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Published: July 15th 2008
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Our stay in Ithaca has been crazy fun, and I already miss it!! We actually made some friends.
On Tuesday, after touring the island by car Gunter and Lois went down for their afternoon siesta, and since Randi Jo was still feeling ill she stayed on the boat to rest as well. I didn’t want to sit on the boat all afternoon, so I went to the beach, around a ten minute walk down the shoreline. It was lovely!! I swam for several hours. I think that is one of my favorite things, to float in the cool water with the warm sun shining down on me, very calming, and relaxing. Anyway, while swimming I met some local boys, Adriano and Romeo, both Albanian I believe and around 17 years old. They didn’t speak very good English but were trying to have a conversation anyway. They invited me out for coffee that evening in the main plaza, and I said maybe I would go. I wasn’t about to go by myself and Randi Jo had to be feeling better to go with me.
Randi Jo was feeling better in the later evening so we decided it might be fun to
get a taste of the local scene. Adriano brought his friend Rafael and they walked us into town, bought us coffee, and hung out with us, and Romeo showed up later. It was really funny, because it was the two guys speaking together in Albanian, and then Randi Jo and I talking with each other in English. It was a fun evening, and it was really nice to get off the boat for a while and just do whatever.
We went swimming everyday, and met some more locals, my favorites being Rudy and Aaron, who both spoke very good English which they had learned from their half Greek half Australian friend. Aaron was such a cutie, very friendly and talkative, and even though he is only 14, I think he was my favorite person out of everyone we have met so far.
So the really funny story happened the night before we left. We decided to go to town for our last evening and have some fun. We met Rudy and Aaron half way there and they introduced us to their Greek/Aussie friend Panos, who was quite friendly and informative. They brought us to this out of the way café/bar, but had to take the back way to avoid someone. I don’t know what that was about, but I think had they taken the main way they would have gotten their butts kicked. A lot of drama for a small town, but it gets better. Te bar/cafe was really cool, not a touristy spot at all. We ordered drinks and talked for a bit when Romeo and a guy in a green shirt showed up and sat down at our table. (Apparently joining someone at their table is very rude, a cultural thing. Even if you know the people I think its still taboo). There was kind of an uncomfortable vibe in the air and eventually Panos and Rudy said they were going to leave to walk around before going to the disco. They asked us if we wanted to go with them, and then the green shirt guy said we should stay with his group. And I was confused and asked why we couldn’t all just go together to the disco. Panos tried to explain that the two groups of guys don’t really hang out together, and I think that was kind of an understatement. Anyway, the conversation turned into this big ordeal about which group of guys we would go with. (It’s funny now, but at the time it was really stressful). We ended up getting up and walking away, and I was upset and started crying, I couldn’t help it, (everyone reading this knows I cry easily) Then the guys felt bad, and finally, Randi Jo made the decision to go with Panos and Rudy because the green shirt guy was a little creepy.
I am really glad she made that decision, because I hate situations like that. Panos had to run back to the café and pay and found out that the green shirt guy had left without paying. He went and found him (he was still close by) and the guy basically said to him, “Since you guys got the girls, you have to pay for our drinks.” So needless to say emotions were running high. I hope they don’t end up fighting later on because of us. Like one of the guide books said, “If you have two Greeks together you will get five different opinions, and they will argue for hours.”
I am glad we went with Panos and Rudy, and they introduced us to their Greek/Belgian friend, their Greek/German friend, and some others. It was a very culturally diverse group, but I think that why they are friends.
It was interesting talking with them (all of them spoke understandable English) and learning different things about the Island. We asked them why we hadn’t seen very many young women on the island, and Panos said, “It’s a man's island.” The ratio is like 4-5 men to every woman. (Then it kind of makes sense why they would be fighting over us). We also learned that most of the islanders lie, at least to some extent to the tourists. Like about age, nationality, and other things. It was very interesting. And they also had questions about the US, like is the US really like “American Pie,” (which we informed them it wasn’t) and do we like foreign films, and what are the universities like, etc…
It was a very nice conversation, and with the slightly charged beginning, the evening turned out very nicely. Panos and Rudy walked us back to the boat so we would be safe. I think Panos has facebook, so I would really like to keep in touch with him. It was fun getting a taste of the local culture and seeing all the interactions and goings on. One thing is funny is that everyone has a very set schedule (most of Greece actually). They get up later and everything closes down in the heat of the afternoon. The students who are on break from school actually sleep until 2 or 4 in the afternoon, swim or hang out at home, and then go out around 10 in the evening. They go to cafes, bars, and the disco/club until 4 to 6 in the morning. Then the cycle repeats itself. A very interesting culture, I must say.
In the morning Aaron biked all the way to the boat to say goodbye to us. So cute!! We gave him our email, and I really hope he keeps in touch as well, I really liked him. Some people are just good, likable people, and he is one of them.
I will miss Ithaca, but am excited to go to Italy, to experience a new country and culture.
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