Schnupfen

Booo. I have got a cold. It is a truth universally acknowledged that the French are hypochondriacs, but it is a lesser known fact that the Austrians are just as bad. Yesterday I went into school for one hour and during the time I was there I was offered:
-scented tissues
-throat sweets
-herbal tea
-a different kind of herbal tea
-a nasal spray
all by one teacher. Very nice of her to care so much, but also a little over the top given that it was little more than a sniffle yesterday. Did they offer me anything that might do some good, no. Though the thought was nice.

Ever since I decided to come to Wienna, people have been telling me about how rude the Wieners are. I have found that not only are they rude, they are arrogant, inconsiderate and incredibly selfish as well. It seems that unless you are elderly or pregnant (in which case people are only too happy to give up their seat for you on the U-Bahn) you are not entitled to any manners from your fellow citizens. Boarding public transport is a free for all where the fastest man wins. Walking down the street is like an Olympic event; if the person walking in the opposite direction has sharper elbows than you, you haven't got a chance in hell. You either end up walking in the road into a stream of oncoming traffic or squashed up and becoming very well acquainted with the wall. Yesterday I was looking at a coat in a shop and I dropped it (seems I'm clumsy no matter where I am in the world!) and in the millisecond it took me to pick it up, I delayed an old woman going about her business. She shouted at me like I'd not only ruined her day but kidnapped her kids and burned the bingo hall down. So much for European hospitality!

In other news, I have rediscovered the power of playing games as a teaching method. It means the students learn but they think that they're having fun! Oh, how young and easily fooled they are. I have played UK Blockbuster with all but two classes this week. In one of the others we played New York Blockbuster. That was a bit more challenging to make as my only knowledge of the city is from watching Sex and the City and Gossip Girl. Educational as these programmes are, they aren't something that a group of 17 year old aspiring engineers can relate to! The quiz actually turned out alright though. Maybe I'd even go as far as to say fun!
Well, that is all for now. I have a date with some food and the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Until soon!