We started our training in first aid this morning with Mario, a fantastically friendly Austrian who speaks fantastic English. We spent our time today learning how to deal with all sorts of first-aid issues, from heart-attacks to fainting and everything in between. We'll be a "third wheel" so to speak on the ambulance services helping with anything from CPR to carrying patients to the ambulance, etc.
Today was actually cooler than it has been our entire stay - it was around 65F the entire day and raining, which I greatly enjoyed. Mario speaks excellent English, but a lot of the medical vocabulary neither of us know in English, and so we spent a lot of time comparing words in English and German. It was highly educational not only in first-aid but also in languages. We got to have several coffee breaks (as he just left around 7:30 and we began this morning at 10) where we just discussed our hometowns, and the differences between cultures in America and Austria. Everyone here is extremely friendly and hospitable, and let me tell you, it was great to put my mind to some form of work again.
We finish our training and CPR work tomorrow, and then after that we get shipped off to our respective places. I'm looking forward to seeing the smaller town of Jennersdorf (I think I've been misspelling it for a while...my apologies to my Austrian friends), as I have experiences a lot of the cities in Germany and Austria. I am told that people there are very friendly, and are eager to meet me.
Not much else to report from today, but I am very happy with the way things are working out. Hopefully Bruno will be able to come visit us in TN as he is currently planning. I'd like him to see some of my hometown like I have seen his.
To all my wonderful Austrian friends - thank you so much. You have been incredibly gracious and kind to me, and my stay here in Neusiedl wouldn't be nearly as educational or enjoyable without you.
Until tomorrow!
Tschüß!
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