Day 4 AM - Excitement

Yesterday we had our second day of Orientation, during which we made a trip to the U.S. Embassy to meet with them and discuss things that might keep us safer while in Athens. It was on a sort of main drag street, and it was a HUGE complex. We were trying to figure out why America needed such a big building in downtown Athens. On the way, we passed by some gardens, which were nice, except littered with trash, like, a lot of trash. I commented to a friend that Athens is just on the cusp of being beautiful. If the stray dogs stopped pooping on the streets, and more street cleaners existed, it would be prettier, but it also wouldn't be Athens.

At the Embassy, they told us about particular scams that exist either when you go to certain areas (Plaka, Ammonia - I think that spelling is wrong), or if you do certain things that make yourself vulnerable. Apparently like 65% of all thefts that the Embassy hears about happen when people distract you by making a scene on the Metro. I liked walking better anyways.

Last night, we had another taverna dinner, except this time with some professors. One of the ones at our table was a native Athenian, and the other was born in England and raised in Newfoundland. We discussed how British Airways was a terrible airline. It was great to learn a bit more about the city, and about the differences between Ancient and Modern Greek. A mu and pi now make a "b" sound, and a upsilon makes an "eeee" sound, so you spell "beer" (phonetically sounds similar to English) "mpur". I'm gonna be so good this language....not.

I almost got lost coming home with my friend Alex from Bates (I know, I know, but he's okay I swear), but once he navigated us to his own apartment, I navigated myself back to mine the long way because I can only navigate to my apartment from 2 things: the CYA complex and the supermarket. But I got home, and that's what counts.

Later last night, we had a little crisis when our roommate Blair locked herself in the bathroom at 1 AM. My other roommates were tipsy from taverna dinner, but we had to hide all of our accumulated wine and beer bottles from the other night quickly and call the CYA emergency number and in the meanwhile, try to take the doorknob out to bust Blair out of our bathroom. Apparently this "bathroom trap" phenomenon is pretty popular at CYA during the first week. I guess I'm luck I just don't care enough to lock the door. Also, my roommates are hilarious.

Now that Michalis (the maintenance man) has left, because he had to come reassemble the bathroom door this morning, I'm going to go shower and get ready for my first class. Oh dear.