Returning from the Hungary trip was pretty cool. The day after we spent in Budpest. We really saw nothing though, and i am going to need to give it another shot to give it a worthwhile chace at living up to its reputation.
But going back to Graz was nice, i was still settling into the Greimers house, and they continued to be really nice and accomodating for me. I felt closer and closer to them all the time, and before long, in my mind, i had stopped living back at Uranitsches (which i naturally missed), and started living in my new house. Small things, like doing the laudry, the washing up, and playing football and computer games with the boys made me feel really comfortable really quickly there. They continued to be a dream.
I havent said it really clearly yet but i really love living in Graz, even though it is a small town (of really only 280,000 people) it always is buzzing and there is something to do, i love that about living here. It is so funny, however, the way that everyone knows someone. Its like a Kevin Bacon thing. You can name anyone in the town and for sure, the person you name them to is not more than 2 degrees of separation away. That is both good and bad. It means that you see people you know often enough, but dont see them all the time, and get to meet new people. I really like that about living here. Its just quiet, but not too much so.
Going back to school on monday was good, even though my heart really wasnt there. I was still learning german and everything but thats not where i was. I knew that my parents were coming in 3 days, and i was seriously looking forward to it!
It had always been the plan that they would come around about the 6 months time, i couldnt wait. I had asked a lot of the exchange students what they thought about their parents coming to visit. The answers fell into the categories of: I dont want them to come, this is my year away; I dunno, should be interesting, ill see how it goes; and i cant wait to see them. I was part of the latter. I just wanted to hug mum, and talk endlessly to dad. I wanted to hear them say the things they always do, and laugh at the same jokes we always have. I think that is one thing that one person always misses when they are away for a long time, and it is not homsickness. It is the routine and the monotony of daily life. Seeing the same things, going to the same places, meeting the same friends, all of that, ive only realised that this year, and i suppose it can be tagged to the famous line: 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', but not having those things around me is what ive missed. That does sound stupid, i know, i mean im in Austria, deal with it chum! But at the same time, not being able to take the boat out, or having the same argument over whether Gregan or Whitaker is better, seeing friends on the mall in Laners, of course, the famous Megahole in Cremorne, not being able to call up a mate to watch the footy, in fact, not even seeing the footy, EVER! But everything else along with it, they are things you cant duplicate, and my parents are another thing they you cant copy either. I was just really really looking forward to seeing them.
Paz