Last Wednesday my amazing roommate, Magister Joanna Podgorska, completed her Master's examination and we all had a fun get-together with her at Argekultur, a cool student restaurant-bar in Salzburg. I am so incredibly proud of her! She worked so hard and is such an inspiration to me. She was studying in Poland thought hey, a lot of the research I am doing ends up being in German, I guess I will learn German and continue my studies in Austria. Then she moved to Austria and stayed there for a couple of years, got a position working at the University as well as at a Hotel in Salzburg, both of which are AMAZING for a foreign student to accomplish in Salzburg. She then decided that Portugese would be fun as well so after she wrote her Master's Thesis she got a scholarship to go to Brazil for 7 months and became fluent in Portugese after only a couple of classes in Salzburg and the rest learnt in a "hands-on" basis in Brazil. I mean seriously, this girl is amazing. If you think I am language and travel crazy you haven't even begun to scratch the surface on that category until you have met her. I have her to thank for one of my favorite vacations, a week in Istanbul, Turkey Spring of 2006, and let me tell you this girl knows how to have fun in foreign countries!

Even more amazing than her academic, intellectual and cultural accomplishments is her huge heart and loving, giving spirit. She truly is one of my best, closest friends and I will be ever grateful to the staff at our dorm in Austria Fall of 2005 for putting us together as roommates. We spent many a night staying up late having long discussions about life, culture, boys, school, and everything in between. She was definitely a huge part of what made Salzburg "home" to me last time I lived here and the best year of my University career by far.

In the spirit of these wonderful times, our friend Kai, who studied with me in Austria in 2005-2006 through BGSU as an Undergraduate and was also friends with Asia, came from Heidelberg to visit. He is finishing his senior year there this school year which is nice as we are atleast on the same continent. He and Asia came over for dinner last Saturday night and we had a wonderful time chatting and catching up since we have not all been together for a while. It was a lot of fun and I was grateful that Lukas was there too to get to know my friend's better and to give them a chance to get to know him better too. I must say, as I have amazing taste in friends and even better taste in husbands. I love sharing my favorite things with those I love and my husband and close friends fit both of those categories for sure :)
It was fantastic seeing the 2 of them last week. Asia has moved back to Poland for a job interview with Google and to continue her job search since she is finished here in Austria. I am hoping to see her again before I leave for the USA in July but if not, one way or another, I know we will see each other again. We have the type of friendship that years and distance cannot change and I know that we will always stay in touch and always be close which makes the separation a bit more bearable, even tho I miss her a lot already :).