18 Comments

As a long time expat myself (China), I really enjoyed your story. 🙏

Expand full comment

Thank you, Paul.

Expand full comment

I have managed to get myself into one of these absurd situations almost every time I moved, relocated or travelled longish-term. On one occasion, I was in an apartment with a leak and power cut midwinter at Christmastime, while sick and petsitting the owner's dog. It was ridiculous.

I got far more organised, resourceful and thorough once I'd lived through those accommodation nightmares. Also, I learned to love flatshares again in my 30s. :D

Expand full comment

It's all a learning process, isn't it? And I guess what doesn't kill us makes us stronger! I'm glad your housing experiences have improved.

Expand full comment

Yes, it is! Also, easier to just live with someone who knows how to operate the gas or the water when you haven't got a clue what to do. lol

Expand full comment

I agree completely! I have no clue how to do any of that--thank goodness my husband takes care of it all.

Expand full comment

Fascinating, well written, and the opposite of my experiences arriving in Austria. However we first lived in a new-ish building in Graz, and never had the joy of a grand 1930s Vienna flat!

Expand full comment

Thank you, Joshua. I think my experience was really unusual. I'm glad to hear that yours was much more normal!

Expand full comment

And thank you for the restack.

Expand full comment

Sehr spannend deine Erinnerungen und Erfahrungen während deiner Anfangszeit in Österreich! Ich finde es unglaublich mutig, einfach in ein fremdes Land zu ziehen, dessen Sprache du damals noch nicht so gut konntest! Wirklich sehr beeindruckend, Clarice!

Expand full comment

Vielen Dank, Gabi! Es freut mich sehr dass dir die Geschichte gefallen hat.

Expand full comment

Oh Clarice! What a time you had! Thank god for hotels, haha. Simply amazing. A good lesson in advance re moving to a foreign country and settling in to a rental! I'm so glad it all worked out for you.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Jeanine! It was all pretty weird (and challenging), but it worked out in the end.

Expand full comment

It really did!! Sometimes life is like that!

Expand full comment

And thank you for the restack.

Expand full comment

A pleasure!

Expand full comment

What a challenging time that must have been! You were all alone in a new country far from home, not able to communicate very well and having to deal with all of those challenges. Yikes! I'm really glad you pushed through it all and remained in Vienna which I know you came to love.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Janice. It was challenging, but it worked out well in the end!

Expand full comment