Double-Stacked Bookshelves

Edinburgh Castle.  Photo taken May 19, 2008 Between September 2007 and September 2008 I was living in Edinburgh, Scotland working on my Masters in Comparative Literature at the University of Edinburgh .  While moving away from family and friends is difficult, it is also very rewarding.  My time spent living overseas gave my family the opportunity to travel to countries that had never been on their vacation radars.  This picture was taken in May 2008 when my sister and her best friend came for a two week visit. I am incredibly proud of this photo for many reasons.  1) I think it looks pretty damn good.  2) It offers an amazing reminder of just how awesome this city is.  And 3) It brings back so many fantastic memories.  I really wish I could walk out my front down and stroll through that garden right now... Nice weather like this was few and far between in Edinburgh, but this particular day was one for the books.  Taken while str...

Vienna, Austria Oh Vienna, land of Mozart, Sachertorte, Kaesekraeners, and delicious Eis.  I spent an amazing year living in Vienna in 2006/2007 teaching English just north of the city in Klosterneuburg.  The school I taught in specialized in wine production and vineyards...sweet deal!  Needless to say I learned a lot about wine and was even able to sample some of the bottles my students helped to cultivate.  Pretty awesome.  While living in the city (right near the Suedbahnhof), I had the opportunity to explore a lot of things.  Here are just a few: Schoenbrunn Palace from the Gloriette with a view of the city center behind. The Reisenrad at the Prater (boardwalk).  Those are railway cars that rock. The Gloriette behind Schoenbrunn Palace. Belvedere Palace, now a museum, where Gustav Klimt's The Kiss is displayed. The entrance of the school where I worked. Courtney and I cooling down our gluewein at a Christkindlmarkt. St. ...