Explore

The ancient is everywhere in Greece, scattered amongst the modern buildings and streets, yet some is still so detached.

Our trip to Eleusis brought us to the site of the ancient cult of Demeter and the site of the Eleusian Mysteries, ancient relics that were only shown to initiates of the exclusive cult. To be completely honest, I did not know much about the site at all before going. I had heard it mentioned by Plutarch in one of my ancient historical readings, but I had no idea how great of an archaeological site it really was...or how abandoned. The site itself was quite large and extremely rich in ancient ruins and artifacts, but there was almost no one there besides myself, my professor, and my fellow student. Why would no one come to such a cool Ancient Site? Everyone goes to the Acropolis, flooding through the Propylaea like Zombies in search of brains, but why does no one come to beautiful Eleusis?

The same is true with the site of the Pnyx, the meeting place of the ancient Athenian assembly, which is located right near the center of Athens. Entry into the site is free, the site itself is beautiful, it has an amazing view, and still I saw nobody on this visit either. In one sense it was extremely nice to have the sites to ourselves, able to explore and discuss without the rabble of tourists, but in another way it was sad to see such incredible sites abandoned. Sure they may have lacked some of the monumental architecture of the Acropolis, but the site itself was no less awe-inspiring and educational. I learned more on these site visits by observing the architecture and discussing things with colleagues than I did at any of the major tourist sites combined.

I don't know whether I should feel bad or not for those who just wish to see the monumental structures and care nothing of the history and significance of other ancient sites. To me the most fulfilling site visit is one in which you must use your imagination in order to figure out how the site was used in ancient times. I think experiences like this can teach us quite a bit, and I urge anyone who is going to Greece to observe some of the more obscure sites, gather information, and do research in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the site as a whole. Maybe that's just the history nerd in me talking, but there really is something beautiful about some of these unfrequented places.

Come on....explore...be adventurous. 

Glorious Guns.

Everyone has guns right? I mean, most families that I know keep guns in their house, so that obviously means that the same is true throughout most of the world....right?

Wrong.

I was talking to a shop keeper in Monistiraki the other day about action movies; The Expendables, to be more specific. Naturally the conversation began to take a turn, and soon we were talking about Martial Arts. From Martial Arts we got to gun disarms, which made the shopkeeper bring up something interesting. He asked me a question:

"Does everyone in the United States own a gun?"
"Well," I said as I thought of the answer, "not everyone."
"But a lot of people?"
I stopped and thought once again. I wasn't exactly sure of what he meant with the term of "a lot". A lot in comparison to Greece? Probably.
"I mean, I know quite a few people who own guns in the States," I responded, "I think more people own guns in the United States than here in Greece." I didn't actually have any statistics to prove that, but as I look at the numbers now I can see that his opinions on gun ownership were not without good reason.

America ranks number one in the world for both percentage of the population with a privately owned gun, and number of privately owned guns. America's 88 guns per 100 people absolutely blows Greece's 22 guns per 100 out of the water. Having grown up around families with guns my entire life I had never really thought that it was unusual to have guns in your home, but apparently it is not very common in Greece, and most other countries at all. It's one of those things that you don't notice until you look at in in comparison to another country.

We really do have a lot of guns here in America thanks to our Second Amendment, and it's just interesting to think that that is one thing that really stands out about the United States. 

Karaoke Trivia on Rhodes.

You thumb through the book of songs, delaying the inevitable truth that you will have to decide on one eventually. Another poor soul is called up to sing as you continue your procrastination. They shake, they sing, people cheer, and the process continues. Finally you can't delay the wait any longer as you make your final decision on a song: Ain't no Sunshine. 

Another rock star finishes their song and then there is silence. You know what is coming next. Your heartbeat increases, your foot desperately taps the ground, your fingers twitch, and you swallow as you are motioned to come to the front of the crowd. Stumbling, you make your way to your stage as an old Greek man, the operator of the karaoke machine, hands you the microphone. Before he lets go he speaks to you.

"Are you American?" he asks, a seemingly irrelevant question. 

"Yes," you answer him.

"Then tell me, what was the first state in the Union?"

"Uh..." you mumble as you desperately search for the answer in the small section of your brain that contains facts on your country's history. The Greek man looks at you with the smug satisfaction that he has stumped an American at American history. You finally answer, a completely guess: "Virginia?"

"Delaware," he responds as he shakes his head. His facial expression changes from pride to disappointment as he lets go of the microphone. 

You think to yourself, "What was that all about?" as you walk to the stage to sing. The song starts, you sing, and the crowd goes wild. 

Lessons that I've learned from this incident:

1) Karaoke is actually a lot of fun once you start singing.

2) Greek people like to quiz Americans on American history. 

Laughter is Contagious

It's true.

Well, either laughter is contagious, or being in a situation where you don't understand what is being said is funny. It was probably a little bit of both.

The other night I had the priveledge of attending a 2500 year old play in an ancient theatre in Epidavros. I had read the play before: The Clouds. It was a pretty hilarious play. There was just one catch.

The entire play would be performed in Greek.

Apart from the few little phrases that I can actually say in Greek, it's safe to say that I am extremely unfamiliar with the language. Thankfully, I was able to understand the jist of what was going on from the actors movements, and from my prior knowledge of the comedy. One thing that eluded me, however, were the parts that I was supposed to laugh. The humor itself seemed to be related to what the protagonist was saying. So here is what I heard:

Actor 1: "En shanfa lisos exias mira tatesalma protista"
Actor 2: "Di polis megaclos Socrate deus mis parakalo"
Actor 1: "Pu filme cuadadate kala me kokinno!"

AUDIENCE: ERUPTS INTO LAUGHTER

This is the point where I have a choice to make. I can either:

A) Stay completely silent, I didn't understand the joke anyway.

OR

B) Laugh along with them, assuming that their laughter is indicative of the joke's humor.

I chose the much more fun, Option B, and laughed my behind off. I mean, I'm sure it was funny, and I don't wanna' seem like the one party-pooper in the audience who wouldn't laugh at anything, so I joined in. It was my way of blending. Who knows, if I hadn't laughed, maybe I would have been ostracised.* (see nerd reference at end of post)

Despite not understanding the joke, the laughter felt very real, hence my lame title of "Laughter is Contagious". In a way I believe that it's a very true statement. After all, what's more fun than laughing by yourself? Laughing with others. To share in that common reaction to humor with obnoxious chortles and snorts is a wonderful experience that breeds more humor based off of the ridiculous noises that we make. It's a community building activity, and in my fake laughter I became part of a very real group of "laughers", causing me to start laughing...for real.

It was a great experience, and I'm happy that I chose to laugh. After all, why shouldn't I laugh?Life can be comical, and that's just fine....




*If you're bored and like history look up ostracism in Ancient Greece, it was a pretty interesting system.

Speedos and Naked Gods

The ancient Greeks were not bashful when it came to their artwork. From frescos, to painted pottery, to sculptures, you will see it all when it comes to the human anatomy. I can't even count the amount of nude human figures I have seen throughout the various museums that I've visited since being here, but I would imagine it's definitely in the hundreds. Seeing so many statues of nudity may puzzle modern westerners, who may come to the conclusion that the ancient Greeks were obsessed with penises. Well, I can't say whether that is true or not, but I think there was a much more plausible reason for why the Greeks felt it necesarry to depict most of their gods and athletes in the nude.

The ancient Greeks seemed to simply have a respect for the human body in its natural form. Why wouldn't they make nude artwork? It's the most natural human form that there is, the core of the human body, not covered by a shield of linens, unashamed of the physical form, it is the truth. In a way it is noble. The Greek sculptors recognized how beautiful and complex the human body was, and therefore had to capture it in all of its unaltered glory in their sculptures. Unlike in modern American thought, where old Puritan teachings make us feel ashamed of our bodies, make us think that they should be hidden from the world, the Greeks had no shame for the human figure.

Which brings me to speedos.

I should start by saying that speedos are vastly more common here in Europe than they are in the states. I mean, if you go to an area where there is swimming I'm sure that you will see at least a few speedos. It's not frowned upon here. Even the old, the out of shape, and sometimes both, wear speedos on public beaches without shame. This is certainly a different story for the United States, where most situations involving a speedo in public would be considered comical or even frowned upon.

The mindset is different here, and it makes me wonder if there is not some type of connection, vague or not, between such revealing bathing suits and a lack of bodily shame that was present in the ancient Greek world. It ranges from topless women on beaches (which are slightly less common than speedos, but still not uncommon) to old men in speedos, but the message is still the same. The people here don't care whether people see most of their bodies or not, because why should they? Who cares? They're our bodies, they are beautiful in their own way regardless of their shape, and despite the American idea that revealing so much of yourself in public is disgusting, there is not really much concern for that here. Really, why should there be?

Having considered all of this, I made my way to the beach....in my speedo.

Any looks of surprise that I got were justified. I assume they just confused me for a living breathing Greek god.

Macaroni and....OH MY GOD I COOKED SOMETHING.

I don't cook.

Well, I DIDN'T cook.

I mean, unless I can consider microwaving chicken nuggets or heating a panini to be cooking, then I didn't really cook at all before coming to Greece. But things are Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changing (enjoy the song reference) now that I am here.

With the introduction of our weekly potlucks I had to find a way to adapt. I had a couple of options:

Option 1: "Don't bring anything, but eat everything"- This is obviously the easiest option. But come on, I have more class than that...

Option 2: "Bring whatever is in the fridge"- This is also a pretty easy option, but also serves to provide something for the meal, whether that something is a slice of cheese and four eggs, or a pack of sliced bologna and a carton of milk. I admit, without shame, that I used this option the first week of the potluck, and in my defense the banana juice and bread that we brought were delicious. Still, there was one more option that I needed to give a shot.

Option 3: "Get off of your lazy butt and learn how to cook Jim (you big-nosed freak)": The most difficult, and most rewarding of the options. When giving yourself this option please note that the insult in parentheses is both optional and interchangeable.

The last two weeks I have taken Option 3, and I actually feel pretty good about that decision. To toot my own horn, I'm very proud of me.

Now, as someone who doesn't cook, I couldn't have done it without the help of some friends. On the first week that I actually cooked I had the help of Allison when it came to preparing the pasta. It was actually more of a pasta tutorial, with me doing very little but observing and occassionally stirring the pasta. But it was a step in the right direction. The pasta turned out delicious, and now I actually knew how to make one meal item of food! (I know it's easy, but cut me some slack).

This past week I decided to kick things up a notch. It was time to take the next logical step, from Pasta to Macaroni and Cheese. And not even boxed mac n' cheese, but legitimate mac n' cheese with homemade cheese sauce. For this new task I enlisted the help of my good friend and ally, Charlie, who helped me purchase all of the correct ingredients, and provided me with a recipe for my soon-to-be macaroni and cheese. Unlike my last cooking experience, however, she didn't do any of the actual cooking. She stayed in the room to guide me and offer an opinion on whether I was cooking it right or not, but I did the actual cooking myself. It was a learning experience. I had a couple fumbles along the way, but thanks to Charlie's supervision, I didn't butcher the macaroni at all. It actually ended up being pretty delicious, and I'm looking forward to making it again.

I'm excited for what next week holds in the cooking department. And I'm also just excited to be cooking in general. That is just one of many things that has changed within me since I've been in Greece. I'M A CHEF NOW.

Well, that's probably a little too far, but you get the point.

So when I get back to the states, and you're really hungry, just ask me to cook you up some homemade mac and cheese! :)

It may not be good, but it's the effort that counts right?

Alright probably not, but food is food...

Greek Trust

Trust.

It allows us to have complete faith in another individuals intentions. It makes us believe that others care about our interests. It is a valuable concept. Trust is something that must be developed between individuals. Usually it takes time, but sometimes it occurs rather quickly. And even then, once a degree of trust is developed, it usually does not cross certain lines.

I was surprised the other day by the amount of trust that a shop worker, Ephi, had in me.

It was potluck night (a topic that I will discuss in another post) at the dorms and I had a good amount of shopping to do. On the way back from class there is a small grocery store that my classmates and I frequent in order to stock up on supplies. The lady who works at this grocery store is named Ephi, and I had met her several times over my various expeditions to the shop. I don't really know her very well, but I know enough Greek to practice saying "Good afternoon, how are you?" or "Kalispera, ti kanete?" everyday that I go into the store. She knows that I am a student at Deree, and is always very kind to me, but I did not expect her to be as kind as she was.

After she had rung up my various food items she told me the total was about 14 Euros. I looked in my wallet, expecting to have a twenty, and realized that I only had a five. Slightly worried, I asked her if they accepted cards. She said that they did, and I took a sigh of relief as she took my card and swiped it. Nothing happened. She swiped my card again....still nothing. I began to worry once again. The potluck was drawing dangerously close and I would have to run back to the dorm, or to the ATM, to withdraw more money so that I could come back to the store and purchase the items that I needed for the potluck. I would be cutting the time dangerously close, but then Ephi made a suggestion.

"Don't worry about it now, you can just pay the next time you come back," she said to me with a smile.

What was this? A store employee telling me that I didn't have to worry about paying up front? This is not something that I had ever encountered before. In the United States most stores demand their money up front. I can't imagine a Publix employee telling me that I could just pay another day. And yet here, in this small family owned grocery store that probably receives far less income than most grocery stores in the U.S., I am being told that I can just pay another time.....and she doesn't even seem upset about it!?

I happily accepted the offer to pay another time, and thanked her again and again, telling her that I would bring the money as soon as I could. I was so concerned about paying her back that I actually ran to the ATM a little ways down the street and withdrew money immediately after leaving the store. She had told me that I didn't need to worry about it today, but I still felt obligated to pay off my debt as soon as possible. I ran back and paid the money, thanking her again, and then made my way back to the dorms to cook.

The whole experience taught me a little bit about the concept of Greek trust, something that we had discussed in class. Since the Greek lifestyle is so centered around social relationships in small communities, a good amount of trust is needed between individuals living in these communities. Ephi knows that I shop at her store every few days, and she knows that I will come back again in the future, so I believe that is why she felt that she could trust me. From the moment that we formally met each other, from the moment we shared names, we became part of one anothers social group in Greek culture. Now that she knows me, she feels that she could trust me, even when it comes to paying her store back for something that I had walked out of the store without paying for. It truly is different from anything I've experienced before.

I was able to witness this trust that we discussed in class firsthand, and I was thankful for the experience. Hopefully I can learn a little bit about trust from the Greeks that I can bring back with me to the states, where our concept of trust is so different.

Soccer...football....whatever you call it.

I will start by saying that I don't play soccer.

Or football. 

Or whatever you want to call it. 

No, my foot-eye coordination has never been the best, regardless of whether it's from a lack of practice or lack of motor skill. But you know what, that doesn't mean that I can't have fun and play soccer....or football. 

Tonight I finally had the opportunity to go to the local soccer field with a couple of friends, and I must say that I had a much better time than I thought that I would. We went right around nightfall, but the soccer field was busier than I'd ever seen it during the day. Local kids played soccer, adults ran around the track, old ladies did yoga in the grass, and others sat on the bleachers and talked. Like most things in Greece, it seemed like yet another way of socializing and spending time with peers. If you ever have the chance to go to Greece you will quickly realize that everything is pretty social, and as an outsider I think that's pretty awesome. 

We, the Americans, played ultimate Frisbee for about half an hour before we were approached by a group of Greeks who asked us if we wanted to play soccer with them. Somehow they knew that we were Americans (they spoke to us in English), and I suppose that maybe the fact that we were playing anything but soccer on the soccer field is what gave it away. The group was composed of three teenagers of about 15 years and a middle-aged man who appeared to be one of their fathers. Upon them asking if we wanted to play with them, I didn't really know what to say. Unlike the rest of the people in the group, I had no experience at all with soccer besides the week that we played in middle school (which consisted of me running back and forth and never getting the ball), so I was slightly apprehensive to play with Europeans who had probably been playing soccer since they could walk. Nonetheless, I am not one to shy away from new experiences, so I agreed to try it out. 

To make a long story short, I performed poorly. It may have been close to dismal....I don't know. But regardless of my lack of scoring a single goal, I still had fun. The kids that we played with were also very cool about it, and I could tell that they were going easy on me. Even once they had started going easy on me, I still couldn't score a goal! But I had to come to accept this and just keep playing to play. The game wasn't about winning, it was about sweating and spending time with friends. 

Afterwards they were very kind so us and asked us about ourselves. They didn't belittle us for our lack of soccer skills (at least not in English) or try to showboat, in fact, they asked us if we would play with them again the next time we came to the field, an idea that none of us were opposed to. 

Now I am making it my goal to score a goal. I don't care if they go easy on me, or if it's a really sloppy unintentional goal, but all I want is to kick the ball into the net. That's it. I have a few weeks left, so I suppose I'll just have to keep practicing and playing. I suppose if I don't score the goal then worse things could happen. I have to learn to live in the moment and enjoy running back in forth, chasing the ball. I may not be good, but I can live with that.

Little by little I will get better at soccer....or football.   

Stray Dogs.

It has been a couple of days since I've blogged, but the trips that I made this past weekend are worth mentioning. I will be sure to update them with pictures as soon as possible.

We had the priveledge of going to three beautiful sites on this busy day. Our first stop was Korinthos, a beautiful harbor city that played an important role in both archaic Greece and Roman Greece. We spent our time exploring the ancient ruins, petting stray dogs (Greece has a lot of them), and enjoying corn bread and lemonade at the home of our Professors' friend, who is an archeologist in Korinthos.

Before I get into the weekend, let me begin a short subtopic on.....

STRAY DOGS

I feel like I should talk a bit about the stray dogs here in Greece, because they seem to be a reoccuring theme during the course of this trip. I mean, in the United States I will see stray dogs occassionally, but here they are just so common. Most strays in the U.S. get picked up fairly quickly and taken to an animal shelter, a pound, or the humane society. These leash laws about animals wandering free must not be as big of a deal here in Greece. If they were there probably would not nearly be as many strays. I mean, even here at the American College there are stray dogs that wander around the campus. They seem fairly happy too, since people are always feeding and taking care of them, almost like they are a community pet.

I think a community pet is a good way to look at the strays here in Greece. Since these animals are given free reign of the downtown areas, are allowed to sleep in the metro stations, and are fed and pet by the community, it almost makes sense that there is no need to have them captured and sent away. All of the dogs that I have met are incredibly kind, and seem to be no burden to anyone at all. They don't even aggressively beg for food, rather they are fed whenever someone has extra food in their meal. Since there are so many people, this food is more than enough for the strays, most of whom seem to be slightly overweight.

I think it's kindof neat. Somehow the Greeks in Athens have found a way to create a harmonious relationship with these wandering animals; a mutual transaction between a dog looking for food and a person looking for something to pet and take care of. They feel no need to turn these dogs in, or to take them to their own home, but instead the community effectively cares for the animal, everyone doing just a little bit to make sure that the strays dogs can have healthy lives wandering the streets of Athens. That's something that I wouldn't quite expect in the states.

Saving Euros and my Breakfast Discovery

Over the course of this trip I have spent quite a few Euros.

I have reached the point where I am trying to spend less than 5 Euros per day in an attempt to maximize my savings for the rest of this trip. I also need to find the bank that will not charge me ridiculous fees for withdrawing money from my American account, but that will wait until another day. For now, I am concerned with saving.

Luckily, I've found a place to get a delicious breakfast for only 2 Euro. On the way to Deree there is a little bakery that sells meat and cheese pies, pastries, bread, and a variety of other delicious morsels. One such morsel that I have discovered is two hotdogs baked into bread with (wait for it)....CHEESE. It's super delicious, and although it may not be the healthiest, I don't feel too bad about eating it because I burn a lot of calories walking here. Between trips to campus and down Iyouyannu for groceries/meals/etc I'm sure that I walk at least a couple of miles each day.

I'm actually really enjoying the exercise that I'm getting here, and I find it really nice to be able to walk to school and get a cheap breakfast on the way there. I also have a place that I stop at on the way back for a κοτοπουλο (kotopoulo or chicken) wrap that is less than 2 Euro. Hopefully I will get to know the owners better before the end of this trip, as I'm sure that I will be getting food their often.

Before you close out of the blog be sure to listen to this catchy Greek song that our language teacher showed us in class. Also be sure to appreciate the high quality of the music video.

First Week of Class, Dancing, and Crepes

I must say that I am really enjoying the classes that I have taken so far. In our language class we practiced the Greek alphabet, which was very helpful for me since I have really been trying to be able to read the Greek language. I'm looking forward to taking the class again on Friday so that I can work on some other common Greek phrases that I will be using over the course of my stay.

After the language class, I attended my modern Greek history class, which covers everything from the early 1900s to the 1980s in Greek history. I am actually really loving this class because I'm learning things that I had no idea about before starting. When I thought of Greece I only used to think of it in the context of Ancient Greece, but I never thought about it's modern history, which is actually very rich with events. This is one of those classes where I take a bunch of notes and learn a lot, and I'm excited to go back to it today.

In addition to the classes, there has also been a considerable amount of dancing this week. On Tuesday night we had an unplanned dance party on the first floor (or floor 0 as they say here) lobby and it was pretty awesome. We danced for a couple hours, or at least that's what it felt like. I'm sure the kids from the other college think that we are absolutely nuts, but that's okay. To quote Zorba: "A man needs a little madness, or else he never dares cut the rope and be free". I think I've found that madness, that Kefi, that the Greeks speak of, and I must say that it's pretty awesome.

Yesterday, Wednesday, we also had the pleasure of learning some traditional Greek dances in a dance class at Deree. Well, I tried to learn the dances, but I messed up quite a bit. It was still a pretty fun experience though, and even though I probably looked like a fool, I got a good amount of exercise. It was also interesting to hear our instructor talk about these traditional dances and how old they are, and even the differences between island dances and mainland dances.

After dancing and classes yesterday, I took a short walk through the neighborhood and got some absolutely delicious crepes with my friends here. If you ever wondered whether there was such thing as a chicken nugget crepe then your answer is YES. They are wonderful. One of the best dinners that I've had since I've been here. I was sure to burn off the calories afterwards by going to the gym, which is in the basement of our dorm complex, and lifting weights and running. All in all it was a pretty great day.

Now, as I'm finishing up this post, I can't help but look forward to the adventures that today will hold. What will I learn in my classes? What will I eat tonight? How much research can I get done before the day is over?  WILL I EVER FIND AN ADAPTER?!

ALL OF THIS AND MORE IN THE NEXT EPISODE OF: AN AMERICAN STUDENT IN GREECE

Credits:
~Jimmy Everett as Himself

And special thanks to Nicole Thue for allowing me to use her adapter!

Ya sas! (Goodbye!)

Delphi and The Athenian Acropolis

Well, you may have noticed that it has been a few days since I have posted my latest blog update, and that is with good reason. Unfortunately, I do not have a functioning adapter for the power outlets here in Greece, so I have had to borrow adapters from friends when I plan on logging onto my computer. The last time I had the opportunity to log on I actually attempted to make a video blog where I talked about my experiences over the last several days, to get everyone caught up, but that did not upload either. It has been a little frustrating.

It seems like wherever I go there are no power adapters. I have even been to two or three electronic stores in the area, and none of them carried a power adapter. In fact, they told me that the other store would have it. None of them did though, so my search for an adapter continues. Until then, my blog updates will be whenever I get a chance to borrow an adapter from my friends, or whenever I am using the computer lab at Deree, the college that I am attending in Greece.

Onto more exciting stuff....

This past weekend I have had the opportunity to go to some amazing historical sites. On Saturday we took a trip to Delphi, the site of the Temple of the Apollon and the oracle, which is located near the top of Mount Parnassus. The drive up Parnassus was absolutely beautiful, and the view that I could see from the top of the mountain cannot be captured in words or in pictures. It was amazing. Once we arrived at the site it was even more amazing. To be able to stand in the same spot that the ancient Greeks had once worshiped in, and received prophecies from the oracle, was so surreal. From the temple itself, to the ancient Greek inscriptions that covered the ruins surrounding it, the whole trip was just awesome.

We finished off the day with a trip through a small town right outside a Delphi that was like something out of a movie. We had delicious food there, and I was able to purchase some more statues for my Greek god collection. After the lunch we went to a beautiful monastery on the mountain side that had been there since the Byzantine empire. The whole day was just surreal.

On Sunday we went to another important historical site, the Acropolis of Athens, which is home to the famous Parthenon. I must say that the Parthenon truly is awe-inspiring. To think that people were able to build this massive structure thousands of years ago is just insane. Unfortunately there were quite a few people there, and the experience wasn't as quiet as Delphi, but it was still amazing to see such a historical structure up close. There were also several other temples around the Parthenon that I was able to photograph and visit. I am sure that I will have to be going back to the Acropolis at some point to continue my research on Pericles, as he was responsible for many of the building projects in Athens during his time period, including some of the structures at the Acropolis.

Learning Arabic

A couple of days ago I had the interesting experience of being thrown out of my lingual comfort zone once again. Now, I have been quite used to having to practice my Greek, as a lot of people here do not speak English, but never did I expect that I would be trying to communicate in Arabic.

We were on the ferry ride back to Athens from Rhodes. I was sitting at a small table on the outside dining deck with Nicole and Mary, eating a sandwich, when suddenly I see a man from another table motioning for me to come over. I left my table hesitantly, unsure of why he needed me to come to his table. As I approached I noticed that he was sitting across from his friend, and he began talking to me in a language that I did not recognize. Being that I was in Greece, I assumed that he was seeking Greek, and responded with the typical "milate Anglika?" Asking if he spoke English... He didn't. But as I continued to try to communicate, I realized that he wasn't speaking Greek either. No, he was speaking Arabic, a language that I was COMPLETELY unfamiliar with; unfortunately just as unfamiliar as they were with English.

I don't know exactly why he called me over. Maybe they assumed that I was an Arab? I mean, I don't think I look like an Arab, but who knows? Maybe I just look someone who is a master at languages...

Anyways...

It was actually quite a funny experience, trying to communicate with someone without a common language, and next thing you know I was sitting with these men for two or three hours trying to learn Arabic and teach English all at once. Eventually another one of their friends joined them and through a good amount of pointing, hand motions, and country names, I was able to get a decent understanding of their story.

The man who had called me over, Barzan, was a Kurdish immigrant from Iraq who was trying to escape persecution. He made a lot of motions like he was whipped and beaten by the police in Iraq and Turkey. His friends who were with him, Zacharia and Muhamed Ahsmat, were Syrians who had also fled Syria, and seemed to have some negative feelings towards their president (can't blame them). Somehow they had all ended up together, travelling to Athens to seek better lives away from their home countries. This is what I gathered from them at least, it was difficult trying to understand everything that they were saying.

Other important things that I noticed:
-They really liked Barack Obama and the United States
-They thought that Hilary Clinton was beautiful
-They said that tattoos are illegal in their home countries
-They think that Greece is just "okay" but not good
-They offered me cigarettes very often, and seemed surprised when I motioned that I didn't smoke

I also learned a few words and phrases in Arabic, but I won't type up all of them. All I can say was that it was a very interesting experience, and both myself and my new Arab/Kurdish friends found it quite humorous and educational.

I actually feel like I was able to improvise and communicate fairly well for someone who spoke no Arabic at all. I'm starting to realize how much I really enjoy learning and practicing foreign languages.

From Athens to Rhodes, and back again.

It has been about a week since I embarked on my journey to Greece, and I must say that it has been quite the adventure. Due to technological difficulties I have been unable to update my blog on a daily basis, but now, as I sit here in the cool air conditioned room of the Deree College in Athens, I can think of no better time to update any followers that I may have of my adventures thus far. If my adventures are not entertaining enough to read, just know that I am well and having a wonderful, adventurous, time in the country known as Hellas.

June 14th: Saying goodbye, flying, and trying to sleep. 

Thursday was an exciting day. As I prepared myself for my journey I found my mind wandering as I imagined all of the beautiful things that I would see in Athens. It was so strange to think that I would finally be going to another country that was thousands of miles away from my home.  After the initial bitter-sweet moment of saying goodbye to my parents before my journey, I was overcome with a sense of excitement. As the plane took off from Orlando to Philly, from Philly to Greece, my excitement continued to grow. But then disaster struck in the form of a nine hour plane ride...

Exhibit A: Sleep Deprived Jimmy. Note the look of madness in his eyes.

Nine hours is a very long time. Had it not been for the friends that were flying with me, and the occasional on-plane movie, I surely would have succumbed to madness. Reading was a good way to occupy my time, and I made a little bit of progress into the Odyssey, but for most of the flight my mind was stuck in a strange sort of limbo between awake and asleep, which prevented me from focusing on my book. But enough about that. After 9 hours of flying, and 0 minutes of sleeping, we had finally arrived in Athens.

A beautiful view of Hellas from the airplane. 

June 15th: Athens, the Greek language, and the ordering food.

The landscape of Athens was a stark contrast to the flatland of Florida. Although the weather was just as hot, it was not nearly as humid, and sweating was not a big issue. We took a short bus ride to the American College of Greece, where I am currently living, and I was sure to soak in all of the sights along the way. To save time I will condense the things that I initially noticed about Athens into a list:
- The fields and olive trees are beautiful.
- The mountains are beautiful.
- The breeze is beautiful (and much cooler than Florida's).
- There is A LOT of graffiti (most likely due to politics regarding the economic crisis).
- Driving is absolutely chaotic in comparison to the U.S.....by a lot.
- I have no idea how to read the Greek alphabet.

A tired but anxious Jimmy points at the camera. I believe Turkey is in the background.

I was eager to change the final point, and also to practice my "Ellinika" (Greek). After arriving at the College, and going on a short tour of the neighborhood I began to read through my Greek handbook and practice the alphabet. Within about an hour of studying I actually had a fairly decent grasp on the alphabet, which has only gotten better with practice from reading street signs and all-Greek menus. My linguistic skills have also been fairly useful in communicating with locals, and for at least the past few days I have been somewhat of the designated food order-er? Although I did have some difficulty communicating, I really enjoyed the challenge. On one occasion in the Ferry's diner, I think I was actually able to order food well enough to where the cashier thought that I was Greek! Unfortunately he tried talking to me in Greek, which made me seem like a fool since my vocabulary was basically limited to ordering food, saying hello, and asking where the bathroom is.

Nonetheless, after a good meal on the Ferry, and talking with friends, I retreated to my small cabin and let the ocean rock me to sleep. I had no idea what Rhodes would be like, but I knew that I would be finding out tomorrow.

June 16th: Rhodes, Lindos, and Shady Street:

The Temple of Athene on the Akropolis at Lindos. As a Greek mythology fan, and lover of history, this was exciting.

Navigating the busy winding streets of Lindos. 

Rodos (Rhodes) is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. To try to describe it completely in a post is nearly impossible, so I will attempt to post some pictures of this beautiful island, and the beautiful town of Lindos. Our journey involved a walk through the curving streets of Lindos to the town's Akropolis, which was home to ancient ruins. As someone who loves history and Greek mythology I was thrilled to see the temple of Athene, and the other beautiful structures at the top of the hill.


On the way back we had a delicious lunch on the roof of a scenic restaurant before continuing our exploration of the town. The view was amazing.

A view of Lindos from the roof of the restaurant. 

After exploring Lindos we took a bus to the hotel that we would be staying at on Rodos, and it was also quite beautiful. Not long after arriving, I took my first swim in the Mediterranean, which was directly across from our hotel. After a good amount of recreation, a group of us went out for dinner (which was delicious) and then began our journey to a sports bar to watch the Russia vs Greece football (soccer) game. Our journey was a perilous one, that took us down a dangerous road that I like to call....

*dramatic music*

SHADY STREET

It was chaotic. As you walk down the brightly lit road of Shady Street you are bombarded left and right by loud voices, beckoning you to come into their bars. The voices, masked by sweaty smiling faces, tempt you with free alcohol, free food, and friendship, and all they want in return is for you to come and sit down. You cannot stop though, unless you wish to risk being sucked into one of these seedy looking establishments; their flashing lights and loud noises calling out to you. Amidst the chaos small Romani children circle you, crying out to you, pleading for you to buy their bracelets. One girl grabs your arm, tears in her eyes as she yells, "only 10 cents, only 10 cents!". Still, you push forward, dragging the wailing figure behind you, steadfast in your quest to find a less shady looking establishment; you yearn for an escape from the chaos and the begging. And then finally, you find it. A sports bar that is quiet, removed, in which you can peacefully watch the soccer game. The noise of Shady Streets dies out as you sit and enjoy the game.

Greece wins.

June 17th: Finding my Kefi....


I cannot contain all of the amazing events of Sunday in this post. What I can do, however, is attempt to explain one sensation that was the pinnacle of the day, and my entire stay in Hellas thus-far. I am talking, of course, about the concept of Kefi. Although it does not have a literal translation, it is more or less the Greek word for "spirit". Talking about it is one thing, but experiencing it is something else altogether...

Sunday night is the night that I experience Kefi. It wasn't something that I was expecting, or even searching for actively, but it happened. It started with a trip to a restaurant. I believe the restaurant was called the "Blue Lagoon" and it was a pirate themed authentic Greek cuisine with live Greek music.

Everything started off normally, with food, drink, and group discussion, but there was something different about this place. The music. The band was playing fast-paced live Greek music with their "bazooki" (a traditional Greek guitar-like instrument), keyboard, and voices. It was enough to get my foot tapping, but never did I think that I would go on stage and dance in front of everyone in the restaurant. But as the music continued I kept feeling the desire to dance, and when some friends from my group went up on the stage to dance to the music I finally conquered my self-consciousness and joined them on the stage. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was loving it. I didn't really need to know what I was doing, I just had to feel it. As most of the other left the stage, I found myself still up there dancing uncontrollably, consumed by the Kefi that I had been told about.

Everything was so alive, the cheers of the crowd, of my group, and the music! Oh the music, it was becoming part of my being. I ceased to be a self-conscious entity, and became a euphoric dancing machine that moved uncontrollably with the beat of the song. I was alive. Probably more alive than I have ever really felt. My hands clapping, my feet stomping, my body twisting and turning, and my heart racing. I didn't care what anyone thought of me, all I cared about was that I WAS. I was living, I was existing, I was truly and unmistakably alive. I had found my Kefi.

This isn't real.

One week left and it the fact that I will be flying to Greece in a little over a week still hasn't quite hit me yet. Despite my hours of reading, talking, and thinking about being in Greece, it still doesn't seem like something that is going to be reality. In the mean time, while my mind tries to wrap itself around the idea of being in one of the most historically rich countries in the world, I figured I would get started on this blog so that I can document my feelings before, after, and during the trip.

And by "get started on this blog" I mean: Try to figure out how blogging works. I've already spent about twenty minutes trying to figure out how to post this, and even now I'm not 100% sure that it will work. For all that my technologically-challenged mind knows I could just be typing this up in a word document that no one will ever read. But, in my heart there are people reading it, so I guess that's what really matters.

.....Seriously though, I really hope that I'm actually doing this right. I'm sure blogging will make more sense as I get used to it.

ANYWAYS

I feel that the time is drawing near. With just over a week left, I suppose things will start to get a little frantic around the house. It will start with my mom telling me that I need to pack, which in my mind will translate to: "Jimmy, there are still like 8 days left until you go to Greece, you have plenty of time so you should probably wait to pack until the night before you leave." Of course, I will listen to her advice and put off packing. After all,  packing is the least of my worries. I mean, I'm only going to be thousands and thousands of miles from home, in a foreign country that I've never been to, for over a month. Yeah, I can just pack in a couple of days.

In the meantime, between work and studying, my pre-Greece time will be well-spent....

Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects about this trip is the realization that I will be able to stand in some of the same spots that incredible historical figures such as Cleisthenes, Themistocles, and Pericles, stood over 2000 years ago. I mean, the people who laid the foundations for democracy, who contributed so much to western civilization....I will be standing were they stood. I don't know why, but something about that is incredible to me, and I can't wait. Until then, I will continue to enjoy my readings, and await the revelation that this trip is actually going to become a reality.

καληνύχτα!