Lanay’s life in Austria started in a science lab when a grad student she was working with mentioned that she should apply for a PhD program in Vienna.
The reason? Because even if she didn’t get accepted, they might fly her in for an interview and she’d get a free trip to Austria out of it.
That free trip turned into 17 years.
She jokes that she couldn’t figure out how to leave Austria because the signs were all in German.
How did she get there? Why did she stay there? What does she love about Austria?
Why was learning the language so hard? And was it necessary?
We talked about culture. And career. And whether you need to pack a ball gown and take dance lessons in order to truly fit in.
I hope you enjoy Lanay’s story about leaving home and finding home. In Austria.
Wanna skip ahead?
The difference between living in Vienna as a PhD student and living there post-graduation. When and how she started to feel like a local. (starting at around 10:47)
How did she learn German? (starting at 6:20)
How she found a social life in her new country. And where she met her husband. (starting at 16:59)
Workplace culture: What’s like the US, what’s not? (starting at 19:27)
Whether “work from home” is a thing in Austria? (starting at 24:13)
Differences between a CV in Austria vs. a resume in the US (starting at 34:57)
What a “generous” maternity leave looks like in Austria. Spoiler: It’s….Wow! (at 30:51)
Parenting in Austria: From sugar and electronics, to after school programs, to the nightmare logistics of pickup and drop off (and if you want to work full time after your generous maternity leave, why you are probably gonna need someone called a “day mom”). (starting at 25:07)
Why she and her family moved out of Vienna. (starting at 41:55)
The things that were easy to adjust to about life in Austria. And hard. (starting at 47:48)
Where she thinks of when she thinks of “home.” And whether she thinks she’ll live there forever. (starting at 49:52)
Good news!
Wanna connect with Lanay?
You can find her on substack (@lanaygriessner) where she writes “short stories and comedy inspired by parenting, family, middle age, and unrelated trash I found on the internet.”
You can also check out her website (https://www.lanaygriessner.com/) where you can read some of her featured work.
PS. Did you know we’ve got a Book Club? There’s still time to read and join the July discussion, either LIVE or in the comments. 👇🏼
Join the July Book Club! We’re reading “A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi.
TOMORROW Sunday, July 27: The LIVE book discussion Zoom for paid subscribers.
⏰ 9:00 a.m. (Los Angeles)
⏰ Noon (NYC)
⏰ 5:00 p.m. (Lisbon)
⏰ 4:00 a.m. on July 28 (Auckland—ouch, sorry).
Paid subscribers, check your email for link to join. Let me know if you don’t see it.
Saturday, August 2: The post with the wide open comments section for all subscribers to share their thoughts.
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