Mykonos

I spent last weekend on the beautiful island of Mykonos. It was my last weekend of travel, and a final hoorah before... finals. Here are a few pictures, courtesy of my friend Katie. (My camera battery died.)


Windmills: a common site on Mykonos


Paradise Beach, where we stayed.


So we were eating near the water one afternoon, and up walks a pelican. You can't really tell from the picture, but s/he was huge. It was amazing.


Webbed pelican toes.


Where we had coffee before sunset.

Off to study... 7 days and 2 tests to go, and I will be on my way back to the States!

May I Suggest...

Yesterday I was pleased to find both pancake mix and syrup at my neighborhood grocery store, "Alpha Beta". Breakfast is one thing I really miss from home. Today is a Greek holiday, so I don't have class. A perfect day to sleep in a little and get up to make pancakes.

Bisquick? check. Milk? check. Eggs? check. Cooking spray? uh oh...
No Pam or vegetable oil to be found in my kitchen. I unsucessfully tried butter. My only other option: olive oil.

Let's just say I don't highly recommend olive oil pancakes, but sometimes you have to make use of your country's natural resources. Olives and olive oil are staples of Mediterranean cooking. Here is a blog entry Danny wrote while in Spain last year. It's a hilarious story about how much olive oil he consumed:

http://dcvivaspain.blogspot.com/2005/11/american-student-wreaks-havoc-on-olive.html

Walk Like an Athenian... part δύο

Spent the weekend touring more historical sights (surprise!). Not much to report from Korinth, Sparta, and Mystra except that the landscape was out of this world.

In my adoptive hometown of Athens, these are things my senses encounter on a daily basis.

I...

Taste
coffee. Greece has a "cafe culture" like no other. When the citizens of Athens are not napping (from about 2-5 every day), they are drinking coffee. On any given morning, early afternoon, or evening, cafes are full of cappucino and frappe drinkers. I am puzzled as to when (or if) Greeks work. I have adopted this ritual, going to coffee at least twice a week with a group of 6 at Ελλας, our neighborhood cafe.

WARNING: NEVER DRINK "GREEK COFFEE". It tastes like dirt.

Hear
a loudspeaker. A truck full of trees and flowers in buckets is driven by an Athens salesman. His marketing tactic? Driving down my street at dawn and yelling through some kind of megaphone. Others refer to it as the early morning call to Jihad. Not exactly pc, but exactly what it sounds like.

Sidenote: as I sit in an internet cafe writing this, Mr. Tree himself is happily disturbing the peace outside.

Smell
the bus. The dominant group traveling by bus is old men. I assume they are usually en route to a kafenio to meet friends for coffee. They appear dressed for business, but gray hair sprouting from their ears and sporadic places on balding heads gives away that they're past working age. I usually end up crammed against the door of a trolley, and bad breath from a throat that needs to be cleared circulates around me.

The urban bus smells like a Greek kitchen. The aroma of oven-baked potatoes that γιαγιά cooked yesterday has permeated men's suit jackets, and now the air around me. The bus is kind of like a tupperware container that's been emptied of its leftovers. I don't get to enjoy the food, but am forced to smell the pungent odor still trapped inside.

Please, open a window.

Feel
worry beads. These are a true part of Greek culture. Strands of beads in all sizes and colors are carried by nearly every Greek man, and there are several techniques to play with them. Even though it is an exclusively male practice, I bought some anyway. They come in handy when I get fidgety.

Ask a Greek man why women don't use worry beads, and he'll likely tell you that we don't need them because "women have no worries".

See
or rather, how I am seen. It's nearly May, and the weather keeps getting warmer. I wear sleeveless shirts and sandals. Greeks are still wearing coats and closed-toe shoes on 70 degree days. Let me tell you, my feet get a lot of attention. Just today I went out for lunch and people stared at me like I was an alien.

Biggest clothing no-no: color. In a sea of black-clad Greeks, you might as well wear a flashing strobe light if you plan to go outside wearing spring colors.

Athens: An Ugly Duckling among the Swans of Europe

"Is Athens an Ugly City?"

I have intended to address this question, but decided to wait until I had a standard for comparison. Over the weekend I went on my first independent adventure: I traveled solo to Vienna, Austria.

Vienna is beautiful. Touring the rooms of the Hofburg and Schonbrunn palaces, in all their extravagence, made me want to be queen for a day. Vienna really does feel like an "imperial" city.

Several European cities, like Vienna, are known for their lovely streets and historical feel. History is visible everywhere, with monumental buildings mixed in with the modern ones. Athens is not an exception in this regard; we do have the Parthenon, after all, along with other classical and Byzantine structures.

It is the areas surrounding these things that are different. From the top of Lykavittos Hill, which I wrote about in February, the view of Athens is expansive. It is a great lookout point, but also brings into focus the ugliness of the city. Athens is a conglomeration of concrete. The layout is structureless. It is far from environmentally friendly, too - laws against building higher than the Acropolis mean that the tallest buildings cap at about 7 stories. The city thus grows outward, not upward.

It wasn't until I was in Vienna that I realized how much I miss parks. Trees. Grass to sit on. A place to walk. Houses. With yards.

Athens does have a lot to offer. While I agree that it is quite aesthetically displeasing, I feel bad that my city's good qualities are overshadowed by its homely reputation. I feel it is my duty to explain and excuse Athens' blemished appearance.

In 19th century Vienna, the royalty were eating off of silver spoons and porcelain dishes. Sigmund Freud was researching. Strauss was composing.

While Austria and other European countries were experiencing a renaissance, Greece was still part of the Ottoman Empire. They fought their war of independence in 1821... the same year that Beethoven composed Opus 111.

There was still potential to build an impressive city, but a rapid influx of immigrants circa 1920 caused spontaneous expansion in Athens. Buildings were constructed unlawfully; the government lost control over city planning. Unprepared to house a million new people, the city exploded. Chaotically.

I guess it's better to have a few ugly buildings than homeless refugees, even if it resulted in the blur of concrete Athens is today.

In Vienna, the Empress Elisabeth loved to read Homer and Greek mythology. Her husband Franz Joseph incorporated "Spartan discipline" into his life. Inspiration from Ancient Greece is apparent in Vienna's art and neo-classical architecture.

Ancient Athens produced great thinkers and wondrous art that the rest of the world has since replicated. But my poor city, perhaps the greatest inspiration to the western world, is visited today and simply passed off as "ugly".

Santorini

I don't yet have pictures to post from Santorini, but here is a map I found online to show you where I spent my weekend.

Near the bottom right you see the town of Perissa. This is where my travel buddy Katie and I stayed. Our hotel, "Anny's Studios", was only 12 euro a night (equivalent of $16). Anny's was not only located right on the beach, but they had a pool and a poolside bar that served great pina coladas :) Tourist season is approaching but not quite here yet, which is why our accomodations were inexpensive. I thought it was perfect timing to go; the island was quiet and the weather was great.

Instead of taking buses around the island, we opted to rent an ATV (4-wheeler) for two days. On Saturday we went from Perissa - Akrotiri - the "Red Beach" (the sand really is red) - Fira. In the capital of Fira, we got on a boat that took us to that little island, rather, Volcano. We toured the national park to see the volcano that last erupted in 1950.

The boat also took us to the hot springs, where we were able to swim. The catch is you have to jump off of the boat into FREEZING cold water and swim to the warm stuff. We braved it. The hot springs aren't exactly pretty - the water is a yellowish color from the volcanic sulfur. For the rest of the day, I was covered in a rusty residue. I discovered that Santorini is an island of many colors - the beach at Perissa has black sand, the red beach has red sand, and other parts of the island have the typical white beaches. There is no shortage of greenery, either.

The ATV rental was a good purchase. We told ourselves that it was like a convertible, only cheaper. (Ok, so it was more dangerous too... sorry mom.) It was exhilarating to drive on the winding mountainous roads up to the town of Oia (see top of map). If driving by ATV, the trip from Perissa to Oia is only about 45 minutes. Oia, or Ia (ee-ah), is known for its beautiful sunset. Beautiful is an understatement. It is ranked among the best sunsets in the entire world. Here is another photo I found online, which will have to do until I post my own.

Not bad, huh?

to sink or not to sink?

I am leaving tomorrow morning for a weekend on the island of Santorini.

Cross your fingers: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/05/greece.cruiseship.ap/index.html

Walk Like an Athenian

After a 12 day break, it was time to return to my routine. It had been two weeks since I went through the motions of a Wednesday morning, which usually pass by unremembered. Today I slowed down a little to take note of and enjoy things...

My open balcony door is like a built in alarm clock. The usual chorus of stray cats, motor bikes, and church bells woke me up around 7. I stayed in bed until 7:30.

I walked down the slippery marble sidewalk of my apartment's sidestreet to the bus stop and crammed into Trolley #4. At this time of day, public transportation is free... not officially, but crowds make it impossible to reach the ticket validation machine. I stepped onto the metro for free as well, sure that only the preserved skeleton at Syntagma Station may have noticed.

Past a few street vendors, I reached my destination: class. We the students met Professor Diamant at an outdoor cafe table diagonal from the entrance to the Ancient Agora. The morning sun, getting warmer each day now, shone on our faces while we sat on the remains of an old stoa wall.

The Parthenon temple built for Athena in 480 B.C. in view... listening to a lecture about Roman occupation in 150 B.C... sitting in the middle of the birthplace of democracy, circa 500 B.C...

all before 10 am.

Three Blondes and the Aegean Sea

I am currently having a cup of coffee at the Hotel Attalos in Athens. My mom and sister Tara departed from here at 3 o'clock this morning to catch their flights back to the United States. They spent a week in Greece with me during my spring break, and it was fantastic!

They arrived last Sunday afternoon, exhausted from flying but ready for an adventure. After settling in at my apartment and freshening up, we strolled past the old Olympic Stadium, Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's arch to the neighborhood of Plaka. Here Mom and Tara were welcomed to Athens with their first taste of Greek food: mousaka, mussels saganaki, and zuchini balls. The restaurant was seated at the bottom of the Acropolis!

Mom's first glass of Greek wine

Day Two began with a walking tour past the major monuments of Athens. We followed a path suggested by a guide book. Perhaps the best part was a narrow road less traveled through small whitewashed houses adorned with flowers. Food of the day: Greek Salad and Souvlaki for lunch.
lunch

Hadrian's Arch

At the end of the day, we rested and then grabbed a taxi to an intimately set Jazz Club in my neighborhood. The feature at "Half Note" was a Flamenco performance by dancer Maria Serrano and her group. Flamenco is a traditional dance of Spain, not Greece, but I figured it was still Mediterannean. The entertainment was great from our second floor view, where we sipped mojitos.

There are 3,000 islands in the seas surrounding Greece. They are frequent vacation spots for visitors to the country, and I couldn't let my mom and sister leave without getting a glimpse of them. We spent Tuesday on a boat cruise of the 3 islands closest to Athens: Egina, Hydra, and Paros. Our time on each individual island was limited, but it was a great day.
Cheese Pie!

Our boat, after stopping on Paros; Donkeys on Hydra (there is no motorized transportation)

On Wednesday morning, we took a 3 hour bus ride from Athens to Delphi, a destination on top of Mom's Greece "must see" list. Rain had started to fall by the time we arrived, but it was no problem; we had planned to visit the museum first. The museum helped give us a visual of what the site at Delphi looked like centuries (and millenia) ago. Mom and Tara then did some souvenir shopping to stay dry, and we ate more mousaka at a taverna.

Early the next morning, we were able to visit the outdoor sites while the sun shone. The view, even the second time for me, was breathtaking. While waiting for the bus that would take us back to Athens, we had lunch at little place "for crepes sake," as Tara put it. Indeed, our stomachs were content for the ride home after we filled up on pizza and a chocolate/strawberry crepe.

Delphi: Taverna and great views

On Thursday evening we were back in Athens, and went to the movie theater close to my apartment. We saw "300," a historical movie about the Spartan army and battle of the 300. It is playing in the U.S., but I thought it more fitting for us to see while in Greece. Tara isn't a big fan of war movies, but Mom enjoyed it and so did I (for the second time).

On Day 5, Friday, we were back in Athens for the morning. We took a long metro ride to the 2004 Olympic Stadium, only to find that it was closed for Good Friday. The architecture was still fun to see, though, even from the outside. The trip was still worth it, because we were able to have coffee at the huge shopping mall nearby. We returned via metro to my neighborhood of Pangrati where the weekly Friday market filled the streets. Purchases included fresh olives and strawberries to snack on, along with Easter lilies getting ready to bloom.

Olympic Stadium, as seen from the shopping mall

OLIVES at my neighborhood market

A bus picked us up that afternoon for a tour of Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon. Even the 1.5 hour bus ride was enjoyable, as we viewed the beaches on the eastern coast of Attica. Tara and Mom had seen many a temple by now, but Poseidon's became a favorite because of the background in front of which it sits.

Temple of Poseidon

Views from the cape

Tara, from our hotel balcony in Vouliagmeni

There is nothing like a morning swim to start the day, and that is what we did on Saturday. Lake Vouliagmeni sits parallel to the seashore, at the bottom of a mountain range. It is known for its warm temperatures year-round and mineral content that reportedly heals several skin ailments. We checked out of our hotel and returned to Athens and the Monastiraki area, where Mom and Tara were finally able to eat a great gyro.

Easter is the biggest, most important holiday in Greece. At 11 PM on Saturday, we attended a service at "my church" in Pangrati. Chanting and the liturgy went on for an hour leading up to the climatic "Cristos Anesti" (Christ has risen!) at midnight. The lights went out and the church and streets were lit with candles held by all.

On Sundays, and especially Easter Sunday, most places in Greece are closed. We were lucky enough to be invited to the home of one of my professors. Father Stefanos Alexolpoulos, an orthodox priest, generously had us over for a great Easter meal. Mom and Tara were able to get a taste of local hospitality along with delicious roast lamb. Tara was stuffed after yiayia (Grandmother) insisted on filling her plate with meat of all kinds.

Their last night in Greece was surely relaxing. Our hotel in Monastiraki, where I still sit, has a rooftop garden bar with a view of the Acropolis. They waved goodbye to it last evening, beautifully lit up over the city of Athens. I was sad to see them go, but am so thankful that they were able to visit me and the beautiful country I currently call home.

Giving in to the Red, White, and Blue

When you first arrive in a new country, one of the most exciting things is foreign food. For two months I've indulged in meatballs, zuchini balls, mousaka, feta (among other cheeses), and all kinds of other traditional Greek food. I hit a breaking point this week, though. I wanted a sandwich.

It sounds simple, but in the land of Tavernas and gyros, layers of meat, cheese, lettuce & tomato between bread & mayo are hard to come by. On Tuesday evening I was determined to get a sandwich. As in any country, there is always a nearby McDonalds, but I didn't want to get off that easily. After a small search I found a pseudo-club sandwich at a place called (ironically) Pizza Man. It tasted divine.

Two days later (today) I got caught in a downpour when far from home. Desperate for shelter, I hopped on a bus, even though it was going in the opposite direction of my apartment. The roof over my head was only temporarily pleasant... until my pants got caught on an old woman's umbrella. She yelled at me in Greek for the entire two minutes it took to get unhooked.

And then, through the bus window, it appeared: Starbucks. I swear the stormy gray clouds parted and the sun shone just for a moment on this heavenly American refuge. Starving for someone to talk to me in English and a hot cup of coffee, I κατεβαίνω-ed off the bus and gave in to my temporary homesickness. The words "cafe latte" have never looked so good.

Tonight I'm departing to visit an even greater American treat: my dear friend Ashley Lawson from home. She is studying in the Greek city of Thessaloniki this semester. It should be a great weekend!

Pictures from Pelopponese

Corinth Canal


village of Dimitsas




Where we stopped for coffee


abandoned home in the desolate town


5 characters from mythology of Pelops


Fallen columns (earthquake?) of Temple of Zeus



Helmet at Olympic Museum (Hoplite warfare)

lunch view at Nafpaktos



temple of Apollo


Professor Diamant and omphilos to his right



Charioteer at Delphi museum - one of the best preserved bronze sculptures

Week in the Pelopponese

Believe it or not, I am halfway through my stay in Greece! It seemed unreal to me until I was drowning in papers and mid-term tests last week. It was a somewhat stressful week in terms of schoolwork, but this week made it worth it. I was able to reengergize while on a class trip to the Pelopponese, from where I just returned.

Early Tuesday morning we loaded a bus. We had two stops en route to Olympia: the Corinth Canal and Dimitsas. The canal is just that - a canal which separates the area of the Pelopponese from the rest of the mainland. Technically, it makes the former Pelopponese peninsula an island with water on all sides, although if you're looking for a coast and beach on the fourth side, it leaves something to be desired. Anyway, it serves as a good 20 minute rest stop.

Dimitsas was the next site on the agenda, and was in fact the only thing on Tuesday's agenda. Unfortunately, the Water Power Museum we were scheduled to visit was closed, so adjustments had to be made. Luckily it is a great village, and I was happy to spend a couple of hours there, museum or not. We were driving up a windy road, and when turned around a bend and Dimitsas came into view, my jaw dropped. It is seated right in the Mountains. It is not tourist season, so the town was pretty desolate when we arrived. I didn't mind relaxing in its serenity and drinking tea with such a great scenery in view :) Pictures to come.

We arrived in Olympia later on Tuesday and began sightseeing on Wednesday. I was expecting Olympia to be much larger than it was. It definitely qualifies as a town, not a city. I'm sure all recognize the name of Olympia - the birthplace of ancient Greek athletics and the original home to the Olympic games in the 8th century B.C. In ancient times, women not only were not allowed to compete in athletics but also were not invited inside the stadium to watch. I broke the old rules and did a little jog down the track :) It is most well known for athletics, but Olympia historically also had religious functions. Most notable in the ruins were the Temple of Hera and Temple of Zeus. The Temple of Zeus at one point housed the gold and marble statue of Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It perished centuries ago, however, so it unfortunately was not available for viewing.

On Thurday morning we visited the Olympic museum and then took off for Delphi. Our only stop on the way was lunch in the bay town of Nafpaktos, where I ate a delicious greek salad and pizza. Did I mention that this week's weather was great? The sunny skies brought out my freckles while eating next to the water.

Upon arrival in Delphi we visited the "lower site" before it closed at 5:30. While Olympia was a site of competition, Delphi was revered as the "omphalos" (center) of the ancient world. It is in a majestic location on the slope of Mount Parnassus, and it was no wonder to me that people from all over consulted the Delphic oracle to predict their futures. I think maybe if I lived amongst nature's beauty in Delphi, I might be able to come up with some prophesies of my own. Just kidding. The Temple of Apollo, which we saw today (Friday) is found at the site in Delphi, among other things. The town, like Olympia, is quaint and we had a very relaxing stay.

A promise I will try to keep: Pictures coming soon.

Photos

It's been awhile since I have posted. I bet you were wondering if I actually was still in Greece. Here is proof!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this post will be filled with many pictures and few words. Here are some photos from Crete (during Carnivale), Athens, and maybe a couple from the Argolid. Above: after boarding the ferry to Crete with friend Hadass; arriving in Crete at dawn

At the palace of Knossos in Crete. Knossos is sometimes called "the first European city". Palaces are a trademark of ancient Minoan civilization on Crete (2000-1400 BC).

overlooking the town of Iraklion on the northern coast of Crete

In Chania, also on the N. coast

both of these photos are from the Carnivale parade/celebration

Okay, I guess more photos from the Argolid will have to be posted later. It takes quite awhile for them to upload. Here is one more, though, of the street where I live.

Weekend

Thursday was the first day of "Carnivale". The best way I can describe it is a two-week long Fat Tuesday. The whole city is decorated in a marti gras-like fashion. In the next week, there will be several parades and celebrations before the start of Lent. I will be doing my Carnivale celebration on the island of Crete next weekend, so I opted to stay in Athens this weekend.

On Thursday, I ate taverna-style with a group of 8 other students. Greeks dine in large groups and share several plates of food, so that's exactly what we did. Traditionally, they eat meat on the first day of Carnivale... We did that, too.

I took a long walk up Lykavitos Hillon Friday afternoon. From the top you can see all of Athens, and the view is breathtaking. I took it all in with a cup of coffee at a cafe there. The picture below is of Lykavitos as seen from the city. As you can see, it is quite a climb to the top, but well worth it!


Later on Friday I hopped on the Metro with a friend and we got off at a stop near Piraeus, a large port out of Greece. We found a restaurant next to the water and, of course, had seafood.



On Saturday morning I visited a Byzantine Art and Architecture museum. Strangely enough, they had an exhibit of work by contemporary Spanish artist Salvador Dali. We spent quite a bit of time looking at his work, but the Byzantine art was great, too.


Close by the Byzantine museum is a Cycladic art museum. (The Greek islands are referred to as the Cyclades.) I will post pictures from there in a couple days.


Today I visited the Orthodox Church at the end of my street for their early service. It's quite different than the Lutheran services I'm accustomed to, but similar to Catholic mass (I think). I will return later in the semester, after I've learned more about their practices in my Orthodox class.


This afternoon I went to yet another museum - the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art. I won't bore anyone with the details, but it might be my favorite museum so far.


The weather is rainy and gloomy, but I feel fortunate - I'll take rain over snow, and I heard that North Dakota and Minnesota have been pretty cold lately :)

Week in Review

I haven't updated in awhile due to difficulty accessing the internet... but here's a short version of what I've been up to.

A week ago Saturday I went to a wine tasting at the ritzy "Hotel Grand Bertagne". A 5 Euro entrance fee got us a glass and samples from several Greek wine distributors. I certainly don't know the art of wine tasting, but I pretended by following the actions of Athenian wine connoisseurs. It goes something like swirl, smell, sip, swish, spit. I tried some great wine, but I couldn't tell you any names - the labels were in Greek (obviously).

Most of my week was spent just going through the new class routine. When I had some spare time, I did a little exploring. It is fun to arbitrarily pick a bus/trolley and just see where it takes me. Experimenting with the public transportation is a great way to get acquainted with a new city. The metro (subway) system in Athens is great, too - it was recently redone for the 2004 Olympics. In a city like Athens, renovating an underground subway system also requires an archaeological excavation. Archaeologists learned a lot more about ancient Greece in the process, and the metro stations are amazing - they double as museums of the artifacts that were found.

On Friday I went to the island of Halkida. I believe it is the largest Greek island. It's also the closest to the mainland - so close that a bridge connects the two, so we were able to took a bus the whole way. Guide books don't typically suggest spending a day there, but we found enough to do. Highlights included beautiful water, seafood on the boardwalk, a castle, and an Orthodox church whose priest let us in to look and take pictures.

We ate dinner at a "Taverna" and waited over an hour for our food. My patience serves me well here, but others were more frustrated. Customer service and punctuality aren't exactly high priorities in Greece, but I'm getting used to it.

I am going to attempt to upload a few pictures, finally!

My Courses

"Modern Greek" (language)

"The Orthodox Church"
(this one I just switched; was originally taking Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion, which would have been great, but I'm more interested in Christian theology)

"The Monuments of Greece in their Historical & Archaeological Significance"

"Gender and Sexuality in Modern Greek Culture"

So, hopefully I will know much more about this place in a couple of months. After 5 days of Modern Greek class, I can at least pronounce any word you put in front of me. I don't know what most of them mean, but I feel sort of accomplished nonetheless.

In other news, tonight I will be taking my second Greek dance class. It was a lot of fun last week, and a great workout too.

FOOD

I have been here less than a week, but I already have several new favorite foods.

Tzatziki - can't begin a meal without it!

Chocolate Croissants - there are bakeries everywhere you look, and the pastries/bread are delicious and inexpensive. On Thursday morning, I asked a woman what I should eat for breakfast, and she insisted on the chocolate croissant. I didn't put up a fight. I might look like a pastry when I come home.

Gyros - I already have a favorite place. It's a short walk from our apartment, and has a great outdoor patio. They taste out-of-this-world, especially with a bottle of Mythos, the Greek-brewed beer.

Burgers - they don't come with buns here, but either zuchini or dill are mixed in with the meat... topped off with some lemon juice, they make my taste buds very happy.

More later... I might have to make "favorite foods" a running column as I discover new treats.

Grocery shopping is quite the experience when you don't have a clue what the labels say. I shop by pictures, which isn't always reliable. I did manage to get milk (cow picture), but others have not been so lucky, ending up with condensed milk or yogurt. My roommate bought a container with a picture of corn on the label, but - surprise! - chocolate pudding.

Pencils and Armored Vehicles

(written 1/24)

Today is our last day before classes begin. As it turns out, we can't just enjoy the scenery all semester - time to do a little work.

Three roommates and I ventured out to find school supplies today. As we got closer to the Parliament building, the numbers of policemen on the streets increased. Some areas were taped off - we were confused, but kept on our way.

...More police, now with shields; several armored buses. We continue on.

Awhile later when we were roaming, we heard booming voices coming from the main road, so we curiously went back to check it out. There were swarms of Greek student protestors. We couldn't read their signs and banners, so I asked a friendly officer nearby what was happening. All I understood was something about Public/Private Universities and a change that is happening soon. I remember hearing that in Greece, private institutions are not recognized. Anyway, the dense crowd of students went on for blocks - further than I could see. We stared in amazement, but were warned to keep back.

And then I bought notebooks.

Really, though, it made me think about American students. Tuition rises, and we stand by and let it happen. I was intrigued and inspired by this massive, unified group. At home we don't even demand our lunch money back (Gustavus students know what I mean). I mentioned this thought to a fellow CYA student, who seemed to think U.S. students weren't as apathetic as I imagine. She goes to USC - perhaps a different story.

And then I walked to the Acropolis.

Prepare for Departure...

(written on 1/23)

Motion sickness happens. I was just hoping it wouldn't happen before I got on the plane. On a bumpy "Super Shuttle" ride to the JFK airport in New York, I was hoping I would make it at least until the driver dropped me off at the curb. We approached terminal 7, where he would leave me, and I suddenly felt emotional - I was really leaving for Greece. The tears fell, and my lunch came up. It wasn't how I'd hoped my trip would start. I guess I'm just glad I left the country, where Super Shuttle can't find me for the clean-up fee.

Despite the rough start, my flights from NYC-Madrid and Madrid-Athens went smoothly. Dramamine prevented any further motion sickness and helped me sleep. Any anxieties I had about the trip melted away as the plane flew over Greece - the topography is spectacular! I was relieved when we touched down; the traveling part was over. I was greeted by a College Year in Athens staff member, who directed me to a cab that would take me to my apartment.

The apartment is small, but big enough to fit me and 4 other students. My roommates are very nice, and our first outing together was to a nearby restaurant. We ate tsatziki and fresh fish in an oil-dill sauce for appetizers. We stopped on our way home for a bottle of red wine. Unfortunately, it tasted as cheap as it cost. Sipping it on our balcony with my roommates was enjoyable, though.

Today has been spent getting class materials, checking in, etc. I'm hoping to do some exploring in a bit, but haven't quite figured out the bus system. It would help if I could read signs. I'm currently on the third floor of the CYA Academic Center, which has a perfect view of the Parthenon. Am I dreaming?