Last Week in April

Thought I would just share some of my anecdotes with you so maybe you can see into my world over here in Greece.

Sunday - did nothing and kept all the doors/windows shut because my allergies were so bad.

Monday - regular work day - Lebanese dinner at friends' place

Tuesday - work - listened to a discussion from security personnel from the American Embassy on home safety and internet safety. I learned a lot (even though it was geared for the students). There is a number I can call if I have any problem which goes right to the American Embassy and/or an officier on duty. Wow - this information would have been great to give us when we first arrived here in 2008!
It was interesting/odd to continue the conversation/discussion with my students about the safety/security of Facebook - my students are only 9/10 years old! I would say about a quarter of them tell me they have a Facebook account.

Wednesday - work - attended an interesting meeting by the head of my school - unfortunately I don't think it is public knowledge of the direction he wants the school to go towards in the next 5 years of his new contract. So I better not say anything yet..... Kate, Miah and I had crepes with Miah's parents - they are in town for a week on their way to US from Ethopia. It was good to see her mom again and finally meet her dad.

Thursday - work - attend cardio class aka boot camp! Kate and I really like this instructor as she is cheerful and energetic and participates with us - which is important as we have to watch the instructor since we don't understand what they tell us to do. However, Marina (the instructor) yells at us and pushes us with a smile on her face. I hate it and love it at the same time!

Friday - started this morning at Cosemote (my ON-the-Go internet company) to complain that my internet stick isn't strong enough to let me IM on Skype. He was surprised I had had it for 1.5 years! He suggested I get wireless internet and I thought that was a good idea. Though I didn't have my Passport on me so couldn't do it right then. work - oh Fridays are a long day..... have my students from 9-12.30 straight and the shadow teacher (who helps a student in my class - and helps me) was away. Anyway got through the day, barely!

After work, get all my errands done because tomorrow is Labor Day - no work/stores open. Went back to Cosemote, internet place, and signed up to have high speed internet at home - though we will see how long this takes to get up and running. I will be saving money on internet and will be faster yeah!

Every morning while I am walking down the hill to work I pass this man walking up the hill with his son or grandson - the adults always seem to carry the kids bags. There is an elementary school just a block down from me. I have been seeing this man every day since I moved here and only just this year we finally greet each other with a Kalamera -Good Morning in Greek. He owns a store at the bottom of the hill - beside Cosemote. So yesterday evening I finally went into his store and he chatting with me in Greek - so like I say to most "sorry I don't speak Greek!" thankfully he spoke English - he said b/c I said good morning to him in Greek he thought I spoke Greek! Anyway we had a nice long conversation but how it was 40 years ago in Agia Paraskevi (the neighborhood I live in). The boy he walks up with to school is his son (he looks like his grandfather not father). This man, Jerry, did live in the USA for 20 years while he worked on boats on the east coast, mostly in the canals. This is all I understood....

Saturday - apartment clean up, go into work and work in my classroom, over to a friend's house for real hot dogs and real hot dog buns - it's the little things!

Can't believe it is May already......