"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!"