Thursday, August 13, 2009
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.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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! :)
Friday, August 7, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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! :)
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! :)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
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...
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...
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
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 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.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
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
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
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Winding down...
I can't believe that we have less than two weeks left of the program. It seems to have gone by in a blur. I can't even remember half of what we did while we were in Athens this time around. Here are the highlights: We made our fourth and final visit to the National Museum and saw this amazing new gallery that just opened this week on Women and Ritual practice in Ancient Greece. Our tour was led by the curator of the exhibit, Alan Shapiro. It was extremely interesting! We also took a day trip out to Marathon and even got a chance to go to the beach afterward. It was a nice and sandy beach that was still shallow (waist high) 100 yards out. Another place we got to visit was the new excavation going on at the Agora, where my classmate from UW, Kris, is an acting supervisor at the dig. And finally today, we got to head out to Piraeus, the port of Athens, and see the ancient ship sheds and a life size reconstruction of an Athenian trireme (an ancient boat with three levels of oars). All in all it's been pretty fun and I've enjoyed being back home with internet, shower, delicious meals, and privacy. Our group has spent countless hours playing games and hanging out, and I have even managed to get in a little research time at the library.
Tomorrow we leave for our final trip up North to places such as Delphi, Thessaloniki, and Olynthus (where I'll give my site report). I am extremely excited about this part of the trip because I have only been to Delphi before, so every other place we visit will be all brand new to me. We even get to pick our own roommates for the trip, so it will be fun times with Suzy, Christine, and Kristen. Which reminds me that I should tell you a little more about Christine who is the resident Canadian in our group and is made fun of mercilessly because of it. She has the funniest way of saying "sorry" and responds to just about everything with "hi". :) She is super smart so she has a lot to say and is always the most enthusiastic of us all. I don't know where she gets her energy because I think she may sleep the least of us all. She will be a fun roommate to have on the trip.
So hopefully, I will be able to keep you updated on my adventures up north and all the new places I'll be experiencing. I can't wait...
Tomorrow we leave for our final trip up North to places such as Delphi, Thessaloniki, and Olynthus (where I'll give my site report). I am extremely excited about this part of the trip because I have only been to Delphi before, so every other place we visit will be all brand new to me. We even get to pick our own roommates for the trip, so it will be fun times with Suzy, Christine, and Kristen. Which reminds me that I should tell you a little more about Christine who is the resident Canadian in our group and is made fun of mercilessly because of it. She has the funniest way of saying "sorry" and responds to just about everything with "hi". :) She is super smart so she has a lot to say and is always the most enthusiastic of us all. I don't know where she gets her energy because I think she may sleep the least of us all. She will be a fun roommate to have on the trip.
So hopefully, I will be able to keep you updated on my adventures up north and all the new places I'll be experiencing. I can't wait...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
ready, set, had to go...
Today I went to the bathroom on a bush on the side of a mountain in Marathon... victory!
Monday, July 20, 2009
The best day ever!!!
Before I tell you about the best day ever, I will say that we ended our trip through the Peloponnese well. We held our athletic race at the Olympic stadium and I am sad to say that I did not win. I did, however, reach my goal of beating one of the guys, so I think that's saying something! (Sorry, Ibuken. I just had to immortalize the moment by expressing it in writing :) Chris has been our winner of both races, but what was even more impressive was that he ran this race while being injured and he still beat us all (we are all hanging our heads in shame)... and as the ancients Greeks believed: it doesn't matter what you place. If it's not first, then it doesn't matter.
Despite all of the swarms of tourists, I really enjoyed our stay in Olympia. Our ride back to Athens was basically a day of sleeping on the bus with intermittent stops to a medieval castle (Chlemoutsi), back to Isthmia, and along the Corinthian canal. I was also frequently awakened by the downpour on my head... and by that I mean the leaking air conditioner on the bus. I always managed to get the seat on the bus where the leakage was the greatest. At one point, I set up a "window curtain contraption" to block the water, but eventually the water even soaked through that. Just another adventurous aspect of the trip, I suppose. :)
Returning to Athens is always a spectacular treat because I feel so excited to be "home". I realize that any space I can claim as my own little private sanctuary is enough to make me happy. Here I have my own room, regular meals, and clean clothes. What more could I want? So, Sunday ended up being the best day ever not only because I was home, but because our Professor had given us the entire day off! Finally a day of rest... and it was spectacular! I slept in later than usual and I woke up to go shopping! (Get excited, family! I bought you some gifts!) I had a leisurely afternoon reading and hanging out at a coffee shop just chatting with some of my classmates. I hate to admit it, but we went to Starbucks and it was delicious! I did my laundry (clean clothes is such a luxury!) and then a group of us decided to get Indian food for dinner. This was the start of a super adventure! We decided to go to the Indian neighborhood in Psiri to this Indian restaurant that had great reviews online. I read that it was in a very shady part of town, but was still safe. So as the four of us got off the metro to this area and started wandering around the streets, within the span of one block it went from being normal to extremely sketchy. There were crowds of Indian and Pakistani groups all over the streets just huddled together. Other parts had a mass of Asians, others Africans. I must say, I tried not to show it, but I was kinda scared. We Americans stuck out like a sore thumb in that area. I'm not sure how the guys felt who were with us, but I think it's in my nature to be super cautious. We found the restaurant, but it was so expensive that (despite the adventure of getting there) we decided to go somewhere else. We took a different route back and needless to say, we made it through safe and sound. Not that there was anything to be worried about, but it's in my nature to worry (I get that from you, dad!). We ended up eating at this Asian/Thai/Indian restaurant that my friend, Kris, had recommended (in a completely different area of town) and the food was pretty great! We ended our great day with a game night and today we went back to work as usual! :)
I have to make a correction about my description of my classmate, Josh, from my last posting. He complained that I misrepresented him by calling him 'goofy', so I'd like to take back this comment. Sorry, Josh. You aren't goofy. :) But he is loud and reminds me of my little brother because of his funny sarcastic comments. One of my other favorite people is Alex S. because he's also from Florida and reminds me of my friends from UF. For some reason everyone loves to make fun of Alex the most, but it may be because he takes it so well. He's pretty fun and is the epitome of everything I associate with Florida... right down to the subtle southern accent which he refuses to admit that he has. So, as you can see, I'm making good friends and having a good time, even though I do still miss you all.
I really like this city and I can't believe I've been here for a month now! The program is ending in a couple of weeks and I can't wait for Jason to come visit so I can show him the highlights of everything I've enjoyed the most! The weather here is depressingly hot, and rumor has it that there will be a heat wave this weekend. But the good news is that we'll be traveling up north then on our final trip, so hopefully we'll escape the scorching weather.
Hope you all are doing well also. I miss you and would love to hear from you!
Despite all of the swarms of tourists, I really enjoyed our stay in Olympia. Our ride back to Athens was basically a day of sleeping on the bus with intermittent stops to a medieval castle (Chlemoutsi), back to Isthmia, and along the Corinthian canal. I was also frequently awakened by the downpour on my head... and by that I mean the leaking air conditioner on the bus. I always managed to get the seat on the bus where the leakage was the greatest. At one point, I set up a "window curtain contraption" to block the water, but eventually the water even soaked through that. Just another adventurous aspect of the trip, I suppose. :)
Returning to Athens is always a spectacular treat because I feel so excited to be "home". I realize that any space I can claim as my own little private sanctuary is enough to make me happy. Here I have my own room, regular meals, and clean clothes. What more could I want? So, Sunday ended up being the best day ever not only because I was home, but because our Professor had given us the entire day off! Finally a day of rest... and it was spectacular! I slept in later than usual and I woke up to go shopping! (Get excited, family! I bought you some gifts!) I had a leisurely afternoon reading and hanging out at a coffee shop just chatting with some of my classmates. I hate to admit it, but we went to Starbucks and it was delicious! I did my laundry (clean clothes is such a luxury!) and then a group of us decided to get Indian food for dinner. This was the start of a super adventure! We decided to go to the Indian neighborhood in Psiri to this Indian restaurant that had great reviews online. I read that it was in a very shady part of town, but was still safe. So as the four of us got off the metro to this area and started wandering around the streets, within the span of one block it went from being normal to extremely sketchy. There were crowds of Indian and Pakistani groups all over the streets just huddled together. Other parts had a mass of Asians, others Africans. I must say, I tried not to show it, but I was kinda scared. We Americans stuck out like a sore thumb in that area. I'm not sure how the guys felt who were with us, but I think it's in my nature to be super cautious. We found the restaurant, but it was so expensive that (despite the adventure of getting there) we decided to go somewhere else. We took a different route back and needless to say, we made it through safe and sound. Not that there was anything to be worried about, but it's in my nature to worry (I get that from you, dad!). We ended up eating at this Asian/Thai/Indian restaurant that my friend, Kris, had recommended (in a completely different area of town) and the food was pretty great! We ended our great day with a game night and today we went back to work as usual! :)
I have to make a correction about my description of my classmate, Josh, from my last posting. He complained that I misrepresented him by calling him 'goofy', so I'd like to take back this comment. Sorry, Josh. You aren't goofy. :) But he is loud and reminds me of my little brother because of his funny sarcastic comments. One of my other favorite people is Alex S. because he's also from Florida and reminds me of my friends from UF. For some reason everyone loves to make fun of Alex the most, but it may be because he takes it so well. He's pretty fun and is the epitome of everything I associate with Florida... right down to the subtle southern accent which he refuses to admit that he has. So, as you can see, I'm making good friends and having a good time, even though I do still miss you all.
I really like this city and I can't believe I've been here for a month now! The program is ending in a couple of weeks and I can't wait for Jason to come visit so I can show him the highlights of everything I've enjoyed the most! The weather here is depressingly hot, and rumor has it that there will be a heat wave this weekend. But the good news is that we'll be traveling up north then on our final trip, so hopefully we'll escape the scorching weather.
Hope you all are doing well also. I miss you and would love to hear from you!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
I'm on a boat!... or I was...
These past couple of days have been a roller coaster of exciting activities as well as near mutinies. :) Sometimes, I think the ASCSA is a little too hard core for my taste, but no matter what we end up doing, I have to admit it has all been worth it. On Wednesday, we visited the Palace of Nestor at Pylos, which is one of the best preserved archaeological sites. Part of our museum tour was led by Jack Davis, the director of the American school. It was a fun site. However, the afternoon was filled with plenty of grumbling when we took an unexpected hike up a mountain to a closed site filled with spiders. What was worse was that it overlooked a fabulous beach at which we could only look longingly. What a tease! :) I guess it's just about that point in our trip where many of us are exhausted and homesick... and it didn't help matters that we hadn't had any breaks or lunch in hours! But the afternoon took a turn for the better when we took a boat ride to Sphacteria. (If you know the Activia commercial, it was the running joke amongst our group to sing the song, "Sphacteria!" or to call it "Bacteria!":) This is an island off the coast of Pylos where a major naval battle took place between the Athenians and Spartans resulting in a victory for Athens. It was also important during the fight for Greek Independence where a fleet of British, French, and Russians fought the Ottomans to help Greece obtain its freedom. It was very fun to stop off at the island and get a feel for the history of the place. It's one of those places where you can teach the history in a classroom setting, but it doesn't come alive until you see the terrain and you experience the place for yourself. I really enjoyed this venture!
Today was a slow-paced day. Glorious, in fact, because we had a lovely break at a beautiful cafe along the way. I think it was mostly to give us a chance to get off of the bus because of all the riding we had done on all the twisty mountian roads. :) If I hadn't been sleeping most of the time, I'm sure I would have been sick! But I must say, our bus driver, Iannis, is an impressive driver. He's also quite funny! Today, as we were leaving the Temple of Apollo at Bassae, we saw him behind one of the gates and he shouted out at the group, "I am Sparta!" This from a gray-haired Greek man who hardly speaks any English. :)
One of the most memorable moments of these past few days came from my classmate, Josh. Josh can be pretty loud and goofy, but he is one of the most entertaining people in our group. He always has something funny to say. I met Josh the first night I was in Greece because we stayed at the same hostel, so I've known him longest of anyone here. He's pretty fun and he has enough energy for all of us combined. He's honest and sometimes sweet, but he always says what he thinks... and yesterday was one of them. Here's the set up: normally before we leave to drive somewhere, our professor does a count to make sure we are all there and then he says in Greek, "endaxi, pome!" which means, "okay, let's go!". So yesterday, after we had just been on that long grueling hike and everyone was back on the bus ready to go... (all except our professor and the bus driver), Josh stands up and shouts out at the top of his lungs, "endaxi, pome!" which was out of the blue and pretty hilarious... but what was even funnier, was that Iannis shouts back, "no pome!" :) (I guess it's one of those stories, where you had to be there, but I thought it was funny.)
We'll be Olympia for the next couple of days and tomorrow we'll have a racing rematch at the ancient Olympic stadium. It should be fun! I'll keep you posted on the results!
Today was a slow-paced day. Glorious, in fact, because we had a lovely break at a beautiful cafe along the way. I think it was mostly to give us a chance to get off of the bus because of all the riding we had done on all the twisty mountian roads. :) If I hadn't been sleeping most of the time, I'm sure I would have been sick! But I must say, our bus driver, Iannis, is an impressive driver. He's also quite funny! Today, as we were leaving the Temple of Apollo at Bassae, we saw him behind one of the gates and he shouted out at the group, "I am Sparta!" This from a gray-haired Greek man who hardly speaks any English. :)
One of the most memorable moments of these past few days came from my classmate, Josh. Josh can be pretty loud and goofy, but he is one of the most entertaining people in our group. He always has something funny to say. I met Josh the first night I was in Greece because we stayed at the same hostel, so I've known him longest of anyone here. He's pretty fun and he has enough energy for all of us combined. He's honest and sometimes sweet, but he always says what he thinks... and yesterday was one of them. Here's the set up: normally before we leave to drive somewhere, our professor does a count to make sure we are all there and then he says in Greek, "endaxi, pome!" which means, "okay, let's go!". So yesterday, after we had just been on that long grueling hike and everyone was back on the bus ready to go... (all except our professor and the bus driver), Josh stands up and shouts out at the top of his lungs, "endaxi, pome!" which was out of the blue and pretty hilarious... but what was even funnier, was that Iannis shouts back, "no pome!" :) (I guess it's one of those stories, where you had to be there, but I thought it was funny.)
We'll be Olympia for the next couple of days and tomorrow we'll have a racing rematch at the ancient Olympic stadium. It should be fun! I'll keep you posted on the results!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
my life among ruins...
We had a short stint in Sparta... just enough time to see the "highlights". And by that, I mean a few rocks and foundations mostly from the Roman period. When our professor brought us to the top of the Spartan acropolis, he jokingly said, "this is Sparta?" We had started our day off right with our customary hiking and even made a trip to the Olive Museum, but the best part of our stay in Sparta was celebrating Kristen's birthday and staying at a fabulous hotel. It even had a tub! Now that's luxury! :) In celebration (of Kristen's bday, not the tub), we had a free lovely dinner at the hotel complete with yummy cake! The food was great and the conversation was even better! All of us teachers sat at the same table and gabbed away late into the evening. That's about all I can say about Sparta because there isn't/wasn't much there.
Today was a fantastic day. My favorite days are when we go to a fun site and then our professor lets us loose to explore on our own. We did that at our two main sites: Mistra and Methoni. We hiked up to Mistra and then spent two hours wandering down the mountain to explore the different ruins along the way. There were several monastaries and old buildings along the way until we reached the bottom. I had so much fun. We also got to explore the Venetian fortress of Methoni, which translates to 'drunken ass' in reference to the great wine that is made in that region... it's so good, the fumes cause the donkeys to get intoxicated by the fumes?? :) I capped off my day by playing frisbee and enjoying the beach (despite the body numbing cold water!). We will be in Pylos for the next couple of days, so it should be a fun stay!
My roommate here is Suzy, who is one of the funniest girls I've ever met. She's the other asian girl in the group, and the running joke is that because we're both asian, you can't tell us apart... this is only because one of the other girls mistakenly called us by the wrong name a couple of weeks ago. Suzy's pretty funny and she makes some of the less interesting things that we do on this trip more exciting because of her comments. She's pretty fun!
Well, here's hoping for another exciting day tomorrow! We'll be taking a boat ride to Sphacteria, so that should be quite an adventure! Until next time...
Today was a fantastic day. My favorite days are when we go to a fun site and then our professor lets us loose to explore on our own. We did that at our two main sites: Mistra and Methoni. We hiked up to Mistra and then spent two hours wandering down the mountain to explore the different ruins along the way. There were several monastaries and old buildings along the way until we reached the bottom. I had so much fun. We also got to explore the Venetian fortress of Methoni, which translates to 'drunken ass' in reference to the great wine that is made in that region... it's so good, the fumes cause the donkeys to get intoxicated by the fumes?? :) I capped off my day by playing frisbee and enjoying the beach (despite the body numbing cold water!). We will be in Pylos for the next couple of days, so it should be a fun stay!
My roommate here is Suzy, who is one of the funniest girls I've ever met. She's the other asian girl in the group, and the running joke is that because we're both asian, you can't tell us apart... this is only because one of the other girls mistakenly called us by the wrong name a couple of weeks ago. Suzy's pretty funny and she makes some of the less interesting things that we do on this trip more exciting because of her comments. She's pretty fun!
Well, here's hoping for another exciting day tomorrow! We'll be taking a boat ride to Sphacteria, so that should be quite an adventure! Until next time...
Sunday, July 12, 2009
i scream you scream we all scream for more gelato!
Wow! I apologize that I haven't kept you all updated as much as I would like. We've had a whirlwind tour around the Peloponnese so far that has left me extremely excited and tired! Our first stop on this trip was to Isthmia (one of the cities on the athletic circuit... just like Olympia where we get our Olympic games) where we saw a really great Roman bath complex with some cool mosaics... it made me crave a spa day! We also spent that evening climbing AcroCorinth, a ginormous hill with a fortification at the top and an amazing view of Greece. It was quite a hike, but it was optional, so I have only myself to blame for putting myself through the fantastic torture of climbing to the top. But the view was well worth it.
Another exciting place we've gone is to Nemea (another city on the athletic circuit) where in ancient times they used to hold the Nemean games. At the museum, we got to see this amazing video about how they think the race course starting gates were set up in ancient times. Then we got to head to the stadium where a large number of us had our own competitive race. We didn't run barefoot and naked in ancient style, but I must say, I did pretty well running in flip flops. Fun times. :)
The best part of this trip around the Peloponnese so far is the fact that we have been staying in Nauplion the past three days. It has got to be one of my favorite Greek cities. It's right on the beach and has spectacular views. Kristen, Alex, and I have been to the beach twice and I wish we had time to go more. The city is pretty quiet and laid back, but in the evening it comes alive on the main square and there are all of these families there just chatting and having an extremely late dinner while their kids are running around wild. It is so fun. We've had great gyro dinners and the most AMAZING gelato. There is this Italian gelato shop just down the street from our hotel and I am proud to admit that I've had gelato every day! Yum! There is also a Venetian fortress at the top of one of the large hills called the Palamidi or Fortress of a thousand steps. It doesn't really have a thousand steps, but pretty close (we lost track counting, but it was still short of 1,000). Our bus took us to the top of the citadel and then after we explored, we walked down back into the city. One of the really cool things we found at the citadel was what we thought was a cistern. But as we climbed down the spiraling staircase into the semi-darkness inside one of the fortresses (there are three on this hill), we found this underground room that had plaster falling off the walls and under some of the grafitti we could see canvas decorated with images of Christ and the apostles. There were pictures everywhere! This room must have been converted into a church. We felt like we had stumbled upon something absolutely amazing. It was pretty fun. (That was this afternoon.) Later I spent hours at the beach tossing the frisbee around with one of my friends. It was super fun.
Yesterday I gave my site report on Asklepios at Epidauros. He is a greek god who had a healing sanctuary nearby the city of Epidauros. I think my presentation went well and I had some of my classmates volunteer to read inscriptions of some of the 'cures' that people claimed happened at the site. It was all pretty funny. But the best part was that after we visited the site, we got to watch a modern play (Racine's Phaedra) in the ancient theater of Epidauros!!! This theater is one of the best preserved classical Greek theaters and we were sitting there right inside it watching a play! One of the leading actresses was Helen Miran! It was really great and the acoustics were incredible. The theater was set up to reflect nature through perfect mathmatical ratios/proportions and the end result is seating that allows for perfect distribution of sound. Usually, if you take a tour here, every tour guide will have you sit at the very last seat at the end of the theater and drop a coin down at the front of the stage and you can still hear it. Well, we got great acoustics last night. I was thoroughly impressed. It was a fun night for all.
I think I promised in my last entry that I would start introducing some of my classmates because I want you to get to know some of the fun people I've been hanging out with and who are keeping me from feeling too home sick. I think I'll start off with Kristen because I know her parents are also reading this blog. :) Kristen is super fun because she asks a lot of great questions and is always pretty excited about the places we are going to and the things we are doing. She hardly ever complains about anything and she's so friendly to everyone. She makes me laugh and I am thoroughly impressed by how fast she can fall asleep on the bus. We all pile in and the next moment I look over, Kristen is fast asleep. :) She adds spunk to the group and she's always willing to go swimming at the beach with me, so I'm glad she's around. She's one of my favorite people.
Well, I hope I haven't bombarded you with too much of an update. We've been doing so much, I can only hit the highlights, but I'm feeling at home here and loving almost every moment of this trip. Tonight I'll say farewell to Nauplion, but I will meet you all again when I'm in Sparta!
Another exciting place we've gone is to Nemea (another city on the athletic circuit) where in ancient times they used to hold the Nemean games. At the museum, we got to see this amazing video about how they think the race course starting gates were set up in ancient times. Then we got to head to the stadium where a large number of us had our own competitive race. We didn't run barefoot and naked in ancient style, but I must say, I did pretty well running in flip flops. Fun times. :)
The best part of this trip around the Peloponnese so far is the fact that we have been staying in Nauplion the past three days. It has got to be one of my favorite Greek cities. It's right on the beach and has spectacular views. Kristen, Alex, and I have been to the beach twice and I wish we had time to go more. The city is pretty quiet and laid back, but in the evening it comes alive on the main square and there are all of these families there just chatting and having an extremely late dinner while their kids are running around wild. It is so fun. We've had great gyro dinners and the most AMAZING gelato. There is this Italian gelato shop just down the street from our hotel and I am proud to admit that I've had gelato every day! Yum! There is also a Venetian fortress at the top of one of the large hills called the Palamidi or Fortress of a thousand steps. It doesn't really have a thousand steps, but pretty close (we lost track counting, but it was still short of 1,000). Our bus took us to the top of the citadel and then after we explored, we walked down back into the city. One of the really cool things we found at the citadel was what we thought was a cistern. But as we climbed down the spiraling staircase into the semi-darkness inside one of the fortresses (there are three on this hill), we found this underground room that had plaster falling off the walls and under some of the grafitti we could see canvas decorated with images of Christ and the apostles. There were pictures everywhere! This room must have been converted into a church. We felt like we had stumbled upon something absolutely amazing. It was pretty fun. (That was this afternoon.) Later I spent hours at the beach tossing the frisbee around with one of my friends. It was super fun.
Yesterday I gave my site report on Asklepios at Epidauros. He is a greek god who had a healing sanctuary nearby the city of Epidauros. I think my presentation went well and I had some of my classmates volunteer to read inscriptions of some of the 'cures' that people claimed happened at the site. It was all pretty funny. But the best part was that after we visited the site, we got to watch a modern play (Racine's Phaedra) in the ancient theater of Epidauros!!! This theater is one of the best preserved classical Greek theaters and we were sitting there right inside it watching a play! One of the leading actresses was Helen Miran! It was really great and the acoustics were incredible. The theater was set up to reflect nature through perfect mathmatical ratios/proportions and the end result is seating that allows for perfect distribution of sound. Usually, if you take a tour here, every tour guide will have you sit at the very last seat at the end of the theater and drop a coin down at the front of the stage and you can still hear it. Well, we got great acoustics last night. I was thoroughly impressed. It was a fun night for all.
I think I promised in my last entry that I would start introducing some of my classmates because I want you to get to know some of the fun people I've been hanging out with and who are keeping me from feeling too home sick. I think I'll start off with Kristen because I know her parents are also reading this blog. :) Kristen is super fun because she asks a lot of great questions and is always pretty excited about the places we are going to and the things we are doing. She hardly ever complains about anything and she's so friendly to everyone. She makes me laugh and I am thoroughly impressed by how fast she can fall asleep on the bus. We all pile in and the next moment I look over, Kristen is fast asleep. :) She adds spunk to the group and she's always willing to go swimming at the beach with me, so I'm glad she's around. She's one of my favorite people.
Well, I hope I haven't bombarded you with too much of an update. We've been doing so much, I can only hit the highlights, but I'm feeling at home here and loving almost every moment of this trip. Tonight I'll say farewell to Nauplion, but I will meet you all again when I'm in Sparta!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
playin' at la playa (or since I'm in Greece: πλαζ)
My stay in Athens has been short but sweet and we're off tomorrow on our next trip down to the Peloponnese. I am super excited about this leg of the journey. We are going to some aMAZing places, including Epidauros (where I'm giving my site report ), Mycenae, and Olympia. One of the best parts is that we will be staying in the town of Nauplion, which is one of my all time favorite places in Greece. There is this great Venetian fortress and a cafe situated on the water. The beaches are beautiful and there is this fabulous gelato place... hands down the best I've ever had. :) I sometimes crave gelato from this very shop, so I can't wait to finally taste some yummy gelato again!
This past week in Athens has been filled with fun travels and lots of walking and standing in the sun. I must say, I don't think I will ever fully catch up on my sleep. Yesterday we went on a day trip to Eleusis (and other sites) which was pretty fun. In Ancient times, the Athenians would walk to this city, but now that the city is built up, it ended up being a little over an hour by bus. There was plenty of napping! :) The sites were really cool, but the real treat was being able to go to the beach on the way back! The water was fantastic after such a long, hot day and a few of us even managed to bring along a good frisbee to toss around. It reminded me of how much I miss Madison (I hope you're winning games, frisbee team!).
I must admit, despite how much we're run ragged with all of the traveling we do, it has been nice coming home every night to a late dinner (8:30PM) and the rest of the evening free. I'm sure gonna miss that while we go on this next trip. But since I've gotten to know a group of the students pretty well, we've been using the free evenings to have some pretty competitive game nights. It's made this trip even more fun. It gets pretty crazy. New time I'll have to give you the inside scoop on my fun new friends.
Well, I'm off to the Peloponnese for the next ten days and I'm not sure how much access I'll have to the internet, but hopefully I'll be able to keep you updated on all of the excitement! :)
This past week in Athens has been filled with fun travels and lots of walking and standing in the sun. I must say, I don't think I will ever fully catch up on my sleep. Yesterday we went on a day trip to Eleusis (and other sites) which was pretty fun. In Ancient times, the Athenians would walk to this city, but now that the city is built up, it ended up being a little over an hour by bus. There was plenty of napping! :) The sites were really cool, but the real treat was being able to go to the beach on the way back! The water was fantastic after such a long, hot day and a few of us even managed to bring along a good frisbee to toss around. It reminded me of how much I miss Madison (I hope you're winning games, frisbee team!).
I must admit, despite how much we're run ragged with all of the traveling we do, it has been nice coming home every night to a late dinner (8:30PM) and the rest of the evening free. I'm sure gonna miss that while we go on this next trip. But since I've gotten to know a group of the students pretty well, we've been using the free evenings to have some pretty competitive game nights. It's made this trip even more fun. It gets pretty crazy. New time I'll have to give you the inside scoop on my fun new friends.
Well, I'm off to the Peloponnese for the next ten days and I'm not sure how much access I'll have to the internet, but hopefully I'll be able to keep you updated on all of the excitement! :)
Monday, July 6, 2009
And I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more...
I am exhausted! This trip has been great so far and I've done so many things, but I feel like I'm on a forced march to see all Greece has to offer... which has it's advantages and disadvantages. Advantage 1: my sweet calves on my legs are growing stronger by the minute! 2: museum privileges - I flash a badge and a smile and get right in for free! :) and 3. (oh, yes.) I get to meet and learn from so many prominent scholars in my field and see so many amazing sites. I have to admit, despite the exhaustion, it has been a great trip so far.
Our group spent the fourth of July in style with a garden party at the American School. Even without the fireworks, we all managed to have a pretty good time. There's nothing like hot dogs and beer to remind you of home. :)
Now that we've been in Athens for a few days, I am beginning to realize how much I've missed our bus rides on Crete. Bus-time was optimal time for sleeping. We would drive and arrive at a site, hike up a steep trail, and then stand around the site or museum. Fabulous. Now that we are back in Athens and pretty familiar with the city, we've been walking 30-45 minutes every day just to travel to our destination. That makes for some tired legs! But I must say, I've gotten pretty good with the navigation (Jason, you would be sooo proud!). And with map in hand, I can get just about anywhere in Athens on my own (and surprisingly, groups of people trust me enough to follow my lead). I feel lazy if I use the metro, but on some days, it's just either too hot or I'm too tired! But walking around gives you such a feel for the vibrance of the city. Guaranteed there's a little kiosk on every corner and when you pass by any restaurant, there's always someone there to try to entice you to sit down at their place. It's noisy and dirty and crowded, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I love it!
These past few days we've been to three different museums (and some of them more than twice) and they have been pretty neat! The new Acropolis Museum is designed to mimic aspects of the Acropolis itself. The lay out is nice and there are so many galleries. Surprisingly, it rained the other day and a few of us managed to make it to the museum before the downpour (but an hour earlier than our appointment) and so we ended up spending that entire time in only one gallery. I had a good time, but I realized that my tolerance for standing in a museum maxes out at two hours.
Tomorrow we head out on a day trip to Eleusis and other fun places and I heard rumor of an amazing beach along the way. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some relaxing beach time!
Until next time...
Our group spent the fourth of July in style with a garden party at the American School. Even without the fireworks, we all managed to have a pretty good time. There's nothing like hot dogs and beer to remind you of home. :)
Now that we've been in Athens for a few days, I am beginning to realize how much I've missed our bus rides on Crete. Bus-time was optimal time for sleeping. We would drive and arrive at a site, hike up a steep trail, and then stand around the site or museum. Fabulous. Now that we are back in Athens and pretty familiar with the city, we've been walking 30-45 minutes every day just to travel to our destination. That makes for some tired legs! But I must say, I've gotten pretty good with the navigation (Jason, you would be sooo proud!). And with map in hand, I can get just about anywhere in Athens on my own (and surprisingly, groups of people trust me enough to follow my lead). I feel lazy if I use the metro, but on some days, it's just either too hot or I'm too tired! But walking around gives you such a feel for the vibrance of the city. Guaranteed there's a little kiosk on every corner and when you pass by any restaurant, there's always someone there to try to entice you to sit down at their place. It's noisy and dirty and crowded, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I love it!
These past few days we've been to three different museums (and some of them more than twice) and they have been pretty neat! The new Acropolis Museum is designed to mimic aspects of the Acropolis itself. The lay out is nice and there are so many galleries. Surprisingly, it rained the other day and a few of us managed to make it to the museum before the downpour (but an hour earlier than our appointment) and so we ended up spending that entire time in only one gallery. I had a good time, but I realized that my tolerance for standing in a museum maxes out at two hours.
Tomorrow we head out on a day trip to Eleusis and other fun places and I heard rumor of an amazing beach along the way. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some relaxing beach time!
Until next time...
Friday, July 3, 2009
Home sweet home...
I couldn't believe how excited I was to return to Athens and back to my sweet little dorm room in Loring Hall. I did a little dance in front of my door. :) It's funny how quickly you establish a little home and a community of friends around you. I've only been in Greece for a little over ten days now and I feel like I've been here for a lifetime. I've learned so much and have made such good friends here.
Being in Crete for the past week was lovely. It was every bit as beautiful as I remembered it to be. I will admit that all of the intense hiking and standing in the sun was a bit more than I bargained for, but I got to eat some AMAZING food and explore more of the cities than I had before. Apparently, there was also something in the news about a large earthquake near Iraklion, the city we were in, but it was out in the ocean and we didn't even know it happened. So sad. :)
One of my favorite experiences of these past couple of days was visiting the site of Phaistos. It was day six of our time on Crete, so by now we had seen enough (ruins or foundations of) Minoan Palaces to satisfy even the most enthusiastic among us. So, our Professor divided us into groups and we were to explore the site and report back to the group what we observed based on our different topic (construction materials and building, topography, economy, public spaces, etc.). Being a teacher, I LOVED the new teaching method and it was much more fun to explore the site based on our knowledge than to walk around and try very hard to pay attention. :) I had a great time. I'm quickly training to become a little archaeologist (Judy, I know I'm a nerd, you don't have to comment on it after every blog ;).
Now I'm back in Athens for another week and tonight we head to the National Museum. It will be so exciting because it just opened to the public (finally!). The funny thing about the museum is that there are only part of the Parthenon Marbles there because (a long time ago) Lord Elgin took some of the Parthenon Marbles back with him to England and now they are housed in the British Museum. So, at the new National Museum, they blatantly placed up the portion they have and left the area of the "stolen" marbles empty. :) What's even funnier is that I've even seen grafitti on the street that says the marbles should be returned. Oh, Athens...
**Correction: I thought we were going to the New Acropolis Museum which is what I described above. We went to the National Museum today which has galleries and galleries of AMAZING ancient artifacts. It was a long visit, but fantastic. We'll actually go to the museum I described above in a couple of days...
Being in Crete for the past week was lovely. It was every bit as beautiful as I remembered it to be. I will admit that all of the intense hiking and standing in the sun was a bit more than I bargained for, but I got to eat some AMAZING food and explore more of the cities than I had before. Apparently, there was also something in the news about a large earthquake near Iraklion, the city we were in, but it was out in the ocean and we didn't even know it happened. So sad. :)
One of my favorite experiences of these past couple of days was visiting the site of Phaistos. It was day six of our time on Crete, so by now we had seen enough (ruins or foundations of) Minoan Palaces to satisfy even the most enthusiastic among us. So, our Professor divided us into groups and we were to explore the site and report back to the group what we observed based on our different topic (construction materials and building, topography, economy, public spaces, etc.). Being a teacher, I LOVED the new teaching method and it was much more fun to explore the site based on our knowledge than to walk around and try very hard to pay attention. :) I had a great time. I'm quickly training to become a little archaeologist (Judy, I know I'm a nerd, you don't have to comment on it after every blog ;).
Now I'm back in Athens for another week and tonight we head to the National Museum. It will be so exciting because it just opened to the public (finally!). The funny thing about the museum is that there are only part of the Parthenon Marbles there because (a long time ago) Lord Elgin took some of the Parthenon Marbles back with him to England and now they are housed in the British Museum. So, at the new National Museum, they blatantly placed up the portion they have and left the area of the "stolen" marbles empty. :) What's even funnier is that I've even seen grafitti on the street that says the marbles should be returned. Oh, Athens...
**Correction: I thought we were going to the New Acropolis Museum which is what I described above. We went to the National Museum today which has galleries and galleries of AMAZING ancient artifacts. It was a long visit, but fantastic. We'll actually go to the museum I described above in a couple of days...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Catching up...
I can't believe I've been here for over a week. It feels like months with all of the places we have traveled to and seen.
To recap:
To recap:
The overnight ferry ride to Crete was eventful to say the least. :) It was a very large boat and I enjoyed exploring the different compartments of the ship with my roommate. There was one lounge where everyone was smoking and I had to hold my breath every time I walked through because there was no clean air. All of the smoking is one of the things I just can't seem to get used to in Greece. While on the boat, we even discovered a Disco Lounge, but I didn’t stay up long enough to find out if that’s where all the cool people hang out. ;) We had a small cabin with four bunk beds and I slept alright through part of the night until the boat started rocking heavily back and forth. Being on the top bunk, I woke up with every roll of the boat because I thought I was falling off the bed. I managed to get some sleep, though, and in the morning (6AM to be exact) we disembarked and headed to the Suda Bay Cemetery (one of the few things open at that time of day). This place commemorated and housed the soldiers who died during WWII at the Battle of Crete in 1941. There is certainly something sobering about waking up early in the morning and encountering the reality of death. What was so increasingly overwhelming for me was not the sheer number of graves (over 1500) or the people who had died there, but rather the gravestones particularly of those they could not identify. Inscribed at the bottom of the marker were the words “KNOWN UNTO GOD” and I couldn’t help but weep at the beauty of these words. It may have been my surroundings, the context, or the situation, but there was something about those words that just rang true in my spirit. Whoever this person was, his life experiences, his actions, his thoughts were so remote from myself and this place in time, and yet it was comforting to realize that he was known by God. I’m not sure if I can even convey what I experienced, but I had a moment in that cemetery that shifted my perspective. That had to be the highlight of my day even though we spent the rest of the day traveling and exploring more neat sites and museums.
Sunday our group went to the famous palace of Knossos. For those of you who don’t know, this place was an important city center during the Minoan civilization and is a hotspot of much controversy because one of the earlier archaeologists (Sir Arthur Evans) restored a large portion of the site. So instead of seeing nostalgic ruins and rocks, you get restorations of his guesses about what the site might have looked like. Being a visual person I could appreciate the impression he was trying to convey about the grandeur and sophistication of the peoples who lived there, but I think he may have done more harm than good. It was neat to walk around the place, though… it was more like an archaeological theme park. ;)
Everywhere we go, I keep marveling at how beautiful everything is. There is beautiful water in almost every direction. And yesterday, we finally got a chance to enjoy it. My classmates and I went for a swim at the beach near our hotel. It was AMAZING! I bought a cheap-o frisbee at a store nearby and we tossed it around some. All in all, a fabulous way to end the day.
Today we also did a ton of hiking and exploring different sites, but my favorite part of the day was just relaxing at the beach and enjoying dinner with friends. I'm enjoying it here, but I miss you all. I hope you all are doing well. I would love to hear from you!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
a few thoughts
I don't have long to write at the moment but I did want to mention a few things:
1. I had a gyro and it was good! :)
2. I made it safely to Crete from the ferry... more on that later.
3. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, a photo of our group is on the American School website (if you don't see a group of students sitting down, then scroll through the pictures on the home page until you see our SSII group). Guess which one I am (hint: I'm sitting down)! http://www.ascsa.edu.gr/
Hopefully I'll have more time to update later. I've been busy and enjoying the many wonderful things I've been able to see and do, but I'm feeling a little homesick. I love and miss you all.
1. I had a gyro and it was good! :)
2. I made it safely to Crete from the ferry... more on that later.
3. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, a photo of our group is on the American School website (if you don't see a group of students sitting down, then scroll through the pictures on the home page until you see our SSII group). Guess which one I am (hint: I'm sitting down)! http://www.ascsa.edu.gr/
Hopefully I'll have more time to update later. I've been busy and enjoying the many wonderful things I've been able to see and do, but I'm feeling a little homesick. I love and miss you all.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sooo V.I.P.!
We have done so many cool and amazing things these past couple of days, it's hard to say what I've enjoyed most! Yesterday we took our first day trip out to the sanctuaries at Brauron and Sounion. The former is a sacred place that honors the virgin goddess, Artemis, where they perform different rites, rituals, and festivals that we can only guess about (but there are lots of theories!). The latter is on the tip of Attica on the water where there is a temple dedicated to Poseidon, the god of the sea. The water here is this unbelievable blue color; I've never seen anything prettier! One of the cool things about this temple is that Lord Byron left his mark there by grafittying his name on one of the columns. You can still see it today. He also wrote an amazing poem which references this place in the last stanza entitled, 'The Isles of Greece' (if you want to check it out: http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/lbyron/bl-lbyron-isles.htm). We also saw the Laurentian Silver mines and learned about how the ancient Greeks would mine silver to mint coins. It was all pretty neat. After this long day trip, we got a chance to swim in the Mediterranean. It was a lovely treat! My first beach experience of the summer! I had a great time playing in the water and sunbathing. But we made for a pretty tired group, because on the bus ride home we were all asleep! :) (I sadly forgot my camera on this day, so I have to post better picture once I get them from my classmates...)
Yesterday was pretty fun, but it didn't compare to how AMAZING today was! Our group got a chance to go inside the Parthenon! (Very few people are allowed inside. It's roped off and there are many guards to make sure that you don't. In case you don't know, the Parthenon is the famous temple on the Acropolis at Athens that was used as a store house for the treasury in Classical times. In later times, it was converted into a mosque and the Turks used it to store gun powder when they were fighting against the Venetians. The Venetians sadly shot cannon fire at the temple causing it to explode and destroy a large portion of the building. So sad!) We got to learn about the techniques the archaeologists are using to restore different parts of the temple and then we were able to walk around and examine the structure from the inside. It was so incredible! An opportunity of a lifetime. I felt so VIP! :) Afterwards, we had a seminar on ancient pottery. I loved this, because (being a potter myself) I like to find new ways, techniques, and shapes to incorporate into my own work (Diane, I have sketched so many fun new pieces we have got to try to make!!).
Now I am packing and preparing for our trip to the island of Crete. It is one of my FAVORITE places so I can't wait! We will be taking an overnight ferry to the island, so that should be an adventure!
Until next time...
Yesterday was pretty fun, but it didn't compare to how AMAZING today was! Our group got a chance to go inside the Parthenon! (Very few people are allowed inside. It's roped off and there are many guards to make sure that you don't. In case you don't know, the Parthenon is the famous temple on the Acropolis at Athens that was used as a store house for the treasury in Classical times. In later times, it was converted into a mosque and the Turks used it to store gun powder when they were fighting against the Venetians. The Venetians sadly shot cannon fire at the temple causing it to explode and destroy a large portion of the building. So sad!) We got to learn about the techniques the archaeologists are using to restore different parts of the temple and then we were able to walk around and examine the structure from the inside. It was so incredible! An opportunity of a lifetime. I felt so VIP! :) Afterwards, we had a seminar on ancient pottery. I loved this, because (being a potter myself) I like to find new ways, techniques, and shapes to incorporate into my own work (Diane, I have sketched so many fun new pieces we have got to try to make!!).
Now I am packing and preparing for our trip to the island of Crete. It is one of my FAVORITE places so I can't wait! We will be taking an overnight ferry to the island, so that should be an adventure!
Until next time...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
School of Rocks!
These past few days have included tons of walking and zero gyros. :( But my trip is not over and I'm sure I'll have plenty more opportunities! One of the interesting sites we've been to so far includes the Areopagus, the place where criminal trials were held. Some of you may recall this place from its reference in Acts 17:16ff where Paul preaches to the Athenians. At the bottom of the site there is even a plaque that quotes the verses. Aside from being a great 'make-out' spot at night with a great view of the city (as I'm told), it was just neat to be at the very place that Paul had been centuries earlier -- a place filled with history and meaning even though what you see on the surface just looks like a pile of rocks.
Today we went and saw the Hephaisteion, which is the best preserved Greek temple. Our tour was led by Professor John Camp, who is the director of the Athenian Agora Excavations. I know most of you reading this won't care at all about this, but indulge me for a moment. John Camp is like a rock star in my field, so it was pretty cool that he led our session. We even got to go beyond the restricted access and walk into the temple. It was a special day. :)
Later on our group was taken into the different basements and research areas where several archaeologists were doing their work and they explained the different aspects about what they did and the recent scholarship they were working on. It was AMAZING! We got to see everything from conservation of pottery and coins to storerooms of statues to human bones. I've decided to become an archaeologist and I'm living in Greece forever! Not really, but the things I learned today were so fabulous, I couldn't get enough! :) So, I'm having a pretty good time here. But don't worry, I'm coming back... although I may change my mind after I finally taste that first gyro... stay tuned.
Today we went and saw the Hephaisteion, which is the best preserved Greek temple. Our tour was led by Professor John Camp, who is the director of the Athenian Agora Excavations. I know most of you reading this won't care at all about this, but indulge me for a moment. John Camp is like a rock star in my field, so it was pretty cool that he led our session. We even got to go beyond the restricted access and walk into the temple. It was a special day. :)
Later on our group was taken into the different basements and research areas where several archaeologists were doing their work and they explained the different aspects about what they did and the recent scholarship they were working on. It was AMAZING! We got to see everything from conservation of pottery and coins to storerooms of statues to human bones. I've decided to become an archaeologist and I'm living in Greece forever! Not really, but the things I learned today were so fabulous, I couldn't get enough! :) So, I'm having a pretty good time here. But don't worry, I'm coming back... although I may change my mind after I finally taste that first gyro... stay tuned.
Monday, June 22, 2009
School is in session...
I'm not gonna lie. Greece is hot! And I experienced it today as I dragged my two suitcases through the metro station and up the hill to the American School. So far, I've met and talked with a number of my classmates and we have already been on a couple exploring trips. A group of us walked around after lunch and planned to 'get lost', but I miraculously remembered exactly where everything was from my summer stay here six years ago. I navigated us to a little grocery store and to Koloniki Square, which is a little plaza in the middle of the business district of Athens. I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself. :) I know my way around pretty well... now if only I could speak modern Greek I'd be the best guide ever!
One of our first activities as a group was to walk up Likavitos Hill where we got to see all of the city of Athens from the view of this little church at the top. It was lovely (and sweaty... but I think I could add that remark to about everything I do here in Greece) - a nice treat to orient us on our first day of the program. It was so windy at the top, I almost got blown away. There is a fun little cafe there that I may have to go back and visit some other time. I've heard some people like to run up and down the hill to exercise, so if I'm ambitious...
The people here are nice and friendly and I've been really too busy doing so many things (mostly eating!) to feel too home sick. Tomorrow we start exploring the area around the Acropolis, so I am extremely excited. My next quest is to have a gyro! It's been a long time coming, so I can't wait!! Eating my first gyro in Athens this year is THE most important thing about this trip, so I'll be sure to keep you updated! ;)
One of our first activities as a group was to walk up Likavitos Hill where we got to see all of the city of Athens from the view of this little church at the top. It was lovely (and sweaty... but I think I could add that remark to about everything I do here in Greece) - a nice treat to orient us on our first day of the program. It was so windy at the top, I almost got blown away. There is a fun little cafe there that I may have to go back and visit some other time. I've heard some people like to run up and down the hill to exercise, so if I'm ambitious...
The people here are nice and friendly and I've been really too busy doing so many things (mostly eating!) to feel too home sick. Tomorrow we start exploring the area around the Acropolis, so I am extremely excited. My next quest is to have a gyro! It's been a long time coming, so I can't wait!! Eating my first gyro in Athens this year is THE most important thing about this trip, so I'll be sure to keep you updated! ;)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Welcome to Greece!
It's official! I'm a true jet-setter... or at least a budget traveler because I just experienced the joy of showering with one hand in a youth hostel shower. It has one of those hand-held Greek shower heads, so it's difficult to multi-task. Needless to say, I managed to get water and soap suds everywhere. :)
It's been quite a long day of traveling. I had a seven hour layover in Brussels where I slept on a rock-hard airport bench to pass the time. I must have looked super comfortable because this old couple in their upper sixties decided to do the same on the bench right beside me. A little awkward, but I was too tired to really care... and the next time I woke up, they were gone.
My classmate, Kris, graciously picked me up from the airport and delivered me safely to my hostel (so no need to worry about me, Mom and Dad!) where I met one of the other students who is on the same program at the American School. We went out to dinner and it was AMAZING! Tzatziki never tasted so good! I'm starting to remember my way around and now I have friends, so navigating Athens won't be too difficult.
Tomorrow I head to the school and meet the other students, and then the hard work begins. ;)
Kalinihta (Good night!)
It's been quite a long day of traveling. I had a seven hour layover in Brussels where I slept on a rock-hard airport bench to pass the time. I must have looked super comfortable because this old couple in their upper sixties decided to do the same on the bench right beside me. A little awkward, but I was too tired to really care... and the next time I woke up, they were gone.
My classmate, Kris, graciously picked me up from the airport and delivered me safely to my hostel (so no need to worry about me, Mom and Dad!) where I met one of the other students who is on the same program at the American School. We went out to dinner and it was AMAZING! Tzatziki never tasted so good! I'm starting to remember my way around and now I have friends, so navigating Athens won't be too difficult.
Tomorrow I head to the school and meet the other students, and then the hard work begins. ;)
Kalinihta (Good night!)
Friday, June 19, 2009
Getting ready
I'm feeling overwhelmed by the millions of things I have to do before I fly out tomorrow, but once I finish all of the preparing, packing, and traveling, and I arrive in Greece Sunday evening, I'm sure I will finally feel excited. It's been pretty nice to relax my last week here in Madison. After finishing up prelims and traveling to Florida and Connecticut to visit the family, it was good to take a break and regroup. I know I won't be away for long, but I'm going to miss all of you guys while I'm gone. Thanks for making my last week such a fun time!
Here are a few photos from 'brother/sister' time in New York.
Here are a few photos from 'brother/sister' time in New York.
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