Linz

And so folks, this is Linz, the city I am staying for the next 2 months.

It's a choice I made by myself to do my required internship overseas instead of Japan or Malaysia. Yet I really felt dreaded to part from my comfort zone when the time neared for me to go Austria. Mainly because I was unprepared... or 気のせいfeeling unprepared, nah who am I kidding, I really was unprepared... luggage, exchanging money to euro, school things that must be settled before I leave. It's not like I try to bring all this hastiness upon myself. This time I especially set aside 4 days to get things done. But what am I to do with everything closed for New Years in Japan and only reopening on the day I fly?

FYI le conclusion after hours scouring through the internet is that compared to exchanging in Japan, the rate is better if you exchange money at the destination country with the exception of usd and euro. You're welcome :)

City center of Linz, 15 minutes of tram ride from my uni.

 And no, not every building in Europe is so European like this. Just the city center for Linz.

 I am pleased to inform you that the only adventure during my journey to Austria was missing the bus to Toyohashi station by 3 minutes which I must get on in order to reach the airport in time. I  somewhat manage to avoid a mini disaster by a combination of bullet train and normal train. You wouldn't get it but it really was a decision silently praised myself for my quick wit afterwards. 

I am a insecure girl when I am alone. I kept having thoughts like 'omg what if I reach Vienna Airport and the custom demands that I need some sort of unknown visa and I get sent back to Japan?' 

Ophi offered to fetch me from Vienna airport and brought me to Westbanhnof where I can catch my train to Linz. It's not impossible to navigate alone but with a friend around, this part actually becomes fun instead of stressful . I hope to talk to her another time before I leave. Her stories were hilarious XD.

She also helped to arrange for a guy to bring me to my dorm when I arrive in Linz. All these arrangements were made on the spot and up till I arrive at Vienna Airport, I was like  'omggg I still have no instructions whatsoever on what I am to doooo. Do I somehow find my way to the dorm by myself and just waltz into the research lab the next day??' Too comfortable with Japan's しっかりness.

 

My big room. 

Not as cozy as I imagined it would be but am satisfied.

I have my own kitchen which is both good and bad actually. Normally cooking at the common kitchen is how they meet new people here.

 

The Science Park of Johannes Kepler University Part where I am doing my internship. 

My own office! 

The internship here is everything I imagined it to be. Similar to what I am doing back in Japan.

Free to come and free to go, stress-free (for now anyway), reading research papers...

One of the happy moments when I managed to apply for an Aktivpass, which allows me to use trams and buses in Linz unlimited for just 10euro per month.  I didn't think I would get it easily because my friend who tried to apply it was bombarded with many questions and had to bring documents like student proof, salary slip blablabla. But when I went to apply on the next day the person in charge was a young sweet lady instead of the usual aunty and she made it easy for me. 

This kind of reminds me of the rpg games I play. Sometimes you just need to repeatedly go to the same place and wait for the right person to show up to trigger some event.

More photos on the city center coming up next!