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New Year in Austria – so very different from Japan   

Already February! I can not believe how fast time goes by. The first half of my stay here is already over. It has been very exciting and diverse and I am really looking forward to the next half year here!

I have spend a great New Year in Japan. Japanese friends invited me and a couple of other exchange students from Otaru to a traditional New Years dinner. We enjoyed delicious Osechi food and Sushi and watched this years music show on TV. Shortly after midnight we went to a shrine in Otaru and picked our おみくじ for the year of the rabbit. I hope my “Luck” comes true for next year! I really enjoyed the New Year celebrations but they also made me a bit sentimental and I had to think of home.

In Austria New Year is quite different. Like in Japan we spend this holiday with our family and eat lots of delicious food. In my family we traditionally eat cheese fondue. This dish mainly consists of a big pot of melted cheese mixed with spices that stands in the middle of the table. Around the pot there are many little bowls containing fresh vegetables, pickles and different kinds of bread. We then dip those pieces into the cheese and eat them – it's very delicious!

After the meal we play games together which is always a lot of fun. Shortly before midnight we make our good luck charms for the next year. Everyone gets a little metal figure which he melts over a candle (its a very soft metal). As soon as the metal is liquid, it is thrown into cold water where it freezes immediately. You then look at its shape and try to figure out what it is – this will be the symbol for your next year. After all the games, we usually rush to the city to make it in time for the midnight fireworks. Ten seconds before midnight everybody counts together from 10 to 0 and as soon as it strikes twelve the beautiful Blue Danube Waltz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft8sVG71iKo)
from Johann Strauss comes from all loudspeakers. The whole crowd starts moving as everyone dances the first Waltz of the year. Every Austrian dances into the new year to this music. I cannot imagine a more beautiful start into the year. After this dance we drink champagne and watch fireworks. I have to admit that even though I enjoyed New Year in Japan a lot, I missed this music very much. For me it is the very essence of the start the year. But I guess I will enjoy it in many years to come.
Well that's it for now, I hope had a fantastic New Years and that you can enjoy Viennas beautiful music form time to time.

Best regards, and see you soon in ChitChatCafe.

Anna (Austria)

by chitchatcafe | 2011-02-10 14:42 | 英会話 プライベート レッスン

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