Heaven!

Hello from Greece!

We spent our first weekend, in what seems like a long time, here in Athens! We celebrated the 20th Birthday of Caitie and the 22nd Birthday of Ron! I think its safe to say that we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

On Sunday we were lucky enough to go to a FREE concert in the Olympic Stadium. Thousands of people showed up, to watch Kaiser Chiefs and R.E.M. It was absolutely amazing. A few of us were even lucky enough to squeeze out front for a perfect view!

Time is definitely flying by here. I feel like I have known all of the people in the group forever. We are definitely all comfortable with each other. I am sure that slowly we are all becoming aware of each others flaws. Besides that, I am surprised that such a weird group of people get along so well! We are all so different!! Amazing!!

Today Leanne and I discovered something exciting. Leanne had a brilliant idea of taking pictures of the million “420” graffiti everywhere, and then turning it into an art project. So, we have been wandering aimlessly again, yet this time with some sort of a purpose! To find, and take pictures of all of the 420’s in sight! We have some motivation to explore again!

And, today on our explorations we were rewarded greatly! Because, we found a Natural Foods store. Complete with VEGGY BURGERS AND OTHER TOFU PRODUCTS!

A vegetarian in Greece’s heaven! Hallelujah!!!

I have been in Athens for a little over a month now, and I still haven't touched Michael Stipe. Aside from coming into physical contact with major celebrities, I have at least one other goal. I'm trying to learn as much Greek as possible. My major linguistic learning centers have been eateries: bakeries and, of course, Stavros'. Almost everyone here speaks a little English, enough to order a Greek salad or an Amstel, but that does not make for a good learning environment. Typically my cover is blown: I am American. Maybe it's the unkempt hair or the lackadaisical manner of dress or the pink sunglasses, but I usually end up with a "yes?" or a "hello." The absolute worst is when I still try to throw some Greek at them and get English back, but this phenomenon seems restricted to major tourist centers, where it is simply quicker and easier not to bother. 

If I can't get my point across, or if I'm asked an unfamiliar question, a catalavenate aglika (do you understand English?) is met with a "yes," and the matter is resolved. A couple of days ago, at a new-found bakery in the back of our neighborhood, Pangrati, my abilities were put to the test as my catalavenate... was met with a then catalaveno---I do not understand English. This was the first such response I had gotten: you don't understand English? Excellent! (This is generally a good sign) But how am I supposed to figure out what is inside that delicious looking pastry? So I mumble and point and shrug my shoulders. 

"Patata." (Educated guess: potato)

Okay, but in any food order there is one crucial question about which Ron and Dom are both familiar: 

Ohi kreas? I ask. (No meat?)

Ohi, I hear, followed by words too fast to catch and some smiles. I think this woman is wondering why I wanted to try English to begin with. I hear cala which means good or well. I'll just pretend she said I speak Greek well. I pay, proudly, and walk off with my delicious (thavmasio) potato (patata) pie (pita). 

Oh, and the most important Greek phrase I have learned so far: ena duplio espresso sketo,  parakalo (one double espresso no sugar, please).

I still can’t believe I’m in Greece. I can’t believe I’m in Greece at a free R.E.M concert. I can’t believe I’m in Greece, at an R.E.M concert, and in the front row. These thoughts repeatedly crossed my mind after I had made my way through the sea of people, dodged many elbows, and been pushed and pulled through the crowd until I was as far forward as I was going to get without being on the other side of the barricade myself. This prime location didn’t come without making some sacrifices, which meant I would subject myself to being squashed against other humans for the next hour and a half while we all joined together to sing and groove along with Michal Stipe.

Although this concert was the highlight of my weekend, two other kids from our group had reasons for this being a great weekend in Athens. On Thursday we celebrated Caitie’s 20th birthday, and the very next day we celebrated Ron’s 22nd. We took Caitie out for a night of fun and dancing at some local bars and clubs and the next night Ron’s birthday was celebrated at one of Athens’s classiest establishments. I have to admit I’m surprised we all made it to class this morning considering the toll this weekend must have taken on everyone’s liver and ability to function off of very little sleep. However, these are small prices to pay when the memories and fun to be had far exceeded this.

As R.E.M took their final bows and I made my way back through the crowd which I had hours earlier fought my way through, I felt reluctant to leave but immensely satisfied with the show that they performed. I never would have guessed that I would see one of my favorite groups up close in a foreign country. The night came to a close as a group of us made our way to our favorite taverna in order to rest our feet and satiate our hunger. Although it was a Sunday night and well after midnight, we knew we could count on Stavros to be open and greet us with the usual smiles and whatever delicious food was still left. As I looked around the table I noticed everyone’s tired faces and unusual lack of energy, and I knew this was the result of a great weekend.

Oh, and did I mention I got to touch Michael Stipe?

Birthday Festivities!

Birthday Gellato!!


This was one of the most entertaining weekends I have had here in Athens since we first moved in on Sina Street. Without any effort on my part to make sure that I had a great birthday weekend, everyone came together and made it absolutely incredible. The girls on Sina Street surprised me at exactly midnight of when my birthday began on October 2nd, with a gelato and a candle, singing me happy birthday! From that moment onward I knew this weekend was going to be great!

A group of us went searching for a tattoo place just to get estimates on certain ideas we had for what we wanted. When we got to the House of Tattoos a man greeted us with a thick Greek accent, eager to see what we had for ideas. The man was so excited and told me that he had only given one other American a tattoo. The picture I showed him was of the Greek Key meaning eternal life. The man began to say that he was so happy to see that I had wanted a tattoo of that because the key is a symbol of the Greek culture and what they live by and the fact that I, who am not Greek, come into their culture and accept what they stand by enough to get that symbol on my body forever.

Meanwhile at home the girls were scurrying around the house decorating the place with balloons and happy birthday signs all over the place. I walk into the apartment and everyone starts to yell surprise and put on the classic “It’s your birthday” by 50 cent. Then we all got ready for the evening to come.

Around 7pm everyone from the other apartment came over where we all enjoyed a chocolate covered vanilla cake with little chocolate pieces mixed into the vanilla. After cake was done we went out to one of my favorite pubs called James Joyce which is an Irish pub filled with loud music and a comfortable atmosphere. After James Joyce we all went dancing for a few hours and then finally came home where I unfortunately popped my knee and ended the night in tears. Despite the knee popping, which everyone in the house knew exactly what to do in order to help me out..props to the Sina girls, I had one of the funnest birthdays so far.

The weekend consisted or birthday celebrations for myself and Ron, and ended with an amazing night in the Olympic Stadium where MTV held its premier of MTV Greece by having a concert with R.E.M. for free. The concert was filled with thousands of people jumping, pushing, yelling, and singing all throughout the night. Thanks to everyone for making this weekend something I will never forget!!

1896 Stadium Gone 2007

If you were to walk out of the front door of our apartment building and take a left, walk about three blocks down and then look to your left you would see the Panathenaic Stadium.  This stadium is incredible for a number of reasons.  It was home to the 1896 summer Olympic games, and before that Panathenaic Games which were ancient games that were held in Athens.  Over the course of its existence the stadium has undergone numerous renovations, and is currently one of the only stadiums on the globe composed entirely of white marble.

            Walking by this stadium every day while taking in its beauty and meaning should be enough, but last night it became even more incredible.  R.E.M., The Kaiser Chiefs, and two other Greek bands but on a free show inside.  I have never been inside of it so having the first time be for an R.E.M. show was really awesome.  This event was the conclusion of R.E.M.’s Athens, Georgia. To Athens, Greece tour and celebrated the opening day of MTV, GR (MTV Greece). 

            The show was incredible as all four bands rocked out in front of a full stadium.  R.E.M. was the anchor band playing a set-list that lasted for over an hour and a half.  This was an incredible ending to a spectacular weekend back in Athens.

What a weekend!

10/05/08
Birthday Parties and Excellent Music
This past weekend was probably one of the best and craziest weekends I have ever had. First off, it was both my birthday and Caitie’s. Hers was on Thursday and mine was on Friday, so Thursday night we went the Irish Pub, The James Joyce. It was great time and we met a bunch of cool people there and had a few pints. The next day it was my turn and the party just did not stop until about 5am when we got back. I just want to thank everyone for making it a fun time on my birthday. It was fun to see everyone getting all dressed up for both of the birthdays.
Saturday was more of a relaxing day until about 8pm when it was decided to have a small get together at my apartment for some cards and music. Even with all the people around and cards and music it was still a relaxing night compared to the two nights prior. That night ended around 3am and we went to bed with the anticipation for the next day.
The morning came and Shane, Ry, and I planned to make a big breakfast for those who were interested. Ry made the eggs to order with the help of Myste. Shane made southern gravy that went with some bread. And I made a load of home fries. It was the best breakfast I have had while in Greece, mainly because they are not that big on breakfast here. After we ate all the food, a few of us just passed out for a good hour or so.
When we woke up we got ready for the grand finale of such an amazing weekend. REM and the Kaiser Chiefs were putting on a free show at the Olympic Stadium, which is a quarter of a mile down the road from my apartment. It was an amazing show and let me just say, you have not seen anything until you see the Kaiser Chiefs play “I predict a riot” live while the singer climbs up the poll of the stage. Also, REM is amazing and rocking out to them in the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece is a hard thing to match. Fabulous weekend, and thanks to all that made it that way.

Buses, Trains, Boats, and Taxis: More Than Just Transportation

We have just returned from our amazing trip through some of the Greek Islands.  We visited five islands in 10 days: Paros, Delos, Mykanos, Santorini, and Crete.  These are all outrageously beautiful places that were impossible to completely take in only 10 days time.  Because of this many of us altered our normal daily schedules and used the nights as extra time to explore and absorb the places that surrounded us.  This is where public transportation comes in.  The sleep that was nonexistent at night was made up for on the buses, trains, boats, and taxis that transported us from one fabulous place to the next.  I-pods became noise reducers and each other’s shoulders became pillows as we traveled through our island adventure.  The rock of a fairy or the squeal of the breaks on our bus as it looped around cliffside, hairpin corners acted as our lullabies as our sleep-deprived bodies drifted into their much needed sleep sessions.

            When we were caught up on sleep, though, our public transports left us, at the very least, entertained.  The fairies were filled with people of seemingly every different language, backgammon players, and annoying barking dogs.  The buses felt like roller coasters as they swayed and teetered over cliffs and narrow roads.  On trams, you get very close to the local Greeks as they are pushed and shoved into you in an effort to fit everyone onboard.  Taxis are frightening; they run red lights and go the wrong way up one-way streets as the drivers holler into their cell phones as they rocket you to your destination.

            A good description of public transportation from the perspective of a foreign student in Greece would be that it is a very convenient and necessary adventure.

             

Island hopping part II

Well we are back at Sina now, but before we came home from our extended island hopping adventure we went to Crete. Crete was something of a let down, especially after reading Zorba the Greek. I was expecting it to be much different, more rural or something I guess. Crete was fun none the less. We spent two nights on the island, and I have no idea what either city was called but they were two of the biggest ones on the island. We went to the Palace of Knossos which was really cool and really disappointing all at the same time. It was very cool because many of the building had frescoes in them and were in fairly good condition so you could walk through chambers and hall ways and things like that but at the same time it was disappointing because a good portion of what we were seeing had been rebuilt or were replicas of the real thing.
After we went to the Palace we went back to the city we were staying in and went to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and saw some of the artifacts that they found at the Palace of Knossos. Some of the things that were at the museum were things that I had seen on postcards so it was cool to see them up close. Many of the artifacts are much smaller than I thought they would be.
After the museum we took a bus to another city where we spent the night in a youth hostel. I spent the night wandering around with Leslie, Kayla, Myste and Ry. We went shopping and that was about it. I had a gyro for the first time and I really liked it. I did not think that I would so I was glad that I did. I was disappointed that we did not get more time to spend on Crete because it was an interesting island.
Now we are back in Athens and the only big thing that has gone on here is we started classes with our Greek professor Ioanna. She took us to the Benaki Museum for our first class which had alot of amazing exhibits. My favorite ones were the different Greek clothing from different periods and places. The clothes were very bright and colorful and ornate. The Benaki Museum was different from the other museums that we have visited thus far because it held more artifacts and a greater variety of artifacts. We saw Bouboulina's telescope and a santuri and if you do not know what these things are you will have to look them up because they are from Zorba and Zorba does not fully explain what they are either so it was a good thing we went to the museum.
P.S. Happy Birthday Catie and Ron

"It is better to destroy, than to create something that is meaningless."

During the past month here in Greece, I have had the opportunity to complete several pieces of art. This has become a crucial part of my stay here. As a fine arts major, it’s always important to continue practicing sketching, but here I have an advantage that I have never before have. Here, surrounded by new sights and a different culture, I am able to be inspired in ways unique from my artistic experiences at home. Also, I find significance in documenting the sights that I see from my own perspective. Drawing these sights allows me to observe, analyze, and study each angle, curve, and mood of a sight. I am able to make my observations concrete by solidifying them on a piece of paper, while improving my skills through practice.

The first piece I completed while here was done in the National Gardens. The Gardens have provided me which much inspiration, as I feel a sense of peace and serenity amongst the trees. Sitting by a pond, under the shade of the wide leaves of a giant tree, I sketched a nearby tree, which overlooked the same pond:

National Gardens, 9x11”, pastel

I enjoy this piece because I was able to capture a sense of realism, even though I allowed expressionism to dominate. This was created during our second week here. Now, when I look upon it, I can still feel how I did as I sat beneath its neighboring tree: calm, showered in the sunlight that sparkled through the leaves, soothed by the nearby water.

Next, I decided to sketch another tree in the National Gardens. Although I began this one almost a week later, I feel that I captured a similar mood and used the same stylized, exaggerated techniques. For this piece, I realized that larger paper was necessary, as I found it difficult to include details on the smaller paper that I used on the previous piece, especially when dealing with pastels. Therefore, I took an adventure to an art store. This piece, I sketched lightly at the Gardens, but finished in the apartment a week later, which contributed to the dominance of the expressionism:

The Phantom Tree, pastel

I began my next piece during our visit to Aegina Island. I found it difficult to travel with my supplies, and had to leave behind my large paper, but I soon found it worthwhile to deal with the inconvenience. Almost immediately upon our arrival, I sat on the wharf at the resort and sketched a mountainous island that was visible in the distance. I regret not having my large paper, for I feel that the piece would have been more successful had I had a larger surface to work with. I also see this piece as unsuccessful because I don’t feel that the island captures the sight I was viewing or the emotions that the site powered inside me. My landscape does not do the scene justice; I’m unsure if this should be blamed on my lack of time (I decided to hit the bar soon after I began this one), the wear and smudging the piece suffered during my travels, or simply my lack of motivation. I do, however, feel that I depicted the Aegean Sea fairly well. I can almost feel the waves approaching my feet, as they did while I sat on that dwarf. I plan to work with this one a lot more before calling it complete:

Aegean Sea, 9x11”, pastel

While sitting on the ferry to Santorini, I became inspired to sketch a new type of work: a portrait. My friend Dom was sitting next to me, reading. As I looked at her, I became captivated by her calm and deeply-concentrated demeanor. I then began studying her. I was able to complete the majority of this piece during our last hour on the ferry, and then finished it later on the island. Learning from my troubles that I had transporting a pastel piece on Aegina Island, I decided to use graphite. I find this one successful because it’s fairly anatomically correct and I again return to the serene mood while viewing it; I feel as if I’m sitting next to her again, observing her, the wind on my back, the water splashing beside the boat:

Portrait of Dom, 9x11”, graphite

Finally, I sketched my favorite piece. This was completed in the village of Oia on Santorini. The dome in the background is the most photographed site in Greece. I was sitting on a balcony overlooking it, eating dinner and chatting with a friend. Although it is incomplete is this picture, this is my favorite sketch because I get a strong sense of my placement and relationship to the dome. It is, however, still a work in progress. I enjoyed relaxing on the balcony, and because of this sketch, I can always return my mind to that spot:

Oia, 9x11”, graphite

I hope that some of the readers enjoy viewing these pieces as much I enjoyed creating them. I have a long way to go, but by practicing in these foreign lands, I can see myself being inspired in new ways, which improves not only my skills, but my creativity and perceptions. Each day, I try to sketch something, whether it’s a landscape or portrait such as these, or simply a tattoo design or doodle. By the time I return home, I hope to have many pieces to add to my portfolio. I am confident that I will continue to see an improvement with each sketch that I complete. As you can see, this trip has been not only valuable through our courses and excursions, but for my major and my personal growth.

The Sina Scene

It's a typical Wednesday night on Sina St. I sit in the living room working vivaciously on my various reading assignments for various classes. Well, actually I'm coloring in my Batman coloring book while watching 300 on my laptop and convincing myself that it could possibly hold some educational value...maybe...a little bit. Frustrated with my lack of motivation and remembering that tonight is my assigned evening to blog, I roam the house searching for inspiration. I mosey in on Dom, Leannie, and Misty cuddled in bed working on their Greek lessons and sipping on wine. Kaitlyn and Jessi are reading and being productive, or doing a great job of pretending to be. Caitie tells me a tragic story about her knee ALMOST popping out of place today (it was a phase one for those interested) and is yelling at her computer for not cooperating with her wishes to download movies illegally. Lauren can be found in the kitchen chatting with friends from home, her filling laughter heard throughout the apartment. Lastly, I come across Ashley snuggled in bed, listening to music and pretending to be immersed in something outrageously important on her computer when I know for a fact she is playing the Sims and wondering how much longer she can get away with it before anyone finds out.

It's then I realize how comfortable and happy I am with all of these girls. If you had told me a month ago that I would get along with everyone that would be living here in Athens I would have called the men in white coats. We have been forced into this sometimes stressful, a little crazy, always exciting social experiment of sorts and have somehow flourished. Relationships have developed that were never thought possible. Coming into this, the only person I knew was Ashley. Having been attached at the hip for approximately six years, I was going to count on her to deal with me when I'm moofy and no sane and rational person would want to be near me. She was going to count on me to feed her. I couldn’t have guessed that we would have to set up a date last night to get caught up on each others lives.

But, in my opinion, that’s a good thing. In no other environment would I ever be able to have a calm conversation with a boy who was wearing a shirt depicting Ronald Reagan suffering from what appears to be a rather gruesome gunshot wound. Or ever think that I could have anything in common with a Yankees fan, or a girl that drops Euro after Euro on fancy dresses and shoes, or someone who keeps a scruffy teddy bear named Spammy on her bed. It astounds me that behind all these obvious traits, I have more in common with these people than I could have ever realized. I found someone who shares my love for Nutella and isn’t disgusted when I just want a little straight from the jar, someone who can sit on the roof with me and not feel pressured to hold pointless conversation, someone with whom I can sip on Raki on a random grassy knoll and discuss our completely opposing political views, or be able to appreciate the endless stream of various Beatles albums that drift from across the hall all day, and night.

It’s been amazing to see the temples, and sanctuaries, and lounge on the island of Santorini in a blanket of black sand, watching three grown men build a sandcastle, racing against the impending tide. For me, however, it’s the relationships that have flourished and will continue to grow here that I hope last forever. Or at least until someone takes my laundry out when it’s still wet and I stop talking to them, which ever comes first.