Not a good movie..

Well the movie totally sucked.  It was extremely awkward and Michael as a number of times what was up… I tried to concentrate on the movie but the fact that it was in German with no subtitles made it pretty difficult.  It was like a 2 hour stress nightmare.

I feel like I have to tell Mickael… He has been so nice to me and I don’t know if I can deal with the stress of keeping a secret from him.  Especially one as huge as his beautiful girlfriend putting the moves on me… But on the other hand I could see if I can hold it together for a while and see if it gets easier or kind of blows over... I don't know I have to do some serious thinking..

Damnit Adene why did you have to do that!?? And why are you sooo attractive…

Zack. 

Serious problems with Adene…

First off I am sorry for not posting all week… Work has been crazy but I have been absolutely killing it!! So that’s great news.  But unfortunately last night ended up being an extremely worrisome night…  

Michael was working a weekend shift but Adene wanted to go out and grab some food and a drink.  Sounded great so off we went.  It was a pretty regular night at the beginning, but as dinner came to a close and we both decided to get another beer Adene started acting very forward with me.  She began to reach across the table and touch my hands and arms and she was also sliding her feet along the back of my calves every so often.  I, EXTREMELY stupidly thought that she was just acting more friendly toward me, I mean Europeans are more comfortable with physical space right?

Anyway we finish up with dinner and are headed home.  All of a sudden she pulls me around a corner into a small side street and begins kissing me… Now for the record, Adene is an extremely beautiful woman, but I had never thought of her that way because she was always on Michaels arm.  After the quick moment it took me to take and realize what was happening I immediately pushed her off of me. 

I basically ran away at that point not saying much and jumping on the next closest UBahn stop possible.  I have no idea how to handle this… She and Michael are the only people that I have actually become close with here.  We had all made plans a while ago to go and watch a German movie (Michael says it will help me improve my german) tomorrow and I really can’t cancel because we have had the plans for so long.  AHHH I will report back after tomorrow and let everyone know how it went.  WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!? It definitely should not be as hard to for good and uncomplicated relationships. 

At least I’m finally performing at work…. What a mess…

Zack

Pictures from Graz

I was feeling like getting out of Vienna, works been kind of slow and I wanted to see some more of Austria. I asked Michael where I should go and he told me that Graz was a nice place and I was only a short train ride away.  I took his advice and headed out. Here are some pictures from my trip.

Tunnel Jazz bar and Cigarettes

So on Monday night I met up with Michael and Adene at this little jazz restaurant/bar for some drinks and music.  This jazz bar was amazing.  Very little and homey, and the music was great! The beer was relatively cheap and they were serving a number of different small dishes.  Michael and Adene seem to be really nice people.  We sat and talked for some time and they forced me to order my beer and food in German, which consisted of Michael saying something to me in German, and me repeating it to the waiter.  It was pretty funny but helpful I assume. 

Also I am not sure if I have said this in older posts, but there are absolutely NO SMOKING LAWS in Vienna, or most of Austria for that matter.  Literally any establishment you walk into be it an art gallery, a restaurant, or anything in between you will be inhaling second hand smoke.  And I am assuming because of the lax laws, everyone smoke... Michael and Adene included.

Now I Haven’t had a cigarette for years but for some reason I wanted one.  And when Michael offered one to me, I jumped on it.  Before the night was through the 3 of us smoked the whole pack… 

It was a great night. I feel like I saw a part of the city that I would have never seen and I learned a bit of German too, “Ich rauche, Haben Sie Feuer?”  I smoke, do you have a lighter? HA look at me go I can now ask for a lighter to smoke and order a beer!

Zack 

Bea's Advice

So lately this wonderful woman has been commenting on my posts.  She seems to be a very nice and she gave me a bit of advice in her last comment.  She told me to and I quote, “Maybe you could learn one of these drinking songs and sing it with some friends at the pubs?”  Well Bea, I didn’t learn songs but I did head out to a pub/bar last night.  After having one beer and watching some Premier league soccer a man and woman sat next to me and started to talk to me.  The man said something to me in German of course and I had to tell him I couldn’t speak German.  At which point he just flipped right into English and the two of them started talking to me. 

The convo went on for some time (2 more beers) and I learned some things. Their names were Michael and Adene, they recently moved to Vienna from Berlin, they are both 27, oh and they are married, and they are both studying to be come doctors at the Vienna University. And the most encouraging thing I learned... they want to help me learn German! I am ecstatic! We are set to meet up tomorrow evening for some "casual entertainment" as they put it. 

Bea you’re a genius, I have a great feeling about these people and I never would have met them if it wasn’t for you and your encouragement.

Oh yah and on another note, my neck/back are feeling much better and Ludwig has been off my back lately so that’s good news. 

That’s all for now,

Zack

Profit and Kebap, not a bad day

Okay so even though I am sitting here at my desk with my neck brace on, kind of out of it from my last few pain killers, I somehow convinced someone to by some software today.  Who would have thought in this state I would be able to sell anything!! My uncle was impressed that I came into work while still dealing with the effects of the crash but I wanted to show him I care about this job, and now he can stop complaining about performance.  Well as long as I keep selling, but who care about that now I made my first sale. BIG WIN!

On another note, since I have been so out of it, I have been getting a lot of prepared food instead of going to the grocery store and making my own, and my god this week I made an amazing discover!

This is a photo of the street directly across from my apt building.  Do you see the sign in the top left corner of the picture that says Pizza Bella & Kebap? Well Kebap may be the best thing I have ever eaten.  It is a giant pita role stuffed with kebap meat, which is basically this giant cut of pork and lamb on a huge rotisserie in the front of the shop.   So okay yah, Kebap meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, yogurt sauce, and hot peppers.  Greasy, cheap, and delicious.  I will probably get one every day! And Oh yah I learned how to ask for one in German!  “Ein Kebap Bitta, mit alles!” One Kebap with everything! OH yah with everything.  Although all of this is great, I would love to meet someone else to share one of these amazing gut bombs with, but I am lost as to how to meet people here.  Does anyone have any suggestions? 

Cab Crash

Have you ever been in a car crash while sitting in cab?  I can now say, well yes, actually, I have.  Yah guys that’s right, I was in a cab crash.  

I was supposed to be on my way to a lunch to talk with my uncle about how I was performing poorly at work… It is much harder to sell software over the phone than I thought.  Anyway, I’m in the cab on the way to restaurant and honestly I’m in a cab I’m not paying attention to the road.  I’m skimming through my German/English dictionary increasing my German from about 5 to maybe 10 words when all of a sudden my head is violently slammed against the rear right passenger window and boom I wake up in a hospital bed with Ludwig and a number of Austrian Doctors talking around me. 

Once my uncle realizes I’m awake he starts talking to me, “oh Zack, do you feel fine? Try to not move too much the doctors said you could have injured your back und neck badly… Yes and vee can talk about your performance at a later time.” 

I mean I really do love the guy for giving me a job and helping me get my start here, but he can totally be an amazing ass sometimes…  So yah I still am without any real friends, I am under performing at work, and yes I now have to wear a neck brace and take pain medicine for the next week that for the most part turn me into a zombie…

Zack 

Today was a bad day.

Stuff just isn’t going my way.  So much shit hit the fan today I cannot even begin to tell you.  My back/neck are literally too sore to sit at my desk and keep typing… but if you thought the FLUC incident was bad you have no idea what was coming. I’ll elaborate later… time to take more pain meds and pass back out... Goddamn Taxy drivers.