Future ERASMUS student, be prepared for the paperwork. There is a lot of things to sign, fix, stamp and pay. I am glad I got here some 2 weeks before school start. I'm going to write down the process I went through, but not in this post. I am trying to keep them short. Feel free to ask me stuff or comment, by the way!
Salzburg is beautiful and very picturesque. The first week was incredibly warm and, we were lucky to experience the 30 C° weather, now it’s back to what’s more normal. That is 15-20 C°, partly cloudy, with some rain every day. I don't mind, I like the rain. Rain is the simplest and most beautiful demonstration of the Earth’s natural cycles. I'm glad we get to see it.
Salzburg is beautiful and very picturesque. The first week was incredibly warm and, we were lucky to experience the 30 C° weather, now it’s back to what’s more normal. That is 15-20 C°, partly cloudy, with some rain every day. I don't mind, I like the rain. Rain is the simplest and most beautiful demonstration of the Earth’s natural cycles. I'm glad we get to see it.
Be sure not to miss signing up for the Buddy Network, the hottest tip by far. My buddy Marco studies Geoinformatics and has been extremely helpful with choosing classes. He has also made sure I get to borrow a bike for the semester and taken me on one impressive field trip, so far (more to come).
We went to the Berchtesgaden National park in Königssee, Germany, 35 km away. Some of you may have seen my picture of my legs on facebook… They're black and blue. We went Via Ferrata. I had never heard of this and thought it sounded fun, when we got there and I realized what I was looking at, I seriously contemplated taking the hike instead.
We went to the Berchtesgaden National park in Königssee, Germany, 35 km away. Some of you may have seen my picture of my legs on facebook… They're black and blue. We went Via Ferrata. I had never heard of this and thought it sounded fun, when we got there and I realized what I was looking at, I seriously contemplated taking the hike instead.
Basically its mountain climbing, you have all the gear on and you hook yourself on to a metal safety wire. In some places there are iron steps, but you basically have to climb on the rock wall. Within the first couple of meters I almost got completely stuck! There were so many times where I just stared at the rock in front of me and then up, and thought "How the fuck...!?". Some places you only had enough room in a little crack for the tippy toe of your shoe and it just seemed SO STUPID relying on the little crumbly step to get you up to the next place you could put your foot or grab with your fingers. In some places there were no obvious steps, or they were too freaking far away...
Anyways it reminded me of going ziplining in Norway (Høyt & Lavt Klatrepark) with Birna last summer (2013), which was previously the scariest thing I had ever done. Via ferrata takes the throne though, because I was petrified for 3 hours straight. It was very thrilling and the view was also probably the most amazing thing I've ever witnessed, the experience could almost be on par with the views of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Anyways it reminded me of going ziplining in Norway (Høyt & Lavt Klatrepark) with Birna last summer (2013), which was previously the scariest thing I had ever done. Via ferrata takes the throne though, because I was petrified for 3 hours straight. It was very thrilling and the view was also probably the most amazing thing I've ever witnessed, the experience could almost be on par with the views of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
So if any one suggests via ferrata,
prepare yourself to fear for your life,
but go do it!
prepare yourself to fear for your life,
but go do it!
Marco’s camera ran out of battery, Frida thought she didn't bring hers, and my camera was in the backpack of a friend who retreated after giving the climb a good try. When we reached the top, of course it was cloudy, but we still got a nice German couple, Peter and Eva, to take a mountaineers’ photo of us. Then we ran down Grünstein in the pouring rain.