tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88942159419508553592011-11-14T21:55:31.841+01:00Keep track of a college grad from the Midwest during his adventures as an English language assistant in Austria.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.comBlogger291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-19778324263280930662011-11-14T21:55:00.000+01:002011-11-14T21:55:31.851+01:00

Dear All, I've closed any further posting to my Austrian blog.  Instead, you'll be pleased to know about my new blog I recently installed.  It details my current life as a graduate student in Berlin: http://brown-in-berlin.blogspot.com/ Thanks for all your reading! -SB

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-68391776679710106602011-07-04T17:44:00.000+02:002011-07-04T17:44:37.925+02:00

Eine Verwöhnung für die Klassikgenießer! For those that yearn for the memorable, intimate concert experience, I've discovered quite the treat! The "Stiftskonzerte," a concert series organized by ORF in Upper Austria to feature the province's most treasured abbeys and cloisters, opened its season last month.  Last weekend, I had the pleasure of getting in one of the series' concerts at the

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-3287197214332531532011-06-22T10:12:00.000+02:002011-06-22T10:12:25.217+02:00

I've recently returned from a long trip through various regions in Austria.Once I get settled, I'll be able to tell you more about the trip.  In the meantime, enjoy the photos! https://picasaweb.google.com/spbrown2009/My25thTripsToSalzburglandStyriaViennaAndBurgenland?authkey=Gv1sRgCPnz0LfvhNj0OA&feat=directlink -Stephen

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-14024440777090652542011-06-10T23:21:00.000+02:002011-06-10T23:21:43.324+02:00

At 6:30am last Thursday, June 2nd, I boarded a tram with a group of twenty students from the local Catholic youth ministry in Linz.  We were headed for the city train station, where would travel with a regional train headed for the towns of Selzthal, and then eventually Trieben, a small town in northern Styria.  From there, our group left the station, crossed the small main street, and then

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-17181756277146041752011-05-05T11:57:00.000+02:002011-05-05T11:57:54.240+02:00

Despite having only had a wink of sleep on the final night of my seminar, I still admit to having an outstanding time.  Fulbright held a seminar last week in Altenmarkt (photo on right) on American studies, which they advertised as being a chance for American and Austrian grantees and Fulbright professors at Austrian universities to meet together and exchange their experiences.  I had the

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-88001234270792146002011-04-13T12:26:00.000+02:002011-04-13T12:26:44.254+02:00

Six o'clock in the morning, I jumped out of bed, awoken by my cell phone alarm, which I'd set the previous night.  After my routine stretches, calisthenics, and now even wake-up yoga, I dressed, limited myself to a small breakfast, and then left my flat.  I entered onto the nearby street, which was bizarrely cleared of any traffic or people.  Taking advantage of this, I shifted to walking on line

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-64231015757953182492011-04-08T15:55:00.002+02:002011-04-08T16:00:48.187+02:00

We are nearing mid-April, and to keep my mind off someone's pending decision from Berlin - whether or not I'm to be granted a spot in a Master's program - I have a strong desire to explore a hilly, rural area in Lower Austria known as the "Mostviertel." "Most" is German for cider, but not the apple cider you give to children.  This is hard cider, similar to what you'd find in rural areas of PA

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-24162114870755237462011-04-01T22:44:00.001+02:002011-04-01T22:49:12.967+02:00

Some people give up fast food or alcohol for Lent, I pick up running. As Spring approaches, it's become bearable to once again actually enjoy running.  I had been sequestered to layering on my jogging pants, zipping up and double buttoning my ski jacket, and then topping my head and very prone ears with a runner's hat (yes, they make those).  Add to that my gloves, which help keep those digitals

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-73709572552257548122011-03-28T23:06:00.000+02:002011-03-28T23:06:04.755+02:00

Winter in Linz is thawing away, and cherry trees all around are sprouting buds already. Mornings are brighter and the birds are chirping again!  Spring is slowly arriving in Linz, and I have high expectations for what this season has in store. Flowers are sprouting up along the Danube river, which flows near my neighbourhood.  Dark blue “Leberblümchen” and bright red “Hänsel und Gretel” add a

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-38123524726181477462010-12-17T11:37:00.000+01:002010-12-17T11:37:33.677+01:00

Having lived in Linz these past six months, taking classes and sitting in on lectures at the technical university, I was recently enlightened with how this area's economy, infrastructure, and even political system collaborate so well. Earlier this month I sat in on a seminar at the Johannes Kepler University.  The seminar was part of a larger round of lectures, referred to as the "Gründercafe"

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-77295616378379255572010-11-22T16:40:00.000+01:002010-11-22T16:40:49.992+01:00

On Friday, Nov. 19th, I and three other teaching assistants ventured to the southern-most province of Austria, known as Carinthia, for a two-day conference in Klagenfurt. The conference was part of an outreach program for T.E.A. - Teachers of English in Austria.  Our goal was to make contact with English teaching assistants in Klagenfurt and the surrounding area, in order to build up a social

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-75893969892211755722010-10-27T16:31:00.000+02:002010-10-27T16:31:59.070+02:00

Hi everyone!  Servus! I'm well-settled and enjoying my second, and final : ( year in Austria. My school is called the Europagymnasium Linz-Auhof, and is the only international school in town.  Four days a week I teach about 15 different classes and work with at least 20 English teachers. Aside from teaching, I'm also taking classes in a Masters program at the Johannes-Kepler University -

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-82672871048559576642010-02-17T21:24:00.006+01:002010-02-20T19:26:28.794+01:00

From FaschingWas? Was ist Fasching?After a long pause in my posting, I thought it best to continue with a little Bang! Fasching, or as some Americans call it, Fat Tuesday, was celebrated this past week in my town of Rohrbach.You may have heard of similar celebrations throughout the world, too. There's Karneval in Cologne and Venice, Fasnacht in Freiburg and Munich, and, of course, Mardis Gras

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-59850845387746853072009-12-13T22:46:00.011+01:002009-12-14T23:00:34.744+01:00

From PrahaAhoj!Prague was a wonderful trip with the students, and we even visited a few sights while about, including Dresden.Our visit to the Czech capital and cultural center of Bohemia took us through the historical sections of town, such as the Prague Castle and the Staré Město, or Old Town. By day, we were lead through detailed tours on the history of this significant city, while at night,

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-89178165012563867882009-12-06T23:16:00.008+01:002009-12-06T23:31:38.275+01:00

From Kraków and ViennaI just got back from an enjoyable, but nevertheless short weekend in Vienna. I'm starting to think it will always be too short : )Here are the pictures from the weekend, which include my first-ever visit to the popular "Naschmarkt" on Saturday morning and Advent mass at Stephan's Cathedral on Sunday.On Monday, I will leave by bus to visit Prague with a class from the

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-35543377565431110012009-11-27T18:42:00.008+01:002009-11-30T10:44:26.162+01:00

After many attempts, I finally succeeded in baking my own pumpkin pie, and on Thanksgiving Day! Despite the many obstacles, both physical - no canned pumpkin, nor pumpkin spice, or pie baking forms - and mental - converting to metric and translating from German - I made it happen.Pumpkins in AustriaPumpkins vary in size, shape and color throughout Austria and the rest of Europe. They are used

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-63481527242145675642009-11-18T10:23:00.006+01:002009-11-24T14:12:14.998+01:00

Check out the photos from my field trip with the students!

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-73262561229809030032009-11-14T19:22:00.005+01:002009-11-14T19:37:58.771+01:00

Have you already heard about the student protests in Austria?I hope to bring you more news on the protests as I get them. It's a really big deal!-SB

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-34234870982867702512009-11-08T19:04:00.003+01:002009-11-08T19:06:54.981+01:00

I have recently updated my photo album with a few more shots from All Saint's Day last Sunday, as well as with a picture from my short weekend in Vienna.Take a look: http://picasaweb.google.com/spbrown2009

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-85616364558438111942009-11-04T18:38:00.004+01:002009-11-08T17:42:33.120+01:00

Dear Germany,Sorry that GM is closing you down:Articles from the Frankfurter Allgemein (FAZ) on the crisis facing Opel Germany:First -Reaction to GM's decision over OpelSecond - German Chancellor Merkel in streit

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-32726699328675557822009-11-03T21:28:00.003+01:002009-11-18T10:20:36.720+01:00

How I see Wien.

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-89699659405108436132009-11-02T10:15:00.002+01:002009-12-01T12:51:39.968+01:00

From Getting there - From Lübeck to RohrbachBrick lining where the Brandenburger segment of the Berlin Wall once stood - Berlin, Sept. 22nd 2009If you've been reading the news lately, you may have heard about the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Here are some good articles I have read that deal with this commemoration:Berlin Wall, Israeli Wall, Mexican Border Wall - & L.A. - The

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-85065494503833057322009-11-02T09:31:00.001+01:002009-11-02T09:34:06.118+01:00

All posts in my blog are now open to public comment.Blogger.com had automatically set my blog to forbid comments from guests, but I have recently changed this to allow comments from the general public. Please feel free to comment!-SB

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-63220673662690769242009-10-21T23:27:00.000+02:002009-10-30T14:10:07.826+01:00

Check out my freshly updated photo album: http://picasaweb.google.com/spbrown2009You can see pictures of my backyard when it was still warm in Rohrbach (already getting cooler), from my recent trip to the town of Schladming with teachers from the business school, and, finally, your own Stephen dressed to the brim in ceremonial Austrian attire.Servus ("Greetings"),-Stephen

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-6648966376613499192009-10-21T10:29:00.000+02:002009-11-02T09:29:39.820+01:00

What better to get to know your co-workers than by traveling with them?On Saturday morning (Oct. 17th), I stepped aboard a charter bus that was parked near the business school in Rohrbach. Ready there and waiting were several of the teachers I would be spending time with over the weekend: Walter, the proud Austrian; Klaus, my contact teacher/supervisor; Ingrid and Isabelle, the two English

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-37525497205634526782009-10-16T14:09:00.000+02:002009-10-19T15:01:16.048+02:00

Thursday evening (Oct. 15th) was a celebratory night in Linz.The Austro-American Society for Upper Austria (Österreich-Amerikanische Gesellschaft Oberösterreich) held a gala event to celebrate the group´s 60th anniversary. Nearly 300 guests attended the party, which included several speeches by key players in Austrian and Transatlantic politics: the US Ambassador to Austria, multiple diplomats

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-6611957348110652512009-10-12T12:53:00.000+02:002009-10-12T18:05:08.227+02:00

Grüßchen!This past Saturday, I went to the city of Linz to meet some friends also teaching English there. It was also an opportunity just to simply hang out with other Americans and Brits (yeah, it was that time in the traveling abroad experience). The evening went so well that I ended up spending the night and touring the city all day Sunday, loving every minute! Linz is both the largest city

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-20038873107164292962009-10-08T15:09:00.001+02:002009-10-08T15:37:05.142+02:00

Hello all,Grüßchen! As they say in Rohrbach, the town where I will be teaching this year!Last Monday, I began my term as a US Teaching Assistant through Fulbright Austria. I met with my Contact Teacher at the Business and Trade Academy (HAK) in Rohrbach who organized my working hours for the week and introduced me to the several English teachers at the school.The HAK has around 1,000 students

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8894215941950855359.post-22340508725197804842009-10-03T23:35:00.000+02:002009-10-03T23:45:15.063+02:00

Hello everyone,This posting is only to test how the new blog will look. What do you think?Also, what would you like to see from my travels so far? I've taken photos upon my arrival in Hamburg, in the old port city of Lübeck, while visiting the Röhl Family in Rostock, during my tour of Germany's capital, Berlin, and my short trip to Graz, Austria, as well as during my week-long Fulbright

Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08724868854488669160noreply@blogger.com1