When I was 19, I studied abroad in Vienna, Austria: a foundational experience for me. Everything about that experience, even the most difficult stuff, has taken on a sparkly sheen in my memory, and it’s all happy.
One difficult thing about my time in Vienna was that I didn’t have a lot of spending money, and I also didn’t have much of a food budget. The woman who hosted me in her home for the semester was obligated to provide me and my roommates daily breakfast and one dinner a week, and she did not offer beyond that. So I tried my best to stuff myself at breakfast so that I could last until dinner.
Every single day, breakfast consisted of cornflakes and whole milk, a variety of breads and rolls, spreadable cheese, and jam. I used to eat as many bowls of cornflakes as I could stand, and then fold up the rolls and cheese and jam packets into napkins and stuff them in my backpack for lunch. (Random aside: sometimes I would buy a bell pepper at the market and make a bell pepper and cream cheese sandwich for my lunch. I did that a lot.)
Up until that point I had never regularly drunk whole milk; I grew up drinking 2%, and got in the habit of drinking skim in college. I still don’t drink whole milk that often; Matt always buys it, but I get 2% at normal grocery stores and only buy whole at Costco because Costco whole milk is delicious (I don’t make the rules).
Anyway so that is a long background to tell you that today I ate a bowl of cornflakes with Costco whole milk, and it transported me to 27 Mariahilferstraße in the fall of 2002. Some of my very best memories. Some of my hungriest memories, but man. What a life.
3 comments:
I vividly remember your study abroad and was raptured by all the details you shared at the time. It was so magical to me. Still haven’t been and would love to! When I went to BYU, I could only afford the one meal a day package. Boy did I have that meal! Usually around lunch time and could make without breakfast and dinner but remember someone saying the breakfasts were good so had to try that a few times and they were. My father in law is the most fit and he eats a large meal once a day + some snacks so we were onto something! 😆🤪
👋 (me again) Nicole
Maybe I didn't know this about your trip - not having enough food! My study abroad was at a university and we ate in the student cafeteria - and there was lots of food. In fact I gained 30 lbs. in 6 months there!
Mom
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