(Feb 6, 2008) "I'm sitting at a guest computer terminal at the Hotel Wien in Vienna Austria and thought I would email you before I head back to South Korea in a few days. It's interesting to access hi-speed internet and communicate with you around the world while sitting in a 150 year old hotel! Pictures of the hotel line the hallways showing decades of history. You know, it's hard to imagine all the history that has happened during this past century. Interesting to think these rooms and walls were standing during World War I, through the occupation of Hitler, times of emperors, founding of the Vienna Symphony, bombing attacks and a World Exhibition in 1873, to name a few events. Needless to say, wherever I go in this city it oozes history!
Well, you're probably wondering why I'm in Europe in the first place. Let me give you a Reader's Digest explanation: I was asked to chaperon select members of our school choir to Prague and then attend a tech conference in the same city... in fact, as it turns out, close to the same neighborhood! Amazing timing how the tech conference started only two days after the choir headed back to Korea. Talk about a change of pace: from trying to keep up with choir kids to talking tech with techno-geeks! All around, it was a wonderful and varied time in the Czech Republic.And now that the conference is done, I was able to extend my visit in Europe another 9 days because our school takes time off to celebrate the Chinese New year. With this added week, I decided to take a 3 hour bus ride from Prague to Vienna to tour the city and visit with friends who work at the International School here. Incredible how all of this worked together -- a true blessing to be able to able to go on this extended school-sponsored trip. I'm really starting to like this International School work op!"
(Mar 6, 2008) It's hard to believe I sent this email from Vienna only one month ago and my European vacation is now a memory. But what a memory...
