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Tuesday, August 31


Home at last!  It was a long trip home but so worth it.  Leaving Vienna was definitely bittersweet.  While I could easily have stayed another month, I am glad to be back with my family.  


This trip was full of first experiences for me.  It was my first time to Europe, my fist time living in a city, my first operetta, my fist time to a monastery, my first time attending Mass...so many wonderful and unique experiences.  It was also the first time away from Raleigh, my adorable Labrador.

I want to thank my fellow classmates so much for all the wonderful experiences we've shared together.  But most of all, I want to thank our guide and lifeline Professor Stuart and our on-site coordinator Josh (aka Mama Bear.)


I am excited to relive all these great memories as I share them with my family and friends.

Last Day

Monday, August 30

I cannot believe are last day is here!  Last night’s excursion to the wine garden while I am still sick left me exhausted so thankfully it was a light day.  After some morning packing, Diane and I headed to Oberlaa, our favorite cafe for the last time.  Then, we finally made it to see the interior of the Greek Orthodox Church dating to the mid nineteenth century.  The interior was very different from what we are used to by now, which is the brightness of the Baroque churches.  Instead the Geek Orthodox Church was very dark inside decorated with jewel tones and Byzantine figures.  While it is very different, it is just as beautiful.  

Next we finally made it to tea and Hotel Imperial cafe.  This completed our Viennese cafe experience.  It was simple, elegant, and delicious.  Then it was off to the Prater.  The Prater used to be the imperial hunting grounds but it was opened to the public under the enlightened ruler Joseph II.  Here we meant up with our class for a ride on the giant ferris wheel.  After we set off to dinner, which was served on large swords.  The food was delicious and it was great to be all together again but sad that it was our last dinner in Vienna.  

Art History and Rath Heuriger

Sunday, August 29

Another morning filled with Mass.  This time it was at the Augustinerkirche, which featured a Mass composed by Haydn.  Even though I can’t understand any of the service, I still enjoy going to them and experiencing another religious culture.  After Mass, I headed to the art history museum sadly for the last time.  I am really going to miss being able to pop into the museum at any time with may handy card and absorb myself in the beautiful collections.  I focused my last trip on the differences in the art of the Protestants and Catholics.  

The Protestant tended not to focus on religious subjects as did the Catholic art.  This was exemplified in the works of such artists as Rembrandt and Vermeer.  Instead, there art tended focused on the individual.  This individualism is seen in Rembrandt’s works “Self portrait from 1652” and “Artists son Reading, Titus 1656/57.”  This focus on portraits in Protestant art came about as the Catholic Church was no longer available to buy works from these artists.  Therefore they had to create a new market and this was the sale of paintings to private customers.  

Catholic art still focused heavily on the religious subjects.  Two of my favorite examples were works from Rubens.  One was “The Miracles of St. Ignatius of Layola.”  This was originally done as an altar piece for a Jesuit Church.  St Ignatius was the founder of the Jesuit order.  This painting demonstrates the three levels of the subjects dominant in Catholic art.  Firs, the highest, is that of the Angles representing heaven.  Second is the level of the saint who acts as an intercessor between heaven and earth.  Third is the common people who represent the earth.  They are worshiping and applying for the help of the saint.  This same style was repeated in another piece by Rubens, “The Miracles of St. Francis Xavier.”  Again there are three levels with St. Francis acting as the bridge between heaven and earth.  The lives and trials of the saints became popular themes of Catholic artists during the period of the counter-reformation.  

After my day at the museum, we went for one of our last dinners together as a class.  This time we went the an authentic Austrian wine garden called Rath Heuriger.  While I did not feel well enough to taste the wine, I enjoyed the traditional simple food and the companionship and lively debates we all shared.  

Return to Klosterbeuburg

Saturday, August 28

Back to Klosterneuburg!  This time for the feast day of St. Augustine.  The monastery once again offered a memorable once in a life time experience.  We traveled back to attend the vow renewal of the cannons, which involved three of the Americans we had meant from our first time at Klosterneuburg.  We arrived early in the day so we could get a good seat because we were told it would quickly become crowded.  We were successful, but Martha and I ended up standing in the back to make room for the older members of the congregation.   The two hour Mass began with the procession of the cannons led by six young men in historic military dress.  The church was almost overflowing with many of the congregants standing in the back.  It was interesting to so many of the locals turn out for the feast day, many of them wearing traditional Austrian folk costumes.  The beauty of the Baroque church was enhanced to its full glory with the music from a full orchestra and choir, of course accompanied by the organ.  While I could not understand the service, as it was in Latin and German, I still enjoyed listening to all the beautiful prayers.  I tried to follow along with the service as much as I could from my limited knowledge of Mass.  Thankfully, Martha kept me in the loop.  After Mass and the renewal of their vows, the cannons left the church in a procession and were led back to the monastery by the provost.  

We were invited to attend the lunch reception after and we tried but it quickly became crowded.  Instead we went to lunch at a small cafe, walked around the village, and returned home.  

A Day of Rest

Friday, August 27

Unfortunately, I have come down with some sort of bug during my last few days in Vienna, so I was forced to take it easy today.  After class, (which was cut short for me because of this nasty bug!) I went home to rest.  I finally turned on the TV in my room.  I’ve been so busy in Vienna that TV just doesn’t fit into the schedule.  After I cozied up in bed, I watched the only English channel I know, which is CNN International.  I really enjoyed catching up on the news because at home I’m a regular news junkie!  CNN International reminded me very much of the CNN station back home.  It reported on American news, such as the recent anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the latest international story about the trapped miners in Chile.  Where I noticed the greatest difference was in the commercials.  These were not American at all.  They focused mostly on Middle Eastern and African companies.  This makes sense since Europe has a large and growing Middle Eastern and North African population.  

After the news, I spent my evening resting and reading.  In Beller, I read about occupied Vienna. It was interesting to note the similarities between my reading and what was reflected in the movie The Third Man.  One of the most interesting similarities was the police force of the occupation period.  As Beller wrote, “‘four-men-in-a-jeep’ became the symbol of post-war occupation.”(253)

German word of the day: “Fußball”=soccer

The UN

Thursday, August 26

The UN--what an experience.  This has turned out to be the best experience of the trip!  I think everyone in the class now wants an internship with the UN.  To get into the UN we first had to pass through security, of course, and we were then given badges to wear demonstrating this clearance.  These badges also function as passports, since we had just left Austria and entered the international territory of the UN.  We then waited in the UN cafe for our guides to arrive.  When they arrived, they took us into the large courtyard in front of the UN where the fountain and all the member states’ flags fly.  Our first destination inside the UN was a viewing room that overlooks the main conference room.  The viewing room is used for groups who are invited to the UN.  They can sit and listen to the briefings and debates on subjects they specialize in.  Here we also discussed the issue of language and translation.  The two official working languages of the UN are English and French, but the UN meetings are usually translated into its other main languages of Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish, and any other language necessary.  Translators have to know a minimum of three languages.  They are only allowed to work for 30 minutes and translate with only a slight delay.  

Next we attended a lecture given to us by a representative of the IAEA.  I was looking forward to this lecture and had my list of questions ready but was soon able to answer them for myself.  I have always thought of the UN being a strong organization that could effect real change in the world.  This lecture greatly changed my opinion.  The IAEA seemed to have no strength at all.  While it is important for it to exist because it allows for greater communication among nations, it really can’t enforce any of its regulations.  Its role is strictly advisory.  While it promotes the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, it also supports the development of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.  

After this lecture we were introduced to one of the interns and he explained his job working for the media department of the UN and overall life as an inter.  Then it was off to a delicious lunch at the UN cafeteria.  After lunch we headed back for another lecture, this time on the issue of human trafficking.  Here we learned the many forms that human trafficking can take.  While sex slavery is a predominant issue, it can take the other forms of slave labor and the trafficking of human organs on the black market.  We watched a short educational video with testimony from real victims, which was very compelling as it gave each of these issues a face.  While this human trafficking is very difficult to police world wide, the UN is taking on the role of instructor.  They main focus right now is to educate each nation about how to deal with and prevent further trafficking.  Unfortunately, after this lecture it was time to head home but I truly enjoyed my time at the UN.  

My questions:

1. How do you deal with a rogue nation that is developing nuclear power?
2. Further, how do you deal with this nation as it develops nuclear power for what it says are peaceful purposes but which could be further developed for weapons?
3. Lastly, with these two conditions, how do you deal with a country that does not recognize the sovereignty of a fellow UN member state? and that is has been openly hostel to in the recent past?
4. What is your role in working with countries such as Israel, to help reassure their security over their tense nuclear situation with Iran?
5. What are your plans to improve the methods with which inspectors enter countries, such as Iran, that do not want international inspections to take place?
6. Russia has recently aided Iran with opening its first nuclear power plant--would you take action, and if so how, against Russia if Iran developed nuclear weapons?

Issues of Remembrance

Wednesday, August 25

Class discussion today was about our experiences at Mauthhausen and the issue of remembrance and memory that we read about in Ruth Kluger’s memoir Still Alive.  For me, it is difficult to return to Vienna from the camp and think that only two generations ago, the Holocaust was committed, that I am in a country where almost everyone of my grandparents generation was a Nazi.  Further, that people the same age as my parents were raised by former Nazis, and that those the same age as myself are the grandchildren of Nazis.  While I understand that not everyone supported or participated with the Nazis, they still lived during this time and most often stood by.  It is just so hard for me to comprehend how this could happen.  Visiting the camp yesterday was like visiting the true face of evil.  

Kluger who survived the Holocaust, holds the view that the camps should not be preserved as memorials because instead of preserving the memory of the victims, it glorifies the atrocities.  

I prefer Simon Wiesenthal’s view on the issue of remembrance and memorials.  He too survived the Holocaust and made it his life’s work to hunt down the perpetrators of the Holocaust.  For this he was both admired and hated.  His work was highly unpopular in Austria and attempts were even made on his life and that of his family.  His daughter grew up going to school with a police escort all because her father wanted justice to be served.  Those Austrians (the majority) that were against him wanted the memory of the war put behind them.  Instead of blaming themselves for allowing their country to commit such atrocities, they instead wanted the blame the victim for seeking justice.  The war never ended for Wiesenthal.  

I believe it is truly important to remember and build and maintain memorials.  How else can we learn from the past?  How else can we strive to make sure that his never happens again?