Sailing the Sporades Islands

SO SORRY it's been so long since I've written.  I feel like I've been so busy!  Anywho, I'll tell you about my weekend sailing. 

October 7th - 9th

our sailboat!

Skiathos Island

The cove we swam in

Heather, Megan [Heather's friend from college], Aaron [Megan's boyfriend], and I went sailing for the weekend.  We started the trip at 6 o'clock in the morning on Friday.  Nicolas [our captain] picked us up and we drove to Volos.  From Volos, we took a two hour ferry ride to the Island of Skiathos.  After we got off the ferry, we went and had some lunch.  I had an amazing tuna sandwich [the tuna was right from the water of where we were sitting!!!].  After lunch, we boarded the sailboat!  The sailboat had four bedrooms and a living room/kitchen.  It was a great sailboat!  Mind you, this is the first time I have ever gone sailing so I was a little nervous.    Once on the boat, it was tons of fun!  From Skiathos Island, we started our sail to the Island of Skopelos!  On the way, we stopped to swim in a little cove.  We ended up swimming to shore and climbing up the stairs to the top of a cliff where there was a church.  It was an amazing time.  Then we were on our way to Skopelos Island.  Once we got there, we explored  the town.  It was such a beautiful town.  There were breathtaking views at the top.  We had supper that night at a beautiful taverna, and I had the best calamari  ever!  It was unbelievably good!  We slept on the boat that night[Friday Night].  

Skopelos Island

The next day[Saturday], we had some lunch on the Island and then we were off to Skiathos Island again!  It was just such a relaxing time to be able to lay out and tan, and read a book!  I have to admit, I started a finished a book that weekend!!  It was 'Handle with Care' by Jodi Piccoult.  Definitely read it if you can!! Saturday night sleeping on the boat was not fun at all!  The boat was rocking so much from all the waves because a storm was coming.  That was when I felt a little sea sick.  Luckily, we made it through the night, and we were off to an early start the next morning to sail back to Volos.  Luckily, we made it back in time before the storm hit.  It was a great weekend!  I'm really glad I was able to experience sailing, especially sailing the Greek Islands!!  Nicolas said that Heather and I can be his assistants the next time he goes sailing in the Spring!  So that will be fun! =]]

Mt. Olympus

This weekend, I climbed Mt. Olympus!!!!  Mt. Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece.  I climbed all the way to Skolios, which is 2904 meters high [9,525 ft.]!  INSANE!!! 

We left Anatolia around 11:00 on Saturday and arrived at Prionina [the start of the hike] around 1:30.  It took the group I was with to climb to the refuge two hours and a half, which is great timing!  From Prionina to the refuge is 2060m.  The refuge is basically just a building where everyone eats together in two different rooms with fireplaces and long tables with benches.  It was a neat experience with all the hikers together, even people that weren't in our group.  The room where we slept were a bunch of bunk beds all pushed together!  So it was nice and cozy! haha No heat... and it was really, really cold!  

Ana & I with the sunrise
behind us, ready to climb
to the top!!

The next day, we were woken up at 6:30 A.M., ate breakfast which consisted of three pieces of bread that you could put jam, cheese, brie, butter, or honey on.  They are really into their bread here!  We started our trek to the top around 7:30.  It took the group I was in about an hour to hike up to the top.

  Actually, it wasn't really hiking, it was more like rock climbing.  I will tell you that this was the most terrifying/exhilarating experience I have ever encountered.  We were out in the open, walking on loose rocks with nothing to hold on to walking up the side of a mountain. 

This is what climbing this mountain looked like....

 There were times I wanted to cry and just had to keep thinking one foot in front of the other.  But when you do finally reach the top, it's such an accomplishment!! I'm so proud of myself, and you truly feel that once you climb Mt. Olympus, you can do anything!  I have never been that physically and mentally pushed in my entire life!  I definitely have the soreness to vouch for it! haha      

We made it to the top!!!!

At the top.. couldn't
even see down, too
foggy! [which made
it even more scary!]

It was so foggy, you couldn't
see the person in front of you.

A Map of the climb

Welcome to the real world =]

Hi ya'll!  It's Friday!!!  This week went really well!!  I was able to do some teaching =]  The kiddos are really starting to warm up to me!  They always come up to me and say, "Hello, Miss Katie!"  It's too sweet!  Some of them have even told me they love me!!  Today I got my permanent schedule.  Here it is:

Monday Tuesday

9:45-10:30 Kindergarten 9:45-10:30 Kindergarten

11:05-11:45 1st grade w/ Joanna 11:05-12:35 1st gr. w/ Joanna

11:55-1:15 3rd grade w/ Natasa 12:35-2:05 2nd gr. w/ Maria       

1:25-2:05 1st grade w/ Joanna

Wednesday Thursday

9:45-10:30 Kindergarten 9:45-10:30 Kindergarten

Work with Camilla [my supervisor]         Work with Camilla 

12:35-2:05 3rd gr. with Katerina

Friday

9:45-10:30 Kindergarten

11:05-11:45 1st grade w/ Joanna

11:55-12:35 1st grade w/ Lenia

12:35-1:15 3rd w/ Natasa

1:25-2:05 1st gr. w/ Lenia

Then every Monday and Tuesday, I will be tutoring two kiddos [boy-6 girl-7] in their English at their house.  It's a beautiful apartment that has a view of the ocean!!  I just got back from meeting the two families and they are really sweet.  The little boy's name is George!  What a coincidence! And they just got a kitten!! This will be my Khloe fix since we aren't allowed to touch the cats that roam around the city because they carry all sorts of diseases.  And believe me, there are TONS of them, and it's so hard not to pet them!  Now I can be with a kitten twice or three times a week! haha =]]

This weekend I don't have anything fun going on.  I'm on dorm duty, which means I'll be hanging out with the high schoolers [13-17 yrs old] from 4:30 to midnight on Saturday and Sunday!  How fun!!  Next weekend, I'll be climbing Mt. Olympus!!!  I'm really excited for that!!  

Some amazing news is that I finally got to see my momma, daddy, and Khloe yesterday on skype!  I'm so happy my dad is home from the hospital, and he is ready for his road to recovery.  I'm so proud of him! =]  My mom has been wonderful through everything; she is the strongest woman I know!  It was also wonderful to see Khloe.  I was talking to her, and she was looking around the room for me!!  If anyone has a camera or wants to skype with me, my skype name is katiek0711.  

My Apartment

Our Apartment!  We live on the 2nd floor

Hey!  I wanted to share you pictures of my apartment for those of you who don't have facebook.  I live with three other girls.  There are two bedrooms so Heather and I live together and Ana and Ellen live in the other bedroom.  The apartment is really two apartments added together, so there is basically two of everything.  Two bathrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms!!  It's really nice and big, which is great because then nobody feels crowded, and if they feel like being alone, they can.

Heather & I's room is the corner
with all the windows =]

Heather & I's room!

Dining Room! =]

Family Room

The "parlor room"

Second Kitchen

First Kitchen

The Start of School && Hospital Visits

Hi everyone!  What a week I have had!  School started on Monday!! It was great to see the kiddos finally at the school instead of just teachers!  They fill the school with laughter, curiosity, and sweatiness!! =]  The school doesn't have any air conditioning and all week it has been in the 90's, so let's just say it's been pretty hot with all those bodies!! 

I start my days off by going to the kindergarten at 9:45 AM.  Luckily, it is right next door to my apartment so I don't have to walk very far =]  Each day at the kindergarten, I switch off with the different English teachers; there are three of them: Lenia, Johanna, and Georgia.  That way, I am able to see each of their different teaching styles and help each one of them. 

The English class at the kindergarten ends around 10:30 AM and from there I either go to the Upper Elementary School to help Camilla [head of the English department] in her office, or I go to the Lower Elementary School to help Katerina with her classes.  She teaches second and third graders.  The first couple of weeks, I am helping with different classes, but then  I think it is going to change to only certain ones.  But I will definitely be staying with the kindergarteners every morning =]]

Yesterday [Thursday], I had quite an experience with a little kindergartener.  Well, if you can say little.  He is the strongest five year old I've ever met!  He wasn't very happy to be in the English class, so therefore, he decided to start yelling in Greek and kicking anything he could put his foot against.  So in the case, I was kicked quite a lot that day. ha!  Hopefully, we will be figuring out how to get him interested in class and keep him from disturbing the other kids.

Well, I bet you have been wondering why I had hospital visits this week?  The fellows and I have to get residency permits to live in Greece for a year.  This means that we have to go to the hospital to get a TB test done and a chest X-ray so make sure that we are healthy!  This was not a fun experience let me tell you!  For those of you who know me really well, I absolutely hate needles, and I'm really starting to hate hospitals.  We were at the hospital from 10:30 AM to 2 PM!!  Things don't work fast here.  We keep getting told, "It's Greece!  Relax a little!"  haha easy for them to say!  

Anywho, after visiting several different spots in the hospital, which directly came out of a 1910's movie, we finally had the right papers to get our TB test done.  After that, we were told to go to the X-ray place where you have to ring a doorbell even though we are already inside!  The doctor came out with his shirt unbuttoned! haha  We were told we didn't have the right stamp so we had to go back and get it.  Now, I have never had a chest X-ray done in the States, but I have to say, this was a little crazy.  We had to go in one at a time into the "X-ray room" where the doctor just stood there and told you to take off your shirt and bra.  Then you stand there against an old X-ray machine with your hands on your hips looking like Peter Pan!  It was quite an experience. And I still have the X-ray to show for it!  [we are allowed to keep them!] 

We went back to the hospital today to get our results.  I am happy to say I am TB free =]]  haha I just hope I never have to return to that hospital again!!  

This experience has been completely wonderful so far despite the residency permit stuff.  I'm learning the bus system, and I'm learning that my new favorite food is gyros! =]  They are amazing!!  I feel truly blessed to have this experience and I am not going to take one day for granted!  =]] Well, that's all for now!  I don't know what is going on this weekend, but I think we are just going to explore the center [downtown] some more!  We might even take a day trip out to Halkidiki to go swimming.  It's supposed to be the last hot weekend for it!  Love && miss everyone!!

Halkidiki Beach =]]

What a great past couple of days I have had!  I still cannot believe I have been here only a week already; it feels like so much longer!!

This past week, I have been consumed in meetings and getting the classrooms ready for school to start.  School starts on Monday [tomorrow].  I'm so excited to meet all the kiddos and finally be back in the classroom!  Summer is too long of a time away!

On Friday evening, all of the fellows [there are six of us] went to Eva's apartment.  Eva is the US college Counselor for the high school students.  She is Ana's supervisor. Anywho, her apartment was absolutely beautiful!  It has a fabulous view of the Aegean Sea.  We arrived there after a tiring walk uphill just as the sun was setting.  Supper was absolutely amazing, and I can say that I am starting to love the food here.  Greeks have a neat way of eating.  It's like family style back in the States, however, instead of putting all the food onto your plate, you can just grab the food straight from platter and pop it right in your mouth!  We had our first gyros that night, and let me just tell you.... heaven!!! =]]  It was an absolutely beautiful, intimate night.  We all shared our stories and just had a wonderful time.

The next morning, we were off on our first trip to halkidiki!!  We had to get to the beach before the weather starts getting cold.  It only took about an hour and a half to get there.  We took the bus.  It was absolutely beautiful there.  We had a great two days of lying in the Grecian sun =]]  

Heather && I at the beach =]

My Mailing Address

Here is my mailing address for those of you who want it! =]]]

C/O Katie Kolar

PO Box 21021

Anatolia College

Pylaia 55510

Thessaloniki, Greece

Some instructions they gave me when mailing me packages:

• When receiving packages, tell family/friends to only use the Postal Service.
• If it is a time-sensitive document that needs a tracking number, this should be the only that you use FedEx.
• Packages can take two-three weeks to travel between North America and Greece; letters/postcards take about two weeks.
• When receiving packages, tell family/friends to indicate on the package “For Personal Use Only” and when describing the contents of the package, to only use very general terms (i.e. clothes, toiletries, books )in order to avoid paying large customs taxes – this has happened to many study abroad students at ACT in the past. Note: you will most likely have to pay a small (3 euros) custom tax when receiving packages

Hope this helps!! =]]]

First Few Days In Greece

Here goes my first blog post ever!  Now, don't get your hopes up, I'm just going to see how this works.  

I arrived in Thessaloniki on Friday around 4:30, with hardly any sleep.  After standing at the luggage claim for about 15 mins, seeing the same bags go round and round, I finally figured out that luggage from the States comes out of a different place.  And of course I was the only one on the whole flight that had come from the U.S.  Ha!  Therefore, I came out of a different door than the lady picking me up was standing at.  haha!  Luckily after about standing there for a couple mins, I got the courage to tap on her shoulder seeing if it was the right lady!  Thankfully it was!!  

I can't tell you enough how nice everyone is here!  They are all so welcoming!  They really are excited to see me!  They are caring and make sure I understand what is going on.  At times it's difficult when they burst into Greek, but eventually, I'm able to get back into the conversation.  

I live in an apartment on campus.  I live with three other fellows.  Heather and I share a room -- and to top it all off, she is from Indiana too!  Heather is the P.E. fellow.  Ana will be sharing a room with Ellen [Ellen isn't here yet].  Ana is from Oregon -- and to top this off, she studied in Florence the same time as me!!  It's funny how we all have a sort of connection. Ana is the counselor fellow.  Another fellow that we have all met is Hannah, and she is from Alabama.  She is the dorm fellow.  There is another dorm fellow coming sometime soon too.

Well, this is already a pretty long post, but the last thing I'll talk about is how different their eating schedules are here... something that is going to take me a while to get used to!  Breakfast is at 7:15 AM, then MANY hours later is lunch at 2 then supper at 8 PM.  It is quite an adjustment coming from lunch at 11 and supper at 6!  

Well this is it for now!  I'll post my apartment pictures soon! Here's a picture of my view from our bus stop to hold you over! =]