New Pictures, First Check-in, Climbing, School, and My New Sippy Cup

Well, things have been pretty exciting over that last month and a half. School has been crazy as I am trying to work with a poorly organized 6th grade curriculum, we had a huge grand opening ceremony, and MUN is at full steam. In the mean time my social life has taken several huge leaps forward, and climbing has re-entered my life to add to my consternation over time management.

I enjoyed my first long weekend traveling to Meteora with some students from the university. I have a good friend who is involved in a climbing club/class and when I arrived in Thessaloniki she was bragging that she was climbing all the time and after inviting myself I was climbing as well. The first time was about two weeks ago at a little crag outside of Thessaloniki. Everyone is super nice and I have met a number of people that I keep in touch with on a regular basis.

The pictures from the previous few posts are of Meteora and while one might think it fun to live in one of the cliff to monasteries we must remember that to do this one has to be a Greek Orthodox monk and among many other characteristics this includes being a man (no women allowed) and a strict belief in the Bible. The climbing on the other hand excludes no one and is wonderful, be you a beginner or the hardest of the hard. The rock is a sandstone conglomerate, think Maple Canyon, and was bolted in the days of yore by Germans, the hardest hardest of the hard, this means 10 to 15 meter run-outs are the norm and everything was done ground up and only recently has chalk been allowed in the area (thank goodness). For the most part the rock quality is good, but I was always on my toes (no pun intended) nervous about loose stones that turned a perfectly good climbing shoe into a roller-skate.

The final picture, right at the top, is a picture of my new sippy-cup (see previous post) that my mother sent me recently.

Hope you're all doing well and the weather in the States isn't getting you down too much. It has been sunny and around 20 degrees here for about two weeks now.

love luck and lollipops
ian

Wasted Worries

Well, once again it turns out that I was wasting my time worrying. I learned yesterday that not only is spilling wine not a big deal, but here in greece it is often seen as a sign of good luck. So, not only did I over react and look like an idiot, but I squandered a perfectly good opportunity, haha. ARRGGGHHH! Hindsight's 20/20.

Now I'm off to dismantle and clean my bike, then write a couple of quizzes, and then try to plan for the rest of the week.

peace love and happines
ian

Making a Fool of Myself

Well, I spilled coffee (on myself) I spilled water (not on myself), wine (not on myself), and I couldn't keep my stupid insecurities to myself. My inability to go out without blundering and being awkward has not subsided since I have come to Greece. She will probably read this and think that I am even more of a dope, but I enjoy making things worse.

It started at the cafe where I spilled coffee all over my white shirt. The lack of liquid control continued with the spill of of water (on her) and then ended with the spilling of red wine (on her). The best that I can sermise is that I need a sippy cup whenever I am out in public, especially when I am out with people who matter; yes that is it, a little blue plastic cup with a child proof lid and a drinking spout that is leak proof.

Once again I am being too hard on myself, no dout. Unfortunately, you don't understand, my social life is the only thing that is lacking here in Greece and if it was not for her it would be completely non-existent. It goes deeper than this with her, but I do not need to explain that.

Well, that is the most recent news. everything else, teaching, the apartment, riding my bike, everthing is wonderful, except well . . .

I miss everyone very much, but Hotel Ian is almost up an running. On monday I will go to the tax office to get my number. This all empowering number will allow me to get internet at the apartment and a cell that is my own. I am being paid (pretty awesome for a twenty three year old) and not only am I getting paid, but it is in euros and my stock market has not hit the bottom of the tank. I have been whatching the daily show and if you missed the last week then I suggest you catch up. I have picked up a greek textbook from school and making headway in trying to understand and speak this crazy language; a lady at starbucks (yes, I do go to starbucks) has promised that she will not quit until I have a full conversation with her in greek (she may be there a while) and my, now wine stained friend, has been grilling me everytime we are out. I have taken to learning from anyone who speaks both greek and english and everyone is happy to help. I am doing many things on my own and if failure is the best teacher, then I am leaning at an excelerated rate.

My bicylcle is awesome and while it needs a good cleaning is my pride and joy. I have found the commute to be stress relieving and a good way to energize myself. Everyone is worried about me being killed by the crazy greek drivers, but since I am not mountain biking or climbing i have found the lack of life threatening senarios a bit dull. I welcome the challenge of cars, pedestrians, wild dog packs, and crazy intersections. I have only been honked at once and I have never felt like i almost died, but it does take a certain concentration that is liberating from my usual day to day life.

I would love to post some pictures but as I have said I don't have internet yet and I am already paying a fortune at the cafe so you will just have to wait. Hope to see you all soon.

Your inept dater abroad,
Ian