Athena Paros Island Spring 2012: Hannah Zoppi

It has been way too long since I've blogged last. It's nearly impossible for me to grasp that the end of the semester is coming near so I'm spending even more time appreciating where I am and less time sitting on my computer. SO MUCH has been going on! School, island life, people, work... It's overwhelming and exciting. I can't even talk about actually leaving Paros or this blog will turn into my recent slew of poems. And no one wants to cry right now.

In school we have been focusing in on our final exhibition! At the end of next week we have our poetry reading and the following night is the art exhibition. I have a huge amount of work left to do in all of my classes, on my writing, and finishing touches on my paintings. But it's so exciting and I can't wait to see all of the work the other students have created throughout our semester here. They are ridiculously talented people and I have a feeling it's going to be mind-blowing. The piece I chose to read is a longer monologue that I've worked on here and there through the semester and is close to my heart. Nerve-wracking, yes. But I can't wait to share it with everyone and giving it a voice. One week!!

Peak at my self-portrait...

Backtracking now to Santorini! We took a weekend trip to the island of Santorini (about a 3 hour ferry ride from Paros) and it was... INCREDIBLE. I didn't think another island could ever compare to Paros, but wow. It was really the most breathtaking place I have ever been. It is the idea of a Greek island that everyone searches for and that's why it's no wonder it's the most touristy of all the islands. 

Pulling into Santorini was unlike any of the other islands we had been to. It was once a volcano so everything is up on the top of a cliff and you have to drive windy roads (or donkeys!) to get up to the top. It also makes the entire island have a beautiful view no matter where you are standing.

Our first night, we took a tour of the island and ate gelato at sunset. In awe, always.

Meanwhile... back at our hotel we met a greek family in the common area who were celebrating a birthday. We got to listen to them all sing in Greek and drink and eat and like all of the generous Greek people here, they welcomed us without hesitation! 

The next day was a free day to do whatever we chose. There were many different options but Molly and I decided to venture off on our own and see Santorini in a different way... ATV style! On a whim, we walked past a rental place and just said, let's do this! We had to sign waivers in Greek (hopefully we didn't sign away anything of importance) and had the greatest time. I drove which was thrilling because the streets are windy and steep but that didn't stop me from flooring it. Molly and I had our ipods on and we were singing loudly to all the people driving by who waved as we drove all the way along the sea to Oia. 

Oia is a little town filled with crafty things and endless tavernas and cafes. A perfect day!

That night we headed out to explore the town. The bars are always such a great time here in Greece no matter what island we're on.

The restaurant we went to was the BEST food I've eaten since being in Greece hands down. We took a leap of faith by choosing it, but we knew it had to be good because it was packed! I had lemon chicken, and Molly got a Greek classic- Moussaka. It's like a Greek version of lasagna. DELICIOUS and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Complimentary wine, selection of fresh breads, and dessert! I love Greeks. :)

The following day was spent walking around the main town we were staying in and shopping, shopping, shopping! I think it's safe to say that everything we saw we bought that day. It's hard to resist when everything is so white and beautiful. (Note the shirts below!)

All shirts and dresses are handmade in Santorini so after trying on a bunch of them we made our pick and went on in search of some donkeys!

At last!! I was the absolute most excited for donkey riding on this trip. Last time I attempted to ride a donkey in Naxos I ended up falling off when we tried to fit Erin on to the back and the donkey was NOT having it. (I think I may still have bruised ribs to prove it if anyone doesn't believe me... just saying!)

THE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! I get choked up just watching this video because we were filled to the top with happiness. UNREAL.

After riding the donkeys down the cliff we took a cable car back up to the top and had lunch with what I would describe as the best view in the entire world.

The trip to Santorini left me walking on air. It is the closest I've been to seeing perfection. This world is amazing.

Back on Paros I feel more comfortable then I've ever felt. I love everything about it and I've been going through so much lately about leaving versus staying and who knows for sure what I'll decide. All I know is that I will absolutely come back. These past months have changed me in infinite ways... but I'm not ready to start wrapping it up just yet. As I said before... no one wants to cry right now.

xxx Hannah

What an amazing spring break. Our entire school went to Istanbul, Turkey for a week and it was unlike anything I've ever experienced in my entire life. I tried to change it up this time and let the pictures (and video) speak for themselves mostly... enjoy :)

We took the smallest plane to Athens due to the possibility of ferry strikes on Paros. It was a 35 minute flight compared to a 4 hour ferry ride... yes please!

It felt like a private jet with it only being HISA students!

First stop: Ayasofya Museum. It's the most beautiful church/museum I have ever been in!! (Sorry Rome and Greece!) I am in LOVE with the architecture and have never seen anything so big and MAGNIFICENT.

And let the madness begin... Outside the Grand Bazaar.

Everyone on both sides of you are nonstop yelling at you to come inside with things like "Spice girls! Over here!" and "Angel" "Princess" "Blondie" and any other nickname you could imagine. A very common pickup line in Turkey is the men yelling "Hey you dropped something!" at you, and if you turn around they will say you dropped their heart. Overwhelming!

Nonstop Turkish Delights! Delicious and addicting and you can buy them literally ANYWHERE.

This man in the marketplace was selling a special treatment for feet which involved a leech being put on any blisters you may have to "heal" them... I decided to opt out of that one.

An art gallery we came across with some incredibly cool pieces. 

HISA dinner out with everyone at a beautiful little restaurant. We got turkish pizza, chicken, vegetables, apple tea, hookah, baklava and rice pudding! Sidenote: The waiter this night was extra stressed by the amount of people so he asked us to give him a round of applause... for bringing out bread. We love bread. Why not!

We celebrated Greek Easter at an Orthodox church in Istanbul. BEAUTIFUL service: candles and singing!

One of our favorite things to do...drink Salep at the cafe by our hostel. Delicious warm drink made out of Orchid powder, milk, and cinnamon.

Always take your shoes off before entering a Mosque to keep the carpets pristine!

It's a custom for the men outside of the Mosque's to actually wash their feet before entering.

Wearing our headscarfs to get into the Blue Mosque!

Street sweets!

Turkish Icecream! Tastes like regular icecream but with a gum-like quality.

Turkish public transportation! Crowded and crazy!

Spice Market.

Performers everywhere on the streets, one of my favorite parts about Turkey!

A man at the rug shop who offered me his most elaborate and beautiful rug for my hand in marriage. I just accepted the apple tea instead :)

Turkish bread! Fluffy and hollow but turns into a saltine if you don't eat it before it cools.

And i'll end with a perfect picture of the Blue Mosque. Wonderful!

Overall it was an incredible trip. I learned SO much about different cultures and I am so lucky to have gotten the opportunity to not only travel to this country, but also to experience this with my entire school :)

xxx Hannah

It is possible that I just had one of the best weeks of my life...

Shayla, a friend I met here in Greece, and I decided to take a week long trip to Rome & Florence to meet up with my best friend Kristen who is currently studying abroad in Copenhagen! 

Overall, the traveling days were the most difficult. There is a lot more that goes into hopping from country to country than what I expected. Shayla and I woke up early on Friday the 30th and headed to the ferry (carrying our luggage across cobblestone streets made us realize that perhaps we packed too heavy, and had not even left Paros yet!) We bought our tickets and got on the ferry which was 4 hours to Athens. Once in Athens we got a taxi to the airport, checked our bags, and off to Roma we went! When we were landing every time someone said "Welcome to Rome!" we screamed a little bit. 

By the time we got into Rome, it was already dark and we were exhausted but still had a ways to go.. Finding the hostel was bound to be the most difficult part since the only directions I had were brief and on my iphone. We had to take a shuttle into downtown Rome and it was on our way to getting on it that Shayla's handle of her luggage completely broke off! As if it wasn't hard enough to get around an unknown city flooded with tourists, now she had to get creative and use straps, and other foreign objects to lug her bag through the streets of Rome. I felt so bad for her since at this point all we wanted was to not get pickpocketed and to just find our hostel. Eventually we came across it when we saw a bunch of young people hanging out at the bar outside next to the hostel and we then had to carry our bags up ENDLESS AMOUNTS of stairs just to get to our room! 

Turns out, our hostel was already occupied and from the remains we found on the 2 bottom beds of the bunks that were already claimed.. these were 2 guys! We wondered just how safe it was to fall asleep with all of our stuff in the room with unknown guys living beneath us but we were so tired that after we ran to get a quick bite we passed out anyways. (SIDENOTE: at our first dinner in Rome we were surprised and found it hilarious that every time we asked our waiter for something he would take it off the table of people that were 2 inches away from us. Water? ...took it from the table. Olive oil & Vinegar? took it from the table beside us.. I began to wonder if we should just scoot our tables together and join them!) When we woke up in the morning with the strange boys on the bottom bunks beneath us, getting down from the rickety beds was hilarious because we made a ridiculous amount of noise and clearly woke them both up before we left.  

(**NOTE FROM ATHENA: This was not an Athena sanctioned field trip, thus the accommodations were not set up by Athena Study Abroad.)

In the morning after somehow getting our bags all the way down the stairs (how did we do that...seriously?) we walked to Termini train station in hopes we would meet up with Kristen, but this place was SO huge that we figured we would just hop the train and hopefully find her in Florence! A guy who we thought was sweet and nice and trying to be helpful when we bought our train tickets electronically really just asked for a euro which reminded us that we need to be careful who we talk to around here. We took the long train to save us some money and after getting into Florence and yet again walking far distances, we came across our hostel to find TONS of people sitting outside looking miserable. They weren't letting anyone check in yet! We felt so dirty after the hostel and the train that we were dying for a shower so the people at the front desk of the hostel were so sweet and got us towels, shampoo, and body wash and let us use the downstairs showers which were in the POOL area! As I searched for plugs all over the hostel to blow dry my hair I realized that this was going to be an adventure and you just have to go with the flow.. which as 2 high maintenance girls, we really did a good job of :)

We then got our map and ventured out into Florence to the Pizza de Repubblica to meet Kristen and her friend Hannah for lunch. After getting lost SO many times and trying to navigate the busy streets, finding this restaurant and spotting my redheaded friend was like finding a treasure chest. I was overjoyed to sit down and finally breathe in Florence and realize that I was sitting, eating pizza with great friends in ITALY. 

After lunch we spent the rest of the day exploring the town and walking through all of the little shops that smelled of leather and enjoying the beauty of Florence! I found myself to prefer Florence over Rome because of the beautiful architecture and atmosphere.

The next morning in Florence we stood in line to see Michelangelo's "David" statue, which was well worth it. It was so glorious and seemed like a dream to actually be admiring such a classic piece of work. We sat on the benches and gazed up at him for awhile just letting it sink in. We also were not allowed to take pictures as we found out when Hannah was yelled at for just holding her camera in her hands, but we sneakily took iPhone pictures anyway! We couldn't resist...

Our last day in Florence we had planned on climbing the Duomo but it turns out that it was closed so we had to make do with the bell tower instead (which turned out to be even better because we got to photograph the Duomo from the top!) The stairwells were extremely narrow and so flooded with tourists that at some points I had to just close my eyes and keep on climbing or I knew I would have an attack of claustrophobia! When we finally reached the top after what seemed like an endless climb of stairs, we were rewarded with an incredible view of Florence that made ending the trip here perfection.

Back to Rome we went! We took the faster train this time and arrived at our hostel after briefly getting lost (always) and were pleasantly surprised! We stayed at Hotel Cervia, a nice little hostel that was in a great location near restaurants and cafes, and just minutes from Termini station and the metro. All 4 of us had one room with beds lined up next to eachother: it was hilarious being in this type of setting after living on my own for so long but it was like a big sleepover every night and I really enjoyed it! Again, we faced floors and floors of stairs but after climbing the bell tower in Florence we decided we were pretty much professional stair climbers at this point, so the hostel stairs seemed less daunting. (Although much more daunting late at night after dinner and wine!) An added bonus was every morning we went down to the cafe inside the hostel and got a complimentary cappuccino and croissant. I never wanted to leave.

The rest of our days in Rome were a whirlwind of excitement, history, pasta, pizza, gelato, and euphoria! Rome is an incredible place and I am soo happy to have gotten to share it with the friends that I did. Seriously an unreal experience. 

The Coliseum

New generation of Gladiators!

Beautiful Dali exhibit at the Art Museum

Vatican City

St. Peter's Basillica

Only picture of the Sistine Chapel... photos inside NOT ALLOWED (and they made sure of it).

Trevi Fountain!

What more could you wish for in Rome with great friends?

Nights out!

The Spanish Steps

Pizza in the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps!)

So many wonderful cafes in Rome.

My favorite Piazza, filled with artists and musicians!

Tartufo: Quite possibly the best thing I ate in Rome!

The water fountains in Rome

What an incredible week that I will never forget. I asked my cab driver on the final night if he had ever been to Locarno, Italy where my ancestors originated, and his response was a burst of laughter. Everyone in the car started laughing too because we did not expect this reaction from the Italian man who barely spoke english: "Locarno is a very, very, funny, funny, funny, place." I asked him what he meant by that and he said "The people in Locarno are wild and free spirits...very, very, funny." We all laughed together in complete agreement that this is where I came from. I'll be back for you one day, Italy.

xxx Hannah

I was talking to a friend I did theatre with back in Saint Augustine, and she told me that when she was traveling, every day she would wake up and say "today is the best day of my life" and she would end every day by saying "today was the best day of my life." That spoke to me because I have experienced the same exact feelings. I think about how lucky I am every single day on my walk to class, or when listening to my professors, or when working on my assignments, and of course when I get to travel around and see things that are just mind blowing beyond comprehension... Every day here is the best day of my life.

Ever since I have gotten to Paros, I've felt a level of comfort that I didn't expect. I'm in a new country, I don't speak the language, it's different food and way of living and I have accepted all of that and just went with it, which makes living somewhere different that much easier. Sure, things aren't always perfect: my power goes out frequently, the apartment is always 10 times colder than it is outside, no cellphone, no hulu or netflix, communication with people here and people in America, and things even as simple as grocery shopping have become an incredibly daunting task (i.e: Half the time you have no idea what you're buying. Vanilla cookies turned out to be banana filled biscuits?!) But none of that seems to matter here. When my blowdryer knocks out my power and I have to run around to different rooms with my brush, blowdryer, adapters, and soaking wet hair, all I can do is laugh because I know that not only will my hair look awful regardless (due to the extremely low level of power my hairdryer gives off anyway), but who really cares? There's a sense of freedom on this island that is lacking in the US, much less emphasis is given to vanity which leaves you with more time to be in awe and appreciation of where you are instead. In film studies, when our light blew out on the projector during a showing of "Leaving Las Vegas" due to an outage in town because of the strong winds, he told us that that's the charm of Greece: things don't work properly, and they break, and you fix it the best you can but nothing is flawless. There is no need for perfection here like there is in America: that's just the quirky charm of Greece. 

Our school went on our first trip the other day and it was unlike anything I'd ever done before. We started off taking a bus to the bottom of the Mycenaean Acropolis. We all looked up at the mountain skeptical of our hike leader Cameron and questioned whether or not this would be safe, whether or not we could do this... who would know if we tumbled off and.. I think you get what I'm saying here. But since when do we ever do anything in our comfort zone, so we ventured onwards and after an hour of climbing made it to the top. I had never rock climbed a mountain before, I'm not what you would call an adventure/thrill seeker kind of girl, but oddly enough I had so much adrenaline and determination that nothing seemed challenging. The view from the top was INCREDIBLE, we could see all of Paros and people were taking pictures, writing in their journals, and trying not to get blown away from all the wind.

After that, we went to Kolimbithres which is an amazingly beautiful rocky beach and we explored and took pictures. I spent most of my time here sitting on a tall rock looking out at Paros and the Aegean Sea while listening to Dashboard Confessional and Ingrid Michaelson on my iPod.

Following that we hopped on the bus to Naussa, the most incredibly picturesque little fishing town in all of Paros, that was reminiscent of every postcard and stereotype you could think of about Greece. It was WONDERFUL. I think it might just be my favorite spot on the island thus far. We had lunch there at a little cafe and actually ordered hamburgers (something you don't often find on a menu!). The owner and waiter seemed both excited and anxious for us to try it as he gave us the disclaimer: "they probably aren't like what you're used to, but we do our best!"

The rest of the day was quick trips and stops at Piso Livadi and Marpissa. We explored for a little bit, drank hot chocolate, and were exhausted that by the end of the day, nothing felt better than getting back to our apartments and relaxing. A place that has already started to feel like home.

Classes have been increasingly interesting to me and I am finding myself to be excited every time I attend one of them. They all offer so much and give me a different skill to work on and to be inspired by. This week in Art Workshop we finished up another still life, and then took a trip to the archeological museum and sketched in there. Neva, our teacher, is so supportive and willing to help you no matter what your skill level may be. She is honest, which I appreciate, but will still point out even something you would assume is as insignificant as a line you have drawn and explain what makes it so "gorgeous". I already feel like I'm improving which is the best feeling to have. We also got to sketch a male model named Kostas who was as beautiful and naked as ever. I've never done figure drawing before, but so far it is my favorite thing we've done. For more reasons than one :).

Creative Writing is probably my most intense class I am taking. Our teacher George, is a skilled writer and has published multiple books (one that is currently in preproduction to becoming a movie). The structure of our class goes like this:We read our poetry or prose in a class of about 6 people, and then take turns critiquing each others work. We also have a one-on-one session with George at a nearby cafe once a week to meticulously go line by line over what we're working on. This first week, my first meeting with him, and not only did I spend time getting to know his fascinating life in which he has lived: in Paris, Rome, Spain, and now Paros, but he got to know me as well. We decided that for the final showcase at the end of the semester, I would be working on a dark monologue that is 10-15 minutes in which I will perform for my final. My second meeting I got to give him a piece I wrote since being here and him as well as my classmates had a strong positive reaction to it. I'm excited to keep building on it, and have a solid performance piece at the end.

The absolute best thing about being here is that this is not like a regular school. The emphasis is on the freedom of doing what you are willing to challenge yourself to do, and working hard to accomplish that. Whatever you put into this semester is what you will get out. I find that to be the most refreshing thing, because that is how learning was supposed to be. I find myself working harder than I ever have, because there are no rulebooks or a linear path to follow, I push myself because I want to succeed. 

Because I've been incredibly busy and haven't gotten around to blogging I have since went on another field trip- so this is blog part 2:

We went on a 5 hour hike on Saturday and despite all of the scrapes and scratches, it was an amazing experience. The pictures say it all: 

We also got to celebrate St. Patricks Day here which was one of the best nights I've had going out on the island. We went to the bar Entropy, where our entire school went and danced and mingled with English men, Greek boys, and our Albanian friends. It's incredible the people you meet.

I am getting SOOO excited for this weekend- a trip to the island of Naxos for a night, the following weekend is my weeklong trip to Rome with my friend Shayla and to meet my best friend who is studying abroad currently in Copenhagen, and then after that.. Spring break in TURKEY. I am in awe of my own life...These are the best days.

xxx Hannah

Waking up every day, opening the doors to my balcony, and feeling overwhelmed with this much beauty is an unexplainable feeling. People keep asking me to describe this place and I can't seem to find the words. All I can say is that you must see it for yourself. I want nothing more than for everyone I've ever loved, known, or spoken to, to be able to experience this. It is incredible, and no words or pictures could ever do it justice. I can not stress that enough.

This past week has been filled with getting to know the island, making friends with the locals, and starting our classes. After rough days of travel, there is a newfound peace in being able to just breathe and enjoy.

The school itself: Hellenic International Studies of the Arts could not be any better. It's the way we were supposed to be taught by people who were supposed to teach: working artists who are madly passionate for what they do. There are about 18 or so students here, making the classes all very small (6-8 usually) and intimate. From what I've experienced thus far, they seem to be intensive and personalized to our own individual needs and skill level. I am already impressed with the level of commitment all of the students have towards their own work and this experience. That alone inspires me to be better. I am so excited to see how far I can grow throughout this semester.

The classes I'm taking are: Creative Writing, Art Workshop, and Film Studies on Monday and Wednesday, Cycladic Art and Culture (learning about Paros Island and attending classes at the historical sites such as churches, ruins, beaches..etc) on Wednesdays, and Theory of Art on Tuesdays. I absolutely love theory: we spent our first class discussing our art, why we love to do it, what is holding us back, and what defines what working on your craft truly means. I had an epiphany during Theory of Art that this place simply was made for me.

I am taking Art Workshop/Intermediate painting as my wildcard class. I've always enjoyed drawing and painting but never pursued it seriously or taken a class before. I think there is no better time to explore art than now because after all, what better place to seek inspiration than on an island in Greece? The professor is so helpful and supportive, and when I first came to her to talk about my hesitation she loved the fact that I started off with: "Well, I'm not wonderful yet..." I do know that it feels great to be surrounded by amazing artists in my class, and I will look to them for guidance as well.

We were given a calendar of the dates of excursions and island hopping trips and it looks like a packed full 3 months of endless discovery. I'm so excited for the future: spring break in Istanbul, Turkey, Naxos, Santorini, Antiparos, Mykonos and Delos as well as hikes and exploration of our island: Paros. 

Around the island, I am getting used to venturing out by myself and being able to feel the real authenticity of Greece. We are known as the American students to everyone on the island, so people tend to be very hospitable and kind. There is a little market down the corner where the Greek woman who runs it, sits outside all day at a little cafe and smokes cigarettes. "Yasas" she smiles as I walk by. I used to timidly reply but have now gotten more confident in the few greek words that I know. I've found that the people who live here really appreciate when you so much as make an attempt to speak Greek. Even if it's not perfect, saying "hello" or, "yasas" with a smile and a wave usually does the trick. We have a greek language class on Fridays that I can't wait to take, because I would like to at least be able to make small talk during my time here. "Kalimera" means good morning, which usually is said until 2pm or later. Then there is a slightly gray area of when the greeting transitions to "Kalispera" which means good evening. I've had a few run-ins so far of people who make comments to me in Greek that I have no idea what they mean. Walking around town the other night a man was walking straight towards me, and as I tried to do the whole awkward move to one side, hesitate, then move to the other to let him through... he stopped dead in his tracks and just said "hello, blondie" ... he didn't even smile. I guess now I know the real meaning of "it's all greek to me!"

I usually do a test run of my greek at the Gyro stand on the way to class. Gyros are the hotdog stands of America, but way better. For only 2-3 euro you can get a choice of chicken or pork, and the option of tzatziki, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and even french fries. They wrap all of the stuff up in the pita and send you on your way. It's delicious and not like any Gyro I've had in America. However, my favorite place to grab something to eat before class is a little stand down one of the cobblestone streets by the Art Studio that sells pastries of all kinds. Normally they are baked filo dough with a filling: feta, spinach, or chocolate. They even sell a bagel looking thing that I am pretty sure is filled with ham and cheese named the "Barrack Obama." Why? I have no idea. But no one questions it here... So you don't either. 

I've recently made a lot of friends here who live on the island. The place to hang out is called the "Saloon D'or."  I've also been spending some nights at "Friends Cafe" where the hot chocolate is perfect on a windy night on the island.  I laugh at the thought of ever thinking I had communication issues with people at home because here that all goes out the window. Although many of the guys have impressive english speaking skills, sometimes not even that can help you. A lot of American phrases or things that are often said, make no sense to them. So, I have to rely on finding alternative ways of expressing myself. I'm lucky to be a Theatre major because of all the wonderful charade skills I now have under my belt. It actually seems to be helping me learn Greek (and Albanian!) and maybe even improving their english simultaneously, so everyone wins!

Shayla is also another person I met in Greece who attends HISA and we have hit it off immediately. We seem to share the same the same mentality about a lot of things, and she is a great wing-woman to have here. :)

I tend to feel guilty if I'm in my room for too long because of everything that is outside of my window, so I'm currently working on finding a balance of relaxing and exploring. Luckily, our apartment complex alone has beautiful views of Paros, so all it takes is a trip to the rooftop deck to take your breath away and remind you of what is right outside the door. These next few days I have homework and things to do: read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for film studies, finish my "still life" drawing, write more poetry, write, and write some more, trip to the market, and on Saturday-- the Paros bus excursion to the Mycenaean Acropolis! 

Waking up and feeling like you are exactly in the world where you need to be is a feeling that I've never experienced until now. My personal goal is to feel lucky, amazed, and euphoric every single day I am here. I don't think I'll have trouble holding myself to that, all I have to do is glance out my window.

xxx Hannah

As I’m sitting on the ferry making my way to Paros, all I can think about is how surreal these past couple of days have been. It’s hard to grasp that I actually am experiencing all of this and I know I will continue to feel this way up until the day I leave... which I already am sensing will come too soon.

Overall, the traveling portion of the trip to Greece was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. The two connections were in Atlanta and Paris; The Paris airport was by far the hardest to navigate because of the layout of the airport and the minimal time I had. When I landed in Athens I faced my first test of independence: I was originally supposed to meet two girls in the program but when I got off my flight they were nowhere to be found. I ended up searching the airport for them for quite awhile but because none of us had our phones or any wifi available we were unable to communicate. I contemplated giving up and happened to run into our taxi driver and after making a few calls he told me both of the other girls flights were delayed and they would be taking a later taxi into Athens. So, I took the journey alone! I packed up my suitcases and was driven into Athens to my hostel. 

I was the first one to check into my room which was not all that bad because once I did, I fell asleep almost immediately because of the intense jetlag. I was completely out of sorts at first because while it was bright out and the day in Athens was just beginning, but internally I felt like I should be going to sleep. Not to mention the shock from the COLD in Athens was unexpected and I was told it was even snowing on Paros! (Did NOT pack for this weather, might I add).

An hour nap was all I needed before I met with more HISA students in the outdoor cafe area and our professors gave us a quick briefing about the next couple days. The girls I was originally supposed to meet finally got in to the hostel after our 7pm meeting and jetlag and all we hit the streets of Athens for a spontaneous exploration and first taste of authentic greek food! This was a hilarious experience trying to figure out what restaurant to eat at: all of the restaurant owners stand outside and call you in closer to offer deals and "specials" in order to lure you in. The one owner who finally caught our eye kept pulling me closer and closer in to whisper in my ear "free wine! free dessert! Shhh!" We were too overwhelmed to refuse so we experienced our first dinner in the Plaka, the heart of Athens. 

The next morning we explored Athens once more and found some awesome graffiti scattered around. I absolutely love this place: it's urban with lots of character, and it is noticeable that although they more than welcome tourists-- the greeks run the town. That afternoon we met up with some of the HISA group and took a trip up to the acropolis. It was MINDBLOWING. I didn't feel worthy to be walking amidst that type of history. It all felt like a dream (and still does). Everyone shares a mutual amazement and disbelief every minute of the day.

After the acropolis we went to dinner with the group who was in Athens at this point and it was insane. SO MUCH FOOD. We all got to try all different sorts of greek dishes and we truly got the greek experience. It felt like being in someones home because of the family style atmosphere.

After dinner, some of us went out to try and find a place where we could get some drinks and meet some locals, and we ended up finding a little rooftop bar where we took our first shots of ouzo under the light of the Acropolis. Truly an incredible experience.

Which brings us to this morning! We woke up at 5am and dragged our luggage down 3 flights of stairs and through the bone-chilling cobblestone streets of Athens where we took a bus to the port and boarded the ferry to Paros. It was a 5 hour ride and for the most part we all just took some time to relax, nap, and gaze at the Aegean Sea. As we were pulling into Paros we climbed to the outside deck and were mesmerized by the blue of the water and the dreamlike place we would be living in for the next 3 months.

We excitedly took the walk together to our apartments and were assigned our individual rooms: complete with kitchenette, bathroom, and outside balcony. Some of us took our first trip to the nearby market because it will be closed tomorrow on Sunday, and we had an interesting time grocery shopping for the first time in another country. Tonight we are doing an island tour, meeting our professors at the school, and then participating in a group dinner at a nearby restaurant. 

So far this has just been incredible and I am so excited for all of the things that are to come. On the drive in I asked my taxi driver if he thought I would stand out and he was shocked because he was beyond convinced that I was actually Greek! Other professors have commented on the same thing and called me "the greek!" So I'm thinking that I may just take advantage of that and maybe develop a greek accent and convince myself as well. 

xxx Hannah 

Twelve days out and I am beginning to feel the reality and excitement of this next chapter. Since this is the first entry it only seems fair for me to share some information about myself: I'm 21 years old, a second semester junior at Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Florida and studying Theatre Arts with a minor in Creative Writing.  I love Flagler with every piece of me, but couldn't pass up the opportunity for a change such as this. After all, everyone needs excitement!

Thus, along came Greece.

What led me to where I am now can be summed up as 5 months of running around my college in an attempt to obtain signatures and the "go-ahead" from just about every office on campus (some more helpful than others). But in the end, whatever led me to pick up Athena Study Abroad's handbook and figure it out for myself could not have been a better decision.

Out of all the programs and countries, I was immediately drawn to Greece and everything the country and school offered. I thrive best within intimate environments and the school, Hellenic International Studies of the Arts, offered just that. The thought of it alone inspires me and I hope to ultimately concentrate on my minor and grow as a writer during my time on the island.

As I mentioned earlier, Athena has been beyond helpful with making these huge (sometimes nerve-wracking) decisions and I feel like no other study abroad program could have been as involved and personable as they were to me. I will continually recommend Athena to my friends and anyone else interested in studying abroad, you will not be disappointed.

My preparation has consisted of making dozens of little lists that I have scattered around my room... Probably not the most effective way of organizing, but I think I might be onto something because things do however seem to be getting done: What to pack, what to buy, financial plans, copies of Passport and flight itineraries, and making sure to tie up all loose ends before I leave America are all slowly being checked off. Since I am already a generally independent person, I am less worried about how I will cope and more so about the people that I am leaving behind. I think that all amazing opportunities come with sacrifice and this might just be mine.

So about the school! Hellenic International Studies of the Arts is located on Paros Island, which is an island in the middle of the Cyclades (about 5 hour ferry ride from Athens). I have some amazing classes picked out and I really can't wait to just get to the island and begin my semester.

In only 12 days I will be flying out of Tampa and flying through Atlanta, Paris, and then finally arriving in Athens. It's going to be a long travel day(s) but I am sure the excitement will transcend all else. All I can hope for now is safe travels and that my next blog will be written from another country. :)

μέχρι την επόμενη φορά!
 - Hannah