Classes just keep getting in the way...

...of my blogging that is. I mean I am here to take class right? Not travel around spending all my money? Right. I haven't gotten a chance to post in a while because I actually have been doing a lot of class work and haven't had a chance to just sit down and write.

I've created a small research proposal for my Ancient Greek History class about the oracle of Delphi. There has been research done on whether of not the priestess was actually having a communication with the Gods or if the visions they had were due to inhaling gases coming up from the ground. Turns out the temple is built on an active fault line. Pretty interesting to say the least, although I don't really enjoy the scientists taking the all the magic and mystery out of the place. From what I have read I still don't believe that theory either because the amount that the gasses leak out is not enough to cause such intense hallucinations as described in the ancient texts. I haven't had a chance to visit Delphi yet but it is on my list.

My European Union class is really intriguing because it is the history of how it was started, but at the same time we are learning about how it functions today. I can now list all 27 member states, the year that they joined, as well as the treaties that created the EU as we know it today. It wasn't actually called the EU till 1992, something I did not know before. Our professor has had experience working in the EU and has been able to share some stories of her time in Brussels.

So far in Greek I can introduce myself by name, tell you where I am from with several greetings. On top of that we know lots of random vocabulary that is helping us as we try and live here in Thessaloniki. We're making progress, slowly, but progress is still progress.

My Art class is going well too. On Saturday she took us to the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum to give us a tour. It was really great to have a guide take us around and give us a better understand of what we were looking at. Not to mention we didn't have to pay. It is always better when it's free. Here are a few pictures I took at the museum, everything there is from Thessaloniki or right around it.







After the museum I took a walk down to the white tower with a few friends and we went in to get to the top (also free with student ID). Its not very high but we walk by the place all the time, it was about time we see the view. There are a lot of exhibits inside along the way, but unfortunately it was all in Greek, so we could only look at the pictures and guess what they were saying.




a nice fountain outside the museum



statue of Alexander the Great by the Tower.



View from the top



looking the other way.

After that we went to a taverna near by for some lunch, had delicious Greek food obviously. From there we were on a mission to go shopping and find the open market that we were told is by Aristotle Square. We got to the square and stopped in a few places around there before splitting up because not everyone wanted to keep walking. Diana, Scotty, and I walked a while longer and finally at about 5 pm we found the market! Unfortunately it was closing so we didn't get to buy much or see it in action. Now that we know where it is we are planing on going back tomorrow morning before our classes to get some fresh fish, meat, and fruit.



Aristotle Square!

It was a pretty relaxing weekend, not traveling and just staying in the city. I was glad that I went out and got to see some new places. I was planning on taking a trip with the school this weekend to two small villages further south from Thessaloniki, but not enough students signed up so it's not going to run. Looks like I'll have the chance to see some more this weekend. I was just saying how it is still warm here, in the 80s most days which is strange since it is October. Well it would be strange in Boston, but it is not strange here. This week though it was 80 one day and 67 the next. It was a big jump and we want the warm to come back but it probably won't. It might be a little warmer again this weekend so that is nice.

Exactly a week from today is the start of Fall Break at ACT. Technically it is the Monday after but we are taking of two days early to make it a 6 day break. I'm heading to Crete for three days and then taking a tour of the Peloponnese for the next three and flying back to Thessaloniki from Athens on Tuesday the 27th. I'm really excited about the trip, there is a lot of great sights to see.

Hope everything is great with all of you, I wish you well.