This will probably be my last post for a week or so. I know most of you have probably broken into tears at this point, but please let me stop you. Think of all the funny, humorous things I will recount when I get back. And it will be loaded into one, big, super-long, super-informative entry. I mean, it wouldn't be a week in Egypt without something interesting happening, right? I hope that the humor that is involved in my life has nothing to do with food illness or the fact that my faucet is running at both ends. Though funny in a gross, 12-year old brother kind of way, I am in no way ready for that kind of fun in my life at this point.
You may be wondering why I have titled my entry, "Saturday Night Fever." It is something I am quite psyched about. The powers to be here have met and discussed and have reached a verdict. The deliberation was long, but it has been decided that we will be allowed to participate in Disco Night on the cruise. You heard that right-- for one night only, the Church of Christ kids have been set free to feel the beat. We have strict rules on what proper dancing is (luckily it has more to do with not being dirty than proper method..because the Chicken Dance is about the extent of my ability..and that's pushing it.) When Mr. Myhan announced this, everyone was momentarily shocked. Small steps have turned into giant leaps for this university. We go from having Spring Sing seductive try-outs (the most seductive dancers in the back..the alabaster white girls in front..) to permission to be John Travolta for a night. You better believe I am going to be stayin' alive and burn baby burnin'!!
I just got back from the supermarket where I bought snacks for the trip. One word: NUTELLA. It's like peanut butter times 100 because it is chocolate spread. We have it at "tea time" here and I pretty much have fallen in love with the stuff. I heard they have it in the states, but I haven't run across it. But then again-- I wasn't really looking. Now-- it is above milk, bread and water for me when I hit the Wal-Mart.
I am just going to throw this in randomly: I GET TO RIDE A CAMEL! The pyramids are pretty amazing, but what can compare with riding a camel? Haha. We are leaving tomorrow at 11 a.m. our time-- I am so pumped for this adventure! I have a slide test tonight and though I dread them, it makes me look forward to seeing those structures and I actually recognize them when they stand before me. Just pray for our safety and health! Updates to come and lots of pictures..
P.S. I made a 92 on my first official Humanities test..yes!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sundays are the Best Days
Today was our second Sunday to go to Athens for the afternoon and shop-- and then head to church at night. The group of people I went with left at about noon. The transportation process here is a lot different than that of Paragould, Arkansas. When I leave to go somewhere in my hometown, all it takes is a hop into the 'ol Camry and I'm at my destination within minutes. Here, it's a long process. We wait for the bus, get dropped off at one spot, wait for another bus, then run and get on the metro. We stay on the metro for quite a while and then head off onto the busy streets of Athens. It's new and adventurous, but I don't think I would like it as a permanent part of my day for the rest of my life.
I spent quite a bit of money today, but I think they were good purchases. I bought a wrinkle-free skirt for our trip to Egypt-- we needed one to just wad up and go. It is really long so it will also work for our trip to Israel later on. We have a "Captain's Night" on the cruise ship where we dress up some, so I bought a pretty turquoise dress for that occasion. It was only 20 euro, and the lady said I looked like a Greek goddess, so what can I say?! I know that it was probably a sales strategy, but flattering nonetheless. Haha. I am looking forward to being fancy-- like I said, I feel like a bohemian poor college student most of the time when I'm walking around. On the Nile cruise, we get to buy Egyptian outfits for one of the nights and I am also looking forward to that. As my family knows, dressing up has been one of my favorite things since childhood. :-)
Lacey, Lauren, Alana and I ate at Hard Rock Cafe Athens, which is like the U.S. Embassy of Food. You walk in and immediately feel like you're on home soil. It was quite pricey, but worth the American taste. It was nice to look at a menu and know what it is-- and not be afraid. A man at the table next to us passed out and scared me to death. I looked to see if he was okay, and he started convulsing slightly and puking. I started to gag a little so I left the rest to the paramedics.
Sundays are supposed to be 'left over' night, but we ate most of our food this week, which left us to go get gyros across the street. Many of the guys know the storeowner by name and visit her quite often. Some of the guys here get like 4 gyros a day!
We have a slide test tomorrow on Egypt and a Greek quiz so I better get to studying..:-( I am getting better at reading signs and knowing what I'm looking for because of the few Greek words and letters I know. We're studying dipthongs now, which is when you put two of their letters together and it makes a completely different sound. It makes things so much harder. I love you all!
I spent quite a bit of money today, but I think they were good purchases. I bought a wrinkle-free skirt for our trip to Egypt-- we needed one to just wad up and go. It is really long so it will also work for our trip to Israel later on. We have a "Captain's Night" on the cruise ship where we dress up some, so I bought a pretty turquoise dress for that occasion. It was only 20 euro, and the lady said I looked like a Greek goddess, so what can I say?! I know that it was probably a sales strategy, but flattering nonetheless. Haha. I am looking forward to being fancy-- like I said, I feel like a bohemian poor college student most of the time when I'm walking around. On the Nile cruise, we get to buy Egyptian outfits for one of the nights and I am also looking forward to that. As my family knows, dressing up has been one of my favorite things since childhood. :-)
Lacey, Lauren, Alana and I ate at Hard Rock Cafe Athens, which is like the U.S. Embassy of Food. You walk in and immediately feel like you're on home soil. It was quite pricey, but worth the American taste. It was nice to look at a menu and know what it is-- and not be afraid. A man at the table next to us passed out and scared me to death. I looked to see if he was okay, and he started convulsing slightly and puking. I started to gag a little so I left the rest to the paramedics.
Sundays are supposed to be 'left over' night, but we ate most of our food this week, which left us to go get gyros across the street. Many of the guys know the storeowner by name and visit her quite often. Some of the guys here get like 4 gyros a day!
We have a slide test tomorrow on Egypt and a Greek quiz so I better get to studying..:-( I am getting better at reading signs and knowing what I'm looking for because of the few Greek words and letters I know. We're studying dipthongs now, which is when you put two of their letters together and it makes a completely different sound. It makes things so much harder. I love you all!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Update: I Found Demetri
Now, don't get too excited when you read the title of this entry. To those who are reading and don't know about Demetri, he is the fictional Greek boy that my grandfather made up to give me a hard time. As we all know (which now is caused by my name's meaning), dating is not really my strongpoint. My family has high hopes that I will find a Greek lover and bring him back to the states. (Only jokingly, of course..) A few days before I came, my grandpa called me, using what was supposed to be a Greek accent, and pretended to be "Demetri", the Greek boy of my dreams who was awaiting my arrival.
Since then, questions on whether or not I have come across Demetri have been posed. I did meet Demetri. He is cute. He has an adorable voice. Dark hair. Tan complexion...and he is...
Six years old. Yes-- the young son of our cook, Demetri is every bit as adorable as I thought he would be. When I met him, I laughed at the irony and humor in my life. I know Demetri is probably a fairly common name here, but really--my life is humorous. So, yes, family and friends-- Demetri has been found. And I have a feeling we will become pals.
Since then, questions on whether or not I have come across Demetri have been posed. I did meet Demetri. He is cute. He has an adorable voice. Dark hair. Tan complexion...and he is...
Six years old. Yes-- the young son of our cook, Demetri is every bit as adorable as I thought he would be. When I met him, I laughed at the irony and humor in my life. I know Demetri is probably a fairly common name here, but really--my life is humorous. So, yes, family and friends-- Demetri has been found. And I have a feeling we will become pals.
Pizza and Movie Night
I love Saturdays here. Even though we still have class (yes, class on Saturdays!), we have Taz's pizza at night and we all watch a movie on the big screen. Taz Pizza is delicious. It's not greasy like the pizza at home, and has this crust to die for. I have learned, however, that their chicken pizza is NOT like ours. I was looking forward to the moment that the slice would reach my mouth; I could practically taste the scrumptious chicken alfredo flavor on my tongue. I discovered that they use mustard sauce with tomatoes instead. Big taste bud shock.
We all vote on the movie, but it always seems that the boys win. We watched 300 (the story of the Spartans) last time and I have a feeling Troy will conquer tonight. Some of us girls were complaining that we hear about fighting and war all day long and we want to relax with a funny, sweet movie at night. One guy put it all into perspective: "Well, we have to hear about poetry and literature and art all day." I never really thought about it like that. It seems that the girls unknowingly soak in the poetry and "sweet" parts of our lectures, while focusing on the overabundance of war. Guys want to puke if they hear about playwrights and romance one more time. We read a poem this morning, where a guy actually stated that he would go without food and drink for his lover. That's the kind of love I want to find-- especially seeing the way guys prey, vulture-like over our tables after they have consumed round 1. One guy stared at Lauren's leftover food and said, "What is your intention with that meat?" We were all kind of taken back, I mean-- what are our intentions? It's not like we're thinking about asking it out on a date.
Well, regardless of movie, I guess it will be nice to hang out for a while and recover from a week of strenuous classes. Then, we go into Athens tomorrow to shop and to church. I think I'm going to buy a sarong skirt for our trip to Egypt-- that's what Mr. Myhan suggests. There are so many preparations for our trip to Egypt. Pretty much we can't eat anything or drink anything. Haha. And apparently, guys are super super forward. If they express their culture and grope me, I will express my culture right back and slap 'em in the face! Haha. I won't be able to write much while there, but I will update you later. We're going to see the pyramids, we're crusing on the Nile, and so much more! Can't wait!
We all vote on the movie, but it always seems that the boys win. We watched 300 (the story of the Spartans) last time and I have a feeling Troy will conquer tonight. Some of us girls were complaining that we hear about fighting and war all day long and we want to relax with a funny, sweet movie at night. One guy put it all into perspective: "Well, we have to hear about poetry and literature and art all day." I never really thought about it like that. It seems that the girls unknowingly soak in the poetry and "sweet" parts of our lectures, while focusing on the overabundance of war. Guys want to puke if they hear about playwrights and romance one more time. We read a poem this morning, where a guy actually stated that he would go without food and drink for his lover. That's the kind of love I want to find-- especially seeing the way guys prey, vulture-like over our tables after they have consumed round 1. One guy stared at Lauren's leftover food and said, "What is your intention with that meat?" We were all kind of taken back, I mean-- what are our intentions? It's not like we're thinking about asking it out on a date.
Well, regardless of movie, I guess it will be nice to hang out for a while and recover from a week of strenuous classes. Then, we go into Athens tomorrow to shop and to church. I think I'm going to buy a sarong skirt for our trip to Egypt-- that's what Mr. Myhan suggests. There are so many preparations for our trip to Egypt. Pretty much we can't eat anything or drink anything. Haha. And apparently, guys are super super forward. If they express their culture and grope me, I will express my culture right back and slap 'em in the face! Haha. I won't be able to write much while there, but I will update you later. We're going to see the pyramids, we're crusing on the Nile, and so much more! Can't wait!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Academic Overkill
I'm sorry I didn't write yesterday. It has been a state of academic chaos around here. We're leaving for Egypt Tuesday so we are getting all these exams and assignments in in a short span of time. It is very overwhelming. I didn't do as great on my first slide test as I would have liked-- I blanked out a lot. I knew the answer, but the answer would suddenly escape my mind-- only to return as I disappointedly sat on the couch afterwards. Why do my epiphanies seem to occur with such poor timing?
We have our first real test tonight. I am pretty nervous and I'm trying to cram centuries and centuries of time in my head all at once. I have come to the conclusion that if the Greeks weren't fighting someone at any one period of time, they were plotting the next time they would do so. So many wars. So many dates. So many leaders. So many things to remember.
Oh, and Greek class has taught me the origin of the phrase, "It's Greek To Me"-- so complicated! I feel like a first-grader again, staring at the whiteboard, desperately trying to grasp the alphabet. I am too young to remember the frustration that came with the first round of learning my letters, but at 21 I will probably remember my attempts at this one. I also learned that there is no "sh" sound in Greek, therefore the teacher told me my name is "Aston"..you can guess the laughs that one got. I now get that occasionally from my fellow students, along with the "Can I call you Ash in Greek?" (Put two and two together..)
My teacher also told me later, without me asking, that Ashton means to "Let the boys alone" or "Leave the boys alone." I laughed, telling her that must be the core of my dating problems-- that my name was my own self-fulfilling prophecy. She proceeded to compare me to Jabez, whose name was a prophecy of his pain...thanks, Vicky. There goes my hope of true love-- I guess I'll leave 'em and let 'em alone! Thanks Mom and Dad! :-) Haha.
I will try to write when I can, but we're going fast. I am looking forward to Egypt-- it is going to be a dream come true to see the pyramids and King Tut's tomb! Who knows, I might even sing the Steve Martin "King Tut" song while simultaneously walking like an Egyptian. :-) All my love!
We have our first real test tonight. I am pretty nervous and I'm trying to cram centuries and centuries of time in my head all at once. I have come to the conclusion that if the Greeks weren't fighting someone at any one period of time, they were plotting the next time they would do so. So many wars. So many dates. So many leaders. So many things to remember.
Oh, and Greek class has taught me the origin of the phrase, "It's Greek To Me"-- so complicated! I feel like a first-grader again, staring at the whiteboard, desperately trying to grasp the alphabet. I am too young to remember the frustration that came with the first round of learning my letters, but at 21 I will probably remember my attempts at this one. I also learned that there is no "sh" sound in Greek, therefore the teacher told me my name is "Aston"..you can guess the laughs that one got. I now get that occasionally from my fellow students, along with the "Can I call you Ash in Greek?" (Put two and two together..)
My teacher also told me later, without me asking, that Ashton means to "Let the boys alone" or "Leave the boys alone." I laughed, telling her that must be the core of my dating problems-- that my name was my own self-fulfilling prophecy. She proceeded to compare me to Jabez, whose name was a prophecy of his pain...thanks, Vicky. There goes my hope of true love-- I guess I'll leave 'em and let 'em alone! Thanks Mom and Dad! :-) Haha.
I will try to write when I can, but we're going fast. I am looking forward to Egypt-- it is going to be a dream come true to see the pyramids and King Tut's tomb! Who knows, I might even sing the Steve Martin "King Tut" song while simultaneously walking like an Egyptian. :-) All my love!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
A Full Day at the Acropolis/Agora
1-23-08
Though exhausted, I am writing this now so that I will remember our busy day better since it's still remotely fresh on my mind. We left at 8 a.m. to go to the Acropolis for our tour with our guide, Catharina. A fresh, perky young woman, Catharina gave us some background history on the way into town. Our first stop was at the Greek President's mansion, which is right across from the prime minister's mansion-- so we killed two birds with one stone. There was the national guard in front of the mansion, marching-- stone-faced. Though we all snapped shots of them, they remained undeterred. One of the guards stands in front of the gate-- many people got their picture with him, but he just stood there like a statue. That takes talent, considering I can't go 5 minutes without bursting into laughter. Poor guy-- I wonder what he's like outside of the job.
From there, we went through the Propylaia, which is the entrance-way to all the amazing structures. Walking through the huge Doric columns, I couldn't help but feel small and insignificant against its marble massiveness. When we emerged from the Propylaia, our eyes met the Parthenon. Even though steel restoration was around, it was still an impressive sight. The tour guide explained to us that it would have been a colorful building with statues all around back in its day. I tried to picture how it would have looked-- how powerful, how elegant. I mean, thousands of years later-- its a marvel-- I can't imagine seeing it in its day. It was thought to be built in 10 years, with 6 years for its decoration. The one thing that runs through my mind when I see all these buildings is just how much they have seen. Wars around them cause damage to their structure, the people that have looked at them through the years-- and here I am, in 2008, staring up at the same structure that so many before me have.
For some reason, one of my favorites is the Erechthion-- it is the only one we have seen that has women (the caryatids) as columns. Called the Porch of Maidens, it is unique to see a bunch of women holding up a building with their head as the capital and feet as the bottom of the structure. We also saw a neat odeon (or concert hall) built by Herodes Atticus in honor of his wife. There are still performances here presently-- famous artists like Norah Jones have played here.
I am leaving out so much-- we saw so much today!! We climbed up Mars Hill and looked around-- the view from it was spectacular. You could see all the structures we had just seen up close, mounted high up in the sky and see the town below. Dr. Griffith read the part in Acts where Paul talked to the people about their unknown God. Standing surrounded by temples dedicated to their false gods just put the verses in perspective for me. Could you imagine being surrounded by your history, beauty and works that took years to construct-- and have Paul basically tell you that it was all in vain? Being a Christian, I never really thought about why they would object to Paul's speech-- but now I get it. And I admire Paul for his bravery in standing up to a people stuck in their culture and tradition.
Even though there wasn't much to discern, the agora (or ancient gathering/market place) was still neat to see. We saw some of the ancient streets, one for the marble makers and the rest dedicated to other trades. We also saw the prison that Socrates was probably kept in til his death. In the museum we went to, we saw the poison jars that he probably drank during his execution. Once again, using my vivid imagination, I tried to see this place come alive. I saw where trials were held, government met and I tried to see it filled with people.
The museum was a collection of artifacts, most of them found in family burial grounds. They were often buried with pottery, jewelry, toys and other things that described them. I guess the neatest things I remember would have to be a child's potty chair (they thought of it before Fisher Price), the way they did jury duty and court (I'm a big Law and Order fan so I found this part fascinating..) and I think the theater masks of the time. Because they performed in front of large crowds and men played both parts, they put on masks with exaggerated facial expressions to depict different genders and emotions. They are pretty creepy-- maybe even a little more than my own personal clown wall adornment.
We saw so many other temples (Hephaistos-- who is the one who took an ax to Zeus' head to get grown Athena out) and so many other neat things, but you would be reading all day and night. Just know that overall, it was one of the most liberating, educational experiences I've ever had. When I went to the Louvre in Paris, I was impressed because I was "supposed" to be-- but this naturally and without force, touched me. Knowing that Paul looked up at the same Tower of Winds to see the time as I did (in the Roman forum) is just amazing to me. More about the Roman forum: they had a water clock that told the time of day based on where the water level was. I thought that was neat, along with a giant sundial on 8 sides of the tower. Not so significant, but thanks to common hygiene practices today, we don't have to take our own sponges around and then use a long bench of toilets. Thanks be to privacy and provided toilet paper. :-)
We also ate at our first Greek restaurant today-- it was pretty good. I had my first cheese pie-- I don't normally like different kinds of cheese in pie crust, but I tried it anyway. They topped off our meal with icecream, though, so it made it all worth it.
Love you guys. Thank you to all that have made this adventure possible. I know it was a financial (and emotional..haha) sacrifice, but I appreciate it!
Though exhausted, I am writing this now so that I will remember our busy day better since it's still remotely fresh on my mind. We left at 8 a.m. to go to the Acropolis for our tour with our guide, Catharina. A fresh, perky young woman, Catharina gave us some background history on the way into town. Our first stop was at the Greek President's mansion, which is right across from the prime minister's mansion-- so we killed two birds with one stone. There was the national guard in front of the mansion, marching-- stone-faced. Though we all snapped shots of them, they remained undeterred. One of the guards stands in front of the gate-- many people got their picture with him, but he just stood there like a statue. That takes talent, considering I can't go 5 minutes without bursting into laughter. Poor guy-- I wonder what he's like outside of the job.
From there, we went through the Propylaia, which is the entrance-way to all the amazing structures. Walking through the huge Doric columns, I couldn't help but feel small and insignificant against its marble massiveness. When we emerged from the Propylaia, our eyes met the Parthenon. Even though steel restoration was around, it was still an impressive sight. The tour guide explained to us that it would have been a colorful building with statues all around back in its day. I tried to picture how it would have looked-- how powerful, how elegant. I mean, thousands of years later-- its a marvel-- I can't imagine seeing it in its day. It was thought to be built in 10 years, with 6 years for its decoration. The one thing that runs through my mind when I see all these buildings is just how much they have seen. Wars around them cause damage to their structure, the people that have looked at them through the years-- and here I am, in 2008, staring up at the same structure that so many before me have.
For some reason, one of my favorites is the Erechthion-- it is the only one we have seen that has women (the caryatids) as columns. Called the Porch of Maidens, it is unique to see a bunch of women holding up a building with their head as the capital and feet as the bottom of the structure. We also saw a neat odeon (or concert hall) built by Herodes Atticus in honor of his wife. There are still performances here presently-- famous artists like Norah Jones have played here.
I am leaving out so much-- we saw so much today!! We climbed up Mars Hill and looked around-- the view from it was spectacular. You could see all the structures we had just seen up close, mounted high up in the sky and see the town below. Dr. Griffith read the part in Acts where Paul talked to the people about their unknown God. Standing surrounded by temples dedicated to their false gods just put the verses in perspective for me. Could you imagine being surrounded by your history, beauty and works that took years to construct-- and have Paul basically tell you that it was all in vain? Being a Christian, I never really thought about why they would object to Paul's speech-- but now I get it. And I admire Paul for his bravery in standing up to a people stuck in their culture and tradition.
Even though there wasn't much to discern, the agora (or ancient gathering/market place) was still neat to see. We saw some of the ancient streets, one for the marble makers and the rest dedicated to other trades. We also saw the prison that Socrates was probably kept in til his death. In the museum we went to, we saw the poison jars that he probably drank during his execution. Once again, using my vivid imagination, I tried to see this place come alive. I saw where trials were held, government met and I tried to see it filled with people.
The museum was a collection of artifacts, most of them found in family burial grounds. They were often buried with pottery, jewelry, toys and other things that described them. I guess the neatest things I remember would have to be a child's potty chair (they thought of it before Fisher Price), the way they did jury duty and court (I'm a big Law and Order fan so I found this part fascinating..) and I think the theater masks of the time. Because they performed in front of large crowds and men played both parts, they put on masks with exaggerated facial expressions to depict different genders and emotions. They are pretty creepy-- maybe even a little more than my own personal clown wall adornment.
We saw so many other temples (Hephaistos-- who is the one who took an ax to Zeus' head to get grown Athena out) and so many other neat things, but you would be reading all day and night. Just know that overall, it was one of the most liberating, educational experiences I've ever had. When I went to the Louvre in Paris, I was impressed because I was "supposed" to be-- but this naturally and without force, touched me. Knowing that Paul looked up at the same Tower of Winds to see the time as I did (in the Roman forum) is just amazing to me. More about the Roman forum: they had a water clock that told the time of day based on where the water level was. I thought that was neat, along with a giant sundial on 8 sides of the tower. Not so significant, but thanks to common hygiene practices today, we don't have to take our own sponges around and then use a long bench of toilets. Thanks be to privacy and provided toilet paper. :-)
We also ate at our first Greek restaurant today-- it was pretty good. I had my first cheese pie-- I don't normally like different kinds of cheese in pie crust, but I tried it anyway. They topped off our meal with icecream, though, so it made it all worth it.
Love you guys. Thank you to all that have made this adventure possible. I know it was a financial (and emotional..haha) sacrifice, but I appreciate it!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sunny Days & Slide Tests
Today was a really pretty day. We have a slide test tonight (where she puts slides of statues on the board and we have to name them..there's so many!) A few of us walked down and studied at a seaside cafe. I was there for 2 hours without really realizing it because it was such a beautiful setting. The only complaint I have is the dumb dogs in this town. I had a black one on my feet under the table and probably 8 more that circled the table-- some even occasionally started to fight each other. I don't understand why people are not complaining to their local government about this canine chaos. They are constantly dodging them on the major streets and honking at them day and night. (We solved the mystery of the excessive honking..two problems that stem from the mutts.)
I am kind of nervous about our first test. I want to have a great time here and enjoy everything, but the overachiever in me still wants to get an A. Straight A's this semester would just make the Parthenon a little more grand, the statues more radiant and have my parents asking, "How was your trip?" instead of "What was with the C in Humanities?" All the statues start to look the same after a while to me. I mean, there's only so much difference between 2 naked, muscular pieces of stone. They are impressive, don't get me wrong, but they resemble each other.
Last night, Lauren, Lacey, Alana and I tried to come up with silly ways to remember each one. Some of them will work-- Athena Nike is reaching down to touch her sandal-- Nike is a shoe-- Shoe/sandal. See? Clever, huh? Haha. We had a lot of fun last night together. I love these girls. And I also found out that I have been blessed with the talent of imitating George W. Bush last night. They thought it was hilarious and videotaped me. Oh goodness.
Supper is almost here so I better let you go! Love you guys! Keep reading..and comment occasionally so I'll know you're still out there!
I am kind of nervous about our first test. I want to have a great time here and enjoy everything, but the overachiever in me still wants to get an A. Straight A's this semester would just make the Parthenon a little more grand, the statues more radiant and have my parents asking, "How was your trip?" instead of "What was with the C in Humanities?" All the statues start to look the same after a while to me. I mean, there's only so much difference between 2 naked, muscular pieces of stone. They are impressive, don't get me wrong, but they resemble each other.
Last night, Lauren, Lacey, Alana and I tried to come up with silly ways to remember each one. Some of them will work-- Athena Nike is reaching down to touch her sandal-- Nike is a shoe-- Shoe/sandal. See? Clever, huh? Haha. We had a lot of fun last night together. I love these girls. And I also found out that I have been blessed with the talent of imitating George W. Bush last night. They thought it was hilarious and videotaped me. Oh goodness.
Supper is almost here so I better let you go! Love you guys! Keep reading..and comment occasionally so I'll know you're still out there!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Climb Every Mountain..but don't wear shorts..
I am so proud of myself. I am trying so many new things and facing every challenge that comes my way here. I have branched out from my cheeseburger plain and eaten foods I couldn't even put a name to-- nor tell what they were composed of. Today I faced a new challenge. I climbed the mountain that is across from our hotel. Mountain climbing seems to bring out the amnesia symptoms in me. Each adrenaline-pumping, near-death experience quickly escapes my mind just in time for me to try it again. This summer, for example, I hiked in the Ozarks with my youth group. I forgot the horror just in time to eagerly agree to go with some friends today.
It started out with a steep climb up a paved road. I was breathing a little heavy, but my optimism was still beaming across my face. Then, the actual mountain hit and the thorns that were included free of charge. I have never seen so many thorn bushes in all my life. They were all different shapes, sizes, colors-- some actually kind of attractive until they tore into my poor legs. Dearest Tommy tried to tell me to change into long pants, but I-- the mountain climbing expert-- decided I wanted to make a fashion statement and wear my cute brown shorts. I won't be wearing them for quite a while since my once marvelous Jergen's Body glow-tanned legs now sport cuts and scrapes. Haha.
It was so gratifying to get to the top and realize the feat you just accomplished. You could see all over Athens from the top-- it was breathtaking. By the time we got to the top though, a few pictures were all we had time for in order to get back before dark and in time for dinner. We made it thanks to the bravery of Nic Wildman and the helpfulness of a few Greek boys. Nic was the only guy and helped many of the womenfolk down the mountain. He would help support our back or legs and would apologize for touching us. Danielle (who cracks me up) goes, "Nic, I don't care where you touch me or what you do- just get me off this mountain!" When we lost our way, a few Greek boys helped us find our way down the rest of the way and led us to our hotel. It's a good thing "thank you" is about the only Greek word we've learned and we shouted "Efaristo!" many many times!
Even though I am about to die of soreness, a few of them wanted me to play basketball..so we'll see if I can make it one trip down the court. Then, I'll do some homework..I promise..
I forgot to mention yesterday that I bought this cool ring and got some handmade sandals yesterday at the Plaka. Love em!
It started out with a steep climb up a paved road. I was breathing a little heavy, but my optimism was still beaming across my face. Then, the actual mountain hit and the thorns that were included free of charge. I have never seen so many thorn bushes in all my life. They were all different shapes, sizes, colors-- some actually kind of attractive until they tore into my poor legs. Dearest Tommy tried to tell me to change into long pants, but I-- the mountain climbing expert-- decided I wanted to make a fashion statement and wear my cute brown shorts. I won't be wearing them for quite a while since my once marvelous Jergen's Body glow-tanned legs now sport cuts and scrapes. Haha.
It was so gratifying to get to the top and realize the feat you just accomplished. You could see all over Athens from the top-- it was breathtaking. By the time we got to the top though, a few pictures were all we had time for in order to get back before dark and in time for dinner. We made it thanks to the bravery of Nic Wildman and the helpfulness of a few Greek boys. Nic was the only guy and helped many of the womenfolk down the mountain. He would help support our back or legs and would apologize for touching us. Danielle (who cracks me up) goes, "Nic, I don't care where you touch me or what you do- just get me off this mountain!" When we lost our way, a few Greek boys helped us find our way down the rest of the way and led us to our hotel. It's a good thing "thank you" is about the only Greek word we've learned and we shouted "Efaristo!" many many times!
Even though I am about to die of soreness, a few of them wanted me to play basketball..so we'll see if I can make it one trip down the court. Then, I'll do some homework..I promise..
I forgot to mention yesterday that I bought this cool ring and got some handmade sandals yesterday at the Plaka. Love em!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
You Look Greek...Greeky, Greeky!
Today we made our first trip into Athens to shop around the Plaka. Can I just say how much I love this city? It is beautiful and so chic. I almost feel like it is too good for me-- haha. Here I am, brown Wal-Mart skirt, plain sweater and some Chacos surrounded by these elegant women in expensive coats and boots that zip up to their knees. They sit at cafes, smoking their cigarettes-- I go to the walkby gyro stand so I can get mine for the low price of 3 euros. (Here, you pay for your table and the atmosphere too...) I am just going to say it. Greek guys are so handsome. There. You got me. I admit it. Their dark, slicked back hair; their olive complexion; the way they walk around confidently dressed in fashionable attire. Though their boldness comes off a little strange to an American girl, it is oddly refreshing.
I don't know why. I mean, in the states I feel invisible-- here, they look at me like I'm a Greek goddess. Speaking of me being a Greek goddess, this one rather nice looking store owner asked where I was from when I told him America (apo tin ameriki..impressed? haha) he replied with: "Ohhh..you look Greek. You're Greek. Greeky Greeky!" With each Greeky Greeky, he preceded to grab each cheek and pinch them like an old lady at a family reunion. He then leaned over and kissed each side of my face. (The greeting here. Hard to get used to.) Oh, another thing I found interesting. Every time someone would ask what state in America I was from-- when I replied Arkansas, their faces would light up and they would exclaim, "OHHHH...BILL CLINTON!" I would just nod my head and they were so excited, like me and Bill were tight buddies or something.
We went to church tonight and it was so moving. They have so many people that speak many different languages. Some were from Iran, some Egypt, some Russia, so many others. During communion, they each said a prayer in their language. One of our guys started in English and the others followed in their language. Being my mother's daughter (no offense, Mom), tears started to stream down my face. The Greek prayer giver concluded with, "We speak different languages. Our cultures are diverse. But we are unified." Isn't he so right? Paragould, Arkansas is not much for an introduction to different cultures and how they relate to God-- so naturally, I would find this very emotional. I wasn't the only one thank goodness. Lauren, who has become a good friend, was next to me and she was teary too.
Overall, this has been a great day. I love it here. All the people I live with are great and our home is fantastic. I kind of feel like I'm on MTV's "Real World" minus the drama and fighting. We all live together, eat together, sit in the big livingroom together. It's so neat. I love you all and miss you!
I don't know why. I mean, in the states I feel invisible-- here, they look at me like I'm a Greek goddess. Speaking of me being a Greek goddess, this one rather nice looking store owner asked where I was from when I told him America (apo tin ameriki..impressed? haha) he replied with: "Ohhh..you look Greek. You're Greek. Greeky Greeky!" With each Greeky Greeky, he preceded to grab each cheek and pinch them like an old lady at a family reunion. He then leaned over and kissed each side of my face. (The greeting here. Hard to get used to.) Oh, another thing I found interesting. Every time someone would ask what state in America I was from-- when I replied Arkansas, their faces would light up and they would exclaim, "OHHHH...BILL CLINTON!" I would just nod my head and they were so excited, like me and Bill were tight buddies or something.
We went to church tonight and it was so moving. They have so many people that speak many different languages. Some were from Iran, some Egypt, some Russia, so many others. During communion, they each said a prayer in their language. One of our guys started in English and the others followed in their language. Being my mother's daughter (no offense, Mom), tears started to stream down my face. The Greek prayer giver concluded with, "We speak different languages. Our cultures are diverse. But we are unified." Isn't he so right? Paragould, Arkansas is not much for an introduction to different cultures and how they relate to God-- so naturally, I would find this very emotional. I wasn't the only one thank goodness. Lauren, who has become a good friend, was next to me and she was teary too.
Overall, this has been a great day. I love it here. All the people I live with are great and our home is fantastic. I kind of feel like I'm on MTV's "Real World" minus the drama and fighting. We all live together, eat together, sit in the big livingroom together. It's so neat. I love you all and miss you!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
My First Little Trip
Hey everyone! I just got done with our second mixer. I kind of feel like I'm trying out for a social club again. It's fun though to learn things about people.
Today we made a trip to Sounion-- it was about an hour away. On top of this mountain, the rubble of Athena's temple is located and many columns from Posideon (the god of the sea)'s temple. It was beautiful. Surrounding it was the blue Aegean sea with small mountain islands springing up, sitting like giant lily pads upon the sea. I just posted some pictures on facebook of it actually. I will admit, I am not usually very observant. While here though, I find myself looking out windows and I can't seem to take my eyes off of the landscape. "How Great Thou Art" runs through my head and I wonder how anyone could believe that all this "just came to be."
On the tour bus, we heard some myths about the story behind where we visited today. I will try to get this right. Apparently, Poseidon gave a gift to King Minos of Crete. It was a bull that rose out of the water. Minos did not do with the gift what Poseidon thought he should, so he put a curse on him-- and the king's wife ended up falling in love with a bull. She did what you do when you're in love (if you get my drift..haha) and ended up creating minotaurs-- half human/half bull. All the minotaurs would live in this temple and every so often men and women were chosen to go in there and become minotaur snacks. It goes on and on. It's hard to believe that people believe these stories, yet as I pondered this on the bus I realized that it's the faith that makes them real. Many Bible stories are very unlikely and miraculous, yet we accept them as truth. It is what they have heard since birth. Now, don't go thinkin' I believe in minotaurs. Haha.
We had pizza and we're watching a movie right now. I don't know if I can stomach it thought. 300. About the Spartans. It's historical, but very violent. I might go work out in our cool workout room. I have been doing Tae Bo with Billy Blanks. Haha. Love ya'll.
Today we made a trip to Sounion-- it was about an hour away. On top of this mountain, the rubble of Athena's temple is located and many columns from Posideon (the god of the sea)'s temple. It was beautiful. Surrounding it was the blue Aegean sea with small mountain islands springing up, sitting like giant lily pads upon the sea. I just posted some pictures on facebook of it actually. I will admit, I am not usually very observant. While here though, I find myself looking out windows and I can't seem to take my eyes off of the landscape. "How Great Thou Art" runs through my head and I wonder how anyone could believe that all this "just came to be."
On the tour bus, we heard some myths about the story behind where we visited today. I will try to get this right. Apparently, Poseidon gave a gift to King Minos of Crete. It was a bull that rose out of the water. Minos did not do with the gift what Poseidon thought he should, so he put a curse on him-- and the king's wife ended up falling in love with a bull. She did what you do when you're in love (if you get my drift..haha) and ended up creating minotaurs-- half human/half bull. All the minotaurs would live in this temple and every so often men and women were chosen to go in there and become minotaur snacks. It goes on and on. It's hard to believe that people believe these stories, yet as I pondered this on the bus I realized that it's the faith that makes them real. Many Bible stories are very unlikely and miraculous, yet we accept them as truth. It is what they have heard since birth. Now, don't go thinkin' I believe in minotaurs. Haha.
We had pizza and we're watching a movie right now. I don't know if I can stomach it thought. 300. About the Spartans. It's historical, but very violent. I might go work out in our cool workout room. I have been doing Tae Bo with Billy Blanks. Haha. Love ya'll.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Brain Overload
I thought I was going to conquer the jet lag, but I overestimated my body's ability to deal with the change. I go to bed okay, but wake up about 3 a.m. and can't seem to go back to sleep. It doesn't help that the stray dogs that I told you about bark and fight and howl in the wee hours of the morning. It is a good thing that our rooms don't come equipped with guns and ammunition-- because I would take it upon myself to be the new animal control officer. The situation would definately be under control. Haha.
We had class all afternoon starting at 8 a.m. It was kind of rigorous and a brain overload coming from Christmas break, but it was interesting too. We went over all the places we are going to see next week when we go on our tour of the Acropolis. We learned all about the Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns and the Greek gods. Some of the stories are so bizarre-- I wonder what Greek Sunday school was like. Did little old ladies teach class and have felt boards? Could you imagine telling 4 year olds that Athena was born full-grown when one of the gods took an ax to Zeus' head. He had a massive headache-- I mean, I would to if I have a grown woman with gold armor in my cranium. Geez. I would have loved to see the coloring pages those kiddos took home.
Well, I'm really exhausted from the day and trying to soak all that information in, but I am trying to stay awake so I can sleep tonight. I am kind of anxious about how the academic part of the semester is going to go. Every course seems challenging and I'm taking an online class that has a lot to it. I'm trying not to go into panic mode. Haha. Love you guys-- thanks for reading!!
We had class all afternoon starting at 8 a.m. It was kind of rigorous and a brain overload coming from Christmas break, but it was interesting too. We went over all the places we are going to see next week when we go on our tour of the Acropolis. We learned all about the Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns and the Greek gods. Some of the stories are so bizarre-- I wonder what Greek Sunday school was like. Did little old ladies teach class and have felt boards? Could you imagine telling 4 year olds that Athena was born full-grown when one of the gods took an ax to Zeus' head. He had a massive headache-- I mean, I would to if I have a grown woman with gold armor in my cranium. Geez. I would have loved to see the coloring pages those kiddos took home.
Well, I'm really exhausted from the day and trying to soak all that information in, but I am trying to stay awake so I can sleep tonight. I am kind of anxious about how the academic part of the semester is going to go. Every course seems challenging and I'm taking an online class that has a lot to it. I'm trying not to go into panic mode. Haha. Love you guys-- thanks for reading!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Explorin'
Today we mostly had orientation all day-- got to know the ground rules. You know, everything from refraining from "inappropriate relations" and taking a swig to the lesser law of no flushing toilet paper. I think I can handle it. Afterward, we had our first humanities class. My appreciation for what we are studying has increased already. Truth be told, if I was sitting at Harding reading these same books I would die of boredom. Being here gives me a new world view and just makes me think about how important the past is. We then had lunch which was really good today (so much for the hope of losing weight) and then I went exploring with some friends.
We just walked around our area. We went down by the water and took pictures by the water, in nearby abandoned boats...you name it, we took a picture of it. We look like such tourists. Some of the people here catch squids from the water and beat them against rocks to tenderize them. We saw this elderly man and marveled at him as he nonchalantly beat the poor thing against a nearby rock. There are these huge, beautiful rocks all over by the water-- something tells me the squids probably don't appreciate that part of the landscape. I wonder what the man thought with 15 kids staring at him like we were at a Man Vs. Squid wrestling match or something.
We are having a mixer tonight after dinner to get to know each other better. I'm looking forward to making some new friends-- I feel like I already have. We have a good crew.
Little known facts I have discovered thus far: Greece has no animal control so stray dogs and cats are EVERYWHERE. We had like 10 follow us back to the hotel. People honk all the time-- they don't use it as a warning signal or anything. There is a lot of grafitti-- apparently the F bomb is quite popular, but that is the only English in the whole sentence. Waving here is an offensive sign. Those that know me know I am quite the avid waver, so I am trying to cut back.
I have a balcony on the outside of my apartment and have decided this is the coolest thing ever-- I plan to incorporate this in my home "when I grow up"-- even if I have a one-story house. Haha. I know I jumped all over the place in this entry, and I'm sorry-- but it's just a lot to soak in! I am enjoying soakin' it up though!!
We just walked around our area. We went down by the water and took pictures by the water, in nearby abandoned boats...you name it, we took a picture of it. We look like such tourists. Some of the people here catch squids from the water and beat them against rocks to tenderize them. We saw this elderly man and marveled at him as he nonchalantly beat the poor thing against a nearby rock. There are these huge, beautiful rocks all over by the water-- something tells me the squids probably don't appreciate that part of the landscape. I wonder what the man thought with 15 kids staring at him like we were at a Man Vs. Squid wrestling match or something.
We are having a mixer tonight after dinner to get to know each other better. I'm looking forward to making some new friends-- I feel like I already have. We have a good crew.
Little known facts I have discovered thus far: Greece has no animal control so stray dogs and cats are EVERYWHERE. We had like 10 follow us back to the hotel. People honk all the time-- they don't use it as a warning signal or anything. There is a lot of grafitti-- apparently the F bomb is quite popular, but that is the only English in the whole sentence. Waving here is an offensive sign. Those that know me know I am quite the avid waver, so I am trying to cut back.
I have a balcony on the outside of my apartment and have decided this is the coolest thing ever-- I plan to incorporate this in my home "when I grow up"-- even if I have a one-story house. Haha. I know I jumped all over the place in this entry, and I'm sorry-- but it's just a lot to soak in! I am enjoying soakin' it up though!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I'm Here!!!
We arrived today in Greece at about 2:30 p.m. their time. Our bodies, however, felt like it was in the wee hours of the morning. I have been on planes ALL day and I'm absolutely exhausted. I have found that my motion sickness problem stretches from rollercoasters and fair rides to airplanes as well. The first flight I took from Little Rock was one of the worst experiences-- it was a lethal combination of the spinning tea cups at Disney World and Pharoah's Fury at the Greene County Fair. I was literally gagging by the end of it and the lady next to me eyed me with that "If you throw up on my cute outfit I'll kill you" look. I survived to the next plane which was slightly better and the others weren't so bad. I didn't sleep much at all on our 7 1/2 hour flight to Amsterdam. It was a combination of crying babies (I have now determined that small children should be checked with the luggage..haha) and over-feminine male stewards. As soon as you would start to get halfway comfortable the flock of Mr. Fancy Pants would delightfully declare that they were selling duty free items or that you could throw away all your rubbage. Or could they delight you in some tea?
Enough about that-- we got to Greece and we had a brief tour of the Artemis Hotel where we are staying. You walk in the hotel lobby and to your right is our classroom. Up the stairs are all our rooms. Probably a mix between Motel 6 and a 2-star Holiday Inn Express, our rooms are fairly nice for their purpose. I am rooming with my friend Lacey and we have a huge creepy clown face hanging on our wall-- it is scary. (Pictures to come). We then took a tour of Porto Rafti, the neighborhood in which we live. The water here is a beautiful blue, and it reflects the the white houses that tower above it on green, lush mountains. There are sailboats dispersed and it is a scene right out of a movie. I took some pictures, but I don't think it really does it justice.
We just finished having our first Greek family-style meal. It was fun to all be together and just dig in and share the food. I think for the first night most of us will shower up and head to bed early. It's been such a long 2 days...
Enough about that-- we got to Greece and we had a brief tour of the Artemis Hotel where we are staying. You walk in the hotel lobby and to your right is our classroom. Up the stairs are all our rooms. Probably a mix between Motel 6 and a 2-star Holiday Inn Express, our rooms are fairly nice for their purpose. I am rooming with my friend Lacey and we have a huge creepy clown face hanging on our wall-- it is scary. (Pictures to come). We then took a tour of Porto Rafti, the neighborhood in which we live. The water here is a beautiful blue, and it reflects the the white houses that tower above it on green, lush mountains. There are sailboats dispersed and it is a scene right out of a movie. I took some pictures, but I don't think it really does it justice.
We just finished having our first Greek family-style meal. It was fun to all be together and just dig in and share the food. I think for the first night most of us will shower up and head to bed early. It's been such a long 2 days...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
It's Drawing Near...
My plane tickets FINALLY came in today-- which is one less worry on my mind. I was going to write my address out just in case you want to write me a letter or get in touch with me.
Ashton Reely
Harding University in Greece
37 Klm Leof.Porto Rafti
P.O. Box Markopoulo 268
19003 Attiki
Greece
Try fitting that on an envelope-- haha-- but really, if you have some time-- I love getting letters and cards. I am heading out Tuesday-- can you believe it? Wow! Keep me in your thoughts and prayers-- this is definately going to be a learning experience! I hope to come back with a new sense of self and a Greek hottie. (Ok, the last one would just be icing on the cake..haha) Love you guys!
Ashton Reely
Harding University in Greece
37 Klm Leof.Porto Rafti
P.O. Box Markopoulo 268
19003 Attiki
Greece
Try fitting that on an envelope-- haha-- but really, if you have some time-- I love getting letters and cards. I am heading out Tuesday-- can you believe it? Wow! Keep me in your thoughts and prayers-- this is definately going to be a learning experience! I hope to come back with a new sense of self and a Greek hottie. (Ok, the last one would just be icing on the cake..haha) Love you guys!
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