After trials and tribulations at Heathrow airport, I eventually made it safe and sound in Athens last Monday. I am being fed relatively well, though unfortunately everything is very expensive here in Athens. I get to walk past the Olympic Stadium everyday (it's right by the Academic Center) and I've gotten to see the Acropolis several times already (I'll be going there for class next week). My feet and legs have been taking quite a beating since I am not used to the cobble-stone, uneven streets of Athens or walking 40+ minutes everyday to get anywhere. It is surprising safe to walk around late at night in Kolonaki (where I live), because it is the ritzy part of Athens and apparently Athenians are big partiers and like to stay up late. Yesterday I left my apt. to meet a friend at 11:10 PM and there were little old ladies walking their dogs. There are so many little shops and boutiques everywhere that I feel very overwhelmed in terms of shopping. It's been nice just wandering around and exploring the city's districts like Pangrati, Psiri, and Syntagma, because each has something different to offer. There are very few American food places here (no Mexican!) and I am in dire need of yellow onions because apparently Greece only carries red (which is so not a good starter for Mexican rice).
It has been fun getting to use the Greek I know (Greeks appreciate it!) and I've already begun understanding the alphabet. Now I can read most things, but I still don't know what they mean. While I know this will come with time, imagine how difficult it has been in the grocery store. I had to look up the Greek word for chicken to make sure I wasn't buying a goat's heart. So far, I think I've done a pretty good job blending in because I haven't gotten the "foreigner" looks that other students have received unless someone hears me speaking English. In fact, a few Greek have spoken to me in Greek as they assumed I'd understand ("katalaveno leego alinika" is my usual response, "I understand a little Greek"). They either assume I'm a very tanned Greek OR that I am some European something or other. Either way, it has worked in my favor because I don't draw attention to myself.
A few finishing points: 1) several Greek professors have had to ask me to pronounce my first name, which I initially thought was odd. But because there are no "c's", "q's", or "u's" in the Greek Alphabet, several got pretty thrown. I should start spelling my name "Pακελ" and then more Greeks may understand how to pronounce it.
2) You can't flush any toliet paper down the toliet because Greece have small pipes that they are in the process of replacing. You put any "used" paper in a small trash can by the toliet.
3) At any given time, I can hear cats fighting outside my window over the small territory of the apt complex and it is not just hissing either. Honestly, it sounds like a shiv and brass knuckles are being used. It kinda reminds me of the whole Tom and Jerry were Tom sings all screechy (not the "is you is?" one)
4) There are lots of stray dogs that wander the street, but they look both ways before they cross the streets and they don't bother people. The city controls the strays through vaccination and neutering.
5) Greek Honey is like no other honey I've ever had. My typical snack so far has been plain Greek yogurt drizzled in honey from Crete. It is serious deliciousness.
6) When a Greek asked my hometown, I said Texas and he immediately said "Ah! Texas Ranger!" which I just agreed to. I ended up finding out that Walker: Texas Ranger is very popular over here (reruns) and that to most Greeks, Chuck Norris is the ultimate Texan. If it's not Dallas and J.R., it's another random show that has Texas as the backdrop!
And finally
7) I am taking in all the sites, but I wish I could be sharing them with so many folks. But I promise to take more pictures and post them along with update. Feel free to send me a care package of American yums!
