Today marks day 6 of my journey to Greece. It is safe to say that this trip has so far been some of my fondest memories. I ran into a bumpy start when I first arrived in Athens; the language barrier was much more extreme than I had anticipated. But I learned a few key words that help me get by and the majority of people I have run into since speak very good English. Athens is a beautiful city, filled with culture, history, amazing food, and great people. Each day we are here, the more I enjoy all of the little perks the city has.
I was lucky enough to be rooming with some of the most incredible girls I have ever met: Kayla, April, and Kelly. We have gotten along so well and do practically everything together. It is great to be able to travel the world with people you really love being around.
The weather hasn’t been great surprisingly. Athens is known for its summer sun and warm weather. But we have had some chilly days and even rain! Although this interrupted our beach trips and the allure of swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, we didn’t let it stop us.
We have visited some pretty cool sites around Athens over the past week. We saw Varvakios food market (most historic meat and fish market in Athens), had a cooking demonstration and class, visited marathon, spoke to a professional marathon runner from Greece, visited a traditional theater where we watched a performance and had the chance to perform our own tragedy, and went to the Parthenon. We still have some amazing things to do and see outside of Athens that will be happening in the next few days.
For all of the meals we have, we eat traditional Greek foods, which are very different from the cuisine found in America. Everything has been so flavorful and the meals are very balanced. The olive oil is amazing as well! I am discovering a new dish every day that I enjoy, which is really fun.
The nightlife in Athens is always an event. Since I am not 21, I’ve never been to a bar in the states, so the nightlife was very new to me. Right off the bat, the main difference is the hours of operation. Most people don’t go out until 12am or 1am, and the parties don’t stop until after 4:30am. Clubs will stay open until sunrise on weekends.
There is a traditional drink called Ouzo that is the Greek trademark for alcohol. It is a liquor that is clear an tastes like black licorice. What makes it different though is that when you add ice or water, it becomes a murky white color. I don’t particularly like the taste of Ouzo, but I am glad that I tried it!
I will post my next update in the days to come! Here’s to safe and fun travels!!!
P.S. I have some amazing pictures, but the wifi connection is pretty poor here. I will have them up as soon as I can!
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