So...I'm In Greece Now

Hello all! It’s been a really really long time since I’ve written a new entry. This summer got a little busy I suppose. And I could spend a whole entry dedicated to what I did this summer…but I’m not going to because you know what?...I’M IN GREECE RIGHT NOW!!! That’s right people. I, Marissa Lunt, is actually fulfilling one of her lifelong dreams of going to Greece. I’ve been here studying abroad for a week now, and am trying to get settled in. This past weekend we went on a class trip to Kea (or Tzia), an island in the Cyclades. It was AMAZING! Just like I imagined any Greek island to be. But this week we are back to Athens, and we started school today.

Living in Athens is very different than America, not only with the obvious reasons though. I mean, hello, they don’t exactly speak English here, I’m aware. lol. But, it’s just so interesting. For instance:

1. You can’t flush things down the toilet here. You have to throw toilet paper or anything else in the trashcan, which is hard to remember. I’ve already forgotten twice, luckily, it didn’t mess up the toilet.

2. The Greek salads are very different. They don’t have any lettuce, as most of the salads here. Instead it’s just cucumbers, tomatoes (tomatoes are big here), green peppers, onions, olives, a huge chunk of feta cheese, and olive oil (Greeks LOVE olive oil- it’s on just about everything). They are still really good though.

3. Greek desserts are AMAZING!!! The bakeries are what I’m going to live off of. Bread, pastries, desserts, w/e…I’ll eat it and lots of it.

4. It’s a very confined city. Very cramped and the streets and drivers are nuts! I though Chicago or Washington D.C. was crazy…but no! Athens wins. And cars park anywhere they can find- especially curbs and sidewalks.

5. Mostly every apartment has balconies. This I LOVE!! My apartment, specifically, has a long balcony leading from my room, to my three roommates rooms, and the kitchen. I love leaving my double doors open at night and waking up to the sound of the hustle and bustle from outside.

6. The nightlife is crazy! Since they have siesta time from 2:30-5 everyday where the whole city is quiet and lots of shops or cafes close, they are wide awake at night. They usually go out around 11 or so and don’t get back till 4 or 5 am. I know what you’re thinking…”wow, Marissa…that’s right up your alley”. Well, kids…Marissa is still trying to deal with the time change…lol. She’s not ready for that yet. But when you’re trying to get to sleep at night it’s still very very noisy and busy. It’s interesting.

7. Greeks don’t smile. Americans are generally pretty happy people. They will smile and greet you while walking down the street or entering and leaving shops. Well, Greeks don’t do that. Infact, they look at you weird if you do- you know, like you don’t belong. Which, well, I don’t…so…w/e. It’s a hard habit to stop, so they will have to deal with it.

These are just a few of the random Greek things I find interesting enough to share with you. I will talk more about my experiences/trips/school/life in Greece later. I’m sure they’ll never be a dull moment on this page this semester. But only because I’M IN GREECE and I can’t get over it yet! lol.