Sept 4

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September 5th 2008

Published: September 5th 2008

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HelenAitch

My Room

Rather blank, but I'm working on that

September 4, 2008

First day of classes. I think I am really going to enjoy my archaeology class. Every class we meet at a different site or ruin in the city to learn about it first hand and we each have to do a 20 minute presentation on one of these monuments as well as a research paper. After archaeology I had a 40 minute break so I went with a few girls to a cute coffee and pastry shop right around the corner from school and across the street from a fruit stand - cappuccino and a fresh plum, that I was glad to have grabbed as the day went on. Then I had my Greek ethnography class, which I am very excited about. The teacher seems to be very interested and well educated in Greek culture and seems like she’ll lend enthusiasm and an interesting point of view.

I then went to my Modern Greek 301 class…to discover I was the only non Greek-American one in it. It did not take long to realize that I could not keep up with the other three in terms of speaking fluency. I talked to the professor afterwards and she

My Room 2

suggested sitting in on the 201 class taking place right after. Although the class uses the same book that I learned from in 201 last year, I was much more on the level of the other students in terms of speaking proficiency - three of them being Greek-American as well. After speaking with both professors and the academic advisor, we all agreed that I should drop down to 201 for the semester with hopes of joining the 301 class next semester and also doing individual work outside of class to better my speaking abilities, possibly combining some assignments from my ethnography class as well.

Tonight I went to a Flamenco Dance performance with my room mates at the Odeon of Herodes - an ancient theater on the slopes of the Acropolis. Although the performance was rather questionable - the music didn’t start on time for a couple numbers, there were some wardrobe malfunctions and it was more of a Flamenco-Ballet fusion - the setting itself was absolutely incredible. It vaguely reminded me of a Michigan football game the way the seating was set up haha. (which reminds me, I should mention my extreme disappointment in Michigan at their opening

Outside our building

game, it seems like I may have picked a good football season to miss… and yes, Pete, I reckon they do need a come-out-of-her, otherwise its gombee one jeezly long football season).

We also got an email today about the running of the Athens Marathon taking place November 9th! It has an accompanying 5k and 10k that both finish in the original Olympic Stadium as well. I’m definitely thinking about signing up for one of these, in hopes that my knee has recovered enough by November.

Tomorrow night we are going to a performance of STOMP taking place in another outdoor theater but over on Lykavittos Hill - the highest point in the city. Will probably eat dinner in Kolonaki - the “it” neighborhood of Athens - which is near the hill. The room mates and I have also been talking about taking a ferry to the island of Santorini next weekend, apparently the student services organizer can hook us up with a respectable hostel that only costs 20 Euro a night. There is also an international music festival taking place there until the 21st, which would be pretty cool to check out. We’re also beginning to

Down Ellankiou

View from out front door

discuss Fall break plans, with a trip to Cairo the Istanbul being the favorite so far - Pyramids AND the Hagia Sophia all in one week! An art history major/dork’s dream! On that note, I’m headed to bed. More classes in the morning (luckily Friday classes are not a regular occurrence and only a first-week exception). Kali Nixta! (good night!)

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