New Climbing, New Friends, New Pics

what's the beta? this is a really cool shot taken by one of my new friends, aliki (she took all but the last five pics on this entry). The guy climbing is niko, a friend of ours who incvited us to Xanthi to climb. Super cool.

Looking especially strong for my lady friend. I have lost a bit of weight since the beginning of the summer (that pic on mom's blog of me at the beach no longer applies). Still need to get rid of the love handles.

a super sick 7c. it climbs up the side of a cave onto the ceiling. it looks like just another climbing pick until you realize that i am completely horizontal.

another guy we met this weekend was giorgo. super cool, super strong climber, he was our tour guide. really nice.



this was at the other area we went to. the climbing was awesome. this climb is called african twin. we climbed with the same group of people all weekend, really nice climbers.

oh sweet knee bar.

this was one of the guys we climbed with. he was german, he wore black spandex only, chain smoked cigarettes, he is about 6'7" with an ape index of maybe +3, and his soulders are about twice as wide as mine. HUGE!!! and really strong and really a smooth climber.

giorgo

beauty

more beauty

my new friend, tenodera aridifolia sinensis

it was a great weekend. Tons of new people. i one hung a 7b and a 7c; not really good, but for climbing during the week at an indoor gym i am pretty happy. i am hoping to be able to go more often, especially when i get my motorcycle (in about a month). the climbing was great and the people are wonderful. Hope everyone is well. let me know how things are going and keep in touch.

Sorry Olga!!!!

olga is right of course (read comments on the last blog entry). i did go with olga, olga's brother, one of olga's brother's friends, and eleftheria to see not just the concert of the year, but perhaps my favorite band, murder by death. the concert was incredible, the venue was sweet and i got the drummer's set list signed by the lead singer. it was great. murder by death is kind of like johnny cash only a bit harder. super awesome; i can't wait to see them again.

checking in and coming up

so, it has been a little while again. life is as busy as ever as the school year has begun and i have taken on new responsibilities at school and have picked up a new job. at school i was recommended and chosen to be a part of the leadership council, a group of six, including the director, that act as advisers to the director and assistant director. It is quite a bit more work during the week and i am not especially qualified to be a part of it, but the experience is invaluable and the discussion is stimulating. outside of school i have picked up 2 private lesson students. One is a student at anatolia, a greek private school with a very good reputation but little backing it, and the other is an 8 year old student from a greek public school. I am working with both in english and science (the little girl likes science and the older student needs help). it is a lot more work and requires a bit of prep, but i make a good bit of money and it will expedite the process of buying a motorcycle. that is all the news i have, nothing else really, just the usual.

now, since i have nothing else going on, and since i am very excited about having people come to visit me, i am going to write a couple of posts about traveling to greece, my own personal travel guide. hopefully it will entice you and make you want to come and visit me. that will start when i post again (so another words who knows when i will get around to it). i hope all is well and good in your world. please keep in touch and maybe i will too.

ian