My Austrian mum was big on rituals when we were kids. It began at dawn, when into the room she’d march bellowing “aufstehen”, which quite literally means “stand up” and is absolutely the most rousing wake-up call you could ever receive. To this day anyone who so much as murmurs the word aufstehen in my vicinity instantly makes me think of icy cold mornings and leaping from my bed before thrusting my shivering limbs into my uniform with as much speed as I could muster.
Next up in my mum’s daily schedule: cleaning time. This is not to be confused with a little hoover or speedy wipe of kitchen counters; for Austrians, cleaning is more than a means to an end but a hallowed ritual, something to beat your neighbours at, and techniques are reverentially passed down through the generations.
