People!

Anonymous

My time in Greece would not be the same if it were not for the people I interact with while I'm here.

My classmates from PLU shape my academic experience in class, and my ability to learn about and take in the culture around me.

The group of peers I spend time with everyday have made this experience, not only academically interesting while in class, but fun and exciting out side of the classroom. Together we explore Greek culture and make memories.

The Greek people I meet and observe while out and about in the city have all been exceptionally kind and inviting.

Shop owners and pedestrians alike are willing and interested in helping my classmates and myself in finding our way around the city and experiencing the best parts of Athens.

Seeing the sites and going to museums allows me to learn a lot about how people lived here in the past. But the people around me shape my experience today. Their positivity and excitement is what helps me to learn the most about Greek culture as it is now.

People!

Anonymous
When Dr. Finitsis yells down the sidewalk "people!" we know it's time to pay attention. Whether he's telling us about something historical, how to not get lost, or good ideas where to go for the day, this is his usual call to get our attention.

People. We are all people. We all have feelings and we all work to be where we are. Today, I encountered all different types of people. From the snobby tourist who just keeps walking by, to the Greek man who can't seem to give you enough Greek cheek kisses because he loves Americans so much, to the waiters on the sidewalk chasing us down to get us to eat in their cafe, I have experienced all kinds in Greece. The one thing I've noticed though is how extraordinarily kind Greek people tend to be. The cafe we get coffee at every morning started discounting our coffee every morning, and a pizza place up the street we discovered gave us two extra pizzas with our order just because.

Not only are the Greek people wonderful, but my fellow PLU students on the trip as well. I think back to the first class meeting we had and can't even imagine a time when I didn't know all of these people as well as I do now. Even thinking back to leaving Seatac I know everyone on a very different level. Travelling together to a foreign country is a very special bond, and I think we've all bonded really well. I am so thankful for this opportunity and the wonderful people I am getting to share it with.

People

Anonymous People, People, People! Today my thoughts were filled with observations about people. Today I visibly noticed seeing more greek children than during the past week here, and it was one of those things that you don't notice its missing until you have it around. I love kids and it was enjoyable to watch them today. Touring the Acropolis and the Flea Market I also heard more english speaking tourists. It made me laugh because I was coming to think we were the only tourists around sometimes, and so it was nice to see and hear. Whether this was because of the area the group was in, that being the Acropolis as mega tourist destination, or Sunday was just the day to be out I don't know for sure, however sometimes its just fun to blend and be the watcher instead of the watched. Sadly for our group this feeling did not last for long. Our trip has the wonderful standout assignment of recording holiday greetings at major spots in Greece; cheesy, fun, goodness. Our group has recorded messages several times already attempting not to be obnoxious, but I think today we left it all behind. This afternoon in front of the Acropolis our group of 20 student yelled to the recorder about 50 feet away. Needless to say we gained everyone's attention, english speaking or not. As many of us immediately ducked away in blatant tourists shame I once again thought about the actions of people and how quickly we can all go from the observer to the observed depeding upon any number of actions.

People!

Anonymous Today I fought a battle with a washing machine, and lost. You know those "international," "obvious," "idiot-proof" pictures and symbols that are supposed to tell you what to do even if you're illiterate? Yeah. That's the theory. It might have been the fact that they had been crossed out and annotated with "helpful" hints (see photo), but I probably wouldn't have gotten it anyways. So, keeping in mind that hindsight is 20/20, here's my theory: there are two buttons. One selects a wash/rinse cycle, and the other the spin cycle. They don't automatically happen in sequence, and the washer automatically selects the spin cycle if you fail to notice these buttons and do not make your own selection. Thus, you put in your laundry and detergent, close the scary basket thingy, select the temperature, hit start, and the machine spins your clothes for 25 minutes or so, and then it's done. But your clothes are not wet. Notice shower symbol. Try again; select the rain button. Ok, now your clothes are wet and clean... and did I mention wet? Now your clothes are hanging from all hangable surfaces in your room with the heater turned up after wringing them out in the sink several times. Here's the moral of the story: press both buttons, people! I am here to give you some mantic wisdom, maybe you don't need it, but maybe you will: examine carefully the buttons on all foreign washing machines. Make sure that if there is a "rain" button and a "swirly" button, that you press both, or at least press the "rain" one first, and then the "swirly" one. And remember, there may not be real dryers... so bring a plastic bag and be prepared for a new decorating scheme in your apartment. And remember also that, unless you do laundry naked, you do still have some clothes to wear. Don't think of them as "pre-worn," think of them as "loved." :)

P.S. Thank you to Dr. Ihssen for rescuing my socks etc. from a watery grave, putting them in a plastic bag, and laughing with me over how insanely heavy and WET they were.

First impressions are not always lasting impressions...

Jason Athens is not what I expected. At least, not what I have seen is what I expected to have seen. I don't know that I could really pin down what I thought Athens would be like, but I know it's not this. Even descending into Greece from Amsterdam today, I wondered, "Where is Athens?" I didn't see a sprawling city with notes of Mediterranean fishing culture along its coasts. I didn't see a city where everything is steeped in history and a sense of, almost, magic and intimacy with the past. I didn't see these things from the plane. From the bus ride into the city, that sense of confusion was put away. We exited a tunnel and Athens was there. Covering the country to the base of the hills on the horizon, the city is just enormous. I don't know how I missed it from the air (maybe it was tucked just right behind the hills) but seeing it instantly be laid out before us was awe-inspiring. With each mile we covered on the road, the city continued to creep out to the new bounds of the horizon, never ending despite its sudden arrival. There were very few words on that bus ride. We were all exhausted, sure, but I think we were all taking in something new that we hadn't fully anticipated.

I think all cities become more beautiful at night. Take our own Seattle; it's a great place any time of day, but driving through downtown at night is stunning. Athens is the same way, but different in it's intangibles. While Athens dons a similar luminescent mask once the sun sets, the vibe of the city is very different to any other I have experienced. People move much slower in Athens than I expected! They drive fast, sure, but people did not seem to be in much of a hurry tonight (Saturday.) They stroll though the downtown markets and cafes with all the time in the world. The Acropolis, which dominated the skyline of downtown Athens, seems to go largely unnoticed. I love that people are content to linger over coffee and chocolate in the warmth of outdoor heaters, sitting on plush couches and carrying on their conversations over the hundreds of others happening simultaneously. It's a very casual yet vaguely celebratory atmosphere. Soccer games are on every television and are projected onto walls and screens. People everywhere seem genuinely happy to be there. Downtown Athens is firmly rooted in its history, but there is no fear of modernization either. I'm glad that my initial projection (however ill-defined it may have been) of Athens was shattered today, because what I've seen so far is pretty exciting!