Cachetona

For almost a year now I have been hopping the same fence almost daily, and not just the simple meaning of fence. I don’t mean the little white pickets which are conjured up in the brain at the mention of “fence.” I mean a cultural barrier. Every morning I have to shed my American ideologies and jump over into the Greek way of life. At first I though I would never be able to get over it, but as time has passed I realized that I have slowly made it over. Now it is second nature to hop into another world, and at times I wonder if I am stuck here, if I will ever go completely back to my original side. Things that were so foreign at first now are normal and I feel that ... read more

Well, here are some more pics that I promised to post...hope you all enjoy!!!... read more

Well, it’s been a while. It's not that there hasn't been anything to write about, it’s more like I've been suffering from the crushing weight of too much to tell. Yes, I am a procrastinator, but hopefully this entry will make up for my lack of communication. A couple free weeks, a backpack, a bus schedule, and a sister. What can you do with this combination? Well, let me tell you the weeks will be too short, the backpack too heavy, the bus schedule wrong, and the sister...well sisters are sisters, yet it really will be amazing! (Especially if you throw into the mix a foreign land and language). Well, this year I had all the ingredients ready for an amazing experience, my sister was coming to visit me for my Easter break, and together we ... read more

Well, I think I should let you all know that it is possible that I might stay in Greece for another semester. I really love it here and I might be offered a scholarship that would enable me to stay. If I do recieve the monetary support that I need then I will be staying abroad over the summer and not returning home (airfare is just too expensive.) Overall this will put me a year out of the USA. This is an experience that I can't refuse though! I love being in a place where the history I study in class is tangible in the environment that I live in. I am not just learning from books, but from daily life. I am really excited about this opportunity and appreciate being kept in all of your ... read more

One questionable component of Greek life and culture I will never be reconciled to is their understanding of driving, or lack thereof. Although, better than what I have encountered in Indonesia, the traffic here is pell-mell compared to American standards. One would think there was no state of stable cruising, just alternating attempts of acceleration and screeching stops. In one recent experience of mine I was not exactly frightened, just a little concerned that I was not wearing a seatbelt (no one seems to think them necessary). I was somewhat consoled though as with four in the backseat if not buckled at least we were too squished for jostling about. What really began to concern me was the actions of the driver. I had trained my eyes on her, desperately trying not to look at the ... read more

It has been a whirlwind since my plane first landed here. This last week has blown by. Literally, in one ferocious gust another one of my weeks in Greece is gone. I have met and made friends, ate new foods every night, moved into a new home, discovered a new city, toured all of the Peloponnese, spent 14 hours on train, started classes, learned how to say key phrases (thank you/ I'm sorry) in Greek, and watched the sun set on the Mediterranean. I’ve seen so much in the last two weeks that the memory has morphed into a conglomerate mass of marble. I have visited Athens, Delphi, Corinth, Nafpaktos, Nemea, Olympia, and Sparta all in 10 days, I have enjoyed all of it. The whole trip was marvelous, and when I have a little more ... read more