Austria

You know you’re in Austria and not in Australia when… there’s a pause in the mowing noise

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garden austria mowing

Summer is for mowing. Especially in Austria where you generally have to mow every week to keep things under control. Like anywhere, people are apt to start mowing early, especially when it’s hot. But come 12 noon, and what you’ll hear in Austria is… nothing. That’s because it’s considered impolite to mow your lawn between 12 and 2… disturbing the peace and quiet of lunch time. In the same way that Sunday is a day of rest, and the shops are closed, there are still lots of shops that close here between 12 and 2 during the week. Oh, and you better not even think about getting your mower out on a Sunday… that’s definitely forbidden!

But hey, it’s nice to know, that for your Sunday BBQ, your serenity won’t be disturbed. So I’m all for it!

Five Years in Austria – who would have thought?

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See the blanket of clouds… I live under them 😦

Five years ago today I arrived in Austria.

I remember the pre-winter sky being impossibly blue. Nine degrees and sunny was pretty good for that time of year.

I was there on an adventure – a quest of love – a gamble.

I had no idea what was to come.

I could not have imagined that five years later I would still be here.

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Saturday at 12

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siren firestation austriaThere’s something very exciting that happens at noon every Saturday in Austria – and if you’re lucky enough to be near a fire station at the time… well all the more excitement for you!

The first time it happened my first thought was that war had broken out. Because every Saturday at 12, the fire stations test their sirens.

But yesterday it got even more exhilarating – because the first Saturday in October is THE ANNUAL NATIONAL SIREN TEST!

Hold onto your hats people!

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So when are you going to get your EU passport?

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New Austrlian passport

Now that I’ve been living in Austria for over three years and married for w, I often have people asking me when I’m going to become a citizen.

The answer: Never.

It’s not that I don’t want to be. The red EU passport is something I’d love to have in my hot little hand.

But the thing is, I don’t want a red one, if I can’t keep my blue one.

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Moving out of an Austrian apartment – oh, and please take the kitchen with you!

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Welcome to the weird world of Austrian apartments. In Austria it’s common for an apartment to be rented out completely empty, as was the case with the one we recently moved out of. Now, I know what you’re thinking… you’re thinking: “of course you expect to move into an empty apartment.”

But I bet your concept of an empty apartment is not the same as here. In Australia, it means the place comes with a bathroom, toilet, kitchen, hell, maybe even a laundry sink if you’re really lucky!

The apartment that Thomas originally moved into was brand new and had only the following – toilet, shower/bath and very basic washbasin.

And. That. Is. All.

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Finding your footing

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austria aperol

I recently had a good friend come to stay for a week and half in our tiny little town. A word for the wise – that is too long for most in our tiny little town. Being autumn and getting colder, although the weather wasn’t terrible, there is still a limit to what we could do. On days where the sun takes until lunchtime to pierce the fog, it still feels dismal and cold and motivation is low.

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