Anytime visit# 6- Albertina museum Vienna Austria

The Albertina is a museum in the 

Innere Stadt (First District) of Virnna, Austria. It houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings  and approximately 1 million old master prints, as well as more modern graphic works, photographs and architectural drawings. Apart from the graphics collection the museum has recently acquired on permanent loan two significant collections of Impressionist and early 20th-century art, some of which will be on permanent display. The museum also houses temporary exhibitions.The albertina was a fairly small museum compared to the museums that we have been to in the past. It had 6 exhibits on show. My favorite of the exhibits was probably the Monet to Picasso exhibit also I saw a bunch of really cool paintings. This museum furthers my learning by showing me more artwork from many different artists to see much more variation different types art. The building itself was also very interesting also. The shape was very different then expected for a museum you had to go up  a escalator that brought you to a courtyard where there were lots of people who were sitting outside people watching. Then when you went in it was very big and open. In the museum they also had what seamed to be a whole house that was huge and amazing. My favorite part other then the amazing paintings and the house replica was that they had a huge pink bunny on the roof to celebrate Easter. 

Anytime visit #4- Augustiner museum

The Augustiner museum houses art from the Middle Ages all the way up to the boroque period. This museum has a hall of sculptures along with many gorgeous panels, and paintings. All of which have been obtained since they started collecting art in the 1880's. This museum is important because it tells the history of the arts in Freiburg and gives me another look at a different museum.  

Anytime visit #3 canal cruise

The canals in Amsterdam that exists today were established in the 17th century. Today the city consists of 90 islands and 1,280 bridges. The canals act as a tourist attraction, transportation site for locals, and home for many. Although long ago living on the canals was the cheapest living place in town nowadays it is the most expensive place in town to live. Three times a week the locks separating the North Sea and the canals are opened to clean out debris. 

This relates to my studies because it helped to teach us the history of the city. It showed us how the city was built was is new and what was old and how exactly the new stuff became to be.    

Here's to London!!!!

London has been great and super fun!! We got to see all sorts of sites such as the London eye and Big Ben which were super beautiful which gave us great pictures for our scrapbooks when we get home!! And the food omg delicious I think we may have enjoyed that a little to much.. But by far probably our favorite part about London the plays they were the best!! We got to see Wicked which was the best play of all time!!! Defying gravity I think has been stuck in my head for days totally new perception on wizard of oz! During our time in London we had a ton of fun maybe to much!!! We had many days in class many late nights out to see plays and many things to learn. 

Things learned in London...

The people you talked to least in the beginning may soon be the people you are with most!!! 

Our group is a family and we stick together through everything weather it's good or bad!!

You will always need someone to talk to for advice and just to talk. 

You won't like everything or everyone at all times! 

London is one of the most amazing cities and places I have ever been to and absolutely am in love with it!!! 

Goodbye London and hello Dublin for a few days!!! 

Love, 

Kaley and Ashley 

Sorry thought I posted this a few days ago! 

Anytime visit #2-- Globe Theatre

Here is to anytime visit #2!!! 

The globe theatre is one of what used to be four theaters. It was originally built by William Shakespeare's theatre company. Where the theatre that stands today is actually one of many sites/buildings. The original site is a couple blocks away from where it is now. It was there until the landlord wanted to raise the rent of the site they told him they didn't want to pay that much. He went away for Christmas and came back to find that the whole building had been taken apart and reassembled on the ne grounds where it now exits. Only thing is due to the great London fire the building that is there today is not the same it is how they believe it existed with minor new changes due to new building codes and things of that matter.  

I thought this was an amazingly beautiful place. In high school we spent a lot of time learning about Shakesphere and being able to see the building that he performed his plays in was a whole new perspective. It was so cool to see the trap door in the floor that they use for the plays and the two columns that are actually live trees, and also to once again be reminded about how the classes sit in the theatre is very different and very cool. I think that this particular site applies most to my studies for my humanities class-- art, music, and ideas's. Doing this tour showed me many sides of the theatre from the architectural features of it to the plays inside the theatre it all shows many aspects of art!!!!! 

Anytime visit #1--Rosslyn chapel

As part of an assignment for international studies class we need to make a visit to one place out of a select list of places. For the first visit we attempted two separate times to make our way to Rosslyn Chapel. Through bus mishaps and confusion of where it actually was (thank you google maps) we finally made it. 

Rosslyn chapel was first dedicated as a chapel in 1450 founded by William St. Clair. He built the chapel  with plans to make it huge unfortunately he died during the building process and it was never officially finished. In 1736 they started to make the first official efforts to preserve the chapel. These efforts continue to be taken today and will for along time thanks to a trust that was set up in 1995 to care for the chapel. In 2003 the Da Vinci Code book came first inspiring many around the world to look at this georgous chapel and hear the story behind it. Soon after the movie too mesmerized many at the amazing architecture and the St. Clair history. 

Throughout the chapel there are carvings. The carvings tell many stories about the people that carved them and many people that were involved in the history of the chapel itself. My favorite story that allowed me to better understand what I am being taught in my classes (Yes I have classes!!!) was the apprentice pillar. This was my favorite because it gave a hint of what times were like back then. It was one of two pillars. The pillar contains one of the most famous and fascinating riddles of the building. A apprentice was said to have carved the pillar, inspired by a dream, in his master's absence. On seeing the magnificent achievement on his return, the master mason flew into a jealous rage and struck the apprentice, killing him. The two pillars stand in the church side by side with very different, but both very beautiful styles. In class so far we talked a lot about how in the things at home and in our natural culture have drastic differences to things that we see in the society and history here. I think that this story is a perfect example of that. We also need to look at the time period that this happened in too though and back then those things happened all over the world. 

These boots are made for walking.......

It has been a very busy week a look back at what we have done.

Last Sunday we had a amazing race and spent lots of time lost. Even though by the time we were done we were frustrted and just wanted to go home it definitely helped us to better learn and understand our surrondings and talk to locals to find out where we are going.

Then for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we took a bus trip to the highlands. Where we saw some  of the most beautiful sites that we have ever seen. It was defiantly a sight that can not be described through pictures. We did so much over the couple days we were there between swimming with Nessie and putting our faces in the river of youth. We also went to a whiskey distillery (yes that was for class) and seeing many castles that we managed to have a very very fun time exploring and finding secret places in. We managed to fit right into the castles the princesses that we are!!!!

After spending a couple days in wonderland with our wonderful guide Neil!!! It was time to return back to reality to spend most of our time in class all day before finally receiving our first full free day to explore.

For our free day we got up and went to Edinburgh to eat lunch at a very famous coffee shop. The elephant house. (Aka for those of you that don't know the birthplace of Harry potter!!!!!) We had an amazing lunch and also loved seeing something that we thought was so cool. We then tried to make our way to Rosslyn chapel. I say tried because somehow our luck with buses thus far pretty much does not exist!!!! We knew what bus we needed to get on getting to a bus stop where we could get on said bus that apparently doesn't run on Sunday 1) took 3 hours and 2) sucks!!!!! So we are going to be going a different day instead. Watch for our post on that after we hopefully see it tomorrow.


Things we have learned so far...
Buses suck!!!!
Scottish people say whatever they want!!
Soccer is a very serious thing.
Everything is sexy to a Scottish person.
Don't be late to a event or you will be left behind.
Twin beds are not big enough for sleepovers, but we will make it work lol!!!

AMERICAN'S!!!! We entertain ourselves and others with the dumb things we do!!!!!

Hey, We'll guys we made it to Scotland and in one piece with all of our bags!!!!! That is a huge accomplishment knowing us. That being said we still made everyone notice that we had arrived!! I made my appearance two minutes after arriving in Amsterdam! I decided it was a good idea to walk backwards to talk to Kaley and got ran over by a golf cart while everyone was attempting to tell me but to tired to save me(don't worry only hurt a little). Kaley also had gum explode all over her face on the plane. Then after over 36 hours of being awake we finally got to sleep for a while. Then yesterday, we got to spend the day exploring the Edinburgh castle which has an amazing view overlooking Edinburgh! Which Kaley fell down the stairs at. (Don't worry it was only 3 stairs and there is pictures!!!!!)  On the agenda for shopping, dinner, homework, and whatever else comes up!!! Here's some pics of everything so far!!! ---Flying in the sky, our first pic together in Scotland, our new home, the view from the top of the royal mile, us at the entrance of the castle, and just for you Kayla Pabst me with an owl yep I'm in potter land now!!!! 

So goodbye for now!!!! We will make home whole hopefully!!!! (Lol jk knowing us)

Love, 

Ashley and Kaley 

Check out Facebook for more pics!

T-3 days til takeoff

I am very excited to spend spring semester studying abroad. The program that I have choose is called the ITC- International Traveling Classroom. For this semester I will travel with my classmates around Europe seeing Edinburgh, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Freiburg, Verona, and Vienna. The reality that I leave in a few short days is slowly setting in and I am getting more and more excited and anxious. Saying see you soon to my family, friends, and all of my daycare kids and families is hard but I know I will see them soon. Packing up all my stuff into one backpack that weighs all of 30 pounds is another thing that puts into perspective exactly what to expect for the next few months. I am very excited to take this adventure. I will try to post as much as possible granted I have wifi. 

As our group leader Leah told us. "When is the last time that you did something new for the first time? Now get ready cause that is your new reality and your doing it everyday!" 

-Ashley