Classes and Mt. Penteli

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Classes have started and I have had the all but one of mine so far! Greek (ancient) is a bit difficult as the four of us in the class are all coming from different places and have learned different things in our first semester. So we are starting with a review part of which is actually acting as a very quick lesson on different things I have not yet learned! But the professor is really funny and the class is very much enjoyable! The Archaeology of Athens course I am taking only meets in the classroom seven times this semester! I am really excited to have the opportunity to get out and see sites and museums (for free!) while learning about Athens. That class is actually going to compliment my Materials and Methods course very well! In that class we also get to go to museums and such and we may even be handling artifacts at some of the smaller museums! The professor is the same for both of those classes and she seems very nice and knowledgeable. I am also taking a History of Macedon to the Death of Alexander class and I think it is going to be phenomenal! I added it on a bit of a whim the first day that I arrived and I am very glad that I did! The professor is incredible! I have not yet had Archaeological drawing, but I am very much looking forward to the first lesson!

I am living in the neighborhood Pangrati in Athens. I really like it and I am in a great location! It is only a few minutes' walk to the academic center and the area (well all of Athens) has many delicious bakeries! (Although maybe that isn't such a good thing...) If you walk for less than five minutes from my apartment you get to the Kalimarmaro stadium! This was a classical stadium that was destroyed and then rebuilt for the first modern Olympics in 1896. It was used again for a few events in the 2004 Olympics. The academic center is literally right next to the entrance to the stadium.

On Saturday CYA took a large number of students to Mount Penteli for a hike. Penteli is known for the large quantities of pure white marble that was quarried out of the mountain and used to build the Parthanon and other monuments. The hike itself was incredibly easy (we basically walked up a mildly rocky road) but the scenery was phenomenal! On the way up we had a great view of Athens and then at the end of the hike we had a view that one of the administrators told us was of Marathon! At the end of the hike we were given lunch and allowed time to explore. So I scrambled up one of the nearby hills (the taller one) with a couple of friends in order to have a better view. The view was excellent but the wind was very very strong at the top.

All in all, it has been a great few days in Athens and I continue to look forward to what adventures lie ahead!

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Photos

Kalimarmaro
The marble stadium next to the academic center

Acropolis
First view of Acropolis

Temple of Olympian Zeus
view from the National Gardens

on the mountain
beautiful rock formation on Mount Penteli

at the top!
Gina and Sarah at the top of the hill of rocks we scrambled up

Comments

[Sarah]

Dena, Sounds like you are having a great time! I love reading about your adventures, and the pictures make your blog really fun to read. Keep up the entries! Sarah