and no internet...

Sorry, guys. We have limited access to the internet, so no updates until we return home. But Santorini was fabulous and we are so LOVING Barcelona. We'll return home soon. Can't wait to see you all! Love, Jason and Jeannie.

later...

We don't have internet at the moment, so I will have to update you on our adventures once we reach Barcelona! Talk to you then! :)

Welcome to my world...

These past few days with Jason have been so wonderful! He's finally getting a taste of what I've been up to these past six weeks and this may not be the 'vacation' he was looking for... mostly because of all of the walking and archaeological sites we've been doing. I'm trying to tone it down so that he doesn't get too overwhelmed with tons of information and Athens' heat! :) But I think he's been enjoying himself, and I know that I've loved the city more now that he's here to experience it with me.

Picking him up from the airport was quite an adventure. I went with one of my classmates, Dick, to the airport (because he was also going to pick up his wife). We tried to catch the airport bus at a bus stop near the school only to find out that we were at the wrong stop. We waved to the bus driver and he signaled to get on at the next stop, so we ran as fast we could... only to have him wait 5 seconds before driving off. Hopeful, we decided to run to the next stop a block away in the hopes that he'd catch a red light and wait for us this time. The driver decided to wait 10 seconds and then pulled away. Infuriated, I ran another block to the next stop and the bus driver finally opened up the doors for us. I guess the last two bus stops were to test if we really wanted to get on that bus! Needless to say, we made it to the airport right on time and I was beaming to see Jason coming through the gate.

Our first night in Athens we wandered around the neighborhood near the American School and I showed him the highlights of Kolonaki and the surrounding area. We walked through the National Gardens, then saw the Panathenaic Stadium, and then stopped at my favorite pastry shop along the way (delicious!). We watched the sun set on the top of Lycavitos Hill and then had dinner at a nearby cafe. It was a wonderful day... and Jason wants me to add that what he remembers the most was the heat! :) It was a very hot day. (I don't think he's gotten acclimated to sweating continuously yet!) :)

Yesterday we took a trip down to the ancient Athenian agora. We saw the Hephaisteon (one of the best preserved Greek temples) and took a stroll through the Stoa of Attalos. We also did some shopping in the tourist/souvenir area known as the Plaka. From there we walked to the Arch of Hadrian and to the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Jason thought everything was pretty neat and was amazed at how long these monuments have lasted. I just enjoyed seeing everything again from Jason's perspective and especially through his camera lens. He took some aMAZing pictures! We had our more gyros together for lunch, which was pretty exciting! But the highlight of the evening was watching the sun set on the Aereopagus. We had our own spot staked out on the rocks and spent a couple of hours just sitting there and watching the sky change colors and the city beneath us light up. There was a full moon and the Acropolis was opened late so that tourist could visit the sight under the light of the moon. It was neat to sit where we were and watch hoards of people flock to the acropolis just to experience the beauty of the place in the moonlight. Hands down the highlight of our trip thus far. We had a fun Greek dinner at a great restaurant (Platanos) were the food was lovely, though the service could have been better. But the fun part of the meal was being visited by the sweetest stray dog who lay at our feet looking so pathetic and hoping that we would give him some food. He ran away and chased a cat before we could feed him, so he missed out!

Today we felt lazy, but still did our fair share of walking. In the afternoon we headed to the Acropolis so Jason could experience the magic and wonderment for himself!! :) I think he loved it. It was fun to give an edited version of the things I had learned to Jason. My version lasted 10 minutes as opposed to the 7+ hours I had spent listening to lectures on the acropolis throughout the course of my program. I think Jason appreciated my version more. :) Afterwards we visited the New Acropolis museum. Jason really liked the lay out of the museum and thought that it really enhanced the experience with its view of the Acropolis. It was a nice time. One of the better museums to be sure! We ended our day with more walking (it's never ending!) and a delicious meal at this lovely restaurant and now we're ready to crash and prepare for our trip to Santorini tomorrow! We can't wait! Let's hope that our ferry ride goes smoothly! Either way, I'm sure it will all be a great adventure!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, it's only a day away!

The program ends tomorrow and it's so sad to say goodbye to people as they get ready to leave. These past few days have been full of free time to use as we please. Amidst the hustle and bustle of packing and shopping for presents and thank you gifts for the leaders here at the American School, my close group of friends have managed to take some time today to do a little secret gift exchange. About a week ago we chose names by lot and spent a week picking out little silly gifts for that specific person that reminded us of him/her. We opened our presents this afternoon and it was a fun time of reminiscing and joking about the things we remembered most about one another. It was so funny and a nice way to spend our time together.

We also had a garden party this evening with all of the SSII students, the administration, and many of the guest speakers and scholars we encountered throughout our trip. We dressed up all fancy and had nice food and drinks. Because our professor specializes in military history, as our group's thank you gift to Professor Lee, we all signed individual chess pieces of hoplite soldiers and presented our pieces to him. We arranged the warriors into a military formation and said that he had been our leader and we his soldiers throughout this entire trip. It was cheesy, yet sentimental and sweet and I think he appreciated the gift as much as we appreciated his guidance. It was nice to say our goodbyes and have time to talk with each other one last time.

Our time together and with the program has drawn to a close, but I start the second leg of my journey tomorrow when I pick up Jason from the airport. It will be nice to show him the city I have called home these past few weeks. I hope he loves it as much as I do. We'll soon find out! :)

T-3days and counting!!! :)

We're back in Athens and it feels so strange that the program is slowing down to a close. I've been in these peoples' lives for almost six weeks now and it's bittersweet to think that our time together is ending. I has been a great time and I'm surprised that we still get along and like each other. :) As much as I know that we are all excited to go home and see our loved ones, I have really come to enjoy the friends that I have made here. I have learned from and laughed with so many here and have grown and changed in good ways because of it. I hope they feel the same way.

For me, our trip to the North culminated with our visit to Olynthus. I gave my site report here and chose it specifically so I could do research by reading my UW professor's book. Weeks of research limited to a short presentation, but I enjoyed giving it and I hope my classmates learned something. The focus of the site was on the organization of classical houses and households, but all you can see there are foundations about a meter high. So, in other words, there's only rocks piled upon more rocks to form short walls. The last thing I wanted was to show my classmates more rocks, so at the end of my presentation, I sent them on a mission with house plans and had them test their archaeological skills by pointing out rooms and their functions. In their house plan envelope, I also included an answer key for each house. I thought it was a fun activity (that's the teacher in me taking over). :) It was an amazing place, especially after all I had learned about it, so I had a great time.

The rest of our stay in Thessaloniki was pretty great. One of my classmates gave us a tour of the city (and evenincluded a stop for delicious gelato!). I also went to a couple of museums. Most of my Friday morning was free to explore the city, so I spent a couple of hours shopping. I finally felt like I was on vacation!! My alone time exploring the city made me come to love Thessaloniki even more. It reminded me of a European, downscaled version of New York City. The city is relatively young (about 100 years old because of a great fire way back when) which is pretty remarkable for a Greek city. The city that emerged from the ashes is so incredibly diverse and hip. There are so many different groups here that make the city a mishmash of culture. I had a great day. We had a long seven hour bus ride back to Athens and we made it just in time for a delicious free dinner at Loring Hall. Food tastes much better when it's free (says the graduate student!).

We also had a free day our Saturday back in Athens, which was such a luxury. I spent the morning finishing my gift shopping and exploring the city. And then I relaxed the rest of the day reading and hanging out with friends. I felt so spoiled to have such a wealth of free time, that I didn't know what to do with myself! That evening a group of us decided to go out to dinner and head to the Areopagus. We brought a 'jug' of wine (some of the wine here comes in plastic bottles... it's not the best, but it's super cheap!) and sat and watched the sun set. It was absolutely beautiful. Walking back through the city late in the evening on our way back to the school, I regreted not having more free evenings to enjoy the vibrance of the city at night. It's a completely different place with tavernas filled with people enjoying their evening meals and lingering in caffes over coffee and good company. The city that the sun scorches in the heat of the day emerges in the cool of the night... and I realized that I love this city. I have really been blessed to have been able to experience and learn all that I have in these past six weeks. I really appreciate the opportunity I've been given to spend my summer here.

Today we took a hydrafoil (a super fast ferry) to the island of Aegina to visit the Temple of Aphaia and the Colonna. It was a laidback, fun trip. But I started the day in a mad rush. I had been spoiled these past two days with free mornings, so when I had to leave at 7AM, of course I overslept. But not just me, Suzy (the other Asian) as well. (My body lost its early morning wake up training!) I was definitely glad not to be the only one. I can tell I grew up in a 'shame culture', because the rest of the day I was completely penitent and was no less that five feet from my professor's side at all times. :) But aside from the scrambling morning start, it was a great day! And now we have only three days left of the program... it should be a fun time. Jason should be here very soon. I hope he's reached Copenhagen by now.

Well, family and friends, I will be home soon enough to greet you with a smiling face and a nice tan. But until then...

One week!!!

One week left of the program and I can't believe how quickly it has gone... and yet, I feel like I've been in Greece for years now. I miss home so much, but I can't wait to experience Athens, Santorini, and Barcelona with Jason. These past few days have been fantastic both in the great things we have been able to experience and also in the pace of the program. I think our Professor has realized that some of us have already checked out and are ready to go home, so he's slowed the intensity of the sites we've been visiting and has given us plenty more breaks and free time to enjoy the city at our own leisure. It has been wonderful!

The last time I wrote, I mentioned the hiking up to the Korikian Cave. I obviously had no idea what I was getting myself into, because it had to have been one of the most intense hikes of my life. I took the hike up the mountain at a faster pace than I should have, but I was afraid that if I stopped or slowed down, that I would never make it to the top. But once I got there, it was all worth it! The moment you entered the cave, you could feel the temperature drop by at least ten degrees. It was cool and dark. There was a large cavern near the opening and as you stepped farther back into the cave, you needed a flashlight to walk around (which we luckily had). There were several side chambers on the right of the cave and neat stalagmites and stalactites. We poked around these areas and then found an upper chamber to the cave. The only way to get there was to climb the smooth and slippery cave surface which a couple of guys did with the help of a rope that was anchored there. The guys made it look so easy, so I decided to put my rock climbing skills to the test and follow suite, but as I got halfway up the climb, I couldn't find any good foot or hand holds and my tennis shoes kept slipping on the smooth surface of the rocks, so I realized that if I climbed any farther, I wouldn't be able to get down (rope or not). So I turned around and scooted down on my butt. Sometimes you just have to know when to give up. :) As the guys were exploring the upper caverns, we discovered down below some niches where other people had left votive figurines (including a clay human, snake, and a cobra). It was super neat. The ancient author, Pausanius, said that (back then) this cave had 40+ rooms and was filled with offerings to the deities there. I'm sure it was an amazing sight to see back then, but it was incredibly fun to explore for us. After our caving adventure, our professor took our small group out to dinner and paid for us all. It was a fabulous and delicious meal and I really enjoyed the conversation. I had a great time!

The next day we left Delphi and headed for Themopylae. It was a neat site to visit and it helped to picture the military strategy that occurred back then between the Spartans and the Persians. There was even a large statue of Leonidas there to commemorate the location. We visited several other places these next few days, but one of the great highlights was the Archaeological Park of Dion. It was like visiting a theme park made specifically for archaeologists. :) It's a large area excavated by the students of the University of Thessaloniki, so there are several buildings to see. It covers a vast area of land and you can wander around for hours looking at city buildings/houses, theaters, and temples. It was super fun! We were also in the shadow of Mount Olympus, so there was a spectacular aura to the entire site.

Today we visited Pella, the capital of Macedonia and the home town of Alexander the Great. We were able to see some neat mosaics, but some of them were recently lifted and taken to a different museum, so part of our group was disappointed. We also visited the site of Vergina (pronounced: "where-ge-na") which houses the supposed tomb of Philip the II and the royal Macedonian family. It was a neat site because you got to walk underground and they had all of the different tomb complexes lit up. Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to take any photographs, so I can't really convey how neat this site was. One of our stops in the middle of the day was to this town known as Edessa, which has several waterfalls and other neat places to see. We spent an hour there and I had so much fun exploring the town.

Our trip to Northern Greece is quicly wrapping up and we'll head back to Athens in two days. Tomorrow I give my site report on Olynthus: houses and households, so I hope it turns out well. I'm enjoying this trip, but I also can't wait to hurry back to Athens. I'll be home soon!

I love you all.

The final countdown...

Ten days until Jason comes to visit and I am so excited. This portion of the trip has been filled with exhausting days, but much adventure. We celebrated our first day here with Shelley's birthday and spent it at boring Gla. But the day picked up when we stopped at the beach in Mitrou after we visited the island excavation. It was a fun time of swimming and collecting shells on the sandy beach. Some of my classmates even swam around the small island! The next day the first thing we did in the morning was hike up this ridiculous mountain known as the acropolis at Orchomenos. It was intense, but once we got to the top I couldn't believe we had climbed so far! I placed a picture on the side that will make you nervous, Mom! :) The weather has been scorching hot and even though it was early in the morning, I sweated more than ever before in all my life. It ended up being a long day of several sites but one of the coolest places we went to was a little town known as Livadia. In the center of the city was a water mill and the water from the mill traversed different areas of the town. It was a nice stop and we used part of our lunch break to stand around in the cool stream. Josh gave his site report on the area and did a good job. We also traveled to a monastary and visited a war memorial. A long day, but capped off the evening with a delicious gyro dinner and a game night of taboo!

We visited the site of Delphi today, which is one of my all time favorites. The sanctuary is so amazingly beautiful that it is no wonder that the ancients considered this a sacred place. In the morning as we were walking around the site, there was an eerie sound of the wind blowing through the trees which was extremely neat. Our first stop at the sanctuary was the stadium where we were supposed to hold our final athletic race, but the area was sadly roped off and without access. The guards closed off the area in case there was an earthquake and falling rocks. It was extremely disappointing. :( We stopped at several buildings along the way and some of my classmates, including Chris, gave their site reports. One of the exciting parts of this site was when Chris found this opening near the base of the temple and we crawled in and walked under the foundations of the Temple of Apollo. It was super neat! I have it all on video!

All in all it's been a great trip up North so far and this evening a few of us are going to hike up a hill to a cave sanctuary. It should be fun! We will have a nice dinner at the next town over and tomorrow we'll make a short stop at Thermopylae (so all you 300 fans, get excited!).

Having a great time, but missing you all. I love you, family! See you soon, Jason! <3