Back at it

Pics from Santorini! Beach we stayed at. Perissa...soooo great.

View from our restaurant in Oia (Ea).

At the top of the volcano, looking towards Santorini

The rest of my Santorini vacation was so amazing. . . climbing the volcano, swimming in the hot springs, eating great food and being with fun people. Our last day there, I got up at 8 to go outside for an hour to just soke in the sound of the waves and the peacefullness that is an empty ocean-front beach. Then after finding a bakery for a quick breakfast, I packed me things got ready for a 5 hour ferry ride back to Pereias (the port of Athens). After arguing with a couple of cab drivers about using the meter ( It should only be an 8 euro cab ride, many try to charge 25 euro to tourists) we went to the education center for a free meal and to meet all the new arrivals that we will be having class with the next couple of weeks. I got a new roommate, Gwen, who is orignally from Pennsylvania but goes to school in Aberdeen, Scottland. There is also a girl named Eleni, whose parents are Greek, so she can speak the language. She is super great and we hung out later in the evening when we all went out with them to welcome them here.

Today was the first day of the new class session, and we went to the ancient Agora. In the last class session we had already been there, but Stavros related more of the information to the new topic, Alexander the Great. It was an easy day, out of the sun, and only about an hours worth of lecture.

Tonight I am celebrating the 4th by going to a huge concert for DJ Tiesto on the beach. He is really famous here, as well as in the states. But since Tiesto has a small habit of showing up kinda whenever he wants, I probably will not get any sleep before heading to the New Acropolis Museum tomorrow. The museum just opened about 2 weeks ago, and is supposed to be just absolutly gorgeous. Everyone that has been there already has said they would go back many more times because it has been their favorite.

Monday we are going to the Archeological museum one last time before hitting the road for Thessaloniki on Tuesday morning...from there we will be gone 13 days traveling up Greece and to Turkey then Eventually to the Island of Samos....and then prepare for a 10 hour ferry ride back (which is how long it takes to fly from here to New York! grooosssss).

This is our complete schedule for the next session. ...

Tue 7th-Thebes, night in Thessaloniki

Wed 8th- 2 archeological sites, night in Thessaloniki

Thur 9th- 4 sites, night in Thessaloniki

Fri 10th-2 museums, night in Thessaloniki

Sat 11th- Beaches nearby Thessaloniki, 1 site, night in Thessaloniki

Sun 12th- Drive to Turkey, visit a museum and a site on the way, night in Canakkale

Mon 13th- Troy, night in Bergama

Tue 14th- Pergamon, night in Kusadasi

Wed 15th- Ephessos, night in Kusadasi

Thur 16th- Free day in Kusadasi Turkey, night in Kusadasi

Fri 17th- 3 sites, 1 museum, night in Kusadasi

Sat 18th- Ferry to Samos island (75 min), Free day, night in Samos

Sun 19th- 3 sites on Samos, night in Samos

Mon 20th- Ferry to Athens (10hrs!), night in Athens

Tue 21st- Review day, night in Athens

Wed 22nd- Final exam, night in Athens

Thur 23rd- Fly home (11hr flight to NJ, 2 hr layover, 2 hr flight to MN)

Miss you guys lots! See ya in 2 1/2 weeks!