Sharp in Greece

Ya sas, another week of this journey is in the books! More breathtaking sites have been visited, too much baklava has been eaten and the memories continue to be made between a group of students all craving to fulfill their wildest fantasies. Hopefully, since my last post you were a little motivated and have begun planning your own trip to Greece. Oh wait, still in mommy’s basement? It’s okay, the history thriving throughout the Old World will be patiently waiting for you. However, by the time you do decide to experience Greece or anywhere in Europe (as I advocate for everyone to do at least once in their lifetime, just as I believe everyone should experience the hood/ghetto as some point in their life. Most significant, the wizardly professors who sit in their ivory towers discussing how to alleviate poverty with what seems a trial and error system , plugging and chugging numbers. When in reality these are the very people who must step out of their classroom, get their hands dirty and experience the life of those very numbers they’re plugging into an equation. This is exactly why I have some serious respect for Muhammad Yunus.) Eurozone members may have already decided to pull the lifeline from Greece. For those who don’t follow the news outside of Fox, Greece is currently and has been for quite some time artificially supported by the IMF, World Bank, and the majority of the Eurozone. As much as we all dread watching our paychecks dwindle at the sake of taxes, years of tax evasion in Greece is the very reason I witness Greek public sector workers protesting against austerity measures such as large salary and public service cuts. As recent as last week there was a transportation strike (metro, tram and bus) for four hours while protests took place.


In countries not constantly battling vicious corruption practices – every country feels these pressures as a result of some higher official’s bad judgment and lack of moral consent, only some much more severe than others – those taxes a person pays actually goes towards paying for public works such as a teacher’s salary, the park your children play at and the services provided by our fine police and firemen rather than the local mayor’s bribery payment for election. But if tax evasion and corruption win, no worries, we will leverage our way to that new playground or hospital.

Wow, now that I have caught my breath from taking an economic side rant, I bet you would like to hear how this past week has went. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning la familia – as I’ve come to call our group of students – finally got a taste of City University as we sat through lectures by Professor Dawn Stevens and Dr. Athanasios Karagounis. Prof. Stevens taught on subjects covering Greek culture and life such as; Greek literature, religion and the impact of globalization to the Greek market. Dr. Karagounis did his best to teach us a thing or two about the evolution of international criminal law in the little time he shared with us. Both days of lecture were only a mere bitter-sweet taste of what’s to come. Bitter because this means orientation/free days of travel are almost over and homework is right around the corner. Sweet because unlike most kids my age, I have an intellectual desire that needs to be fed and the classroom is my kitchen! It has been too long since I was last in a classroom setting (May 20^th). Scratch that, I lived at the Bucks this summer. You’d understand if you lived with a wife who has a master’s degree and her husband who recently “retired” from teaching to begin the exciting climb towards obtaining his masters this fall.
READ A BOOK! (explicit and I apologize but you'll thank me later)
   

Here it is in writing. I take full responsibility for the good time and beautiful sunrise shown to a few of the girls – one of who was celebrating her 21^st birthday, you’re welcome Erin – and two of my roommates. Late Monday night/early Tuesday morning we arrived at the Acropolis with an ihome and a bottle of wine. With class set to begin at 9am we decided to stay the entire night until sunrise. Please keep in mind that these are orientation courses and it is still possible to go without any sleep. However the following may result…

While everyone decided to leave for a power nap before class, I chose to skip sleep and join three Swedish students backpacking throughout Europe with a one night stay in Greece for breakfast at McDonalds. Side note: I have blonde hair and blonde eyebrows. All three of the Sweds had blonde hair with blonde eyebrows. The first time I have ever witnessed this much greatness in one place, so I had to do it right and share breakfast with my fans – since the only reason we share this physical feature is obviously because they’re all fans of yours truly.

Wednesday evening this white boy survived three hours of traditional Greek folk dance lessons. La familia learned various traditional folk dances from all throughout Greece including the choreography from Britney Spear’s Stronger music video! Okay so we didn’t get that lucky but I think the only reason I survived is because most of the dances consisted of doing six steps at a variety of tempos. After six steps my dancing begins to look like something of mix between A Night at the Roxbury and Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. HA! Who am I kidding?! Ladies, I can most definitely keep up with the moves of Usher without even breaking a sweat.

Thursday and Friday, la familia conquered the Holy Meteora that lies in the Greek plain of Thessaly. A monastic city, the Holy Meteora has been home to monks for centuries. We visited five of the seven spiritual arenas suspended between the earth and the sky.

In order to reach the summit where the monasteries seem to be on the brink of tumbling from their perch at any moment, we had to follow trails along the mountainside.One monastery in particular uses a cable line with a steel box to carry people from “safe side” of the mountain, through mid-air, over some mountain goats, treacherously to the other side.

Unfortunately, we didn’t meet the height requirements and couldn’t ride on the Monk Express.  Not to one up our wimpy trek along the mountainside, the monks’ only way to the monastery centuries ago prior to the invention of the Monk Express was inside a net attached to a rope that had to be hoisted up the mountainside by other monks at the top rotating a crank.


Not only do these sources of grace and blessing for all mankind leave you speechless but they also leave you with a sense of spiritual replenishment. I don’t remember the details but a smaller sanctuary’s murals inside one of the monasteries fell victim to a group of communist guerillas several decades ago. As I understand, it was a group of Nazis who didn't believe in Jesus Christ and chose to burn or break away the rock of every face in the sanctuary. No comment.

Saturday night ShowTime!! After only three hours of dance lessons, Aphrodite thought it would be a great idea for la familia to have dinner together at Kalokerinos. Kalokerinos is a well-known tavern located in the Plaka. This was a semi-formal dinner with tables situated all around a stage where we watched the pros do their thing first. Dancers, Singers and musicians took turns entertaining the crowd as dinner was served. Shortly following our first course, the dancers began pointing our way. First one student, two and next thing you know our entire group is on stage! Please take into account that la familia was given only one day of rehearsal before this live performance. I’m sure the audience thought they were witnessing a group of awkward turtles on stage attempting to dance with Greek elegance. Fortunately, the dancing did get better after several times of visiting the stage throughout the night. I even got called up during a random moment of the night where the performers were oddly shattering plates all over the stage. A dancer begins pointing for me to get down on one knee and every thought of what was about to happen begins rushing through my mind. However, before I even had time to think, one plate after another was being shattered over my head! Thank God for a hard head, those plates didn’t stand a chance. The main event was saved for last, a belly dancer. Most of our guys were sitting on the edge of the stage during her performance. Just my luck about ten minutes into her routine she reaches down to take my hand wanting me to join her on stage.


Now, this could've been a dream come true or officially the beginning of my worst nightmare. Belly dancer + Me + Audience = Epic Fail. Luckily, all the other guys were asked to join as well, catastrophe avoided! Overall, the entire night was a success with plenty of good laughter shared making more memories with la familia.

While I go back to searching the web for the cheapest plane ticket around, I hope you do the same and begin planning your trip to Europe. Or at the very least maybe it’s time for work and your ride is pulling up outside now as you finish reading this. Either way, no dough/hard work = no Europe! Should I just relax, enjoy Greece and everything BCA has to offer? Of course, if I was a sheltered kid with parents back at home worried, wondering if their son has on a fresh pair of whitey tighties. But since I’m not that kid and those aren’t my parents, the way I look at it I have three months – two weeks gone – to make the most of an opportunity that would have never shown up on my radar three years ago, graduating high school. I chose to study abroad in Greece but when that plane ticket with the right price shows its face, I could be studying abroad in Italy, Germany, Spain or as of tonight Egypt? One roommate just booked his ticket this evening and mine could be next. The real la familia is in the states witnessing for the first time, one of their own doing things that only other families have had the chance to talk about before. Now’s not the time to take it slow and only enjoy what some consider the birthplace of civilization. I flew across the pond to not only prove myself but to also map out a future vacation with the real la familia. Then again, that’s a ridiculous dream. Then again, our dreams are what keep us alive. Here's to the anticipation, excitement and moments to the buildup for the rest of my life. I’m out, same time next week. Adio sas!