Last night, I returned from a day-long workshop in Denkendorf (near Stuttgart) for Scottish Country Dancing. Daphne was the instructor, and there were about 40 people in attendance. I had never done such a workshop, but memories of my previous time as a Scottish Highland Dancer came whirling back. I had a very good time. We focused on difficult dances that we would never perfect, but that would instead be a challenge to us. Challenging they were.
I was struck by how many folks were dressed in some sort of Scottish attire, and also how many couples were in attendance. Everyone was very kind and patient if someone didn't catch on right away, so it made for a good atmosphere.
When I returned to Salzburg, I met my new roommate for the year, Chloe. She comes from England, from a city near Birmingham, and is a very nice and interesting person. I breathed a sigh of relief she wasn't someone high-maintenance or nutty. She is also precisely the age I was when I first studied abroad, so I feel a kinship with her in that regard--I know she'll go through moments of loneliness this year, through moments of joy, anxiety, excitement. For me it was a year of being brave, leaving my comfort zone, and falling in love with a city and its people. I wish her the same.
Today, George and I took Chloe on a simplified tour of the city, where we showed her the Altstadt, Mirabelplatz, Mönchsberg, Stieglkeller, Augustinerbräu and many small sights in between. It was a great day, but my leg muscles may never forgive me for the double whammy.
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