Anyone in Austria?

[ithappened]

I am located in Tirol and was just wondering if there are any other Austrian Moms or Moms to Be out there?

I am about 10 weeks, planning a homebirth assuming I'm low risk and would love to meet some other Austrian moms.

[lapis]

I'm not in Austria yet, but we may be moving for my husband's work in the next six months or so. No babes yet over here, but trying : )

Anyhow, how do you like Austria? We'd be moving to Graz is that near you?

[ithappened]

Graz is close by American standards, only 2 hours but by Austrian its far far away

Do you speak any German? It really makes a difference to how your experience is here I learned.

I'd be happy to talk to you more about my thoughts

[lapis]

oh yes, please share away!!

I think if we end up going we'll definitely learn some german before heading over. My husband's work will primarily be in english, so he's pretty set. and I've lived abroad before so have a sense of the fatigue that comes along with learning a new language... but it will still be a long transition.

anyhow, any thoughts you have would be very helpful... especially about finding community and such. things you like or wish you had known about the culture etc

thanks

[ithappened]

Hey Lapis!

Sorry I was traveling so I am just now getting to this.

Community depends so much on the area, I am in a small town and have been here since last October but have yet to make any friends I really click with. There are some expats here who I have met up with but no one my type yet.

Learning the language will be a HUGE advantage to you. Most people under 30 speak decent english but over that, in my experience, is really hit or miss.

As for what I wish I knew about the culture, at least in this region, its very closed and very private/paranoid about personal information but most people will gossip openly about others- just not tell you much about themselves. Sometimes it feels like highschool all over again. I had some major run ins with my DH family when we moved here because I posted some holiday photos on my flickr account and they felt I had 'violated their trust', needless to say, this isn't just their feeling but a lot of peoples here.

I would be happy to talk to you more about anything, feel free to PM me and I will give you my email address or IM name

[nester79]

Another one in Austria!

Hi there!

I'm also in Austria, currently right outside of Salzburg. (But don't check the Mothering forums so often, as you see!). Are you still in Tirol, ithappened? I've lived in Austria for 5 1/2 years with my Austrian husband, and found the first 4 1/2 years quite quite difficult--though I didn't speak a word of German when I moved here which didn't help anything. I have two kids, DS is 4 1/2, DD is 1 1/2. No one seemed to much understand the homebirthing, extended nursing American, and next up will be conversations about homeschooling! Yikes. It's totally legal here, but not at all well known.

Write if you'd like to chat about life in Austria! Any other mamas over here with us?

[mojingmei]

Heading to Vienna in September.  Homeschooling here in Boston area and plan to homeschool my older boys for at least the first year in Vienna.  Having trouble finding much of a community there.  Does it exist?  Any ideas on where to look?  My husband and 3 yr old are fluent in German, the rest of us are studying.  Will people give us a hard time for homeschooling an 11 and 13 year old?