What a beautiful day!

It began on Saturday. Carrie and I went into Thermi to explore for a few hours. After stepping off the bus I noticed giant bright pots of flowers down a side street. This actually marked the beginning on Thermi's weekly market where vendors from the city and locals gathered to sell and buy fish, produce, clothing, flowers and household supplies. Between the kind old Greek men and women brushing by us with their personal rolling totes to hold their groceries and getting free baklava from a vendor I found myself having a renewed sense of Greece's splendor. This is unlike any place I've ever imagined. It is beautiful and colorful with a culture completely unlike my own. Saturday at the market I bought my first pair of European boots, a black scarf, house slippers, a candle (which I learned later was a cemetery candle-haha), and homemade tahini! A woman who worked in a coffee shop gave me a sample of blueberry coffee. Another shop had all sorts of homemade things and paintings he did himself behind the counter. In his little store Carrie and I discovered in his shop I could buy genuine olive oil soap from Greece :)
Sunday I went into downtown with Nicoletta (a Greek student who speaks exceptional English) looking for the bread festival. Because the bread festival was dead we ended up getting icecream from one of the best places in Thessaloniki. Walking along the harbor with icecream in hand watching the sailboats so lovely. Later Kate's dad (she is a fulbright student here) came in town from Turkey! Micah, Carrie and I met up near Kamara (an ancient giant stone arch Galerius built around 315 BC) and decided to get drinks at a local shop. We found a warm little shop with Victorian crown molding and hookah inspired wall murals. After ordering hot chocolate whiskey drinks we sat and talked about his travels throughout Turkey, Italy, Morocco and everywhere else. After we walked to a beautiful neighborhood downtown known as La Dadica for AMAZING greek food.
Monday was beautifully productive and lovely... my clothes are almost dry! We do not have dryers here and must use drying racks. It has been really humid and rainy and keeps clothes from drying an since there are not enough drying racks it has been extra difficult. This might sound depressing or awful but it is just another thing to adjust to. I find myself chuckling in response to these sorts of things and saying alound "It's Greece!" All in all I've learned that the little things in life that I always took for granted I will now treasure.
Yesterday I met my sweet friend Gea who actually told me about this internship at FSU. She has come for the week to visit old friends. Yesterday we chatted for hours and still have not fully caught up on everything. After I went to the library where I found an English version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!!! I went up to the terrace on the top floor of my building intending on diving head first into Harry's magical world when I noticed the beautiful Greek sun setting over the mountains on the opposite coast over the sea. This sight was unreal and I will soon post pics.
Greece is unlike any place I could ever imagine and this adventure has already changed my outlook on so much and I've only been here 2 months.

Ups and Downs

This morning I walked back from breakfast with the sun on my back as the wind blew in my face. Wearing my freshly bought olive coat I walked down a paved street on campus of the school still thinking about the hot chocolate and chocolate spread that perfectly accompanied my whole wheat bread. It was a lovely Sunday but this morning I really missed home. I miss going to an English speaking protestant church service. Going to church isn't just a Sunday activity for me but part of my identity and today I hit close to rock bottom. On that street I could look to the left and see the Aegean Sea and to the right freshly grown organic plants. Birds chirped up in a tree while I passed the small vineyard. As beautiful as everything was I felt as though the excitement I would normally have felt was muted into a shade of gray. Later at lunch I sat with one of my sweet friends from Albania. She figured out that I was becoming homesick and began telling me how to keep this from happening. Later after lunch she brought me wild tulips she had picked to make me happy.

Friday night I went out with some students to try honey raki. This strong local alcoholic drink is served hot. After sitting around a table in a bar downtown near the Rotunda we headed to the Polytechnia. The Rotunda was built by Galerius in 306 BC and transitioned from temple of Zeus in 305 AD to Christian church then in the 500's became a mosque until 1912 when it became a church again... then the earthquake in the 70's ruined the structure and now it is a museum. At the Polytechnia (engineering school) college students had orchestrated a massive party... in the building. It was pretty crazy. After dancing to a mix of Beatles, Lady Gaga and European techno I put down my favorite forever 21 coat and it disappeared.

The girls that I had gone out with that night asked me to come to their room the next day. At this point I am used to Balkan hospitality and it's never ending measures but this was a new level of thoughtfulness. When I walked into their room they explained how that their friend had gone through her closet and gotten out her coats she doesn't wear anymore. They gave me one of her coats and they all expressed how terribly they felt about me losing mine.

I write this sitting on a yellow couch in a room that belongs to one of my Albanian friends named Toletho. Earlier when he saw me earlier sitting on the floor in the hallway on my computer he invited me to his room to be more comfortable.

Kate, an American Fulbright student here, told me that living abroad is all about learning to ride the emotional roller coaster with grace. I completely agree with that.

Balkan hospitality is unlike any other... and even though I've missed things and people from home it really helps to know so many people here genuinely care.

Relentless Hospitality

I regret admitting this but I can not remember one time when I was completely giving to a total stranger. At FSU when I was a resident assistant I constantly loved on my residents and their friends but this is quite the opposite. Instead of love and generosity flowing from authority to resident here it pours the other direction. Many times this last week I've felt overwhelmed by the amount of things to do. The new building I'm living in was just completed today (minus the standard hot water, electricity, wifi, and blinds) and my responsibilities will soon dwindle down to what will be typical for me. My days were so long and frustrating that I began rethinking if my position here was worth it and then I remembered why I was here at all... for the students. Every time I have come in contact with a student they offer me a homemade treat, coffee or tea. Last week as I knocked on a door to visit some girls they asked me to come in put a cup of frappe (strong iced greek coffee) and an organic Moldovan apple in my hands. I can not count the number of times in the last week I have been offered coffee or tea with cookies. I love these people! The last couple of days I've been sick from some bug I picked up or something I ate. Sitting in my room today I dreamt of a warm bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese. I didn't get any grilled cheesy goodness but I did get some wonderful tea and home made Moldovan wine! The students here are so diverse and international and yet they have created a family. Hospitality is so rich in the culture here that loving on people like family is standard. I really hope that I adopt this mentality of complete giving and take it home with me.  

Lately I've learned a few other things...
-Organic Moldovan apples are amazing!
-Greek washers (for clothes) take around 2 hours
-It gets bone chillingly cold in Greece!
-I'm really good at Texas Hold em... I played with Greek boys last night and for the most part beat them :)
-Google images can be vital when trying to communicate with people who don't speak the same language.
-Tonight I was reminded that I look like barbie... I think it's because I was wearing pink and my hair is really long now.

Kalinichta friends!

Confusion?

The last two weeks have flown by so quickly that I have not really had a moment to sit down and think about how to explain what has been happening. I know that I am one of the fortunate few who have this amazing oppurtunity and so to reveal a bit about current happenings on this side of the world here it goes...

This past week Bachelor's students have been arriving and began classes on Monday. As simple as that sounds let me first explain the circumstances. This past year Aliki Perrotis, the wife of the founder of the college, donated 5 million dollars so that the college could build a much needed residence hall. After a few snags during construction (such as finding remains of the wall constructed by Alexander the Great around the 5th century- no biggie) the contractor had the date for the building to be built and fully functional by the 22nd of August. So by the 25th college housing (my boss and I) moved 48 students into their freshly painted brand hew home which is nicer than any residence hall I've ever seen or imagined... they have balconies overlooking the bay next to Thessaloniki! The downside is that this brand new building does not have blinds or curtains, hot water, wifi-for another 2 weeks at least, electricity NOT from a generator (which burns 1 tank of diesel every day), washers or dryers, and DOES have a whole crew of construction workers climbing atop the building beginning early every morning and staying until late in the night.
We have 30-40 more students arriving this weekend. I'm sure between the old students and new students and the construction workers (all of us from different countries) will have a splendid time communicating what must be done... it's gonna be a party (I've limited my use of sarcasm since this doesn't translate well but my use of it here will hopefully be understood). To reveal a bit about Greek construction and contractor standards let me tell you that in our beautiful 3 story residence hall complete with terrace over looking the Aegean Sea and a 200 person ampitheater door knobs have fallen off, paint is chipping off the walls, doors were installed incorrectly and will not lock, and water is leaking from a ceiling. The building isn't even complete yet and it has problems!!! Once it is complete without construction garbage in front of it I will post pictures... the architect really did a beautiful job.

At night we've begun our typical schedule. Dinner is at 8 pm and after around 9 or 10 begins gym time. Gym time can go late into the night and even into the morning hours. Futbol (like olive oil) is so distinctly prevelent in every action that futbol rules actually effect volleyball. Two nights ago as 12 of us played a fun and friendly game a guy kicked the ball over the net perfectly and got a point. As everyone else shrugged and brushed off this well scored action I stood in amazement with my jaw hanging open wondering how on earth that was allowed- even in a friendly pickup game. Last night as I sat next to another American (Matt) here from Montana we both watched more students playing and every 3rd hit of the ball was with their feet or heads. A different guy from the last actually managed to do a full flip to kick this ball and landed squarely on his back so that he could use his feet instead of his hands. I don't understand this infiltration of 'futbol' but it definetly makes a volleyball game more entertraining

...so the theme to these past couple weeks has been confusion. At least once I day I say out loud "I am so confused." This has really just become a typical part of my day and I think I've become pretty flexible. Basic amenities are nice but I've learned how to accept a lot and move past language barriers. Smiling is like the universal bandaid... if there is a problem simply smile and say "I need help." That has done the trick... haha so far.

Today I have begun my regular schedule. I will work in the mornings, have a few meeting peppered throughout my day, monitor lunch, help some students with essays they've written and fix their English, naptime (it's a Greek thing), coffee (again- a Greek thing), go on a nice run around campus while the sun is about to set and get in a good work out and vent all of my frustration and confusion, get a lovely cold shower- which makes my face not so red from a workout, then go to lunch and talk with students.
Yay for having a schedule eigh? Scheduled naptime and coffee time isn't to bad :) It's literally internationally enforced! If a construction worker is using a jack hammer during the hours of 3-5 pm he could be sued. Haha- many things are confusing but I love this country- not their construction but almost everything else.

Take care all you sweet American friends- schedule time in the afternoon for a 2 hour nap/coffee break... I think it's healhier and definetly relaxing.

Kallithea = beautiful view

This past Saturday was the most beautiful day I've had in Greece. It was just like a postcard. We took a bus to Kallithea which is in Halkidiki. Halkidiki is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. It is completely different from at home. Instead of flat land the sea is nestled between mountains. Instead of white sand the beach is lined with shell, sea glass, pebbles and ancient rock that the tide has worn at for centuries. Because of this and the ridiculously beautiful weather the water was as clear as the Bahamas. All day I loved to be able to run and dive into the teal blue water and float or throw around a "futbol."

This picture doesn't quite do it justice... but in the morning this is exactly how it looked. Around noon what I thought were clouds popped up on the horizon. But instead of clouds these are really mountains of the other Halkidiki legs that drop down.

First let me explain that as I sit on my bed in my room with the window open what sounds like Albanian techno music echoes down the hallway. The thuds of the bass from the music remind me of some awkward club music that are distinctly European.
Today college faculty and staff toured our new building we will be moving into. This building is three stories tall, has a beautiful terrace overlooking Thessaloniki, the sea, and some of the school fields. I've never seen or imagined that a residence hall could be so nice. It has suites for students and balconies! After touring our new facility and checking out the room I will be living in until July we headed over to a staff meeting. Expecting a small gathering the other interns and I headed over to the theater. Inside we found magazines printed in both English and Greek and all of the American Farm School and Perrotis college employees. Unsure of where to sit we sat in the very front row hoping that some kind soul would sit behind us and translate what was being said.... I wish we were this lucky. Instead as the president stood up and walked to the podium he quickly rambled something off in Greek and the few words I understood I could tell he was about to address us. The only English words in this hour long meeting were "this meeting will be in Greek" in the beginning and "does anyone have any questions" at the end. For maybe an hour pure gibberish filled the giant theater room and I decided to try to listen intently to maybe catch a few words... I've decided that Greek is kind of like Spanish. Greek uses similar words but both languages when spoken at the quick speeds are nearly impossible to understand. I found myself nodding in agreement with the president as he gestured with his hands explaining God only knows what... I hadn't a clue as to what he was saying yet I probably looked like I understood every word. The funniest part is that the president knows I do not speak Greek and that my vocabulary is limited.
Afterword all the faculty and staff joined behind a college building for food... which involved ouzo. I learned that it is licorice and incredibly strong.
And now I have a beautiful sunflower in my room from this lovely Greek gathering =)

Kalimera, Kalispera, Kalinixta!

Where on earth do I begin? It's been just over a week that I've landed in a very different culture with no real understanding of the lingo. In one week I've had the pleasure of eating freshly barbecued souzlaki, heavenly baklava, octopus, fried zucchini, more feta than I ever imagined, and a daily salad containing primarily tomatoes.

I've learned some interesting cultural differences such as:

-They sell and cook whole fish which is a traditional Greek dish.

-Judging from the aisle devoted to it in every supermarket I've gone into, olive oil is a national treasure.

-Coffee breaks are a daily necessity. The coffee here is nothing like in the States. Traditional Turkish (or Greek) coffee comes in a small espresso cup and is seems as though it is six times stronger than cafe con leche (Cuban coffee). Frappe is the local iced coffee drink and is really strong but amazing!

-Greeks know how to party like none other. Last night the secondary school (American Farm School) had a party for all their students. I am still trying to comprehend everything that happened last night because from an American perspective it seemed as complete chaos. In this large theater room was a stage and in the back was a sound booth. As Greek students danced on stage and posed to Lady Gaga music the student DJ in the back controlled all music. Imagine Greek high school students everywhere. Because this function was school sponsored the faculty had organized games for students to participate in. These games were more wild than any American high school game I could even imagine. By the end of the night I was between two Greek students circling the room in a conga line to Kesha and other American pop music yelling to other students "I love Greece!" As the last song came on students circled up to hold hands and dance to a traditional Greek song. I can't even imagine what the night would have turned into if ouzo, ratsina, or raki were involved.

-As far as I have noticed Greeks do not stress or worry about anything. In contrast to the busy American mindset everything feels so relaxed and casual. Maybe this is because I haven't begun working with my students yet but the mode out of which most people function is far more calm than I ever imagined.

College students arrive September 25th and classes begin that next week. They are from all over the Balkan region. Perrotis college has students from Greece, Fyrom, Bulgaria, Albania, Africa, Moldova, Turkey, and Kazakhstan. I'm so excited to learn some of their native languages!