First Impressions of Life in Athens

Hey guys-

As my first week in Athens draws to a close, I feel the need to reflect, and post a few thoughts about my first impressions of what life is like for me here.

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Living in Athens

CYA places students in two different neighborhoods here in Athens: Kolonaki & Pangrati. Both neighborhoods have positives and negatives, so I guess they basically equal out. My apartment is in Pangrati, which is the area nearest to the academic center (it is only about a 7 minute walk to the academic center from my apartment), and is also a little less expensive than the other neighborhood. That being said, it is also a little less nice, and there is not as much variety in activities, stores, etc. as there is in Kolonaki.

My apartment itself is pretty nice; I can honestly say I really lucked out with the whole living situation. I have 5 apartment-mates, but we each have our own room. And the rooms are large and very spacious. And each room has a balcony that can be accessed through French doors. (I love to open up my doors and let the air and light in, especially in the afternoon. So I’ve decided whenever I have a house someday, this is going to be a necessity.) The only downside to how big and open our apartment is, is the noise. You can hear anything and everything everyone else is doing—at all times. There is virtually no insulation, and as the ceilings are high and the floors hardwood, sound just carries. And because we like in Pangrati, (the busier area of Athens), the noise of traffic is sometimes annoying, especially when napping in the afternoon for siesta. But typically, the noise of the traffic doesn’t bother me, (I’ve lived in some pretty loud places before…)

There are 2 bathrooms, but only one has a shower. The downside: we have to hold the shower head because it doesn’t hang on the wall. It is a lot like taking a shower with a hose—haha. The up side: we have hot water, and don’t need to turn on a hot water heater whenever we want to use it. (Which most CYA students DO have to do.)

We also have a kitchen and a huge storage room. The downside: we don’t really have any kind of communal living space (no living room). So hanging out together in our apartment is not that easy, if you want a place to sit.

But another few major ups: we have gas heat. Thus, (as I said) we do not have to turn on the hot water heater each time we want to use the shower, (and I have yet to run out of hot water while bathing), and our heat is always on, and we can be control our own thermostat. (Which is not the case for the majority of students in CYA apartments.)

Also, we are VERY lucky to be able to have internet access in out apartment. While the signal is very weak and usually goes in and out, we at least get it enough to make keeping in touch with home much easier for me. (Again, this is not the case with most student apartments! In fact, I have yet to meet another student who does have internet access in their home.) Although, I am pretty irritated with the fact that, even with internet access, I can’t really keep up with the shows I watch back home (mainly Grey’s Anatomy), because the episode player on abc.com doesn’t work in foreign countries. So, I have to buy the episodes I want to watch from itunes!
Another down side to living in Athens= laundry. There are virtually zero laundromats here, and while the academic center has laundry facilities (free of charge) available, it takes 1.5 hours to wash, and practically 3+ hours to dry. Because of this, most people just hand wash all their cloths, and let them dry on the balcony. (I have yet to do this yet—I haven’t run out of cloths yet. But I will have to within the week, so I’ll post more on that when the time comes!)
So all in all, there are pros and cons to my living situation. But I feel pretty lucky with how things turned out for me in that department.

The neighborhood itself is pretty cool, but there are a lot of differences I will have to get used to between Greek and American culture. First of all, finding out where to get what while shopping was a bit of a challenge (especially when I don’t speak ANY Greek yet, and apparently, a lot less people speak English than they lead you to believe in the information sessions!). There is one “supermarket” near my apartment, where you can buy things that are packaged (like cereal, pasta, cleaning supplies, shampoo, etc.) But if you want fruit or vegetables, you have to go to a separate store for that. And for meat, there is also a separate store. For bread, a bakery. But it really isn’t inconvenient at all, as all of these things are located in the same general area, and luckily for me, I have to practically walk past them to get home. So it is very nice to be able to just stop at the bakery to get bread for dinner, instead of having to drive to the Giant (or Ralph’s, for you Californians), when you need something. Whatever I need, I can just stop to pick it up. Although, in Greece they still honor the siesta and Sundays as a day of rest. So store hours are generally unpredictable and rather inconsistent, and nothing is open on Sundays.

The bakeries in particular are pretty great here in Athens. I actually pass about three different bakeries on my way home from school, and each one is filled with rows and rows of delicious looking desserts. Every shelf in the bakery is literally filled to the brim with all kinds of different pastries, cakes, chocolates, etc. So I have decided that I will allow myself to try one new dessert every week from the shop on my corner. That way, I’ll get a good survey of Greek desserts, but not gain 50 pounds. Because while the food is very good here (gyros, pastries, galore…and everything comes with a chuck of feta cheese!), I made a resolution to be healthier this year, so I have to try and show some restraint (although it is very difficult, especially when walking home from evening classes before I’ve had dinner!) For example, in Athens, you can get an amazing gyro ( which also comes with these things that look and taste a lot like fresh fries), for 1.80 euros. So, it is very tempting to grab one when you are hungry or in a hurry (because they are so cheap, and so good!)

Also, another fun fact about Athens that I was kind of intrigued by is the number of stray animals…everywhere! These strays live comfortably on the streets—and I have to say that if I were a dog, I would want to be a stray in Athens. I always wondered how it was possible for the tramp in the Disney movie Lady & the Tramp to always look so happy with his life as a nomad, and as a child I always thought to myself—that is so unrealistic. But really, it’s not. The dogs here enjoy a life of freedom and excitement. And it is not at all like the “hard life on the streets” you would think it would be. People in the neighborhoods feed the dogs and cats that roam the streets by leaving food out for them, so they don’t go hungry. And the mild Mediterranean weather allows them to sleep wherever they like at night without freezing, and also allows them to enjoy a lazy afternoon nap in the sunshine at will. They can go wherever they want, do whatever they want, and chase as many stray cats and they want (without getting yelled at to “be nice to the cat!”) And best of all (for them)=no baths! It is such an accepted aspect of Greek culture that they actually have an organization that catches the dogs, treats them if they are sick or hurt, gives them all their shots & fixes them, and then turns them loose, with a collar and tags. Thus, they register their strays!

And they love humans. They follow us around everywhere, and are actually very protective. They are known to follow women around, especially the students. There are about 3 or 4 dogs that regularly hang out at the academic center, waiting for women to come out and walk home, so they can follow them. It’s like they are your personal police escort service. For instance, one time we took a group trip to a taverna (which is a restaurant/bar where Greeks go to eat, drink and be merry!) and because it was dark, we has 2 dog escorts, who walked with us all the way to the taverna, then waited outside while we ate and had fun, and then walked us home again when we were finished. It was so funny! I don’t ever feel unsafe here in Athens, (in fact, Athens has actually been named one of the safest European cities because it has such a low crime rate, and an even lower crime rate against foreigners), but if it were more dangerous, I would feel a lot better knowing the dogs were there.

And that is all I really know about the city so far. I’m waiting until my Greek gets a little better to venture further out, and start using things like the metro and buses. But for now, I can only explore as far as I can walk (as I will not get into another Greek taxi unless I have absolutely no other option…ever again. Haha) My first impression of Greek culture is this: very loud and very friendly, and I can’t wait to experience more of this interesting and vibrant culture. (I am actually thinking about signing up for Greek cooking lesions, and Greek dancing lessons! So that should be fun!)

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Studying

The academic center where I have my classes is very nice also. From the center, we have a great view of the Acropolis. And the building itself is actually right next to a huge stadium, which is pretty scenic. There are a lot of things about this program that are pretty irritating though. For example, for one of my classes, I don’t have any of the required books. Apparently they didn’t have enough for the number of students they admitted to the program this year, so they just gave us on set of books per apartment. It hasn’t been a problem yet, but I anticipate troubles in the future—especially when we start traveling on weekends more often. Also, they charge us to print here. (A rather hefty fee- .10 euros per page!) And they have a VERY strict attendance policy. Even missing one class can cause a grade deduction, and attendance on all class trips (which occur on the weekends), are absolutely mandatory. I think that is pretty harsh for a study aboard program (which are usually very lax in both academic rigor and attendance policies, due to the fact that students want to travel and explore). But here at CYA, academics are the first priority.

But as far as my classes go, I am pretty excited! Here is a run down of what I am taking:

Ancient Greek Mythology & Religion:
This class seems like it will be very interesting, although I heard from other students that the class is very challenging. From looking at the syllabus, it seems that I have covered a lot of the content we will be talking about, but one of the things I love so much about mythology, religion and folklore in general, is no two classes are ever the same. Mythology is such a fluid process, that it will be really cool to be able to take it with a new teacher, who will offer new a perspective & alternative interpretations, and point out different ideas and aspects of the myths I’ve already studied before. That is what I love about this subject: there are so many different ways to explore and interact with the mythological process. And this is one thing that continually amazes and fascinates me about mythology and folklore in general—it doesn’t follow the “logical” linear formula the written words we use today do. As an oral tradition, every story was adapted to the specific people and places who used different variations of the same myths for different purposes…some things remain the same, some parts change, some are emphasized and some selectively ignored— depending on their purpose and intentions. But the core has still survived through the ages. And although Greeks are now largely a Christian population, they still honor the gods of their ancestors in strange ways. (Ex: As a tourist in any of the archeological sites like the Acropolis, you can’t put you head on the top of a headless statue and take a picture, as this is offensive to the gods.) So the way myths have shaped this culture, (and even continue to influence it today) is very in interesting to me.

If I had unlimited time and unlimited resources, I would love to pursue my phD in Mythology. There is one program at the Pacifica Graduate Institute that enables you to study for 3 years to get your masters, and then all you need to do is write your dissertation to get your phD (both in Mythological Studies). The program curriculum, the classes I would be able to take, and the things I would be able to learn about are just right up my alley. The program combines the study of mythology and folklore from all different cultures and religions, and ties subjects such as religion, philosophy and psychology into the way we analyze myths and culture. So, for a nerdy girl like me, it would fascinate me to be able to learn about it all. And I would just LOVE to be a professor some day. That would be like a dream job to me, I think.

Modern Greek Language:
This class is, in a word: torture! First of all, they have a different teaching approach here, which is not at all like the way they the foreign language in the states. For example, they do not give us vocab lists, or teach us how to conjugate verbs. Instead, the text book is completely written in Greek (which is even more difficult because even the letters are different), with absolutely zero English anywhere. And my teacher does not even tell us what the words mean. So, while I can now read Greek with the greatest of ease, I cannot understand any of it, because I don’t know what the words mean! And instead of teaching us a verb and then how to conjugate it, they teach us phrases. For example, they will teach us how to say “you dance” and “I dance,” but never teach us what the verb “to dance” is and how to conjugate it with different pronouns. It is extremely frustrating for me, and the teacher is no help. I went to her to try and talk to her about my concerns or get some extra help, and she treated me lie I was an idiot and completely blew me off. I actually dread even going to class. So, after 2 days of that class, I went to the academic center and got my section changed (to get a different teacher.) I have my first class with the new teacher today, and all I can say is I hope it goes better than the last one!

Monuments of Greece:
In this class, we will be taking a lot of field trips to hold class in places like the Acropolis, Agora, and the National Archeological Museum. But as for the actual in class stuff, I anticipate it will be pretty dry, (if our first class and the readings I have completed are any kind of sign.) But the teacher seems very nice, and he has a dry, but endearing sense of humor. (To Vera and Maya- He reminds me a lot of our Love & Attachment professor at USC, without all the f*ck’s and inappropriate sexual remarks! But he tells stories and goes off on tangents in a much similar way. He even kind of looks like him!) So while the content may be a little boring, I think I will really like this class!

Environment of Greece:
This class looks like it is going to be really fun! While I think (again) that the actual time we spend in the classroom will be pretty dry, we actually only spend about half of the classes indoors! We get to constantly take trips and little excursions to really experience the wildlife of Greece, and I am really excited about that! Also, academically speaking, I don’t think it will be too difficult. There is only one test (a midterm—which the professors claim is super easy), and instead of a final, we have a final project, which we can choose what we do. And example of a project might be, doing a photo project on the different kinds of flora and fauna found in the National Gardens. So, we will have to come up with our own ideas to create something along those lines, which that should be really fun! So I am pretty excited about this class! (Not to mention that the teachers—yes there are two—are very nice, and totally adorable! Very nerdy, but sweet, hilarious, and really passionate about the subject! So it will be really fun getting going on adventures with them and getting to know them better.)

Attic Tragedy:
This class is basically about all aspects of Ancient Greek theater, and we will be reading several of the actual Greek Tragedies themselves. The professor said everything is going to go super fast in the beginning, with a lot of reading (as we cover 9 different tragedies in a matter of weeks), but the entire second half of the semester is spent preparing our own production of a Greek tragedy; and the last thing we have to do for the class, (in lieu of a final exam), is perform our own tragedy on stage in front of the entire staff and student body at CYA. So I really think I will enjoy this class. I have read a few of the tragedies before (like Medea, the Bacchae, etc.), but I am really excited that we are actually going to put on our own production! Because Greek theater was meant to be experienced, not read. And it is still a vital part of their culture—even now in modern times, the ancient Greek tragedies are still being performed frequently. So this will be a very hands-on approach to the study of a time-honored aspect of Ancient (and modern) Greek culture.

So as you can see, I am pretty excited about practically all my classes here at CYA! It is just such a cool curriculum, and they really take education as an experience to the extreme. (Which is great, in my opinion!)

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Traveling

I also wanted to take this time to talk a little about my travel plans for my semester abroad (and I know some of you who are reading *coughGrandmacough* are a little concerned. When I first decided to come here, I was really excited about the possibility of traveling to all kinds of countries in Europe. I wanted to see so many things, and planned on traveling to as many different places as possible. But every single person we talked to who completed this program before said they wished they would have taken more time to really explore Greece, instead of spending so much time and money traveling to other countries. And after having had each class only once, I believe them, and think I will try to concentrate on really delving deep into Greece itself. I have my whole life to travel around to any place I want to go (not to mention the strict attendance policy which would only allow me to have Friday through Sunday in whatever country I want to travel to.) There are just so many places to see in Greece itself that I feel I need to take this opportunity to really get to know it.

Besides that, it is actually a lot more expensive than I thought it would be to travel out of Greece (as it is really not that close to most places in the EU, and the only way to get anywhere is to fly.) Of course, I do want to go to a few places that are a little closer. Like I really want to go to places like Rome, anywhere in Spain, Prague and Amsterdam, because these places are closest to Greece and thus, will be cheaper to get to and easier to visit for just a 3 day trip. The exceptions to this will be spring break, when Sean comes to see me, and I also have to take my praxis exams, which are not held in Greece. The closest tests are Italy, Turkey and Germany, so I guess I will be taking a trip to one of those places in March whether I like it or not. And we have one or two 4 day holidays that I may be able to go a little further. But really, Greece is rather disconnected from the rest of Europe, and it is not easy (or cheap) to get around sometimes, and requires more time than just a weekend (which is all I have due to the intense attendance policy at my school). And like I said, there is so much to do and see in Greece itself, that even if I don’t get to travel outside the country as much as I’d like, I know I can always come back in the future.

So I guess that's it for now!

-Summer Rose