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.