My First Week of Class(ics)

The city of Athens is unlike any other place I have seen. It is filled with large, multiple story, concrete apartment buildings, that for the most part look the same. They were built quickly in response to difficult economic times for the country and it is common for many generations of family members to live in the same building. My professors tell me that it is customary for children to live with their parents well into their 30's (don't worry dad, this isn't my life plan). In contrast to these concrete buildings there is the Acropolis, which stands high above the city. It is meant to be the highest point in Athens and so buildings are purposely built only up to a certain height. The city is divided into many neighborhoods, each with their own unique feel. I live in Kolonaki, which I have been told is the wealthiest neighborhood in Athens. The buildings here look very similar to those in other parts of the city, but the shops and stores give the area its charm. It is about a 20 minute walk from my school and is situated on a hill. Bakeries line the sidewalk down the hill and fill the street with sweet smells of pastries and cheese pies. Every Friday there is a farmers market held on the street right below mine. Many Athenians rely on these markets to buy all of their produce for the week. The market has every type of fruit and vegetables (including artichokes, avocados, strawberries, and some I didn’t recognize). It also had fresh fish and octopus (often times salted and left with the head still attached). 

I passed on those. As you reach the end of the street you can find people selling household items like paper towels, and clothing on the very edge of the market. I walked up and down the street taking in the sights and sounds of the market. The stand owners were yelling in Greek about the produce they were selling while the customers were engaging in intense negotiations to lower the given price. I noticed that the younger men at the stands would try to use their charm to induce the younger women to buy their produce from them. I bought some vegetables from a couple of different stands that had some of the better prices as I knew I wouldn’t be able to do much negotiating in Greek.
I am also learning about cultural and lifestyle differences in Greece. The weather here has for the most part been beautiful (upper 60s and 70s). However, it seems that all of the Athenians that I see and talk to think it is freezing. They navigate the streets wearing their boots and large down jackets, while I wear jeans and a short sleeve top. My professor explained that Greeks dress for the season and since it is winter they dress in warm clothing.   I guess the past two winters in South Bend have given me a different interpretation 

of cold weather and perspective of winter. 70 degrees in January in South Bend is unheard of. In fact double digits at Notre Dame is usually considered a nice day in January and February. On one of the warmer days I made the mistake of wearing flip flops while walking to class. Apparently this is a very American thing to do and people really do stare at your feet on the street if you dare to wear these out in public. Gender relations are also much different in Greece. If you smile and say hello to someone you don’t know very well, you are considered to be very forward and flirtatious. Before my professor told me this I was trying to practice the few Greek words that I knew, including ‘hello’. As I was walking through the national gardens, an old man passed me and I said hello to him in Greek. He looked at me strangely, mumbled something under his breath and continued walking. Now I know why. 

Day One

After 3 flights and about 30 hours, I arrived in Athens on Monday afternoon. Although exhausted, I was ready to start this new, exciting, and somewhat overwhelming adventure. My first experience in Athens was the cab ride that I took from the airport to my apartment. My driver was very nice and luckily spoke English. My two giant suitcases were literally strapped to the back of the cab with two giant rubber bands because they were too large to fit in the small trunk of the car. I admit that I was skeptical that I would ever see my suitcases again. We drove into the heart of the city and I realized why the cars are so small. The narrow streets make it hard to maneuver and our cab came within inches of parked cars (many times). I also learned the very helpful lesson that pedestrians do not have the right of way. . .ever. I find myself checking and double checking before I cross a street to ensure that a moped or smart car isn't speeding towards me. When we pulled up to the front of my apartment building I saw that I would have to climb two rather steep flights of stairs. My cab driver also noticed this, looked at me, and then looked at my luggage strapped to his car and decided to try to find the other side of the building so I didn't have to climb the stairs (after all he lifted my suitcases onto the car, so he knew they were heavy).
I was finally standing in front of my apartment door. After so many hours of traveling and two nights spent on a plane I was ready to go inside and relax. By some miracle my luggage survived three flights and a cab ride and I couldn't wait to not have to worry about carrying it around. I put my key in the door, releaved that the hard part of the day was over. Now all I had to do was open a door. I put the key in and turned the key (rather I tried to turn the key). Hmmmm, I must be doing this wrong, there must be a "Greek" way to unlock a door. I tried again and again, nothing. So there I stood with my all my luggage in front of my door. I decided to ask for help. I admit this was was a bit intimidating since I knew absolutely no one in this building and I didn't know exactly what to say, "Uh, hi I can't open my door" didn't exactly make me sound like the confident traveler I hoped to be. Eventually I knocked on the door across the hall. Although my neighbors didn't speak English and I couldn't speak a word of Greek they tried so hard to help. Eventually it was determined that the lock was broken and they called my school and asked to have someone sent over and fix my door. Their kindness to me was incredible and they stayed with me until my door was unlocked. Although we couldn't understand each other's language, they understood that I needed help and made me feel welcome in this new place. I have been in Athens for only a few days now, but I have seen this welcoming spirit again and again in the Greek people. My trip has been an adventure from the very beginning and I look forward to discovering more about this beautiful country and culture.