Brief dinner/market/classes update

Hello again...

Just to keep you up to date :-) I wanted to tell you about yesterday afternoon and today. Yesterday, instead of taking an immediate siesta after orientation, a couple of girls from the apartment and I all went walking down into the Monastiraki district as planned for later, and explored some of the narrow pedestrian streets (beautiful) which felt more like Europe to me. Somehow the large city and cement buildings doesn't have the same kind of Europe feeling! We found the cathedral (have to dress up to go in later) and other charming small churches and shops. We also had our first viewing of the Acropolis, which was awesome (it is indeed indicative of its name - Acro means high point, and polis means city or citadel). We then went back and had our siesta. All of the BCA students went out to dinner at a taverna in the Monastiraki district (in view of a lit Acropolis) and we had a really good time. The food was excellent, and our host not only pleasant but entertaining! They gave all of us free desert of yogurt with honey, which was amazing. I never knew yogurt could be so amazing! Absolutely delicious.

Anyway, enough about the food, it was an enjoyable evening, and it feels very nice to be assured that it is safe to walk in Athens, even after 11:30, which it was by the time we were walking back. We all try to walk together for security, but so far it hasn't been scary at all. Aphrodite has warned us many times to be careful, but so far I don't feel as though security has been an issue. Obviously I'm not running around being stupid and obviously foreign and oblivious. So... she warned us of places we shouldn't go... so I'll avoid those for three months and it should be just fine. :-)

This morning the same four girls from my apartment, Amy, Lauren, Kaitlyn and I all went to the open-air market in our area (which is called the Hilton area, because the Hilton is there... shocker) and had a wonderful time looking at all of the fruits, vegetables, herbs, olives, fish (bleh) etc. that were offered. I bought 5 bananas for about half the price they were in the small supermarkets, and conducted the entire purchase in Greek! Granted, this involved me saying a grand total of about 3 words, but still. It was in Greek.

We tried to register for classes today, but the lady was giving us a small problem about taking 3 extra classes. *sigh* I'm hoping it will all work out... but please pray that it will work okay! Thank you!

I think that's all for now... the Acropolis, Ancient Agora and Pantheon tomorrow! So excited! Addio! (Bye!)