Riot

“You say you want a revolution.  Well, you know, we all want to change the world.”

--Beatles, Revolution

The Greek Parliament voted on the austerity measures today, which meant that all of Greece was a bit on edge today.  Our class had been scheduled to leave Athens for Crete last night, so we were supposed to have spent all day today in Crete.  Instead, due to a 48 hour strike that closed down the ferries, we were stranded in Athens.  As a result, I sat in a classroom for six hours today.  It felt like I was back in elementary school, since I was in one room the entire day.

We obviously knew that today was going to be a bad day in terms of the protests.  Yesterday, we walked through Syntagma so that we could get back to our apartments and found ourselves encountering tear gas.  If they were doing the actual vote today, we knew it was likely to get bad.  My program has been pretty good about e-mailing us about the events around Athens, so those who check their e-mail had informed me of parts of the e-mail.  We could hear a little bit of the protests during class.  About an hour into class, I heard a “pop pop.”  It sounds almost like a car backfiring or what I imagine a gun would sound like.  Because we are close enough to Parliament and Syntagma, I have heard the sound of the tear gas exploding, so I assumed that the police were releasing tear gas.  Sure enough, within a few seconds, I saw a steady stream of people dart down the street outside our window. 

I had seen scenes similar to this one close to Syntagma, but seeing it so close to my home gave me a different sense of how much the protests can affect individuals.  A few minutes later, Nadia popped her head in the classroom and informed us that tear gas had been released, so we should consider remaining indoors during our break (in about an hour).

However, at the beginning of our break, we opened the windows to discover that no signs of the tear gas remained.  Therefore, we ventured outside.  I began to walk around and stretch my legs.  As I approached the first major street that leads to my apartment, I saw this cloud of smoke in the middle of the street.  We had been warned that some violent protestors may be coming to Athens today, but I saw some of their destruction firsthand.  The trash dumpsters had been moved into the center of the street and lit on fire.  Firemen were working on extinguishing the flames, while shop owners and other casual witnesses stood staring at the street.  Some of them were taking pictures; others were just observing. 

I left while the firemen were still trying to contain the fire.  A few minutes later, a large group of us returned to the street (loving referred to as Domino’s Street due to a Domino’s Pizza on the corner).  The first set of fire was no longer burning, although ashes were still very much visible on the street.  However, less than a block further, another set of dumpsters were ablaze, and the firemen were occupied with that.  We watched the black smoke gathering in the sky, and the firemen fighting the blaze.  While we were standing there, a shop owner who was standing near us began talking to us about the current destruction and the events in Athens.  Many Athenians we have met have been very invested in making sure that we understand the current situation in Athens and that we are safe.  They obviously care for the city, and even in Syntagma, do not want to see anyone injured.  All I could say to this particular man was “It is just so sad.”  Showing this beautiful city in such a destructive way is incredibly depressing.

Throughout the remainder of the evening, I heard the “pop pop” of the tear gas being released in Syntagma.  It sounds like it might be very miserable to be in Syntagma at the moment, and I feel so badly for all of the poor souls currently staying there.

I also feel badly for the firemen and especially the police officers.  The police officers are facing so much brutality from a small handful of people.  The people physically threaten the police officers, even though the police offers are still affected by all of the governmental budget issues.  They have to fight and defend their country from their family and friends.  It is a difficult time to be in any position of authority.

Later this afternoon, I walked down Domino’s Street to go to the grocery store.  By this point in time, people had cleaned the remnants of the fire.  It is impressive to see just how quickly the Athenians move to return their city to its former state.  Again, only a few exhibit violence, and these few cause much chaos and danger to all other citizens.  I can’t think of any sort of right answer, but I certainly hope that Greece will manage to find their way out of the current economic crisis.       

Hello Goodbye

“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.”

--Job 1:21

This last week was a bit of a blur.  In the course of just over 26 hours, I turned in a paper and completed a final, all for the same class.  Even in Greece, school happens.  Immediately after the final, we went out for a final taverna dinner with both classes.  By the time we had reached out taverna dinner, the guy I had a spent my first two days in Athens with was on a plane back to the States; he had taken his final the night before to catch his flight.  Goodbyes were so rushed for some who flew out on Friday or early Saturday.  They were with us one moment, and the next I was waking up and realizing that they were on a plane back home. 

I really did feel like I didn’t get to know some of my classmates until the very last week.  It was a little depressing to realize that I had just spent the past month with these people and hadn’t really gotten to know some of them.  I watched House with some of the guys and just really enjoyed hanging out with them.  They became my entertainment when I was bored.  And then, suddenly, half of the guys from downstairs had moved out and a different group moved in for this awkward two day transition period between the end of the first program and the start of the second.  It was nice to be so close to some of these guys and get to know them a little better, even if it was for just a few days.  Again, I learned so much about them in such a short time, just because they were closer to me than they had been before.

I was thinking back on the past month and reflecting on my experiences.  There were only two moments when I felt a strong sense of homesickness.  There are times when I want something from the States or I think that something works better there (toilet paper, for example), but for the most part, I love Athens and I love Greece.  I could live without the constant power outages (3 in the last 4 days).  However, during the second or third week, when I went to visit my Greek family, Sophia brought out a picture of my American family.  It was in that moment, when I saw that picture of my American family, that I wished so much that they were with me.  Part of it is that I wish they could experience this culture with me, and the other part was that I hadn’t seen my family in about a month.  My family was together this past week, and I wished that I could have been there with them.  I was thinking about my family throughout the week, and I know that they were thinking of me too.  Luckily, I finally figured out how to call cell phones/landlines through gmail for free, so I called my family a few times.  I also had the opportunity to Skype with them, and I think I talked to my family on my brother’s birthday for literally 2 hours (18 people from my family, at least).  It helped to finally be able to call, so I don’t have to rely on someone to be home for me to talk to them.  There are still times when I really wish I could just pick up my cell phone and call my mom while I am walking somewhere without it costing too much.

I went to a Greek mass again on Sunday, and I was struck by some differences between the American and the Greek mass.  One was the fact that people are more willing to come and go in the middle of the mass.  Maybe it is just that people are more obvious when they enter here or I am just more attuned to it, but people seem to show up at all points in the mass.  It wasn’t as bad as the first time I went (if I remember correctly, but it certainly was interesting).  There was also a really large contrast between the number of people at the English mass and the Greek mass.  The English mass seemed to be a lot more crowded (although there was only one time option, so that might have been part of it).  Finally, I am always struck by the sign of peace.  The Greeks don’t shake hands very often, they just nod.  They also don’t hold hands during the Lord’s prayer.  I find it very ironic, because the Greek culture in general is so friendly and physical.  It is very socially acceptable for friends to hold hands regularly, but not as much at mass.  However, at the English mass, people moved together into the aisle so that everyone could hold hands.  Honestly, that was one of the coolest components to the English mass.

The new program started, so I am now meeting all of these new Americans.  I have been showing some of them around, and I found out that I learned a lot more than I thought that I had during my last class.  I also actually knew where I was going most of the time!  The excitement of all of the new students is so cool to get to watch.  It makes me fall in love with this city all over again as I remember why I love specific parts of the city.

On Monday, I had been walking around.  On my way back to my apartment, I saw a kid going in the same direction with a suitcase.  After a block or so, I thought that he might be in CYA, so I approached him and asked if he was American.  When he said yes, I asked if he was in CYA.  In that moment, I met one of my classmates.  I ended up showing him to CYA and then helping him find his apartment and a gyro stand.  Clearly, I am a great tour guide!  We enjoyed a nice taverna dinner last night with almost everyone from the class.

Today, we found out that due to the general strikes going on in Athens, we wouldn’t be able to leave for Crete tonight as planned.  We are going to Crete on Thursday, but the schedule is a little bit messed up right now.  We are all hoping for the opportunity to make it to Santorini, but our free days might be removed from the schedule if everything doesn’t work out right.

Since we weren’t leaving for Crete, we walked around Athens today.  On our way back to CYA, we walked by Syntagma Square.  We were hit by a wave of tear gas on our approach to the square.  At the edge of the square, a man tried to tell us not to go into the square without something covering our mouth and nose.  When we told him we needed to get to Pangrati, he accepted that we needed to go through the square.  While we were walking through the square and down the street, we heard a number of explosions indicating that tear gas was being released.  There were a couple of moments of chaos and uncertainty about which roads we could use to get home, but overall, all of the Greeks in Syntagma were willing to stop and help us if we had needed it.  The Greeks really don’t want trouble, but they don’t know how else to express their frustration and concern than the strikes.  But it only takes one or two to give the whole protest a violent edge.  During our walk back, a Greek was making sure that an American couple could find their way back to their hotel, just to give you a sense of just how much most Greeks are willing to help us.

The goodbyes from the last class were sad, but clearly this class is starting with some excitement.

Sophia

“The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you”

--Kendall Hailey

On Wednesday, I went to the town of Rafina to visit with some relatives.  Let’s see if you can follow this relationship… My great-grandmother’s brother’s (my great-great-uncle’s) daughter, grandsons, and great-grandson.  The hospitality and welcome given to me by my aunts, uncles, and cousin was astounding.  I had been e-mailing my uncle Vassilis for a few weeks trying to arrange and organize our schedules, so being able to actually meet my family was incredibly exciting.

Vassilis picked me up near my apartment and drove me about 25 minutes away to Rafina.  When I opened the door, I was immediately embraced by Sophia, my great-grandmother’s niece.  She was speaking in Greek, so I couldn’t understand a word she was saying.  Her actions spoke so much louder than her words ever could have, though.  I knew that I was so welcome. 

I also met Sophia’s husband, Andreas.  Sophia and Andreas sat me down on a couch and started to show me all of these pictures.  Some were really old.  I saw my Yiayia and Papou in Greece in the 1980s (I didn’t recognize my Papou for at first).  The next pictures I saw were from a trip that Sophia and Andreas took to the U.S.  Suddenly I was seeing myself as a baby in Andreas’s lap or out on our porch with my parents, grandparents, and Sophia and Andreas.  It was strange to realize that I had me my aunt and uncle before.  Even with a world separating us, I was still in pictures kept by relatives. 

They pulled out pictures of my Papou’s brother’s family.  I felt really bad, but I can’t recall every meeting any of my relatives from that side.  Even though I am geographically so much closer to this part of my family, I have met my family in Greece more often.  Sophia also pulled out a picture from the 50^th wedding anniversary of my Yiayia and Papou.  It was so comforting to see my family again, even if it was only in picture form.  This simple picture was cherished by my family in Greece and gave them an opportunity to view their relatives.  I wished that I had been more familiar with the Greek part of my family beforehand.

Again, they started reminiscing, and I realized how little I actually know about my family.  There were questions about my great-grandparents that I couldn’t have answered.  Even little things like names were not entirely familiar to me.  Stories about how my great-grandparents met were also foreign to me.  I learned so much about ancestors from the stories that were shared.

Vassilis’s son, Andreas, was too cute.  He was enamored with my blonde hair but was too shy to ever speak a word to me.  He was so full of life and energy and played around the house and the beach all day.  I think he went through two outfits on the beach and a third at home.  He was absolutely adorable.

There were a few moments when language was a barrier.  Sophia tried really hard to speak English, but the extent of her English only took us so far.  My Greek is embarrassingly small, so I wasn’t much help.  Vassilis and his wife both work with English at the university, so he helped with some translating.  Dinner was probably the strangest in terms of the language divide, mostly because they would start a conversation, and someone would end up telling me the topic of conversation.  We couldn’t all participate in the same conversation, but it made me really want to learn some Greek.

The table was piled with food for dinner.  The older Andreas cooked the equivalent of at least three meals.  Andreas, whose family comes from Crete, cooked a number of Cretan dishes.  All of the food was so fresh.  They were telling me about how nothing was processed, and everything came either from their garden or town.  All of the ingredients were fresh, which is so different from everything in the States.  I can’t even describe how delicious the food was or how much I ate.  I literally felt like I was about to explode.

Violent protests took place in Syntagma that afternoon.  I was able to hear the reaction from a Greek perspective, which was so interesting.  The images from Syntagma hit close to home, especially since I had walked by Syntagma less than 24 hours before.  Fire, tear gas, and rocks were all over Syntagma.  The violence was saddening to see, and I found myself sympathizing with the police, who themselves must be frustrated with some of the government decisions.  The prime minister offered to resign, and it will be interesting if he actually does intend to resign.

Since then, I have walked by Syntagma a few times.  Syntagma seems to have returned to the regular, peaceful protests.  There are a few new sights in Syntagma: broken glass in storefronts and chipped sidewalks. 

The Greeks love their country, and Greece is at an interesting crossroads.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

“The crucial differences which distinguish human societies and human beings are not biological.  They are cultural.”

--Ruth Benedict

Stray cats and dogs roam the streets of Athens more than the police do.  And that is saying something!  Any time that you turn a corner, you can see another dog or cat.  I don’t know how the city can support such a population of strays, but they seem to survive.  Walking anywhere near the Acropolis reveals the prevalence of the stray population.  We have been followed to restaurants, down streets, and up the Acropolis by stray dogs. 

The police seem to travel in packs of motorcycles.  They also tend to take breaks and smoke or chat along the side of the road, which is very different from what I am used to.  At the protests, the police do form a line to protect Parliament, but they do not always appear to be on guard.  The police carry huge riot shields constantly, although I have never seen them used and only seen them worn in front of Parliament.  They do, however, keep the streets organized during the protests.  They block Syntagma Square from cars so that the protesters are safe at night.  While they do keep the peace and are always present, the culture surrounding the police is very different.  Cars do not always respond to sirens and flashing lights the same way that drivers at home respond. 

The guards in front of the Parliament are also in front of major government buildings along my walk home from Syntagma.  Wikipedia has just informed me that the guards are members of the Evzones and are called Tsolias.  They wear a crazy uniform, walk in a very regimental way, can not show any facial expressions, and have very specific rules to follow.  I have often wondered how these men are able to stand still for so long.  To me, the job seems incredibly boring, but it must involve an extreme amount of prestige.  All of the guards seem incredibly tall, and the requirements to become a guard must be strict. 

The protests are a very prominent feature of Athens.  I walked by the protests again tonight, and the sheer number of Athenians who are protesting is incredible.  The chanting and enthusiasm is very powerful but also nonviolent.  The number of people in the square is very different from the number of people actively protesting.  As I have mentioned before, it is a very social atmosphere in the square.  I have seen plenty of small children walking around the square with their parents, signifying the safety of the environment.

I have yet to experience the effects of a strike.  There is supposed to be a transportation strike on Wednesday, but most Athenians are able to survive without the use of public transportation.  It is more of an inconvenience than an event that stops the city.  I have been told that the strike on Wednesday has been receiving plenty of coverage by American news, but many Athenians do not seem to regard the strike with much more than annoyance.  The demonstrations and protests associated with Athens have a much more social feel than I was expecting.

Street vendors selling things from henna tattoos and parasols to handbags and sunglasses to jelly balls are also common on the streets of Athens.  During my first few days, I noticed that packs of these salesmen would start to travel as soon as police came to their area.  We walk past these vendors every day we go on an excursion but very rarely do I see them make any transactions.

Many of the pipes in Athens are original pipes from over 2000 years ago.  For this reason (among others), toilet paper is collected in the trash instead of being flushed down the toilet.  Among the things that I miss the most from America: peanut butter, graham crackers, and flushing toilet paper.  While there are plenty of differences between Greece and America, these are some of the most striking differences.

God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

“You know the caldera is actually the top of a volcano?”

--Lena Kaligaris, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

The caldera.  I have heard and seen so many things about the caldera that it was almost unreal to actually be there.    Fourteen girls and one guy departed on our adventure, and the excitement on the ferry could not be measured.  It was absolutely beautiful, and the water that we passed was so blue and perfect.  We arrived at the port in Santorini at 10 pm, and the lights of the cities looked magical.

The owner of our hotel picked all of us up at the port and drove us to our hostel/hotel in Santorini.  I found it really strange, because all of the girls were freaking out when we got to our hotel about how beautiful everything was.  I saw pretty, but I wasn’t as sure about beautiful.  There was nothing striking about where we were.  A group of us proceeded to stop by a restaurant for dessert. 

After our dessert, we started walking towards a club.  Everyone had been talking about some cliff near us during dessert that I hadn’t noticed.  I turned around at one point in time during our walk and realized the cliff took up all of the view from where I was sitting.  It was absolutely massive!  I had never realized how rocky the island was.

Nine of us made it to the club, and we danced for a little while.  On the way home, somehow only eight of us made it into the cars to be taken back.  When the eight of us returned, we tried to contact the bar and a taxi company.  Ultimately, we sent a contingency of three girls to walk back to the club, while the rest of us waited at the hotel.  The lone girl talked to the bar manager, who called her a cab and helped her get home.  So we called the group of girls who returned home.  After that interesting evening, we all fell into bed exhausted.

The next morning, we visited the black beaches of Santorini.  The beaches have black pebbles instead of sand.  Once you get past the pebbles in the ocean, there is an incredibly slippery rock that makes up the floor of the sea.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching people slip and slide into the water.  I was not coordinated enough to be immune from slipping and sliding myself.

That afternoon, a group of us headed out to Oia, a city on Santorini.  It was here that I felt like I was truly in the Santorini I had heard so much about.  All of the houses were white and blue.  There was a donkey carrying water from a grocery store.  And there was a bride in a gorgeous wedding dress walking down the street.  We proceeded to explore the picturesque town.  The view was stunning, and I finally started to understand the magnificence and stunning beauty of Santorini.  Pictures don't even begin to do the island justice.  You really can see all over the island.  The water is a perfect shade of blue, and nothing seems like it could go wrong in this little slice of serenity. 

After an afternoon of exploring the town and seeing numerous breathtaking views, we found a delightful restaurant for dinner.  We sat on the roof and watched an amazing sunset with all fifteen of us.  At the end of dinner, the same bride that we had seen walking down the street in her wedding dress gave us the complimentary dessert that she and her husband were given (they hadn’t had dinner yet).  Our table was probably very obnoxious, but you could tell from our voices that we were so enthralled by this town.  The day was pretty close to perfect.

The next day, I visited the volcano.  The volcano is basically in the middle of the horseshoe of the main island, so you could see the entirety of the island.  It was breathtaking to see the steep cliffs and the little villages at the top.  It isn’t exactly beautiful in a traditional sense, but it is magnificent in its grandeur.  The piles of ash and volcanic rocks next to the sea and the cliffs is such a contrast but also gorgeous.  The island is small but still so large.  The guide dug less than a foot into the ground and was able to pull out a rock that was fairly hot.  It seems crazy that an island made up of a mess of rocks is capable of producing enough lava and ash to cover the entire island.

We ended our tour with a visit to a hot spring, where you could rub mud all over you.  It was a little strange, and my bathing suit was covered in mud, but how many times will I be able to say that I took a mud bath in Greece? 

The ferry ride back was a little more miserable, because most of the excitement was gone.  We were on the ferry overnight, and it was cold and bright in our cabin.  It was a difficult night, but we were able to return home and fall into our beds once more.

I spent a large part of my ferry rides thinking about my family and friends at home.  It is so strange to remember that while I am here, others are still alive back home.  I don’t always know what everyone is doing, and I don’t really talk to many people from home.  There have been two times now that my family hasn’t heard from me in over 48 hours.  The disconnect is not normal for America, and there are things that I miss about being able to talk to people right when I want to.  It is still so nice to be able to completely focus on my time and experiences in Greece.

Cop Stop

 “Non –violent resistance implies the very opposite of weakness.  Defiance combined with non-retaliatory acceptance of repression from one’s opponent is active, not passive.  It requires strength, and there is nothing automatic or intuitive about the resoluteness required for using non-violent methods in political struggle and the quest for Truth”

--Mahatma Ghandi

There are times when I will look down and not recognize my hands.  The color of my hands has darkened slightly, but it is noticeable enough that it shocks me a little when I see them.  They don’t look like my hands.  I did make it a week in Athens and most of my week before my program without getting badly burnt.  That lasted until the beach this weekend.  My shoulders, back, and chest bore the worst of the sun.  My back, in fact, is bad enough that I have an awkward hair tan line.  It almost looks like I was wearing a strange racer back tank. 

In order to get to the lovely island of Aegina, we explored the metro and the ferry.  We also found out just how long it takes to find a good beach and how difficult the times of public transportation can be.  To get to a beach farther from the port, we would have had to rely on a bus, which had limited hours and would only give us a couple hours on the beach.

The night before, I visited the protests outside Parliament.  I walked over with a guy from my program.  We tried to walk by Parliament at night, but the first thing we saw was a huge bus blocking the road and a line of police officers with their riot shields.  After seeing these intimidating men, I started to get a little nervous.  We had to detour around the front of Parliament by a few blocks.  We found our way to the protest, and at first I was underwhelmed.  I didn’t see the entire square full of protestors behind me, only the ones directly in front of Parliament.  While there were a number, the number was not what I had been expecting.  After realizing the extent of the protest, it seemed much more impressive.  We walked in a big circle around Syntagma Square, which was where the majority of the people were.  I was beginning to feel more comfortable in the crowd, as the riot police were still on my mind. 

Honestly, the protests seemed to be more of a social gathering than a protest to most people.  Plenty of people were simply watching and listening to the protestors.  There were a number gathered and chanting or shouting, but everyone else was very relaxed.  I saw more vendors in that square and on that street than I normally see at baseball games.  While there was a purpose to the gathering, the social atmosphere seemed vastly more important than the political reasons.

After our time at the island, we walked by the protests again.  This time, we didn’t pass the front of Parliament and therefore did not see the same intimidating riot police.  While there were lines of riot police in front of Parliament, they simply looked to be patrolling the area rather than blocking cars and stopping people.  I noticed plenty of children and families among the protests, which furthered my opinion that the riots were peaceful. 

I went to church today (finally) for the first time in a few weeks.  Traveling makes church rather difficult to arrange.  The mass was entirely in Greek, but it was a Catholic church.  I said some of my prayers in English, but it is weird to realize how important the community is.  Without the English support, I was getting lost as to where in the mass we were and what I needed to do next.  I couldn’t understand the readings or homily or songs, obviously.  It was strange to see how the locals viewed mass.  Many were coming and going throughout the service, which was a little foreign.  Some would walk in mid-mass with their shopping bags in hand, which looked as if they were shopping instead of attending mass.  I was surrounded by Asians in a church in the middle of Athens.  One of the weirdest parts was the sign of peace, when the Asian women I was near refused to shake hands and simply nodded the peace.

The Cathedral of St. Dionysious was absolutely beautiful.  There were some amazing murals on the wall and ceiling.  There was gorgeous gold glittering in the candlelight.  Incense must have been the priests’ best friend, considering how often they used it.  The archways were also amazing.  Above the arches, there were shields with the names and images of saints with a lovely blue molding above those.  The stained glass walls and areas dedicated to different saints were so pretty.  The entire church was such a pleasant place.

The guards made my day a little more exciting.  On my walk to church, a police officer tried to hit on me.  I believe he asked me what I was going to do, but the last word sounded like “chica” en espanol.  It sounded something like “Tha canes, chica?”  Of course, it was all in Greek, so it wasn’t like I could really understand or speak anything.  On my way back from church, I found myself in the midst of a crowd following the parade associated with the changing of the guards.  At first I thought it was another protest, since I was going the wrong way against a group of men who were walking on the sidewalk beside the guards.  After I got far enough through the crowd, I could see other families and children again. 

My life here is a little insane.  It feels like it has been at least a week since the last time I posted something, but it has literally been only three.  Just as my hands no longer are my own, time has found a new master and has changed its speed.

Fish Bite

“Why did the old Persians hold the sea holy?  Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity, and own brother of Jove?  Surely all this is not without meaning.  And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting, mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned.  But that same image, we ourselves see in all rivers and oceans.  It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all.”

--Herman Melville, Moby-Dick

As much as I love Athens with its magnificent churches and wonderful balconies, leaving the city today was a welcome relief.  There is plenty of room to see the sky and to experience nature in Athens, but there is nothing like clear water and a beautiful beach to create an inner peace. 

We traveled to East Attica today to visit Marathon, Brauron, and Sounion.  Marathon is the location of a decisive land battle in the Persian War where the vastly outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persian army.  192 Athenians were killed in battle(although that number is disputed), as compared to the 6500 the Persians are said to have lost.  The Athenian burial site is massive!  As I left Marathon, I thought about how much bloodshed that ground had seen.  Over 6500 men lost their lives at this place.  How different might the world have been if these men had lived?  The sheer strength of the soldiers as they faced an imminent death is absolutely astounding.

We visited the Temple of Artemis at Brauron, where I pondered the age of the artifacts in a museum.  Some of these artifacts have survived as long as 3 millennia.  The fact that the painting on some of the pottery is still visible blows my mind.  I can’t imagine how permanent the paints must have been for the paint to be in good condition so many years later.  The world has changed so much since these pottery pieces were created, and yet the world is still the same planet.  We discussed the role of women in society while in front of the temple.  About 2500 years ago, women were required to remain within their houses and act as Greek baby-breeding machines.  Today, we are able to study the culture of the women anywhere.  Our freedoms and independence are not limited.  It was said that a woman should only leave her house two times in her life: at marriage and at death. 

We stopped for a picnic on the beach for lunch.  The water was breathtaking, and I dipped my feet in as soon as I was done eating.  The whole scene was so surreal and beautiful.

The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion.  There are absolutely no words to describe the breathtaking view and the amazing scenery.  I literally gazed off into the sparkling water for as long as I possibly could.  The view was absolutely amazing, and the temple was still standing.  For sailors, the Temple was the last piece of land they saw before departing and the first land they saw upon returning, making the land very sacred.  Even without sailing, I can understand how someone could never want to leave.  One of the only things convincing me to leave the excitement of the temple and the view was the prospect of swimming in the water below in a few minutes. 

The water was so clear and cool.  While the day was not hot by any means, the water was so refreshing.  I could have floated in the water all day.  If you stood still long enough, the fish would come up to you and nibble your legs.  The first couple times the fish nibbled, I jumped and freaked out.  The experience was remarkable.  The fish tickled, although I was not Queen of the Fish.  Another girl literally had hordes of fish following her around.

The return journey was so picturesque.  The sparkling water, amazing buildings, and churches sprinkled throughout the countryside looked just like I expected Greece to.  While I was surprised by the number of building that looked like they could belong in the southwest (US), I finally got to see the iconic white houses with blue accents.  Most of the houses we have been seeing are either in the city or made of a terra cotta color.  Plenty of oranges and clays that remind me of Arizona.

Driving along the coast and through small towns on the way back to Athens had everyone dreaming of buying a house and living on the edge of the beautiful Aegean Sea.

One Week

“To my friends in New York, I say hello

My friends in L. A. they don’t know

Where I’ve been for the past few years or so

Paris to China to Colorado”

--OneRepublic, Good Life

Time moves differently here.  I don’t know why exactly, but it really does.  For example, each day in London felt really long.  We did so much every day and were constantly moving and on our feet.  When you looked at a list, it did not seem like too much to do.  My feet felt everything. 

The crazy things that we saw in London included an attempted robbery, Obama’s motorcade, a biker being hit by a car, and me on a bike.  I had not been on a bike in about six years, but I managed to complete a tour of London.  How successful I was is another story, but I didn’t crash or fall behind, and I managed to ride in the road a little.  Most of the bikes had names attached, but mine was nameless.  So I decided to name him Rupert Grint.  Rupert became friends with Alicia’s St. Thomas (I think.  It was a saint, at least) and Liz’s Jack the Ripper.  During the bike tour of London, we saw the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace.  As we were biking away, Obama’s motorcade passed us on the opposite side of the street.  So while I technically didn’t see Obama, I was the closest to Obama I have ever been.  It was surreal to be in a foreign country and be closer to my president than ever before.  Around that same time, there was a car vs. bike accident right behind our tour group.  Some confusion followed as to whether the biker was in our group.  As far as I know, she was fine.  I haven’t heard anything to the contrary.  Afterwards, I started freaking out about being hit by some of the crazy London drivers.

Alicia and I visited St. Paul’s Cathedral while Liz went to a museum that evening.  We had plans to meet at a specific time, but that time came and went.  Alicia and I decided to use a legit red phone booth to call Liz, which was exciting.  After finding each other (the Tube was detoured), we picnicked along the river and saw London Bridge move to allow a boat to pass.

Our last day in London, we visited Abbey Road and King’s Cross Station.  There was some magic at King’s Cross Station, because I had been looking to get a good picture of the Rupert Grint milk ad I had seen the first day.  I just knew that he would show up at King’s Cross.  Right when we showed up and I had my camera out, this bus drove by with Rupert, so I was able to snap some shots and complete my quest.  We also saw most of Much Ado About Nothing at The Globe, although the rain did dampen the mood a little.  We skipped out early to make it to Westminster Abbey.

We flew out of London super early in the morning, and Alicia finally reunited with her bag in the London airport.  Our flight to Dublin had at least three rows full of drunk guys heading to Ireland for a stag party, which made the flight loud.  Luckily, I slept most of the flight.  Dublin was again a blur of tours, castles, churches, etc.  My second and last day in Dublin, I saw The Book of Kells, which is an illustrated copy of the Gospels.  They had a beautiful library upstairs along with children’s skulls and a skeleton of Cornelius Magrath, an Irish Giant (he had a rare disease).  Seeing Cornelius reaffirmed what I want to do with my life.

I said goodbye to Alicia and Liz at the bus stop to the Dublin airport.  I then flew to Athens and took a cab to my hotel on my own.  I roomed with two guys from my program at the hotel, but I couldn’t remember their last names when I showed up.  Eventually (less than five minutes), I figured out the room and made my way up.  It was an awkward arrival at the hotel, though.  The elevator was crazy!  You could see the wall as the elevator went up and had to manually open the door at the floor. 

I chilled with Michael and Colton for the night.  The next day, we went exploring and found this really sweet hill with an amazing view.  We went through a market and discovered our new home.  Apparently, we were staying in the rough part of town, as all of our cab drivers told us to be careful.  We stuck together (I especially stuck with the guys) and took a taxi at night, and we were fine.  As we returned to our hotel on Sunday night/Monday morning, a few motorcycles drove by and threw bottles at some Middle Eastern guys of the street near us.  It was strange, sad, and upsetting. 

Yesterday, we arrived at CYA and moved into our apartment and new home.  I am living with three other girls who I will be with for the next eight weeks.  We thought we were going to have a fifth roommate, but she hasn’t shown up.  We were in a weird limbo for a day until we decided we could all unpack and assume we were staying in our rooms.  Again, we oriented ourselves to our new neighborhood, which does seem much safer than the area our hotel was in.  I found out that there are two different sections of this class.  I am the only IU student not with the professor from IU, but I am enjoying getting to know some new people.  We went out as a group on Monday night to try to find a party.  We only succeeded in searching for a party but never made it to any destination. 

Today, the professors took us on an excursion to learn more about Athens.  The two destinations for the classes: the hill and the market that we explored on Sunday.  I found it rather entertaining that we were able to acclimate ourselves to the city on our own.  I experienced some of the frustrations of not being able to speak and read Greek today.  One of my roommates and I tried to buy phones.  The shop had a sign that I couldn’t read, and I couldn’t find anyone who could translate for us nearby.  I view it as an adventure, but it would have been nice to know what was going on.

Tonight, we visited a Taverna as a class.  We enjoyed each other’s company and some amazing Greek food and drink.  We then went to one of the apartments and got to know one another a little better.  When my roommates and I returned to our room, we continued hanging out for an hour or so.  We had such a blast getting to know each other.

Just a week ago I was in London writing my last post.  I have done a lot in a week; London feels like it was months ago.  (As you can tell by the long post, a lot has happened.  Next time I won’t wait so long.)  At the same time, I am on Greek time now, experiencing a different culture and way of life.