MIA

I know I have been MIA for the past few weeks. I apologize for that. I have a lot to tell you. However, I am currently in the middle of taking two classes in a three week session. Yeah, you could say it's a bit hectic. Basically, I work out every day from 7 AM to 9 AM, I have class from 9:30 AM - 12:20 PM, a short break for lunch, my next class from 1:00 PM - 3:50 PM. I then go straight home grab a snack and start attempting to get my mountain of homework done. Then I'm off to bed and resting up for the same thing the next day. It's definitely rough, but once I'm done with these three weeks, I'll officially be done with my undergrad! So, I apologize, but I truly don't and won't have time to put up another real post until June 1st. Then I will be back in the blogosphere I promise! Don't hate me!

Kayla

Things I'm Excited For: Part 8!

This is the final installment of my "Things I'm Excited For" series. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is because I will be on a plane home TOMORROW! Yay! I can't even describe how excited I am. Like I've had butterflies since last night. Those butterflies have been traveling back and forth between my stomach and my heart, sending random waves of excitement through my body!

The thing that I'm MOST excited for is....REUNIONS! I can't wait to see all of my friends and family! Here are just a few of the people I can't wait to see!

Like I said, these are just a few! There are literally too many people I'm excited to see to include all those pictures in the blog. So, no hard feelings please :) Basically I'm excited to see everyone! Love you all! I'll be home SOON! :) :) :) :)

Kayla

P.S. Here is your clip for the day! :)

Things I'm Excited For: Part 7!

Hello ladies and gentlemen! I woke up this morning only to find out that my internet connection has gone kaput! Being the computer wiz that I am (insert sarcasm here) I could not figure out what was wrong or how to fix it. So, I've been chillin' at Starbucks for about three hours now. Therefore, this is gonna be a short post. That being said, next up on the list of things that I'm excited for is:

MASSAGE

The very first opportunity I get, I will be treating myself to a hot stone massage! After a long, hard season, I need a good massage more than ever! Oooo I can't wait!

Like I said earlier, my internet connection in my apartment is not working. I'll try and find another source tomorrow sometime. So, just a heads up if you're trying to get ahold of me for something, you probably won't hear back from me until tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll be home soon! :)

Sending all my love from Vienna!

Kayla

P.S. Here is your clip of the day! Some more bloopers for ya :)

Things I'm Excited For: Part 6!

Hello all! Okay, I know I broke my promise of posting something that I'm excited for every day until I'm home, but I've been a little busy WINNING THE AUSTRIAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP! Woo! My first professional title! It feels pretty good!

So that's my excuse for not blogging on Wednesday. My excuse for not blogging yesterday is that I was ridiculously hungover from the celebration on Wednesday that I spent most of the day in bed! Oops! :) Anyways, I'm back now! And I will officially be back in Dubuque Monday night! So, you'll get three more days of my "Things I'm Excited For" series! Next on the list of things I'm looking forward to is...

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

No German, no foreign accents, no language barriers, no "lost in translations", just plain old American English!  Granted I was lucky to have a couple American teammates this season, and a few of my teammates speak very good English, but a lot of them don't. My head coach didn't speak any English. So there were a lot of moments that I was completely lost. A lot of things were lost in translation, and it was hard to build relationships with people that barely spoke the same language as you. But, probably the worst thing about the language difference was when I went out in public to places like the grocery store, the gym, a restaurant, a clothing store, or even just a gas station, every conversation I had with a worker or waiter started with them saying something or asking me something in German and me having to say "Sorry? English?" It is just a pain and it's kind of embarrassing because it makes me feel stupid. Luckily, in most cases, the person has been able to speak some English, but it still sucks because they are still difficult to understand. Other times they can't speak any English and then you just kind of stare awkwardly at each other, neither one able to communicate what they want. Or if you are in a restaurant and you have to attempt to read a menu. Good Lord! It's near impossible! I've learned to read a few German words, but an entire menu is impossible. Basically, if I can find the word "Hühnerfleisch" which is chicken, I order that. I realized the other day that I might end up hugging the first American flight attendant I have on the trip home. Just hearing them ask me "Would you like something to drink?" in English is gonna make my day! :)

Sending my love from Vienna! 

Kayla 

P.S. I know I've already used this clip, but it seems very fitting for this blog, so I'm using it again :) Enjoy! 

Things I'm Excited For: Part 5!

Cornfields

and Country Music

Basically, everything I could get on a trip from Dubuque to Lincoln. I don't care what anyone says, it's a beautiful drive!

Game day tomorrow! If we win this then I'll be making my way home very soon! Keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

Sending all my love from Vienna!

Kayla

P.S. Enjoy!

Things I'm Excited For: Part 4!

If anyone has read the blog I posted about my current living arrangements, you'll know that I'm in a one room apartment, and that my bed is basically a fold out couch/futon. And you might have also gathered that I don't have a TV (not that I really need one here). Anyways, the point is that if I do wish to watch TV, that means I have to open up my laptop, and download the episode offline, normally not til' the day after it originally aired, and sit on my "bed" and watch it. And I found out very quickly that I have a lot of time to myself during an overseas season. Basically, this has been me for the past 5 months.

So what am I excited for??? TO SIT ON THE COUCH AND WATCH TV! Oh to be able to watch my favorite TV shows, the day that they originally air, on a comfy cozy couch, on a real TV! 

The other day, I went to Jenna's apartment (she has a TV in her apartment) and we watched a movie. It felt like the most foreign thing in the world to be watching a movie on an actually TV! I guess I've gotten so used to watching movies and TV shows on my computer that I forgot what it felt like to watch TV! So, this is actually one of the things I'm looking forward to the most. AND I'll be able to watch my favorite TV shows with the people I love the most! Whether it be "American Idol" with Dad, "The Office" with my brother, Eric, or "Criminal Minds" with Mom, I can't wait to enjoy it on a comfy couch in front of a television! So, this could potentially be me very soon :)

VB Update: We won the match last night and we are now winning the Austrian finale 3-1! That means we are only one more win away from being crowned the Austrian Champs! The next match of the series is on Wednesday! If we win that match, the season is over and I'll be flying home HOPEFULLY by Sunday at the latest! That's right! Less than a week! But, of course, we have to take care of business on Wednesday. Keep your prayers coming! 

Sending my love from Vienna!

Kayla 

P.S. And now for one of my favorite Michael moments! Enjoy!

Things I'm Excited For: Part 3!

I am excited to be able to go to the grocery store whenever I damn well feel like it! Where I'm living now, we have a grocery store called "Zielpunkt" on the bottom floor of our building. Can't get more perfect than that, right?

However, this grocery stores hours of operation are approximately 9AM-7PM M-F, 9AM-6PM Sat, and Sundays they are CLOSED! Huh? Everything is closed down on Sunday and everything closes by 7 PM on weekdays! This makes absolutely no sense to me. Isn't Sunday the day that everyone has off work? Don't people want to be able to do things on a Sunday or after they get off work during the week? What if someone needs to run a quick errand after work someday? They'll get to the store only to find it closed?! Or what if someone is cooking a big dinner for their family on Sunday and find they don't have all the ingredients they need? Too bad, so sad! Grocery stores are closed! I don't get it. I don't think I'll ever get it.

One more thing, remember when you were in grade school? Remember all of the days off school and the early dismissals? Then when you were in college thinking back to your grade school days it seemed like they were just looking for any old excuse to shut down school for the day, because in college class was never cancelled. I mean it had to be like the worlds worst blizzard for the school to be closed down. Well, I feel like the stores here are kind of like my grade school days. They are just looking for any old excuse to shut down for the day. For example, is the Monday after Easter a holiday? Maybe it is, I don't know anymore. But, do stores shut down on that day in America? I don't think so. I don't even think grocery stores are closed on Easter Sunday in America! Well, I went down to the grocery store on Easter Monday and sure enough, it was closed. Are you kidding me? Ridiculous!

So yes, one of the things I'm looking forward to is normal hours of operation, especially at grocery stores.

Game day today! I'll let you know how it goes ASAP!

Sending my love from Vienna!

Kayla

P.S. I hope I haven't used this clip before. Oh well, you can never get enough Dwight! Enjoy!