I go home tomorrow. sad to be leaving as i've learned so much and seen so much. hard to take in and i fear that when i get home i'll forget the feel, sight, and sounds of Italy/Greece.
i am excited to go home and ready to see family. though there will be little breaks in the travel schedule. can't wait to see you all and working on posting my kabillion photos! too many to count!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
one more day accompanied by random thoughts
today, i did not die or have a near death experience. i baked in the sun instead. plans fell through with the trip to Hydra but all the same we quickly found a new island to visit - Aegina which reminded me of West Texas.
We took an hour long ferry to the island and then a 20 minute bus ride to a rural part of the town. we headed down to a private beach and quickly got settled on our sunbeds accompanied by umbrellas. i almost go to finish off angels and demons a few pages short...but i did get a few hours in the sun.
ok so let me just say that it was probably one of the more beautiful beaches i've ever been too. i'm not a super duper beach kinda girl though i do love the water and love the sun. but this place was breath-taking. the water was clear and just amazing shades of blue and aqua-marine.
we managed to make it back in time for me to get in a shower and change for tonight's family dinner. traditional greek food which was pretty good.
i cant believe that a month has come and gone. i've kept a written journal while i'm here and yes i've been faithful to write in it every day. i can say that through this past month, i can say that i have a completely different perspective of so many different things.
more than anything, i feel the timing of this trip has been absolutely perfect. who knew that all those decisions and events in my life in the last three years would lead to this. of all the places in the world, i have ever wanted to visit - italy and greece are the top two.
with the end of this trip closing in, i'm reminded of home and all the new changes that will occur over the summer. good changes but nevertheless bittersweet. the move to Lubbock is coming soon and i'm excited for sure. i'll finally join the long list of family alum. as for my law school future, only God knows the answers to those questions.
i have had to think about the next few steps in that journey. more out of necessity and time moving so quickly. will have to get working on LSAT prep and will be taking it again in Sept' i'm hoping a higher score, an improved GPA, and an early application will at least make me viable candidate for acceptance. we shall see. if not at Tech then i'll begin the process of applying to other schools to start once i finish my MBA.
i'm not worried not anxious about it. all things have worked out for the best. i look back and can see that now. dont completely understand the process but its not really for me to understand. just know that it makes me stronger in what i believe and the pursuits i follow. that's enough for me.
if anything, i've learned just how precious time is or rather our time here on earth. times is a respector of no one, not age, race, or even position. it keeps marching forward and waits for no one. so with that in mind, i've tried to make the most of every opportunity and every situation.
i dont have any negative impressions of my time here. things are different here. normal conveniences we often take for granted are not as readily available. its been to be without a phone. though i didnt really test the whole no internet theory. managed to find connections here and there which accounts for the lack of blogs. but at the same time, the only other time i've had to rely on public transportation as much as i have was when i was in London.
we've walked more miles than i care to think about and yes did on occassion use the bus and subway system, most especially in Rome and Athens. After figuring out the tube in London, wasnt all that difficult to figure out these systems which have 2 - 3 different lines.
the whole experience made me appreciate my car back home. something as simple as going to get groceries can be magnified when trying to figure out how to get all the groceries home.
overall, i can say that the Greeks are so very friendly much more so than the Italians I encountered. though i have meet some really nice people along the way. people willing to share info or wondering where we were from. its pretty obvious we were tourist. travelling in packs and with our backpacks in tow!
only one more day left here. tomorrow, i'll be visiting the Bodies exhibition which is here and then a bit of shopping to finish off the last of my euros! one of my professors is flying home early so we.ll be left with Dr. Olsen to fly home bright and early on thurs. our charter arrives to pick us up at 5am and by 8:15am in the air to Heathrow we will be (about 2:15 am your time). amazing, no?
about 24 hours of travel from Athens (Athinia) to London to DFW to finally home. i'll be so happy to see my parents faces at the gate when we come in. no matter how old i get or where i go, i can always find comfort in my parents. have to tie up a few lose ends before heading back out on the road again! the summer will be lots of travel for me.
i will spend a week in Chicago visiting my sister, hopefully a week in Galveston with my dad, a texas tour to San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and Dallas to visit friends i've not seen in a while. Then back home to pack everything else up and prepare for my move to LBK the first of August.
the ending of one journey only leads to the beginning of a new one!
We took an hour long ferry to the island and then a 20 minute bus ride to a rural part of the town. we headed down to a private beach and quickly got settled on our sunbeds accompanied by umbrellas. i almost go to finish off angels and demons a few pages short...but i did get a few hours in the sun.
ok so let me just say that it was probably one of the more beautiful beaches i've ever been too. i'm not a super duper beach kinda girl though i do love the water and love the sun. but this place was breath-taking. the water was clear and just amazing shades of blue and aqua-marine.
we managed to make it back in time for me to get in a shower and change for tonight's family dinner. traditional greek food which was pretty good.
i cant believe that a month has come and gone. i've kept a written journal while i'm here and yes i've been faithful to write in it every day. i can say that through this past month, i can say that i have a completely different perspective of so many different things.
more than anything, i feel the timing of this trip has been absolutely perfect. who knew that all those decisions and events in my life in the last three years would lead to this. of all the places in the world, i have ever wanted to visit - italy and greece are the top two.
with the end of this trip closing in, i'm reminded of home and all the new changes that will occur over the summer. good changes but nevertheless bittersweet. the move to Lubbock is coming soon and i'm excited for sure. i'll finally join the long list of family alum. as for my law school future, only God knows the answers to those questions.
i have had to think about the next few steps in that journey. more out of necessity and time moving so quickly. will have to get working on LSAT prep and will be taking it again in Sept' i'm hoping a higher score, an improved GPA, and an early application will at least make me viable candidate for acceptance. we shall see. if not at Tech then i'll begin the process of applying to other schools to start once i finish my MBA.
i'm not worried not anxious about it. all things have worked out for the best. i look back and can see that now. dont completely understand the process but its not really for me to understand. just know that it makes me stronger in what i believe and the pursuits i follow. that's enough for me.
if anything, i've learned just how precious time is or rather our time here on earth. times is a respector of no one, not age, race, or even position. it keeps marching forward and waits for no one. so with that in mind, i've tried to make the most of every opportunity and every situation.
i dont have any negative impressions of my time here. things are different here. normal conveniences we often take for granted are not as readily available. its been to be without a phone. though i didnt really test the whole no internet theory. managed to find connections here and there which accounts for the lack of blogs. but at the same time, the only other time i've had to rely on public transportation as much as i have was when i was in London.
we've walked more miles than i care to think about and yes did on occassion use the bus and subway system, most especially in Rome and Athens. After figuring out the tube in London, wasnt all that difficult to figure out these systems which have 2 - 3 different lines.
the whole experience made me appreciate my car back home. something as simple as going to get groceries can be magnified when trying to figure out how to get all the groceries home.
overall, i can say that the Greeks are so very friendly much more so than the Italians I encountered. though i have meet some really nice people along the way. people willing to share info or wondering where we were from. its pretty obvious we were tourist. travelling in packs and with our backpacks in tow!
only one more day left here. tomorrow, i'll be visiting the Bodies exhibition which is here and then a bit of shopping to finish off the last of my euros! one of my professors is flying home early so we.ll be left with Dr. Olsen to fly home bright and early on thurs. our charter arrives to pick us up at 5am and by 8:15am in the air to Heathrow we will be (about 2:15 am your time). amazing, no?
about 24 hours of travel from Athens (Athinia) to London to DFW to finally home. i'll be so happy to see my parents faces at the gate when we come in. no matter how old i get or where i go, i can always find comfort in my parents. have to tie up a few lose ends before heading back out on the road again! the summer will be lots of travel for me.
i will spend a week in Chicago visiting my sister, hopefully a week in Galveston with my dad, a texas tour to San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and Dallas to visit friends i've not seen in a while. Then back home to pack everything else up and prepare for my move to LBK the first of August.
the ending of one journey only leads to the beginning of a new one!
Monday, June 15, 2009
life saving experiences/amazing dinner
i almost died today. i'm being dramatic i know but i did slip on a huge rock at the Parthenon. we were climbing up the older steps instead of the new modern ones and i just happened to wear chanclas today. not so smart. so i slipped on the slick marble and my good friend Kaysi saved my life. she caught me and though the way in which she caught me might have been in appropriate in any other situation, i was glad because i woulda slid 10 feet down the side of this mountain we were climbing.
the damage? scrapes, bumps, and bruises to my knees and shins but it appears to be merely cosmetic in nature. only hurts if you press on it. so i'll survive...i was grateful though and after we got over the initial scare, i couldnt help but bust out laughing at how ridiculous Kaysi and I looked standing there...me on all fours and kaysi with her arms around me...it was hilarious...so i look at her and say " i was trying to get my footing when you caught me...i wouldnt have fallen but you caught me and hung me!" and everyone was crackin up by then. it was funny...painful...embarrassing but funny.
as for dinner tonight. we went to a swanky mexican restaurant in a sorta sketchy part of town which turned out not to be so sketchy. the food - absolutely amazing and what more, we were on the terrace rooftop of this joint, so the ambience was incredible. from where we sat we had a nights view of the Parthenon which was lit. It was in kjisten and kaysi's words "AMAZING."
we've been working out our plans for tomorrow and think we're headed to one of the islands. it was going to be Hydra but plans fell through with that and now we've discovered another place to visit. its been a journey for sure...but as always things always work out and i know tomorrow's day at the beach will find itself to be peaceful and full of sun! once we get there...
ok off to sleep....
two more days and then on a plane home i will find myself. i miss my family but each day here is a new adventure. i'll be sad to leave it but at the same time am ready to be home. after all, Dorothy got it right when she said "there's no place" like it.
the damage? scrapes, bumps, and bruises to my knees and shins but it appears to be merely cosmetic in nature. only hurts if you press on it. so i'll survive...i was grateful though and after we got over the initial scare, i couldnt help but bust out laughing at how ridiculous Kaysi and I looked standing there...me on all fours and kaysi with her arms around me...it was hilarious...so i look at her and say " i was trying to get my footing when you caught me...i wouldnt have fallen but you caught me and hung me!" and everyone was crackin up by then. it was funny...painful...embarrassing but funny.
as for dinner tonight. we went to a swanky mexican restaurant in a sorta sketchy part of town which turned out not to be so sketchy. the food - absolutely amazing and what more, we were on the terrace rooftop of this joint, so the ambience was incredible. from where we sat we had a nights view of the Parthenon which was lit. It was in kjisten and kaysi's words "AMAZING."
we've been working out our plans for tomorrow and think we're headed to one of the islands. it was going to be Hydra but plans fell through with that and now we've discovered another place to visit. its been a journey for sure...but as always things always work out and i know tomorrow's day at the beach will find itself to be peaceful and full of sun! once we get there...
ok off to sleep....
two more days and then on a plane home i will find myself. i miss my family but each day here is a new adventure. i'll be sad to leave it but at the same time am ready to be home. after all, Dorothy got it right when she said "there's no place" like it.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
for the love of internet connections
finding an internet connection around here is like trying to find a needle in a haystack! ish...ok so not so much difficulty in Greece as it was in italy. i'm not a particular fan of the "internet cafes" cause they always seem a bit scrupulous unless you find a snazzy one in the city center or near big tourist spots. But since our professors love to place us at these random crazy hotel locations that has not been the case for us. instead, we are left to hunt/find internet connection as we walk towards landmarks etc. i suppose that is the fun of being a foreigner in a foreign country.
to me its says i'm spoiled because i'm used to my hotel locations with easy access internet which is usually free for me because i'm a member of the said hotel's frequent traveler club. with that, i can say i've learned to appreciate the minute things in life...makes me realize just how dependent on technology i am/was.
i've used my "resourceful skills" plenty of times while being here along with my "problem solving skills"...today i performed a surgical procedure on my suitcase because after yesterdays half a mile walk to the ferry ramp on the firey asphalt in Brindisi my wheels had a serious meltdown slash blowout.
after examining said suitcase today (after enduring a grueling trek to get to Athens which i'll discuss in a bit), i realized that my wheels were actually one tough sturdy wheel surrounded by a more flexible softer wheel...maybe that's for airport ramp impact..who knows? needless to say, with my surgical tools in tow (aka my scissors) i removed the excess wheel leaving the smaller wheel. yes i know i probably needed the outer wheel but they were long gone and only causing more damage. my solitary goal is to make it to the airport in Athens...if my luggage can survive that trip and get checked, i'll be in good shape.
so this little trip to Athens i mentioned earlier, not fun at all! grueling and exhausting. my sole comfort was in the fact that i rode this ferry across an extremely large body of water (which those of you who know me well know exactly how mesmirized and fascinated i am by such things). it was beautiful and amazing...but let me back it up a bit.
we started the day by hauling our luggage down four flights of stairs because we lacked elevator access to our part of the hotel! yea...just the beginning. let me remind you that my luggage was over the weight limit and because my dad loves me so much he paid the overrage fee so i didnt have to rearrange stuff. not to mention that i've since aquired many souvenirs and such...
so i haul down my luggage have breakfast by 6:30 am and am boarding the bus by 6:50 am. we get to the train station and have to get on the train and get situated with 30 students and professors all carrying large suitcases. ok so the train we got on had very little luggage space and we were supposed to be on car 8 which the train only had 7 cars. yeah...what the heck? so we spent the first part of the train ride trying to sort it all out. in the end most of us ended up moving to another cart thanks to the conductor! and we finished out the ride in that condition. now imagine having to unload all 30 students and bags and boarding a bus to the ferry station.
we get there and we cant check in until 3 pm and cant board until 4pm. so we eat lunch in the little cafe and wait and wait until finally we start making our way the half mile to the boat. ive got picks which i'll post later. ok so by the time i get to the boat i've lost two tires on my suitcase...we finally get to board and get situated and i was just feeling miserable.
due to several reasons...the first was the grueling travel schedule...the fact i got little sleep the night before and have been eating lots of carbs on account of pizza and pasta. yea...ive tried to eat more protein but italy is not conducive to protein! (for those of you who dont know i have hypoglycemic tendencies). so i.m trying to keep everything in balance and i just felt like my body was giving out on me. so while everyone explored the boat, i took a nap. a very much needed nap. i slept about an hour or so and finally got up and freshed up and joined everyone on the deck. from them on it was peaceful sailing.
i sat on the side of the boat staring out at the water with the cool breeze blowing my hair around and was just in awe. it was beautiful. i got to see the sun set on the horizon of the water and just realized despite the crazy travel to get there...the moment was totally worth it. i.ve been afforded alot of introspective moments on this trip...moments that i hope stretch me as a person and will leave me in a better place than when i started. its been eye opening for certain.
so i headed to bed at a descent hour and got up and was in the shower when i got a knock on the door that we were disembarking on 20 minutes. apparently my professor thought it was 10 am Greek time but in fact was 9 am Greek time. so we thought we had another 1.5 left to get everything together. talk about pandamonium and panic not just in my room but across the rooms we occupied as a group!
some people got showers, others did not. i was one of the lucky ones.
so we walk from the ferry ramp about 200 ft to the train station to wait 2 hrs for our train since we arrived so early. the train gets there and has 4 cars so we had to load everyone and luggage back onto this train. we managed to make it but find out we had to change trains in Kiato. i had looked at the eurail book and new our connection to Athens was scheduled to leave at 12:36.
we arrived at Kiato at 12:30 and had to make it down three flights of stairs and then back up two flights to make it to our train ramp...which i was the first one to arrive at the train and the doors were closing at the five minute mark..meaning we had five minutes to get 30 people and luggage on the train. i've never seen such craziness in all my life. we worked well together as a team...for the most part pulling luggage over and stacking it and tossing it and trying to get everyone on. and with 5 seconds to spare we made it. so we get to Athens and find that we have to walk a block to our hotel...i was so happy to arrive.
we figured out rooming details and headed up stairs to freshen up before meeting with our professors to get an update for the remainder of the week. then a group of us headed into Athens to begin our ritual discovery venture. we found an awesome place to eat a late lunch/early dinner...so i got a gyro with some potatoes and a drink for 5.8 euros. by far one of the cheapest meals i,ve had here....and it was MEAT! lol....anyhow...i think i'm going to like Greece by far! a friend of mine had a salad and i was reminded that yes other people in the world love vegetables...and i got to eat some watermelon so i was at least for a moment in a comfortable place!
we're here for a very very short time. only a few days. tomorrow is the official touring day with tues left for a visit to the beach and wed left to do whatever you wanted to do but didnt get to do the days before.
then come thurs...we depart from the hotel by charter to the airport at 5am. our flight leaves athens to heathrow at 8:15 am. we arrive at 10:10 local time (5 hrs ahead of you) and then depart at heathrow 2:30 pm and arrive at DFW 6:50 pm. depart dfw at 8:35 and be home close to 10 pm. not looking forward to that leg of the trip but getting home will be bittersweet.
hard to believe that a month could go by so quickly! will try to post as many pics as i can before getting home though i need to figure out a new place to post them at. i realize i,ve completely left out what i saw while in Rome but hope to post a blog about the things i saw while travelling home!
to me its says i'm spoiled because i'm used to my hotel locations with easy access internet which is usually free for me because i'm a member of the said hotel's frequent traveler club. with that, i can say i've learned to appreciate the minute things in life...makes me realize just how dependent on technology i am/was.
i've used my "resourceful skills" plenty of times while being here along with my "problem solving skills"...today i performed a surgical procedure on my suitcase because after yesterdays half a mile walk to the ferry ramp on the firey asphalt in Brindisi my wheels had a serious meltdown slash blowout.
after examining said suitcase today (after enduring a grueling trek to get to Athens which i'll discuss in a bit), i realized that my wheels were actually one tough sturdy wheel surrounded by a more flexible softer wheel...maybe that's for airport ramp impact..who knows? needless to say, with my surgical tools in tow (aka my scissors) i removed the excess wheel leaving the smaller wheel. yes i know i probably needed the outer wheel but they were long gone and only causing more damage. my solitary goal is to make it to the airport in Athens...if my luggage can survive that trip and get checked, i'll be in good shape.
so this little trip to Athens i mentioned earlier, not fun at all! grueling and exhausting. my sole comfort was in the fact that i rode this ferry across an extremely large body of water (which those of you who know me well know exactly how mesmirized and fascinated i am by such things). it was beautiful and amazing...but let me back it up a bit.
we started the day by hauling our luggage down four flights of stairs because we lacked elevator access to our part of the hotel! yea...just the beginning. let me remind you that my luggage was over the weight limit and because my dad loves me so much he paid the overrage fee so i didnt have to rearrange stuff. not to mention that i've since aquired many souvenirs and such...
so i haul down my luggage have breakfast by 6:30 am and am boarding the bus by 6:50 am. we get to the train station and have to get on the train and get situated with 30 students and professors all carrying large suitcases. ok so the train we got on had very little luggage space and we were supposed to be on car 8 which the train only had 7 cars. yeah...what the heck? so we spent the first part of the train ride trying to sort it all out. in the end most of us ended up moving to another cart thanks to the conductor! and we finished out the ride in that condition. now imagine having to unload all 30 students and bags and boarding a bus to the ferry station.
we get there and we cant check in until 3 pm and cant board until 4pm. so we eat lunch in the little cafe and wait and wait until finally we start making our way the half mile to the boat. ive got picks which i'll post later. ok so by the time i get to the boat i've lost two tires on my suitcase...we finally get to board and get situated and i was just feeling miserable.
due to several reasons...the first was the grueling travel schedule...the fact i got little sleep the night before and have been eating lots of carbs on account of pizza and pasta. yea...ive tried to eat more protein but italy is not conducive to protein! (for those of you who dont know i have hypoglycemic tendencies). so i.m trying to keep everything in balance and i just felt like my body was giving out on me. so while everyone explored the boat, i took a nap. a very much needed nap. i slept about an hour or so and finally got up and freshed up and joined everyone on the deck. from them on it was peaceful sailing.
i sat on the side of the boat staring out at the water with the cool breeze blowing my hair around and was just in awe. it was beautiful. i got to see the sun set on the horizon of the water and just realized despite the crazy travel to get there...the moment was totally worth it. i.ve been afforded alot of introspective moments on this trip...moments that i hope stretch me as a person and will leave me in a better place than when i started. its been eye opening for certain.
so i headed to bed at a descent hour and got up and was in the shower when i got a knock on the door that we were disembarking on 20 minutes. apparently my professor thought it was 10 am Greek time but in fact was 9 am Greek time. so we thought we had another 1.5 left to get everything together. talk about pandamonium and panic not just in my room but across the rooms we occupied as a group!
some people got showers, others did not. i was one of the lucky ones.
so we walk from the ferry ramp about 200 ft to the train station to wait 2 hrs for our train since we arrived so early. the train gets there and has 4 cars so we had to load everyone and luggage back onto this train. we managed to make it but find out we had to change trains in Kiato. i had looked at the eurail book and new our connection to Athens was scheduled to leave at 12:36.
we arrived at Kiato at 12:30 and had to make it down three flights of stairs and then back up two flights to make it to our train ramp...which i was the first one to arrive at the train and the doors were closing at the five minute mark..meaning we had five minutes to get 30 people and luggage on the train. i've never seen such craziness in all my life. we worked well together as a team...for the most part pulling luggage over and stacking it and tossing it and trying to get everyone on. and with 5 seconds to spare we made it. so we get to Athens and find that we have to walk a block to our hotel...i was so happy to arrive.
we figured out rooming details and headed up stairs to freshen up before meeting with our professors to get an update for the remainder of the week. then a group of us headed into Athens to begin our ritual discovery venture. we found an awesome place to eat a late lunch/early dinner...so i got a gyro with some potatoes and a drink for 5.8 euros. by far one of the cheapest meals i,ve had here....and it was MEAT! lol....anyhow...i think i'm going to like Greece by far! a friend of mine had a salad and i was reminded that yes other people in the world love vegetables...and i got to eat some watermelon so i was at least for a moment in a comfortable place!
we're here for a very very short time. only a few days. tomorrow is the official touring day with tues left for a visit to the beach and wed left to do whatever you wanted to do but didnt get to do the days before.
then come thurs...we depart from the hotel by charter to the airport at 5am. our flight leaves athens to heathrow at 8:15 am. we arrive at 10:10 local time (5 hrs ahead of you) and then depart at heathrow 2:30 pm and arrive at DFW 6:50 pm. depart dfw at 8:35 and be home close to 10 pm. not looking forward to that leg of the trip but getting home will be bittersweet.
hard to believe that a month could go by so quickly! will try to post as many pics as i can before getting home though i need to figure out a new place to post them at. i realize i,ve completely left out what i saw while in Rome but hope to post a blog about the things i saw while travelling home!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
when in Rome...
our hotel has no internet access! i've not been able to post like i had hoped but I am blogging offline.
Rome is just amazing. We've done a hop on hop off tour which was awesome. Yesterday we did a walking tour of the Palatine Hill, the Forum, the Ruins, and the Colosseum. Today its a tour of the Vatican, tomorro a tour of Napoli and Pompei, Sat we leave to Athens with a grueling travel schedule.
We leave for the train stations bright and early Sat morning with an approx 6 hr train ride to Brindisi. From Brindisi a 15 hr overnight cruise to Patras which arrives Sat morning at 10:00 am. Then another 4 hour train ride with a transfer and another 40 minute train ride to Athens! all with about 60 lbs of luggage in tow. I'm thinking of leaving some articles along the way only because i dont want to haul super heavy luggage! we'll see....
i keep accumulating stuff!
I've had alot of fun and am rooming with two other girls Kjisten and Kaysi. They are awesome and we've had alot of fun together. The good part of being with a big group is that everyone can find someone to do something with. So many different groups going in different directions. Apart from the "mandatory" tours, we're pretty much left on our own to explore the city.
We've managed to learn the subway system and are getting around pretty easily. also, i discovered a love for hazelnut and gelato! its awesome. ok so I posted more picks on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21157493@N07/3613716990/
you should be able to see some from this link. gonna try to post more when I get a solid internet connection. possibly in Athens.
I'm at the point where i'm starting to miss home. I think by next week i'll be ready to head back home! so much to do and yes i have started thinking about my move to Lubbock. its exciting and sad all in one. things are changing more quickly than i expected but that is life!
will post later.
Rome is just amazing. We've done a hop on hop off tour which was awesome. Yesterday we did a walking tour of the Palatine Hill, the Forum, the Ruins, and the Colosseum. Today its a tour of the Vatican, tomorro a tour of Napoli and Pompei, Sat we leave to Athens with a grueling travel schedule.
We leave for the train stations bright and early Sat morning with an approx 6 hr train ride to Brindisi. From Brindisi a 15 hr overnight cruise to Patras which arrives Sat morning at 10:00 am. Then another 4 hour train ride with a transfer and another 40 minute train ride to Athens! all with about 60 lbs of luggage in tow. I'm thinking of leaving some articles along the way only because i dont want to haul super heavy luggage! we'll see....
i keep accumulating stuff!
I've had alot of fun and am rooming with two other girls Kjisten and Kaysi. They are awesome and we've had alot of fun together. The good part of being with a big group is that everyone can find someone to do something with. So many different groups going in different directions. Apart from the "mandatory" tours, we're pretty much left on our own to explore the city.
We've managed to learn the subway system and are getting around pretty easily. also, i discovered a love for hazelnut and gelato! its awesome. ok so I posted more picks on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21157493@N07/3613716990/
you should be able to see some from this link. gonna try to post more when I get a solid internet connection. possibly in Athens.
I'm at the point where i'm starting to miss home. I think by next week i'll be ready to head back home! so much to do and yes i have started thinking about my move to Lubbock. its exciting and sad all in one. things are changing more quickly than i expected but that is life!
will post later.
Friday, June 5, 2009
...and its over!
Just got out of my last exam! talk about unrelenting relief! i'm waiting on some friends to finish up and then going to take a nap this afternoon. Have to start packing soon as we leave bright and early to Rome on sunday morning. Should be there somewhere around 2pm our time...that would mean 7am your time. so odd to me. i'm going to bed and my bro is just finishin up a day at work back home!
so i started a blog earlier and had to quickly wrap it up.
i've got just under 2 more weeks here. i do miss home but i really love it here. the country is just beautiful. i've definitely learned alot from new people that we've met along the way. each eager to share some bit of knowledge or to ask us questions. we are a loud group and i'm sure we appear very "American" to those around here. you can hear us coming a mile away.
it really made me stop and think or rather question "why do we have the insistant need to gab all the time?" its something i've noticed on this trip. some people are uncomfortable with silence or maybe some people just want to be heard. i guess its more apparent to me because i can sit in the same room as my best friend for 30 minutes and we dont have to say anything to each other. i would say that i talk more than she does. or when i'm in the car with my brother or family...we can be silent and dont have to talk 24 - 7.
i can say this experience is by far different from all my experiences. i'm glad that i've waited until now because i dont think i would've been mature enough to endure the circumstances a few years ago. strange how that happens?
if anything, i've been really blessed by the friendships i've developed on this trip. i've learned so many new things and feel my life has opened up in a new aspect that will help me in the next leg of the journey.
i can say that the impending move to Lubbock, finally hit me a few days ago. i'm not sure why it waited until now or why so far from home, but i think it was reality setting in. i'm excited for sure and while things did not play out quite like i hope, i know where i'm headed and how to get there. just going to require a little more hard work. its ok with me. i've learned that hardwork and perseverance develop character.
i cant believe i'm going to say this but the one "educational" lesson i'm taking home with me is that of "Civic Virtue." it has changed my perspective and attitude regarding my actions in a profound way. i'd go into detail but i do not want to bore you! only i could be excited about something like that i fear....lol its ok, i embrace my inner nerd.
ok so i gotta go meet some friends who are in a different lab due to miscommunication. seems to be happening alot lately! LOL. hope you have a great week and will try and post more pics soon.
so i started a blog earlier and had to quickly wrap it up.
i've got just under 2 more weeks here. i do miss home but i really love it here. the country is just beautiful. i've definitely learned alot from new people that we've met along the way. each eager to share some bit of knowledge or to ask us questions. we are a loud group and i'm sure we appear very "American" to those around here. you can hear us coming a mile away.
it really made me stop and think or rather question "why do we have the insistant need to gab all the time?" its something i've noticed on this trip. some people are uncomfortable with silence or maybe some people just want to be heard. i guess its more apparent to me because i can sit in the same room as my best friend for 30 minutes and we dont have to say anything to each other. i would say that i talk more than she does. or when i'm in the car with my brother or family...we can be silent and dont have to talk 24 - 7.
i can say this experience is by far different from all my experiences. i'm glad that i've waited until now because i dont think i would've been mature enough to endure the circumstances a few years ago. strange how that happens?
if anything, i've been really blessed by the friendships i've developed on this trip. i've learned so many new things and feel my life has opened up in a new aspect that will help me in the next leg of the journey.
i can say that the impending move to Lubbock, finally hit me a few days ago. i'm not sure why it waited until now or why so far from home, but i think it was reality setting in. i'm excited for sure and while things did not play out quite like i hope, i know where i'm headed and how to get there. just going to require a little more hard work. its ok with me. i've learned that hardwork and perseverance develop character.
i cant believe i'm going to say this but the one "educational" lesson i'm taking home with me is that of "Civic Virtue." it has changed my perspective and attitude regarding my actions in a profound way. i'd go into detail but i do not want to bore you! only i could be excited about something like that i fear....lol its ok, i embrace my inner nerd.
ok so i gotta go meet some friends who are in a different lab due to miscommunication. seems to be happening alot lately! LOL. hope you have a great week and will try and post more pics soon.
the last and final
have my last test today. presentation was complete yesterday and this morning i feel like i'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off. finally finished my summaries and analysis of our assigned text.
on the agenda this morning is our final test in the History of Freedom. i hear its going to be tough and i'd like to say i feel prepared. i'm probably more prepared than i think but i dont feel like i gave enough study efforts so we'll just see out it goes!
the next few days are our last here in Verona...the place where the story of Romeo and Juliet originates. its been a beautiful, laid back and somewhat traditional city. A good place to get our feet wet but i fear we're getting stir crazy here.
last night we had a group dinner which was an attempt at mexican burritos via italian tortillas (piadine style). it was fun but with so many of us trying to finish up work and study, it was short lived. tonight we have another group dinner which should be interesting. we'll be done with all our coursework so for now all its a bit of a vacation. its a relief!
we have to pack everything up and get ready for the train ride to Rome. trains are the way to go around here. i've ridden the tube in London and the sub which is partially above ground in Atlanta but never a "train-train" per se.
you learn quickly the signs that indicate the train is departing the station. there's this familar buzz that sounds and the doors quickly close meaning you have 2 minutes to get on the train before it departs.
i think we're ready for a new place and new adventures. we've had plenty for sure up till now and i'm sure more are to come. i started missing home...though there are some conveniences i do not miss. for one - my phone. i also realized how differently we live our lives back home.
i'll expand on this more gotta run to class! test in a bit.
on the agenda this morning is our final test in the History of Freedom. i hear its going to be tough and i'd like to say i feel prepared. i'm probably more prepared than i think but i dont feel like i gave enough study efforts so we'll just see out it goes!
the next few days are our last here in Verona...the place where the story of Romeo and Juliet originates. its been a beautiful, laid back and somewhat traditional city. A good place to get our feet wet but i fear we're getting stir crazy here.
last night we had a group dinner which was an attempt at mexican burritos via italian tortillas (piadine style). it was fun but with so many of us trying to finish up work and study, it was short lived. tonight we have another group dinner which should be interesting. we'll be done with all our coursework so for now all its a bit of a vacation. its a relief!
we have to pack everything up and get ready for the train ride to Rome. trains are the way to go around here. i've ridden the tube in London and the sub which is partially above ground in Atlanta but never a "train-train" per se.
you learn quickly the signs that indicate the train is departing the station. there's this familar buzz that sounds and the doors quickly close meaning you have 2 minutes to get on the train before it departs.
i think we're ready for a new place and new adventures. we've had plenty for sure up till now and i'm sure more are to come. i started missing home...though there are some conveniences i do not miss. for one - my phone. i also realized how differently we live our lives back home.
i'll expand on this more gotta run to class! test in a bit.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
chapter summaries
Thought I'd take a few moments to post a blog before I head upstairs to re-charge my laptop. Love it but the battery life is only a few hours because of the size...not bad I think.
This morning we started a grueling week of tests, presentations, chapter summary, and a test to end up the week. The complex is buzzing of students reading, writing, and studying or at least most of us anyway.
Today is a National Holiday here so everything was closed or mostly everything. As a result, I spent a much needed day inside. Needed because I have lots of work to finish. I'm going to Venice tomorrow with some friends so I wanted to get laundry, reading, writing summaries, and my part of our presentation finished.
Summaries are taking longer than I anticipated but part of is from the lack of motivation. The text while it makes interesting points is a bit bland to an normal student. To be fair, its not an easy read and the content itself is not exactly clear and precise. Its an abstract topic concerning liberty and democracy. So we've gotten alot of history concerning the subject.
ok my low battery buzzer just went off...will try and finish this in a few hours.
This morning we started a grueling week of tests, presentations, chapter summary, and a test to end up the week. The complex is buzzing of students reading, writing, and studying or at least most of us anyway.
Today is a National Holiday here so everything was closed or mostly everything. As a result, I spent a much needed day inside. Needed because I have lots of work to finish. I'm going to Venice tomorrow with some friends so I wanted to get laundry, reading, writing summaries, and my part of our presentation finished.
Summaries are taking longer than I anticipated but part of is from the lack of motivation. The text while it makes interesting points is a bit bland to an normal student. To be fair, its not an easy read and the content itself is not exactly clear and precise. Its an abstract topic concerning liberty and democracy. So we've gotten alot of history concerning the subject.
ok my low battery buzzer just went off...will try and finish this in a few hours.
Monday, June 1, 2009
no place like home...
as odd as it may sound, i was glad to be back in Verona. Florence was amazing but when you try to go it alone (as in no guidance from your professors), it can be a bit rough and tumble. despite some of the major bumps in the road, we (my two other friends and I) managed to overcome our obstacles and had a great time.
from the looks of things, our group appears a bit worn from the hectic schedules and as we make our way into the last week of school, things will only get a bit more stressful. the up-side is that once we finish up the week, we're done with school and can enjoy the trip without the worries or hinderances of reading and studying! so glad about that.
Ok so Florence started out a bit rocky and we had some moments through the trip that were a bit rough but overall I really enjoyed the trip and am glad I was with the two other girls I went with! A large number of us went so we broke down the group into smaller numbers. Another part of our group was at the hotel we stayed out so that worked out well for us.
Some of the things I got to see uhmm..well cant remember exactly at this point without looking at my map...but we did the hop on-off tour bus which had two routes. so I SAW alot! did some shopping and picked up some souvenirs, saw David at the Accademia, and traveled to Pisa to see the leaning tower and cathedral. AMAZING!
I really love renaissance art so since Florence is credited with the start of that period, I was in ART heaven! The city itself is pretty amazing but going out into the country side was just breath taking! we made a trip up to Fiesole during our tour and the lush mountains and gardens were beautiful. Pictures just do not do justice to the scenery there....
ok so the train - ive decided that while convenient in terms of getting around from place to place is just not my preference. that has probably been the most frustrating part of our trip since we were provided with Eurorails that are not global passes meaning we have to travel on regional trains. uhm yea...after getting back from Pisa yesterday we developed a plan to get back home which we so successfully executed! i'm so glad too! i bought the upgrades to the eurorail on a direct train back home cutting the trip down by an hour...and the girls picked up our bags at the hotel. perfect timing....
so we grabbed a quick quick dinner at mcdonald's...yea i know... and then made our way to the train station. we already knew when we arrived that something had happened to the track just north of us causing huge delays...so we just waited patiently...and at about 6:30 or so we were headed home! we got back just around 9pm and the group staying at our hotel were the only ones back. so we shared stories and showed our purchases and got to bed a bit late but knowing this was the last week of school! i feel like finals week...ok gotta go meet my group for class...hope you are all enjoying the start of summer!
from the looks of things, our group appears a bit worn from the hectic schedules and as we make our way into the last week of school, things will only get a bit more stressful. the up-side is that once we finish up the week, we're done with school and can enjoy the trip without the worries or hinderances of reading and studying! so glad about that.
Ok so Florence started out a bit rocky and we had some moments through the trip that were a bit rough but overall I really enjoyed the trip and am glad I was with the two other girls I went with! A large number of us went so we broke down the group into smaller numbers. Another part of our group was at the hotel we stayed out so that worked out well for us.
Some of the things I got to see uhmm..well cant remember exactly at this point without looking at my map...but we did the hop on-off tour bus which had two routes. so I SAW alot! did some shopping and picked up some souvenirs, saw David at the Accademia, and traveled to Pisa to see the leaning tower and cathedral. AMAZING!
I really love renaissance art so since Florence is credited with the start of that period, I was in ART heaven! The city itself is pretty amazing but going out into the country side was just breath taking! we made a trip up to Fiesole during our tour and the lush mountains and gardens were beautiful. Pictures just do not do justice to the scenery there....
ok so the train - ive decided that while convenient in terms of getting around from place to place is just not my preference. that has probably been the most frustrating part of our trip since we were provided with Eurorails that are not global passes meaning we have to travel on regional trains. uhm yea...after getting back from Pisa yesterday we developed a plan to get back home which we so successfully executed! i'm so glad too! i bought the upgrades to the eurorail on a direct train back home cutting the trip down by an hour...and the girls picked up our bags at the hotel. perfect timing....
so we grabbed a quick quick dinner at mcdonald's...yea i know... and then made our way to the train station. we already knew when we arrived that something had happened to the track just north of us causing huge delays...so we just waited patiently...and at about 6:30 or so we were headed home! we got back just around 9pm and the group staying at our hotel were the only ones back. so we shared stories and showed our purchases and got to bed a bit late but knowing this was the last week of school! i feel like finals week...ok gotta go meet my group for class...hope you are all enjoying the start of summer!
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