And now, for something completely different

Greece!

Where Geneva was a clean, quiet, small city filled with friendly, but reserved people, Athens is a loud, dirty, sprawling boisterous city filled with outgoing people.

The city is made up of the same small alley ways as any other in Europe, but it has hills like San Fransico.  And everyone drives very, very fast.  You never heard honking in Gevena, but here it is as natural as New York.  But the drivers are not mean.  If they see you, they will stop.  Which they mostly do.

Though most of the road signs are in English and Greek, there seem to be fewer English speakers here. The lady who owns the apartments that we are in is very nice, but we had several serious communication problems.  When I asked if everyone had moved it (we had to do two by two), I got directions to a grocery store.  Helpful, but irrelevant.  But she was trying SO hard.

Ok, I guess I should be more methodical about describing my day.  We got up and packed up, learned the history of the John Knox center (where we were staying) said goodbye to Delf and Gabriel, (friends of the Hodels from Germany who were traveling with us), got on a bus, and went to the airport.  After hitting a minor snag of not finding our flight reservations, we got our boarding passes, and ate lunch.  We got on the plane, flew 2 hrs, and got a second lunch on the plane.  We got off, drove to the student center of the University were we are taking classes, and was treated to a third lunch, along with some information, and a long rambling about eastern philosophies of life.  We got to our apartments around 6:30, and headed to dinner around 8.  After roaming the town for a while, we found a cute little restaurant, where one guy spoke English, and we got a meal.  We then stopped at a grocery store, where the cashier thought I was French.  I guess this is what happens after being in Geneva for a week.

I am doing awful at remembering Greek words.  I have trouble remembering simple things like thank you and please.  But I am not the only one.  David is having just as hard of a time too.  But Lisa and Cassie, who have been here before, are always there to remind us.  Maybe by the last day we will have it down.

Tomorrow we start class.  That will be interesting

Until next time

Andrea