whoa..oooooo...for the longest time

The harmonies of the Billy Joel spectacular, "For the longest time," rang through our bright and sunny Meinhartsdorfergasse apartment flat last night as the 11 of us sat on the beds and floor all together in one room singing at the top our lungs, and thinking back on the past 6 weeks that just flew by.

..I remember when I had to practice saying Meinhartsdorfergasse...

..I remember when I had to think about when to get off the U-Bahn to Stephansplatz...

..I remember when we drew numbers to choose our rooms...

What I don't remember is that before these six weeks, I did not know any of these people. 10 people came into my family for these weeks, and now we have to leave each other for who-knows-how-long. I feel like I have known them all for a long time. Isn't it crazy how people come in and out of our lives like this? And how this wonderful apartment in the 15th district that was unreal when we moved in, has now become a familiar home to us.

We had our final concert yesterday and said goodbye to everyone at IES. The concert went very well, and I was happy that my professors parents who are from Vienna commented on my appropriate and enjoyable performance of "Wien, Wien, nur du allein." This was a huge compliment to me considering how I know that Austrians are so critical of their own music.

I turned in my phone. I finished my shopping. I turned in my apartment keys. I took my last pictures of IES. The 11 of us, plus a few visiting others went to a Heuriger to end this trip the same way it started. The very first day together, we bonded at a Heuriger, and now we said our toasts and goodbyes at a Heuriger again. Everyone came to our apartment. It's so hard to explain how difficult it was for us to say goodbye to each other.

As sad as it is, I understand and accept how people have to come in and out of my life like this and I can't be depressed over it. However, this city feels like home to me, and it's even more difficult to say goodbye to Vienna, and all the familiarities of it, and the aspects of it that have really made me grow and learn about history, art, music, people, and most importantly, myself.

I woke up this morning and opened my eyes to see the beautiful blue sky and sunlight coming in through the diagonal skylight over my bed. Oh how I will miss waking up here! I'll miss the big windows, the freshness of the air, the early risen sunlight, the dream-like terrace and coming down a spiral staircase to go to school everyday. I'll miss cooking with and laughing with and talking to all these girls who I've really enjoyed living with. I'll miss the ease of public transportation, and even the people who smile and try to get me to take a newspaper from them in the underground. I'll miss wandering the streets. I'll miss the echoing practice rooms and my dear accompanist. Most of all, I think, I will miss hearing, seeing and speaking German.

There's not too much left to say. I need to finish putting a few things in my suitcase and we will be getting on a plane shortly. Thank you for reading this blog!

Goodbye Vienna, the city of my dreams!