More on Athens

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So for day one with the group we met in the lobby of our hotel and Panos( our teacher) said okay come on, he still didnt tell us what we were doing, and we followed him to the first city ruins of Athens. He explained that the older parts of the city are lower then the rest, and that almost every building has been built on top of something. He talked about how the hill behind us was where the Apostle Paul had come and brought christianity to Greece. It was so weird to think that were I was sitting is where the Apostle Paul could have been standing. It didnt seem real! I mean these are all stories we know,but until you are standing right there where things happened, its just a story. It became very real to me at that moment that those stories are so much more then that, they are our history! It was an incredible feeling! He then handed us maps and an assignment that said travel a certain route to the bus stop and figure out who built this city and why. We had three hours to do this. The part of town we were in was call Thissio. It was really cute, almost all the roads were walking roads which means that cars can't fit down them and we just walked down the middle of the road almost the whole time. It was quite this day because it was the day of the archbishop that died funeral. We explored everything, there were little cafes everywhere it was so cute! So finally we figured out that Haidrenhad created the city and he was an emperor, but not of Greece.

Once we were done with that we met the bus station and he showed us some more of the city ruins and we had to journal about our thoughts and feelings of the city and how it was diferent from what we were used to. After that we went home and took naps and woke up and went to dinner down this street that was packed with people and I ordered swordfish. I expected it to be a lot better then it was, but oh well. Stacy and I went back to the hotel and met up with Dimitri and he took us to this bar that was full of greeks. He ordered us this drink that was honey and sugar and some sort of alcohol, we forgot what it was called, but it was SO strong! We had perfect seats too, it was right at the front of the bar in the corner so we could see everything that was happening on the street and everything that was happening in the bar. We ended up staying out until 3:30 that night! oopps!

After we slept for a few hours we woke up and met up with the group. Panos took us through the city and we rode on the Metro, we got off and he showed us where the parliment building and things like that were. Then we hiked up Lycabettus hill and there was the cutest church at the top and from there we could see all of Athens surrounding us. At first i didnt think it was pretty because there was a haze covering the city and I was really mad that they had ruined there natural habitat with all those buildings and houses. But then I realized that the city wouldnt survive without all of those things that were below us, and I had a new found appreciation. We sat up there for quite a few hours and sketched and wrote about how we were feeling. I went into the coffee shop that was also up there and had a Frappe, which is a traditional Greek coffe that is sweet coffee on the bottom and foam on the top, you mix it around and drink it and it so so good!

That afternoon we went and ate at the mall that is there that is HUGE! And then we went and looked at the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens. It was cool because I had watched the Olympics that were held there so I had seen most of the land marks and to be standing there and looking at them in person, was a very strange and sureal feeling. But I was also disappointed in the Olympic center because not all the builtings are being utilzed and I just felt like surely there is something that they can do with these buildings!

The next day we went to see the Acropolis. What was cool about this is that it wasnt too far from our hotel and we could see the Coluseum from our hotel! We spent another few hours walking around here and sketching different things. There were so many people there it was insane! Everywhere you walked there was a different language being spoken. Its definately a tourist attraction. I eventually found a quite spot and began sketching part of the ampitheater that is one the hill Acroplis and it was funny because tours kept walking by me and they would look over my shoulder to see what i was doing and i was constantly hearing...ohhhhh...but then i could never understand the words after that!

In the afternoon we took the metro back to the Parliment square and went to the Archieological museum. This was amazing because it went through the different time periods fo Greece and it was all things that had been found right there! You can literally watch time advance things and watch the people become wiser. I sat in a room by my self for a long time sketching the top of an old column and I was sitting with my legs folded under me and this lady who worked the musuem came by and asked me to "sit more properly, you are sitting inappropiatelly in a museum" I didnt even know there was a proper way to sit in a museum! I told Panos about it and he said that they are very snooty at this museum and not to worry about it. After we were done at the museum everyone wanted to go eat, but I had already eaten, so I got myself back to the metro and went home to Thissio. I was so proud of myself because I did it all on my own! I went home for another nap!

The next day was saturday and it was time for us to head to Volos! thank goodness because I was so tired of living out of a suitcase! We had to meet in the lobby at 9 but our bus was an hour and half late so we didnt get on the bus to go until 10:30. Finally we were on the move to Volos. The senary from Athens to Volos was amazing! Almost the whole way it was the water on one side and the mountains on the other! I slept on and off and when i woke up, I woke up to find that we had stopped at the battle grounds. I cant remember exactly what the name of the battle was, but it was where the 300 greicans battled 700 spartans. Anyway, there was a memorial there and it was really pretty. I had another moment here that was like, seriouslly this happened here? I just didnt quite understand how something so awful could happen in a place that was so pretty! The rest of the way there it looked like a postcard! When we finally got to Volos I was ecstatic! We went to the buildding where our school was and Becci (this study abroad mom) was there to give us our keys and send us on our way! When we finally got to our Apartment it was nice to feel like it was okay to take all the stuff out of my bags! But before we did that, Ellie, Stacy and I went to the market. This was interesting let me tell you....there is almost nothing in english so you just have to look at stuff and hope its what you think it is! So we got a few groceries and headed back home. I started unpacking and then stacy and I got a little hungry! So we ordered chinese food and continued to unpack and then went to bed.

Finally!!! it was my first full night of sleep! I was so excited the next morning i could barely stand it!! I will write more later now my eyes are tired!

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Comments

[Grandma Cecily]

WoW !!!!
Cecily, We miss you sooo much but we are so happy that you are having this wonderful experience. It will something to tell you r grand children about honey. We love you and are sooo proud of you. Please stay safe and have a wonderful time. Love to you, Grandma Cecily and your BaBa and Kuba and LuLu.