Austrian visitors

A few years ago we had some Austrian girls stay with us for a couple of weeks. This evening one of them is coming back with two friends for the night, and in August, two others are coming back with their friends, when we'll have five girls staying for a few weeks. August will be busy.

Dull Sunday afternoon

We took the Austrian girls for a picnic in Wendover woods, where all the world and his friends were, so there weren't any barbecues left for us to use. We got out our picnic blankets and had a picnic on the salad and buns and crisps and apples and home made apple cake. We just didn't have a barbecue. It didn't rain.

Then we visited Tring museum, admired the stuffed bear, gorillas, foxes, dogs, ate icecreams and came back in the dull light of not-quite-raining.

Everyone must be back from their two week summer break, ready to get the children back to school on Thursday at the start of September (after the teachers have had their inset days), so the museum was heaving with children - I've never seen it so busy. The first time we went there in 1999 or 2000, it was so quiet you'd have thought any noise was a ghost.

Woods and museum full of people. But there were very few at tae kwon do.

Austrians

The girls' programme includes:

• Oxford
• Stratford-upon-Avon / Bicester Village
• London Tour
• Isle of Wight
• London: Hyde Park etc.

One day they will meet the mayor, visit the museum and the library. Another day they depart for Scotland: Gretna Green area and return from Scotland the next day, stopping overnight in a four star hotel.

On Saturday they visit London: Wimbledon/Oxford Street/with a Matinee of ‘Sister Act’ (Palladium). Daughter is going with them.

They have a day spent with Host Families with an optional afternoon gathering for all family members & students for a picnic/BBQ at Wendover Woods (weather permitting).

And finish with a visit to Thorpe Park.

Austrian visitors

Two Austrian girls are visiting us again. One is the same one who came last year. She's asked to come back with us and has brought a different friend. They start with lessons the first couple of days but otherwise have a hectic programme, led by their wonderfully enthusiastic, energetic and flamboyant teacher.

Ill Austrian

One of our little Austrian visitors wasn't very well yesterday, with a tummy ache and feeling sick. Her teacher came round and gave her herbal drops, and prescribed coca-cola. Certainly it seemed to work, for both girls were happy and smiling and eating at breakfast this morning. I was impressed too that the whole conversation was conducted in English, despite their youth. They've been learning English for only two years, yet responded with understanding and sensibly if somewhat shyly.

It was also an opportunity to get a photo of this wonderful flamboyant teacher. See it on the family web site.

Austrian girls

Our two young visitors slept and ate okay, and we got them off on the coach to visit Bath and Salisbury today. Their flamboyant teacher was dressing in a mini dress of pale yellow, with the usual high heeled shows and pink net socks, but her eye makeup was wonderful in a rainbow of metallic colours to match her dress.

Austrian visitors

We are expecting two twelve year old girls from Austria to come tomorrow and stay with us for 13 days while they explore England and English. We had similar visitors last year, along with their wonderfully flamboyant teacher.

This WFT brings a class over every year - see Visitors from Austria last year.

Austria connection

I'm pleased for daughter who had a phone call last night from Ellie in Austria, offering her a job (don't know what though!) and asking for her CV. We got up early this morning to check through it before emailing it really early, before daughter went to school.

The connection is because Ellie has come over to Aylesbury for years, bringing a group of Austria students around 13-16 years old to learn English, and we've acted as host families to some of them. Last year, daughter took over all the sandwich preparation and breakfasting them because I was going out to the office, worrying about getting my Master's dissertation in on time for September. Daughter did a lot of the work, and Ellie knew it. When she saw daughter last, she asked her if she'd like to come to Austria, and of course, after A-levels are done, daughter has weeks free until the results come out in August.

Now we wait and see what Ellie has to offer.

Visitors from Austria

We have two teenage girls from Austria staying with us for a fortnight. They are with a group of about 30 teenagers who get farmed out to a number of host families around the town. We provide them with bed, breakfast, packed lunch and supper. Each day they go either to English classes or out on trips with their flamboyant teacher. FT arrived yesterday in big white hat, bright red suit with mini skirt, bare brown legs, shod in high heels, with pink fish net tight ankle socks.

This morning the class was off to Thorpe Park for the day. Daughter packed their lunches and we walked the girls to the bus stop. When the coach arrived, FT gave me a big hug, and then invited daughter to go to Thorpe Park with them! And she's gone. She's got no sandwiches, no mobile, no money, probably no handkerchief - and she does have hay fever. I hope she has a wonderful time.