Slideshow for Turkey

Field Trip To Vergina

Victoria Goofing Off On Bus Ride

September 18th: Today, we went to visit the archeological site in Vergina, which is approximately an hour and a half from Thessaloníki. Why is this place so important? Did you know that Vergina holds the tomb of King Philip II of Macedonia, who was, funny enough, the father of Alexander the Great? He and his family are buried in the mounds surrounding the village (that might or might not include Alexander, mind you). On the bus ride over, we were given a short lesson on the historical and mythological significances of Greece. Fascinating subjects!
I thoroughly enjoyed the museum and village - the frescoes in the exhibit were cool, for instance. I didn't know that, compared to the Egyptians, who took decades to build tombs for their dead (not to mention the mummification process), the Greeks literally created a fresco in the course of a couple of weeks, if that. It was a hurried process - that is why the blue pigment had to be placed on last. Its color faded first when it was mixed in with the water and plaster. Besides the frescoes, you had Greek artifacts, jewelry and remains of columns of marble.
After the museum, we had a traditional lunch (4 course meal), consisting of pesto pasta with bread and olive oil on the side, followed by a simple cucumber and tomato salad, chicken, rice, fries, and finally a cornbread substance soaked in honey. Not the best meal I've had, but, after a long morning, I'll take it!

St. Demitrius Church, Thessaloniki

We drove back to Thessaloníki and spent the next couple of hours on a driving tour of the city, learning the history behind the city. We got out twice - once, to see the wall surrounding the city (what a great view!) and twice, to explore the church of St. Demetrius, who is the patron saint of Thessaloníki. They say that, once upon a time, the king challenged young men to defeat his prize champion. St. Demetrius poured a blessing over a young man named Nestor, who went straight to the arena and defeated the gladiator. The king, not happy about losing his star, demanded the heads of Nestor and Demetrius. Both ended up dying as a result. Demetrius, long since dead, has appeared before as a ghost for battles to defend the city. After the church, we headed home for some well deserved rest.
September 19th: Most of the group went to the beach today - Halkidiki, to be exact, because, in Greece, all the shops close from Saturday night through Sunday. Since none of the shops were open, everyone wanted something fun to do and the option of eating. I stayed behind and fixed up my room, waiting for Mom and Tucker to arrive back from Delphi in one piece. Mom came over well into the evening - apparently, she and Tucker had been in an accident because of a hidden stop sign (propped up behind an overgrown bush). I was not happy to hear this news AT ALL. However, I think I hid my worry well, because I remember the last time Mom had been in an accident and she was shaken for months after it...after we said our goodbyes, I got ready for bed, hoping that my first day of college classes wouldn't be too excruciating.

Orientation Commences

My Room In September

September 13th-15th: The three days we were in Thessaloníki before orientation, we were exploring, going to IKEA to set up my "apartment", etc. Just unpacking everything we brought from home took an entire day! It was intense, but the result was fabulous, if I do say so myself.
During those three days, I managed to meet most of the kids that live in Kalis Elpidos with me. I also discovered that I was the only freshman in the two buildings...good or bad thing, I still don't know (and it's mid-November when I'm typing this!).

September 16th: The day that Orientation started, Mom and Tucker headed off to see Delphi (spelled Δελφοί, pronounced Delfee). It was new sleeping away from Mom and Tucker, but, hey, I'm here to grow up, right? Gotta branch off at some point!

My Balcony When It's Warm Outside

Orientation is exactly the same, no matter where you go in the world - meet and greet, get to know the campus, what we'll allow you to/to not do, etc. At least I learned a little bit about the culture - for example: pouring wine only halfway to 3/4 of the cup is acceptable. A full cup makes you unclassy (because it looks like you're trying to get drunk and not to drink as part of a social event). People prefer you to, at the very least, try their language - it's not that difficult, from what I found going through "Survival Greek". Please and thank you will get you anywhere. Oh and never, NEVER accept a free drink if a Greek male offers it to you! He's essentially asking for sex.
The first night of orientation is really where I made my first friends - Tim, Jesse, Justin and Victoria. Justin, for helping me to adjust to the party environment (and giving me my first beer (Miller Light), even if it was nasty). Victoria, for making me relax a little, even though we were at a bar and I was SUPPOSED to be relaxed. Time and Jesse, for getting me out of the bar when it started to get crazy and proceeding to get lost with me. Hey, it was an adventure finding our way back - we even met a native Greek and had a conversation with her (with the limited Greek that we shared). Fun night!

September 17th: The second day of Orientation was practically a repeat of the first day. However, Friday, we went to IKEA and had an interesting time (although, having gone there earlier in the week, I more acted as an advisor - "Go to the end of the store. That's where you'll find the merchandise"). I learned about the VAT tax from Victoria (it's evil, trust me). The second night to party, we went to a nice restaurant and everyone had some type of alcohol - ouzo was a popular choice. It tastes horrible unless you like licorice.
Anyway, we had dinner, then some of us, including me, went to a Greek street-party. They gave us, in a sense, rubbing alcohol (ewwww). You're supposed to take small sips of it and eat cheese cubes (I found this out later from Amanda G). I found that I love rum refreshers, though (one of many "girly drinks"). By the end of the night, Tim, Amanda B. and I left early. We had a fun time finding our way back, just like the previous night (except without the bus ride). Amanda was drunk, so it made the situation funnier than it already was. I guess Lauren (my sister) was right about drunk people. Amusing, truly.

Homeless And A Train Ride

Ancient Clock - No, It's Not Just Decoration

September 12th: It was the last day in Istanbul and all of us were exhausted from the night before (making the trek to the airport for luggage et al). Since it was a rainy day, not to mention that we were homeless, we wandered into a science museum...in a tent. Apparently, during the Dark Ages, the Byzantine Empire was having their Great Awakening/Enlightenment Era. Almost every type of useful tool we use today probably started out as a design during this time period in Turkey. Cool, huh? I remember buying a book about the inventions mentioned throughout the exhibit for Grandpa, a hat and two sets of flashcards for Tucker's teachers. So, essentially, we accomplished two feats with one activity - gifts...and successfully getting out of the rain for a period of time.
Next, we wandered into the Blue Mosque. Although we couldn't enter, it being Sunday, (not to forget that Mom and I weren't wearing the right clothes) we still had a good time simply sitting and watching the different people pass by us. Also, we used this time to write post cards to everyone back home.
Since the Grand Bazaar was closed for three days after Ramadan to give the people time to reset their circadian rhythm (mornings and nights), we settled for the next best thing: The Spice Market. I thought it was a cool, exciting place to experience, but I became paranoid because of the small space where pickpockets lurked. Needless to say, I started to panic and wanted out of there! Mom complied and Tucker followed. After cooling off for a second (letting my heart rate return to normal),

Grand Spice Market In Istanbul

we jumped back into the thick of things - Turkish Delight was a main priority . Twas a gift for a teacher, after all. We also managed to pick up some spices (which I'm still using as we speak!).
Mom, Tucker and I arrived at the train station after an hour or so of stalling in the Mosque and the Market and ventured out to find food. I'd like to say we didn't get frustrated, but we did have to call a cab to lug our luggage to the station, so we weren't in the best moods by dinner...Plus, some crazy Turk thought it was a smart idea to tell my mother that I was pretty - she ended up replying, "Yes and so is her dowry". Mom was fuming after this...we bought some snacks for the journey and headed back to the train. We had two compartments - Tucker was reading in one and Mom and I were talking/ watching the rain fall in the other.

September 13th: It ended up being a long night, with the border patrol coming on and off the train to check passports and bags for smuggled goods. By the time we arrived in Thessaloníki, I was frazzled and it didn't help matters that Mom accidentally booked a stick-shift car. It took a couple of hours to find our hotel (which I now use as a landmark). After a restless night, we found food, then collapsed. Later that night, Dimitris and Nikos helped Mom and I get the luggage to Kalis Elpidos. Thank goodness!

Istanbul, Part Two

September 11th: The second day in Istanbul was more/less uneventful, unless, of course, you include the tour of the Royal Harem. But, let's rewind a bit - breakfast was almost identical to the day before, with the view being lovelier than yesterday. Tucker, Mom and I then traveled over to the Palace (we beat the crowd to it this time!), where we walked through both the weapons room and the Harem. Apparently my lessons about the women in a harem were completely off the wall! From what I can remember, a Harem was, to put it bluntly, filled with skanky, trashy women. Of course, I was corrected by Mom (though I'm still having my doubts). These women were supposed to be the smartest, most-gifted, cleverest and all-around best females in their villages.

Me Not Being A Harem Woman

Just think of Ruth from the Bible - she wasn't dirty, now was she? Anyway, the Harem was awesome and I feel like my perspective has changed slightly with regard to the people living there. Did you know, for instance, that the only men allowed to live with the women were the local eunuchs? I bet they regretted their decision to become eunuchs if they knew they'd be living in the same quarters as the best women in the world. Mom joked that I would have been one of them, but, in my opinion, living with a bunch of women would do me in.
Our next stop was to the Royal Treasury - apparently, Turkey was on friendly terms with a good number of countries (Pakistan, Iran, Russia, to name a few). India had made peace offerings with them (diamonds, I believe) for example. Turquoise littered the museum's glass cases. Also, there was another part to the Treasury (and, boy, was it a treasure!). They had collected rare artifacts over the years of famous prophets - Moses' staff, pieces of Mohammad's beard (and his tooth, funny enough). One guy in the crowd tried to take a picture of the staff and, if the security hadn't taken him out, I would have. How dare he ruin such an important artifact that, once it disappears, won't be appreciated by future generations?! Calming down...there was also an exhibit on the history of the Qua'ran (and the Kaaba). A Muslim (priest?) was reading/singing ballads from the Qua'ran throughout the exhibit. Even though I viewed it as disrespectful, I did end up letting my curiosity get the best of me and I filmed, say, 30-45 seconds of his performance. My bad?...Eh, he'll be famous one day from my footage.
After visiting the palace, we left 1) for food and 2) for a bathroom (which is surprisingly hard to find in a city). Pizza and pasta is fairly inexpensive here, so we decided to take it. It's better than nothing, am I right? For some reason or another, we (we meaning I) always end up attracting cats...Tucker would probably accuse me of either simply being a cat pheromone or carrying catnip around with me. In all honesty, he's probably right 3/4 of the time. Hey, at least I admitted it.
For what I can remember (because it was such a long day), we went back to the room for an hour or two, then we went back out to see the Whirling Dervishes. They were amazing (though, from what I observed, the "top Dervish", head chief if you will, forgot his black overcoat that night by accident). Oops!

Whirling Dervishes

After the performance, Mom and I dropped Tucker off at the hotel and headed to the airport to pick up the OTHER three suitcases that we'd stashed for as long as possible without having to deal with them two weeks prior to this date. Mom and I headed out there on the tram, which allowed me to learn more about the Turkish transportation system. The guy who was giving out the tokens for the tram, however, tried to cheat us out of money - luckily, Mom caught him in the act. He figured that she couldn't do math - bad plan on his part! The trip was long and rather uneventful, though it was a slight problem getting back to the hotel. We ended up getting lost and having a couple of guys ask us if we, being the "weak women", needed help. Ummm...NO. One guy was actually quite persistent - he followed us all the way down the street asking if we needed assistance and I eventually had to tell him rather rudely that, no, we could manage perfectly well without him. Needless to say, he didn't take that news well. When we arrived at the hotel, the bellhop simply stared at us, giving us that "Did they seriously bring that with them" sort of look. He tried picking up ONE of the bags that we'd taken from the airport. WHOOOSH. He was bent over, looking at the ground. He looked back up and told us, "You are VERY strong!". That comment still makes me smile to this day. :)

Traveling and Istanbul, Part One

Sept 9th:
Today was traveling day, which equated to stress central in my book. Aside from the fact that we had more luggage that we could shake a stick at, getting to the Izmir train station, dropping off the rental car, going approximately 8 hours by train to get onto a ferry, then traveling another 2 hours, finding a taxi and managing to make it to our hotel was just TOO MUCH. It's a wonder I wrote anything at all! However, I knew that the next day would be a trial itself - after all, Istanbul is huge!
The highlight of the day was the bellydancer at dinner and the amazing video footage of a waiter dealing with a flaming meal. It wasn't something you'd see every day - plus, if I recall correctly, he was using a sword.


Sept 10th:

Royal Harem in Palace at Istanbul

I seriously can't believe that one week from today, I'll be with people my own age, going through orientation again. I hope I'm ready to live on my own....anyway, we started out the day by going upstairs for breakfast. There was a fantastic view of both the Hagai Sophia and the Blue Mosque. After coming down off the roof of the hotel, we went to the Hagai Sophia and saw the 27 sarcophagi of the royal family (in order to view the tombs, you had to take off your shoes).

Mysterious Creature in Archeological Museum

Note: In Turkey, women do not wear black scarves, like Greek Orthodox women, but rather, they prefer colorful arrangements to adorn their scalps. I wasn't expecting to see so many covered women. It shocked me, but, I suppose, if I were born in that society, I wouldn't know that women could be treated differently, so I wouldn't be feeling a slight resentment and anger towards the men here....oh well. Anyway, we wanted to go see the weapons room and the Palace's infamous Harem, but the weapons room was closed, so, instead, we chose to visit the Archeological Museum that was right next door. It was spectacular! Who knew there were so many ancient civilizations, from the time of the Byzantine Empire to Muslim and Christian rule. It really blows the mind.
In fact, there were a few carvings that resembled what we know as a sphinx today. One creature, however, I could not identify and, coming from me, that's saying a lot. Also, they had a miniature Trojan Horse specifically for children to play in, sort of like your local McDonald's playroom. I took a picture in front of it, but refused to climb the ladder (I may be the 2nd World's Oldest preschooler, but I have my pride to think about as well, dontcha know?).

Other interesting artifacts: they had a replica of Alexander the Great's supposed "tomb", but, from the recent trip to Vergina, I think I can safely say that Alexander is probably buried near his father, Philip, in the ancient mounds surrounding the city. We found some bones shining through the floor while at the museum, dating from approximately 2,000 BC. It was interesting, but, at the same time, it gave me quite a scare!

Tucker Apparently Got Me. 

After the museum, we headed over to a museum that featured blue tiles, like found in the Blue Mosque. I have a couple of pictures, which should be in this post somewhere...Tucker ended up locking me in the entrance-way, something, apparently, that Mom found funny enough to take a picture of. Grrr.
On our way back from the museums to our hotel, we were blocked by the police, who claimed that the road we wanted to walk on was dangerous because of the "violent winds". Then, of course, the one speaking to us just had to pull out one of those 'pretty, nice guy' poses. I snapped. I had had enough of their cultural ideas. Just because I'm a woman does not mean that I can't handle a little wind. It can be blustery and the wind can pick up to, say, 10-20 mph in Georgia, yet pedestrians are free to walk where they wish, regardless of the danger. The point is, I was tired of being treated like a child or second-best, like I was too weak to care for myself. So, I gave him a look of loathing and stormed off, with Mom and Tucker in tow. The rest of the day, I basically steamed it off. Luckily, we found lunch soon after, so I did not lash out more than was necessary to vent my frustration. Actually, the lunch spot in question was so good and had such an impression on the three of us that we came back again two days later. In fact, the staff had a charming way about them (at this point, I could see right through their act), for instance, they kept bringing Tucker the bill, which I did not appreciate, seeing as I was the one playing the bill. Typical Turk, I suppose. While at the restaurant, we ordered tickets to watch Whirling Dervishes with dinner. Cool beans!

Ephesus And Izmir, With A Little In Between

I finally have some time to write and update....two months. I'll get caught up...eventually. Hahaha...enjoy the story!

September 8th: We started out the day looking around Kusadasi for their Wednesday bazaar that was said to have various items, like Turkish towels and an Egyptian-cotton robe. However, instead of finding that, we ended up on a gravel-filled dirt road (VERY dusty) in the middle of nowhere. Pantomiming, I believe, actually DOES get you some where - at least when you're in need of directions to civilization! Regardless of the help, though, we never found the bazaar...twas a pity, but what can you do?

Ancient Road Leading Up To Ephesus

Our next stop was to Ephesus, which was fascinating (despite the bloody heat). There were two amphitheaters, a library, an arch of Heracles (Hercules), and a private house (which had been mistaken repeatedly as a brothel). The architecture was very advanced and had the three separate styles of columns commonly found in Roman and Greek ruins. We noticed while there that all of the tour groups congregated under what little trees surrounded the site. It was funny to watch them move when the sun did. It made me smile a bit, seeing as I was concentrating on getting a tan (or burn, depending on how well you know me).
It was rather hot (being in the desert), so it was a blessing from God that the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers was literally right next door to Ephesus. It was at the top of a large hill that overlooked the city - breathtaking. The legends say that seven boys made a deal with God (or Allah) to sleep for 309 years and tell the world of what it once was when they awoke. Of course, the Christian version is slightly different. The seven boys and a dog hid in the grotto because they were being pursued; they were murdered in those caves. Others heard of this story and wanted to be buried in the grotto along with the boys who stood up for their faith. Both are great stories, in my opinion. Interesting fact: the Arabic word for seven sleepers is ashabi-kehf.

Cat Leading A Tour Of Ephesus

We passed by St. Mary's House next (funny, how these attractions were practically in a line). It was practically on top of a mountain (Mom was not happy about this). When we first walked into the area, a huge empty hole littered the ground - it apparently was an ancient spring with healing waters. Next was a sacred temple that the Virgin Mary worshiped in. Alas, we didn't want to 1) put on the head scarves found next to the temple and 2) bring dishonor to the temple (kind of a stupid excuse, but I suppose you could call it being humble not entering such a sacred place in my mind). We passed Mary's house and the fountain that (along with ash from St. Mary's fireplace) is said to have extraordinary healing powers that can cure cancer, let the blind see and let the crippled walk. Amazing, eh?
Our final stop was to St. John's - the ruins were surprisingly still fairly intact. An accomplishment? You bet. From what the locals (and Mom) said, St. John's bones are actually buried under the ruins. Mary and John (people believe) traveled to Ephesus together and, once Mary ascended to Heaven, John traveled until he was banished to the island of Patmos.

Ancient Amphitheater Where Paul Made His Message

Another important man from the area was Paul (named Saul until he converted to Christianity after being blinded by Christ on the way to Damascus). While in Ephesus for 6 years, he challenged the pagan goddess of the town - Artemis (goddess of the hunt and young girls). Ultimately, the people of the town chose the deity and Paul (who had been imprisoned) got the boot and was sent packing. In the end, that was probably a blessing in disguise. Otherwise the other books of the Bible (Thessalonians, Ephesians, Corinthians, etc) wouldn't have been written.
Once finished with Ephesus, we drove to Izmir and, after a time, found our hotel, where we proceeded to collapse. Of course, due to the huge demand for gifts, we stopped by a local shop and bought Turkish delight, shoes and hats, a chess set, and some coins. Dinner was okay (it didn't taste like lentil soup, though) but the waiter kept bringing us items that we never ordered. Plus, apparently, they can't do math either. Then again, I'm not one to talk about that subject. *shudder*
Since it was the last night of Ramadan, there were men out on the streets selling shoes, leftover fruit, you name it! The only bad part, in my opinion, was the shameless gawking that we were getting by the men. Mom and I counted the women on the streets - around 6...do I feel safe now? Heck no!

Kusadasi, Turkey - How Relaxing!

*Note - I'll be writing from the date of the journal until further notice. Thanks and enjoy*

September 7th: Kusadasi was our "chill and soak up the culture" spot of choice. We had our breakfast (consisting of black seed-filled olives, green olives with pimento, fresh tomato, feta, Havarti cheese, and bread) with a lovely view of the city and the sea. A couple of cats (I believe three generations of them) decided to join us, insisting we feed them the cheese. One even bit my finger for the scraps. Yikes!
Since we had a kitchen at our disposal, we went to the nearby market (a mini-Bazaar of sorts) and bought everything from potatoes to the locally-grown peaches, grapes and olives. They even had a fruit that resembled a lime in appearance, but, in actuality, it was an orange. How strange! Of course, being the obvious tourists that we were, we were swindled out of our money when trying to buy tomatoes and some spoons (which, I might add, are quite useful now that I'm in Thessaloníki). All in all, though, it wasn't a bad experience.

There is always going to be one of those "it wasn't funny then, but it is now" moments that happens on every trip. Well, we had it -- Coming out of the market after buying all of that food mentioned in the last paragraph, Mom noticed safety wires attached to our car's wheels and automatically presumed we had been booted by the Turkish police. My mom, acting out of fear, started to probe this poor Turkish man with questions, because he had parked behind us and had the safety wires on his tires as well. He apparently thought we were asking how to go to the Police Station and, not knowing English, he pulled a couple of Turkish passerby and it felt like they were playing "guess what the American is saying" with Mom and I. I'm sure they got a kick out of the whole ordeal. Good grief. Luckily, one of the men in the group knew some English and told us the safety wires had been there all along and that their purpose is to prevent thieves from stealing the rims of the tires. Even now, I have to ask myself, HOW DID I MISS THAT?!

The rest of the day was more relaxing. I caught up with my journal, Tucker went swimming and all of us read a book. We're such nerds (not that that's a bad thing). :) Dinner came and went - Kusadasi was going all-out for their last nights of Ramadan and had everything from a carnival to singers and comedians. At dinner, Mom and I accidentally switched meals and I experienced curry, first hand. It tasted okay, but my stomach just didn't take to it. Oh well, at least I tried it. We bought my second journal (I think I'm going to need it by November) and had some ice cream (chocolate, mint and vanilla). I proceeded to get everyone lost, trying to find our way back to the car, but we did stumble upon a shop with milk. Note: check first to see if it's buttermilk or not! Oops! We finally returned to the hotel and collapsed out of sheer exhaustion. What a day!

Flying, Pamukkale, and Crashing From Exhaustion

*To make this easier and more accurate (plus more detailed), I'm practically going to copy down what I have in my journal while we were in Turkey. Enjoy!*

September 6th: Looking back on yesterday's events and all I can say is "Oh Lord!". After waking up at 6am (for some reason or another, I awoke 15 minutes before the alarm was supposed to sound - a God-thing to ensure we didn't miss our flight to Izmir? I think so), the three of us rushed to the airport. We did have to tell the driver to drop us off at the "Domestic gate" (meaning inside Turkey flights) instead of the International gate, where we left the day before. Even going through security, the Istanbul domestic gate is nothing compared to Frankfurt or Atlanta -- period! Although I had to take off my shoes twice and I accidentally placed both computers on top of each other going through security, the journey to gate 110 went by relatively easy.

At the gate, when Mom and Tucker left to find food, I met this nice couple from West Virginia who were on a trip with their church from Washington D.C. to gather information lost on the religion. There was also a friendly gentleman from Malta (an island found in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea), who has been to Turkey every year for various reasons. He, the husband from West Virginia, and I talked about Turkey, discussing everything from bargaining tips to the political unrest and the differences between conservative Turks and their liberal counterparts. By the time Mom and Tucker returned, I had learned loads of information about the Turkish people. The plane flight was quick and soon we were settled into our rented car and were heading off, away from Izmir (the people were holding rallies to support political candidates that were either for or against becoming more Western and joining the EU).

Our first stop on Monday was to Sart (Sardis in English) - this town contained the Temple of Artemis, where King Croesus flaunted his wealth until the King of Persia - King Cyrus - heard of his money and conquered the city. Croesus definitely learned his lesson! We stopped at the Temple (or what remained of it) and took pictures of the ruins. Also, there was a lady walking up the street around the area that Mom had an animated conversation with regarding the royal jewels, gold, and silver taken from the excavated site. Just imagine what that poor woman and her family had to go through when gold was discovered!

Pamukkale was our next stop - it has natural calcium carbonate cliffs, also known as travertines. It's very white in color, unless it comes in contact with running water, which can turn it brownish-red or green (moss). Of course, we explored the area - there was an amphitheater, ruins of various kinds, and the cliffs. Mom and I even went into the water that was running down the cliffs. The ground was hard in places and soft/muddy in others, particularly where the water had stagnated.

After Pamukkale, it was around 6:15pm (already late in the day, but since the sun doesn't set until 8pm, it at least wasn't dark like in Germany). We started driving again and, about halfway to Kusadasi (pronounced Ku-sha-day-su), we needed gas...badly. Since it was Ramadan, everything was closed except for the BP (thank you, British Petroleum). We believe the lady working the cash register had pity on us and, when we paid for gas and some cookies/water, she gave us a cup and saucer, free of charge. This keeps happening, but you won't see me complaining!

We reached the hotel (Pamera) and, before I could collapse from the trip, Mom and Tucker dragged me out for food (around 10pm). Night life had a buzz of activity in the air - instead of going to Burger King, we opted for a small cafe. Mom ordered pizza, Tucker - pasta (big surprise there -_-) and I - Irish Breakfast. I tried food I haven't had before (an accomplishment in my opinion) and we had two cats that begged me for my sausage. Naturally, I let them have it. Finally, successfully avoiding the salesmen and getting back to our car, we reached the hotel and hit the hay (around 2am). Man, WHAT A DAY!

*And that, my friends, is one day. Just imagine what stories I have in store for you tomorrow! Stay tuned!*

Catching Up - One Night Stay

I know this post is long overdue and, for that, I apologize. It's been a stressful two weeks and I thank you for bearing with me while I get adjusted to Europe. Well, now that the apologies are finished, let's get started!

September 4th: Saturday was the longest day I've ever felt, not including anything related to IB. Both my brother and I simply could not slip into a nice long coma to last the first leg of the trip. Instead, we watched movies and read fanfiction the entire time. In all honesty, wouldn't you? The airlines had new videos, such as Shrek Ever After, Letters to Juliet, and The Karate Kid. By the time we arrived for our 4 hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany, everyone was cranky as all get-out. We did see almost every single ethnicity walk around us, though. Who knew there were so many cultures. It was a very good eye opener for me, I must say.

Anyway, a couple of coffees and sodas later, we hopped on the flight to Istanbul for a one-night stay. Besides the staff telling the passengers they could only have one carry-on item at the last moment before boarding (it simply was not possible for our group), I wouldn't call it a horrible flight. For one, I actually got some sleep in.

September 5th: We landed, put half the luggage (for school) in a locker at the airport, and boarded a Courtyard by Marriott bus. Note: when traveling to Istanbul (or anywhere in Turkey, for that matter), do not allow some stranger (mainly a man) to come up to you and take you to where you want to go. People in this country normally don't help a foreigner just for the sake of being helpful. This is a society founded off of entrepreneurship and they will expect compensation for going out of their way to help you. Anyway, we came to the hotel and a man came out of the front gate and circled the bus, looking underneath. This is because there have been hotels recently that have been bombed. You never know what could happen. Going through the front doors, we were herded through a scanner (similar to going through security at the airport).

With minimal confusion involved, we went up to our room and collapsed. My mom and brother brought back food authentic to the region while I was unpacking. It consisted of lentil soup, steamed carrot and cucumber slices in herbs and butter, pizza, and Turkish coffee. We read a little and passed out from shear exhaustion (no surprise - it was Sunday evening there, Sunday midday in Marietta. And so it began.

Feel free to comment. I'll catch up eventually, so please stay tuned! :)

Four More Days To Go!

We are so close to leaving, it's slightly scary. However, since my mind has yet to register that I am actually getting on a plane on Saturday, I'd have to peg myself more bored/frazzled than scared. By this point, we've packed three bags full of stuff (much better compared to when my sister was going to NC State -- that packing took up an entire Jeep)! All that's left in that department is double-checking everything already packed and putting together clothing (in my opinion, that's the worst bit to deal with).

I decided to make life easier and take up the newest of my collection of hobbies....cooking. Since the Greeks, from what I've read, don't encourage trans-fat induced food like in America, I *suppose* I will have to make do by shopping at a farmer's market every couple of days. What ever shall I do? ;)

That's all for now - I'll update, perhaps, one more time before leaving to go to Izmir. :) Wish us luck! <3

Less Than Four Weeks To Go!

While the rest of my friends are heading off to school (since most Georgia colleges start in mid-August instead of September), I am staying home prepping for the trip of all trips. There is so much left to do! I finally received my FBI scan back and I am a-okay (because I do not appear in their database). As I'm sure I have previously stated (I cannot stress this enough), make sure to get your paperwork and finger scans to them ASAP if you are going out of the country! It took 11 weeks for mine to come back. Furthermore, if you are getting a Visa, that will take another two or three days so don't wait till the last moment!

In other news, I am proud to say I am the happy recipient of an International Baccalaureate Diploma. Four years of blood, sweat and tears (minus the blood) going through the program and it's finished. I really don't know what to do with myself now that I "have a life". Figures!

Finally, I would like to say congratulations to my friends Cole, Teresa, and Jalen for getting through Jack's Valley in one piece! You guys will go far in life - good job becoming full Cadets at the Academy! And, Erik, haven't heard from you in a while, but cheering you on through your journey at West Point! CONGRATULATIONS!

Pre-Orientation

In order to properly describe Oxford, Mississippi, I'd have to say it is one of many southern towns whose weather can be categorized as velvety hot. Today was a blast jumping from one building to the next, meeting important people and practically passing out in the library near various college students, who, in their minds, were thinking, "What IS that girl doing on the floor? She's so WEIRD."

In any case, I am feeling quite copacetic with regard to tomorrow. I've crossed off numerous items that were on my list of things to do/ask about today (before the incoming freshmen crowds get here!). The Student ID is made, the health forms have been turned in and Ms. Vanessa and I cleared up a couple of fuzzy details about ACT and what to expect. We are still waiting on ACT to send us my official acceptance letter (I'm in the program, they just take a little longer with study abroad students - it's a cultural thing, which is completely understandable).

Well, that's all for now! Must sleep in order to keep myself from collapsing on a tour! Ta-ta for now!

Last Moments with High School Friends

Sadly, all good things come to an end and new ones begin. In other words, my compadres and I must say farewell within the next couple of weeks, as one dear friend of mine heads off to college already. This message is to them, in more ways then one. I'll miss all of you at MHS, even though we've had our ups and our downs, we've endured so much together. Those long nights talking on the phone while desperately trying to finish an essay; the dubbed "Senior" days, where we could goof around and break a couple of school rules, while not pushing our luck; the football games, screaming at the top of our lungs and cheering the Blue Devils on....yep, I'm going to miss it. BUT, we will still stay in contact, joking over the phone or facebook about the craziness surrounding us. All I can say is, I love you guys, keep in touch and, for my sanity, DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID.

And now, back to prepping for Greece!

Prep Time - 100 Days and Counting!

Nervous yet? I can't say that I am, seeing as I walked across the stage to get my diploma just last Saturday. Still, it's practically like a small bomb went off at our house as soon as school was finally out and all my IB tests were finished. Hallelujah! There's so much to pack and so little time to pack it!

For instance, did you know that Greece does not have pepto-bismol at all? From my research, I also need/have:

• good walking shoes
• passport picture (2x2)
  
• insurance background check
  
• FBI background check (though I'm not a criminal, I must say, the Greeks have the right idea (though they are still horrible bankers))
• a bank that has branches in Greece
  

Oh well, that's all for now. I will update again soon - as soon as I get more information through orientation at Ole Miss in a couple of weeks. :)