Since we had so much fun at the last ball, Madeleine and I decided that the next student ball, the Rudolfina Redoute was a requirement.
The Rudolfina Redoute gets its name from K.Ö.St.V. Rudolfina, the Austrian fraternity that hosts the ball. A redoute is a masked ball where women are obliged to wear masks from opening to midnight. During this time, any woman in a mask may ask any man to dance and cannot be refused. After the unmasking quadrille, either gender may ask until the ball ends at 5am. (More history here.) Pretty cool, right? Madeleine and I were pretty excited both about our masks and the free reign we had in asking people to dance!
Since we were unable to secure good spots for the opening of the TU Ball, we arrived early to assure ourselves good viewing room of the events. I was really glad we did! After the Debutantes were escorted out onto the floor and the opening dance performed, we were treated to a short performance of Carmen excerpts by two singers followed by a beautiful ballet interpretation. It was really spectacular. We ended up with standing spots right next to where everyone entered so we would be watching the performance and then all of the sudden there would be an opera singer or a ballet dancer right next to us. It was a great opening to see!
The rest of the night just seemed to fly by. Justine and I ended up dancing for a while with two Austrian friends--they seemed pretty cool but after about an hour we realized they seemed to completely lack personality. It appears the stereotypical frat boy exists here in Austria as well. (Notice that I said the stereotype not every frat boy!) After we ditched those losers, we had some more fun dancing around with each other and asking a few people to dance. I met a very nice guy name Gerald who teaches American Political systems at the University and worked at one point for Schwarzenegger (>.<). He was very polite but a little strange. Lovely dancer though.
The real highlight of the evening is when Madeleine and I saw a pleasant looking fellow from across the room. At her insistence I navigated across two rooms of revelers to ask him to dance. Turned out to be a great idea! My new friend Lukas and I realized that neither of us could dance very well, so we sat down and had a lovely conversation. It turns out he spent some time in Texas during high school, loves to travel, and is all around a nice really nice (and shy!) guy. After about an hour we hunted down his roommate, an outrageously funny guy from Germany named Norbert, and decided it was high time we got some breakfast at the early hour of 4:30am! To the sounds of Norbert's loud laugh and Madeleine's limping, I've-worn-my-heels-too-long gate, the four of us, plus one of Lukas's friends, headed over to the Rudolfina fraternity flat for early morning breakfast.
As a recap, let me just set the scene: It is 5:00am in the morning, we have been dancing since about 9:30pm and here Madeleine and I are standing in a room full of Austrian fraternity men (and friends) having Krapfen and beer for breakfast. I don't know how to even describe how awesome and surreal it still seems. After much more laughing and joking, especially at our choice of breakfast (BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS!!!), Norbert and Lukas escorted us to the U-bahn to catch the first train of the morning home.
It definitely was a great night but the best part has been that I now have Austrian friends! Lukas and Norbert have been horribly nice about inviting Madeleine and I to join them and their friends. I met a few of their friends last Wednesday over a quick drink and we'll be seeing them again this Thursday at a small party they are throwing for a friend. I am so excited--I have Austrian friends! :D
More stories to come at another time.
Happy Friending!
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