On Friday I had dinner in the Faculty Club. Seafood Buffet: Lobster Soup. Oysters. Crabs. Salmon. Cod. ... ... ... Those 22 bucks were definitely well invested! Yuuummmmyyy!!!

Less so the 24 for entrance and drinks at a party of the U of A Polish Club. Uh, terrible 80s and 90s disco music. However, one thing was very interesting: I talked to a polish guy and when I introduced myself he laughed and said he has to tell his brother - who has chosen my name as his confirmation name thinking that no one else would have that name here. (I met that brother later on: He studies history and has a Canadian flatmate whose favourite beer is Stiegl. Funny.) Anyway, so that evening I learned that when Polish Catholics have their confirmation, they can chose an additional name, and wear a piece of cloth with this confirmation name during the ceremony. I’ve never heard of that. Do we have or did we have that in Austria as well? I like the idea. It fit’s well that you can chose a name for yourself at this second baptism which makes you fully Catholic. (And it may be especially useful if your real name sucks and you can persuade your friends to use your confirmation name instead.) I should enquire whether anyone uses their name at all. Anya told me today that – because confirmation is so late – it is never added to official paper, so it’s a purely religious symbol.