Photos

The Acropolis, donkeys from the island of Hydra and a horse almost chopping off my hand ontop of the mountain on Hydra.

Okay the photos keep coming on top of my page - just read this from bottom to top! Here is my flat - living room, kitchen - big hole in kitchen is where my stove will go... the cupboard is where the fridge is suppose to go but I am making that a hall closet. Woman in pink room is my landlady - and the room is now light blue. This is the entrance and eating area. I will take more pictures once it is decorated and furnitured more!

The IKEA bed which took 5 hours to make and then I broke it (but later fixed it). Me in the airport at JFK. My first meal of a gyro. My friends and I on top of our hotel enjoying the wine my parents left me. And me outside the school for the first time!

Okay so I found that Starbuck's at the bottom of the hill has Wi-Fi and is smoke free!!!!

When It Rains, It Pours

I had a very busy weekend which was great. On Friday there was the PTO (like PTA) BBQ at school. From there I took the metro downtown to Syntagma Square to meet Karl and Elaine Miller from Bethesda. Karl and Elaine are good friends with my parents. They happened to be in town and so it worked perfectly that I was able to meet up with them. They were staying in the classy Grande Bretagne Hotel which has a picturesque view of the Acropolis. We had dinner on the roof top looking right at the Acropolis! It was so good to see familiar faces and thank you Karl and Elaine for the delicious dinner and great company.

After dinner I went to my colleague Steve’s flat who lives near the Temple of Zeus. I slept there and then was up again at the crack of dawn, on Saturday, to catch the metro to go to Piraeus where I was catching at 8:20 am ferry to Hydra – the first island adventure!
What an adventure it was! It hadn’t rained on the island in 6 months – I repeat 6 MONTHS! And of course, as I am getting on the ferry and during the entire ferry trip (1.5 hours) and for the entire day and night – it rained and rained and rained. And it was windy and cold. Remember – my first island trip!

My friends Dwain, Miah, Kate, Lindsay, Phaedra and Eric had already gone to the island on Friday night. The water just rushed down the stone streets like rivers. Hydra is a small island with no cars. So they met me there and we hung out and slept on Saturday – then went out for dinner. Thankfully Sunday was better. Not fantastic but dry. There are many nooks and crannies of passage ways which led to beautiful views and picturesque white-washed buildings with vibrant colored doors and shutters. Not all like Santorini or Mykonsos but still all was lovely.

After breakfast at the same taverna we had breakfast at Saturday, we all went on a hike up the mountain in search of the two monasteries. We had heard that two monks lived in one but we found no one home in either. However the view was breathtaking. After our hike we sort of went our separate ways. I had lunch overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and reading my book. Others caught earlier ferries home and some went swimming!

It was a relaxing, small, quaint port and town. It had many stray cats, donkeys used to haul people’s possessions up the hill whether it is someone’s suitcases or groceries. There was a lot of great people watching and boats to see – small fishing boats to large yachts. A real nice relaxing weekend.

Mobile Phone Number

My friends and I were quite pleased with our accomplishment of getting cell phones (and we don't even have our ID tax # yet!!!!

So my number is 011-30-690-903-4463!!!!!!

Observation Tidbits

Since it hardly rains here – the city becomes extremely dry and dusty – I have to wash/scrub my feet every day before going to bed. -
Trash – I just take my trash outside and put it in any dumpster on the road.-
Kiosks – they are everywhere and sell everything a 7-11 or Becker’s sell – drinks – water, soda, juice, beer – gum, snacks, newspapers, candy bars, ice cream novelities, - phone cards, bus tickets- easy and convenient!
Stray dogs and cats – they are everywhere but we have noticed that dogs do have collars – we think they were put on before the Olympics so it looked like they belonged to someone! They don’t!-
Mullets – Am I in the 80s? People dress very 80-ish and oh their hairdos! I have never seen so many mullets in my life – and you know what? They are still ugly!-

Shoes – there are SO many shoe stores – these people love their shoes – however – I don’t know how people walk in the shoes they sell at the store. The sidewalks are uneven, slippery at times (their sidewalks are made of smooth concrete or marble (there is marble everywhere)) Potholes – I just don’t know….

Cars/Drivers - pedestrians have no rights! Cars, motorcycles, mopeds - drive and park whereever they want - They mostly have stick shift cars, they are all talking on their cell phones, drinking their frappes (instant coffee, ice, tons of sugar and sometimes milk) and of course also smoking their cigarettes!!!! Watch out!!!!

Her Story

Wednesday, Sept. 10 - Dwain, Miah, Kate, Lindsay and I went downtown to check out the Central Market – although it was closed we figured out where it was. Then we had dinner at tavernas – a traditional Greek restaurant. Seated beside us was this guy from California and his Greek grandmother. He had overheard us and was inquiring about what we were doing here. His grandmother (who was about 80) said that Athens has really changed. She grew up here and lived here during WWII. She was telling us that she has a story and wanted to tell her grandchildren and have them write it down. She told us part of her story (which was quite a priviledge for her to open up to us and share this depressing time in her life). She had said that when she was young the Germans came into her neighborhood and ordered all the men (young and old) out of the houses. Her brother was forced to go to a plaka and stand in a huge circle facing everyone else. The Germans put masks over their own heads and then demanded to know who was the wealthiest person – people kept pointing to others who had more than them and the wealthiest person(s) were shot in front of everyone. Obviously, this frightened her brother tremendously and this happened for many nights. One night it became so late (and was illegal to be out past a certain time) that her brother was very scared to get back home safely without Patrol catching him. She said a nice young German officer escorted her brother home. With her saddened eyes, she continued to express her concern about how Athens has changed and the people of the city have let the society spin out of control. She was glad to know that Americans wanted to come here and hopes Athens can get a handle on the chaotic society it has become.

My Unfortunate Oven Story

My Greek electrician whom speaks no English communicated with our HR person Niki at school indicating that my oven/stove (which is brand new) is broken. So Monday Niki called the appliance company which told us to telephone the manufacturer of the stove, who told us we had to wait 5-6 days until a representative could come out to my place to evaluate the situation. However, yesterday (Tues) I was informed that this representative was actually coming Wednesday morning between 8-10am. So here I sit and it’s 9:20 and no person yet. How I am going to communicate with this person – I don’t know? But if he isn’t here by 10 – I got to get to work.

...... Now it is Saturday and I STILL don't have an oven/stove that works. Haven't heard from anyone! Starting week 4 of eating out! At least when you come and visit I will have all the great places to take you :)

First Day of School

Today was my first day of school. As of yesterday I had 23 students, this morning 25. 25..... I don't know where to put them. 12 girls, 13 boys. Plus it was a girl's birthday today - the day was chaotic!

The Greek way to call on the student is "Miss" "Miss" (This Miss is for teachers who are Mrs. or Ms.) All day long "miss, miss, miss"

I am hoping that when the structure day begins life will be better - but I am not counting my stars! Again photos soon....

Most of my students are Greek natives, some from Asia and handful from US. Some hardly know English too. Many new challenges - I will keep you posted. I know I will sleep well tonight.

"Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average." ~ Jim Rohn

"Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore!"

Hi friends,



Okay, where do I begin? First of all, I haven't updated it lately because I still don't have internet or phone and so learning my way around my new neighborhood it has taken me so long to find a place. But I have found this internet cafe which is filled with these middle/high school boys playing video games and smoking cigarettes.

Okay, the appliances and IKEA furniture arrived on Saturday (it's Sept. 4 today). I haven't figured out how to hook up the wash machine or oven yet. I had someone at my place today who didn't speak a word of English but I did understand "Problemo" - basically I could figure out that the wires coming out of the wall to attach the stove won't reach the stove wires and I don't know what the problem is for wash machine. I think he is coming back tomorrow but really I have no idea!

Everyone smokes everywhere - but I did hear Greece will be smoke-free in public places by 2010.

Someone asked me if I could possibly ride a bike to school - yes if I wanted to kill myself! Here you have to look left and right like 8 times when you cross the road. Even if the road is one way - there are no rules for cars. They drive everywhere, in any direction and park everywhere. The sidewalks are narrow, uneven and you have to watch out for poop!

Talking about poop - all toilet paper has to go in the trash - none in the toilets. A hard routine to break. Luckily I have two bathrooms!

There are all these changes but really its all right. When things don't go the way we think they should we just say "It's the Greek way!"