That have been two very interesting days indeed. Yesterday and today the institute hosted an international conference entitled "Religion and Authority in Central Europe", with about twenty participants from Canada, the US, England, France, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Actually I had been hoping that I might learn more about the situation in the 17th and 18th century monarchy which I could put into relation to the Irish situation of that time. (I still have got this vision that I could do some additional research and write an article to benefit from my bloody 200-pages MA-thesis.) This was hardly the case. However, I could listen to all those papers and, even more interesting, during coffee and lunch breaks as well as during yesterday's dinner, had the chance to talk to some of those historians.

By the way, finally here is a photo of my new colleagues and me. Standing from left: Iwona (Poland / linguistics), < image "2024-colleagues" deleted > Premek (Czech Republic / international law), Kinga (Hungary / ethnology), sitting: Mathias (Austria / communication studies.

I hope that today evening (when most of them are attending a classical concert to which we are invited as well) I can get some recommendations on what I could read on this question I ask myself which I'll spare you now. (I think either I have to sign up for a history class this term or pursue this idea of doing a bit of my own research, because these todays again showed me that I need more historical input or output than the current job can offer me.)

Wieder einmal was von den Oertchen hier vor Ort . (Auch da sollt ich mal ein Update fabrizieren, vor allem mit einem Bild von meinem Lieblingsoertchen in Vancouver.) Aus aktuellem Anlass - gestriges Geburtstagsbesaeufniss eines Franzosen und wie das bei den AustauschstudenInnen so ist, jeder der ueber 5 Ecken hinkommt ist willkommen..

In ganz normalen Pubs und Clubs stehen hier Typen herum (die auffallenderweise, oder auch nicht, je nachdem welche sozialen Schluesse man daraus ziehen will, alle schwarz waren), deren Job es ist, auf der Toilette zu stehen, dich freundlich zu gruessen, dir Seife auf die Haende zu geben, dir das Wasser aufzudrehen, dir ein Papierhandtuch zu reichen, und wenn sie besser ausgestattet sind, dir eine Brise aus einem manchmal durchaus betraechtlichem Sortiment an Parfums anzubieten. Ich muss Eric noch einmal fragen, wie das genau laeuft, aber wenn ich das richtig in Erinnerung habe, bekommen sie gar nichts oder ganz, ganz minimal bezahlt und leben vom, aehm, Trink(?)geld. Und das find ich peinlich. Ist ja fast wie eine moralische Toilettengebuehr, die einem aufgedraengt wird. Seife, Wasser, Handtuch - das schaff ich gerade noch allein, danke.

Anererseits, vielleicht sollte es mir ein paar Cents wert sein, dass dadurch ajeder quasi gezwungen ist (denk ich zumindest), sich die Haende zu waschen (fast waschen zu lassen). Man glaubt ja gar nicht, wie viele Leute - sowohl in Kanada, als auch in good old Europe - das oeffentliche Oertchen ohne Haendewaschen verlassen! Brr...

Never thought it could be so easy: I'm going to watch the Oilers! I've just heard that the book store in the Student Union building is selling tickets (for 50 bucks) and I thought, I'm here in Edmonton, so I have to take the opportunity and get a live experience of the Oilers. Big surprise when I arrived at the store: There was no queue at all and I even had a wide range of matches to choose from. (So maybe it's very bad seats?) Guess what I decided for? Calgary, of course! Tuesday, 21 November 2006, 7pm Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames. I'll be there! Wiiicked!!!!!