Gruß Gott! (my new favorite greeting, translated means something like, "I'm greeting God in you."...roughly...but really, it is just a way of saying hello.) Anyways, I made it! I am in a small town in Austria called Weiz. The family I am staying with has 4 children, Gerda, Georg, Gisela, and Güdrun. They are ages 12, 7, 5 and 3, and all adorable. Also, they have 4 cats, 2 dogs, 1 donkey, 12 horses (not all at the house), and many chickens, ducks and geese. Thus far, I have survived the jet lag, eaten great food (lots of meat), and seen a bit of the Austrian country side. It's very beautiful here, rolling hills, winding roads, and houses settled in the woods. Tomorrow, I am going into Gerda's English class to talk to them about the American school system. And after that we are going to go to Graz, the second biggest city in Austria, to do some exploring. My German speaking is pretty challenging as they speak in dialect, but they are all very patient. I have found that the cartoons that the little ones watch are as beneficial for me as they are entertaining for them. More stories to come...peace!