Across the Pond

It is right in the city, mixes the new and the old, and in the summer it is always crowded: Vienna's MuseumsQuartier, a large cultural center with museums, exhibitions, and lots of events around film, dance, theater, architecture. The complex includes renovated baroque buildings, modern constructions, and much empty space for in between. It was opened in 2001 and quickly became one of the meeting points in Vienna. Many come here to educate themselves but most people just want to hang out, drink coffee, eat dinner. MuseumsQuartier is an urban spot, lively, international, young, inclusive.Vienna at its best.

Culture - what exactly is it? Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary lists a number of definitions. I like 5b, "the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group". Why I should ask? Because The German Way Expat Blog brought up the topic in a post last week. The writer, Jane, who is originally from Pennsylvania talks about her relocation from Germany to California: "The differences abound and the culture shock is subtly creeping in: translating 2nd floor to 1st, writing dates with the month first, converting ounces and pounds to grams, and bad driving." Jane is unhappy about paper plates and plastic spoons at the Marriott Residence Inn, about losing the Television battle against her children because screens are everywhere, about eggs which "taste absolutely like nothing". Jane concludes: "This leads me to my final point. I am understanding a bit more the whole moan about the lack of culture in Ameri...