Greece, Part VI

To celebrate the completion of the test on Monday, I got together some other students into Damali and I's room to watch Enchanted. It was exactly the break my poor little brain needed. However, I may have taken the charge to relax a little too seriously--the next day I decided to go study on the beach, thinking, "It would be really, really pathetic if I spent 4 weeks in Greece and never swam in the Aegean," and, well. . .

At first, it went fantastically. I actually got some work done. But then, then a random Romanian girl sat down next to me and talked, talked, talked because she was very bored. It was fascinating to hear her talk about her ambitions to be a fashion designer, and nice to have someone to swim with, but it was ultimately somewhat detrimental to my translation assignment on Philemon. Still, though, I really must recommend the Aegean Sea--it is truly wonderful water. I found it amusing how vendors kept on approaching me on the beach, as I had no money to buy anything from them, even if I were interested in doing so in the first place.

Yesterday morning, when I was going down the stairs and started to test each stair for its acoustic properties, I suddenly realized how badly the upcoming trip to the island of Hydra is needed. I was much more doggedly determined as I sat down to do translation, being stuck in the hotel to do laundry, anyway, but only saw a 4-point difference for all my effort. Eh. Doing laundry here is a real chore, working out of the hotel sink by hand. The hotel staff are a little miffed at our practice of tying clotheslines in their picturesque balconies, but if we didn't dry it there, where would we dry it? I'd love to hear their solution. In the process of this, I somehow found myself talking with a desk clerk for half an hour for no other inquiry than a lost room key. Interesting, at least.

As for today, well, heh, any who see me when I return will be somewhat amused at my tan. Somehow, in the process of sitting on the roof to get good internet, I managed to burn my left arm and side of my face, but not my right. It makes for a somewhat peculiar look--a good conversation starter, I guess. Had the rare pleasure of an empty train on the way to Glyfada this afternoon to get money--no people, perfectly safe to take photos without getting my camera stolen.

Anyways, I've probably bored you all out of your skulls enough with this mundane talk already; just thought I'd drop a line before heading out to Hydra tomorrow. It is an island so remote that there are no motor vehicles--all travel there is either on foot or donkey back. Essentially, enforced relaxation! This I consider to be a good thing--it'll be nice not to have any translations to worry about over the weekend, to have a change of space. It does make me a little sad that we may not get this room back, though--we have no idea where we'll be reassigned after the weekend. This room truly had a wonderful view of the ocean, and I hate to give it up.

Wish you all a wonderful weekend, full of fun and relaxation. I hope you are having an excellent summer wherever you are, nice and sunny--but no burns. Love you all dearly, and hope that it all goes well with you.