outsiders in Innsbruck

An interesting experience of this last week was going to pick up my visa. It was, as expected, an example of bureaucracy and lack of organization. At the office, there is no waiting room or organization system, but rather a large hallway where everyone stands and waits for their turn to step in the small office. The frustration is that you arrive and, if you've been through this before and know what to look for, scope out who else is there so as to see your place in line. Just when you think you've counted everyone and determine that you're No. 9, someone steps in from outside and explains that he/she (and his/her family of four) had just stepped out for a cigarette. They'd been there already for 45 minutes and still expect their place in line. Are they being honest? Who knows! Most people can't speak or understand German that well (we're all foreigners), so it's a big mess of grumbling, racial profiling and exaggerated moans of frustration when someone charges into the room when the door opens, and no one really knows if if was their rightful turn. Couldn't this whole thing be improved with a number system? Fortunately a former classmate of mine was in line at the same time so we passed the time talking about his upcoming trip home to Ukraine, then his time came to be accepted through the golden gates and it was only 20 more minutes until my time came.

Big news in Austria has been the death of Jörg Haider, a rightwing politician from Carinthia (the state bordering Tyrol, where I am). His politics are crazy, but even more crazy is how much support he has. All my Austrian friends are vocal opponents of his and are embarrassed and saddened by what he stands for. In fact, I haven't talked to anyone who supports/ed him, but statistics in the papers following the election showed that 50 percent of Austrians under 30 voted for one of the two rightwing parties in the election (this was from the magazine "Profil"... I hate not citing things like this). Where are these 50 percent?

I teach in two schools, 13 classes at each one, and after introducing myself to each class (26 times in all), I'm on to teaching more exciting things. Like the electoral college. After my explanation and usage of good visuals to show how it works, my students respond, "Right, I get how it works... but why???" Beyond the historical explanation, do any of you have answers?