My Life after CELTA

Even though this visit of ours to Graz hasn’t been the first one ever to Austria, it never fails to surprise me how different things are here. I’m not necessarily talking about the obviously salient wealth difference, but people’s approach toward life and the  and expectations of their and their environment’s appearance. It is evident that people are better dressed and wealthier, and the overall standard of living is much higher than that of Hungary. The roads are brimming with newer and better cars, and the trams, buses, and trains are much better. The cities and even the small villages are cleaner, better organised, and the overall impression we get is people expect things to be right, organised, and in good condition. When a job needs to be done, they don’t seem to be reluctant to do it, and they demand quality. I don’t think the old Hungarian socialist attitude could work here for more than a second. And yes, the Germans and Austrians might be mocked for their meticulousness - ...

Even though our room faces the main train station, they did a fantastic job with the noise isolation. We can’t hear the trains unless we open the window. However, I would have a few words with the designer who had the last word about the wall that separates the bathroom from the living room. The idea of using a barn door is not the end of the world, and replacing the traditional wall with glass might sound quite intriguing and even genius, but the fact that the glass window is transparent and there is no curtain in front of it makes the whole concept a tad questionable. Basically, it means once one enters the bathroom and switches the light on, the other one in the room has a full-screen HD version of their activities in there, be it a hand wash, a shower, or, god forbid, something more serious with the involvement of the toilet. So, once I’m about to lay a cable, my best part could watch the whole process. Otherwise, the room is quite cosy, clean, and not too warm or cold. Anyway, the...

We are in Graz, as Ági’s linguist conference starts tomorrow. We woke up early in the morning. I had to de-ice the cars, which took an hour. Once I finished the job, Ági took Abby to the dog sitter, and I packed my things for the weekend. Abby didn’t want to stay at the dog-sitter - poor thing - but Ági’s callousness conquered her temper tantrum. Travelling to Austria is always a pleasure. The roads were clean, the traffic was not heavy, and taking the scenic route was a brilliant decision. We could have opted for the Balaton route, but the northern direction seemed a better choice. We stopped at an unknown little village, where the shopping mall was phenomenal. We grabbed a coffee and stretched our legs because sitting in a car for hours is not the best thing in the world. Anyway, we arrived at the hotel - which looks great - safe and sound. The room is small but clean, however, the area is a bit dodgy. It’s close to the main train station, which attracts many people, so it is a busy ...