Vienna Through the Lenses of A Local

I have been speaking German for a long time, or before I came to Austria, I thought I could speak German very well. It all started when I went to buy bread rolls for breakfast. The first thing I learned is that if you say in a bakery: “Can I have two “Brötchen”, please?”, then that is direct proof that you are not from Austria. Instead, you have to order “Semmeln” Oh God, don’t you dare ask for a “Tüte” (bag)! I would like to warn you before you expose your “foreign self” in Austria. Don’t worry: Just ask for a “Sackerl” (bag) instead! At that moment I realized that I speak this television German or High German.

The best thing about living and volunteering in Austria is the number of holidays per year (at least 14) and the window days (if a holiday falls on a Thursday, you can usually get Friday off too) – it’s a very relaxed country. Being in the center of Europe means that you can go on vacation in Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and many other countries or just enjoy some of the breathtaking landscapes of Austria. Tough life! 😀 For me, the greatest Viennese achievement of all is a coffee and cake ritual in the afternoon. For everyone and every day, there is coffee & cake time at 3 pm. You don’t need any justification to interrupt the day, get yourself a coffee and a piece of cake – Sachertorte, apple strudel, apricot or chocolate cake, whatever – and then enjoy 20 minutes of pure bliss. The Viennese invented the idea of modern coffee in the 1500’s – when the fleeing Turkish army left sacks of coffee beans behind, the Viennese added some milk, sugar, and deliciousness – and have been perfecting the art of coffee drinking ever since.

Another interesting habit or rule is Sunday Funday! There are no stores here that are open on a Sunday. So adjust your shopping habits accordingly, otherwise, you will starve to death on Sunday evening. Sunday is traditionally a family day for socializing and non-capitalist activities, such as long lunches with grandparents and games in a park (this is an incomplete list!). It’s a delightful way to force you to do something outside on a weekend. It took me some time to get used to it, but if I were asked to do something on my next free Sunday, it would be the first in 2021… But then I got the desire to learn more about the history behind this colorful culture and the rich language diversity in different regions. From that moment on my love for the Sissi films began! I recommend to all romantic and passionate old souls to take a look at this fascinating life story of an empress, who connected two folks (Austrian and Hungarian) and on top of that is almost completely fictitious.

I could write and write about how I fell in love with the spirit of Vienna, how I got to know and understand people who pass me on the street, how I learned to smile and enjoy Sundays. In this sense, I would like to say that the train stations throughout the country have been my inspiration.

Vienna fed my artistic soul. The Danube gave me a home. I fell in love with you, Vienna!

This story is shared by Virna Hadziosmanovic

Virna Hadziosmanovic is a writer, an artist, web-designer, consumer of art & beauty. She defines herself as a free spirit in time and space of all dimensions.

She is the author of the blog “EAT MORE ART” made of personal views as a result of writing therapy. Her blog is a gift to all fragile, sensitive souls as proof of belonging and unlimited thought.

Find more about her work:

https://virnahvh.wixsite.com/eatmorearts/about

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