winter
As I sit in my Austrian house with its thick, concrete walls, I think fondly of those quaint wooden houses in Melbourne, where the temperature inside is basically the same as it is outside. Insulation was minimal. Heating was not a guarantee. Sure, things have improved somewhat since I was growing up, but I remember wearing a beanie to bed. I remember breathing smoke out of my mouth in bed. I remember sneaking the little electric heater into my bedroom and getting in trouble cause… fire hazard. We, and many others I remember, had a single gas heater in the living room of the house – that room was barricaded shut, and the rest of the house was an igloo. Hence… wearing a beanie to bed on occasion.
Meanwhile in Austria…
I’m regularly wearing t-shirts inside during winter. Why? Cause the heating is turned up so high it’s barely necessary to wear a jumper. Of course, you have to wear a thick jacket over your clothes to get from the car to the shopping centre, but once you’re there you can simply put your coat in a locker, and go about your day as if it’s not -2 outside!
So while I do understand that it is colder in Austria, and I understand that houses here definitely do need to be heated, I just want to say that I’ve never sat on a toilet seat as cold as some of the ones in deep Melbourne winter. And I’ll stand by that!
Even at a point where I understand German fairly well, and can keep up (for the most part) in conversation, it still manages to catch me out.
This has happened multiple times… I’ll be sitting, for example, with a group of people at a friend’s place, in a conversation that’s been going on a while, predominantly in German. Perhaps my brain is full of German and I’ve started to tune out. Perhaps it’s late and I’m tired…
And suddenly everyone stands up.
And I’m left sitting, looking from right to left. Wondering… what on earth is happening?
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When I was studying professional writing back in my younger days, I enrolled in an incredibly fun subject called ‘Children’s Writing’. Naturally, one of the major assignments was to produce a children’s book. As in… write one and put it in a book format, including illustrations… just like I used to do when I was 8 writing my Lucky Series.
Now, you think that writing a kid’s book is simple. And it kind of is… but it’s also kind of not. I remember spending a lot of time thinking… and not coming up with much.
And then one day I was on a bus trip from Melbourne to Sydney for band camp, and in the space of 10 minutes, I scrawled the story of Henry has Hiccups out on a piece of paper.
That became my assignment.
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When I was in Australia this year, I went to the swimming pool on a Saturday morning to do my laps. “There won’t be much space,” my friend informed me, at which I scoffed. Sure, for the hour or so after opening it can be pretty crowded, but then it’s pretty much clear sailing… or clear swimming as it were.
But she was right. The pool was PACKED. I struggled to park.
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No, I think I got that wrong. Cause it’s Australia where we always worry about water… and hot weather… and bushfire potential.
But I have seen multiple warnings recently from communities in Austria, urging people to use less water because they are running out. Our local fire brigade issued an alert on smoking and fires in forested areas, again due to the drought and fire potential.
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In this blog I want to take you back some years. I’m going to take a stab and say we’re talking somewhere between 1987 and 1990. Back then life was pretty sweet for little Debbie. Between playing with friends, dancing, school and reading books, things were A-OK. That’s about the time I started dabbling in writing my own… books, I mean.
And what would become my most famous series (also the only one)? The Lucky Series. It all began with Lucky’s Adventure. What’s it about? Well, I’m glad you asked. It’s about a dog – a beagle-cum-labrador type – who goes on an adventure and is rewarded with… the classic kid’s wish… never-ending wishes.
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Despite not wanting to do weird hipster things like ordering Babycino for my kid… it had to happen at some point. Froth off coffee is fine, except the child does not need a caffeine hit. So eventually Sammy started requesting Milkschaum (which translates to milk foam).
I am aware of the concept of Babycinos from Australia. I am aware they cost money. So, the first time I went out with Sammy and bought him a babycino, I was interested to see what they charge in Austria.
It didn’t cost $1. It certainly didn’t cost $4 (as it has been reported in Australia). It cost nothing. Even though we didn’t order coffee (though we did order spritzers so it counts for something).
So enjoy your Babycinos, Sammy. Just not when we go back to Oz. lol.
What I might at home refer to as a ‘standard white bread roll’ is called a Semmel in Austria. There are different types/shapes depending on what state you live in. In our state, a Semmel is a round, thin roll, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. It’s what you put ham and cheese or marmalade on for breakfast, it’s what the Leberkäse sits between in a Leberkäse Semmel, and it’s what you get to eat alongside your Wurst. It’s really standard, everyday fare – much like the humble white bread roll.
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I’ve already summed up my top ten tips for making a long-haul flight half bearable. But here’s some more tips to encourage the time to fly… just like you are.
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an aussie in austria 