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sillogizomai
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Name: Krystal
Birthday: 5/29/1975
Gender: Female
Interests: Greece! ... and listening to wise people, cleaning hardwood floors, enjoying other people's talents, laughing out loud when I'm alone, talking to Jesus first thing in the morning over a hot beverage.
Expertise: continually failing language classes
Occupation: Other
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me
Member Since:
5/2/2005
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| God bless the EU.
Tonight I attended Greek language class FOR FREE. It's part of an unadvertised EU-funded program one of my chinese friends told me about. A big answer to prayer as I wanted to take a language class this fall but finances are super tight.
Unfortunately, the professor zeroed in on me as The One To Pick On.
Once it became clear that I (the lone American) couldn't understand what he was saying (and everyone else could) I became the butt of his jokes. On separate occasions he brought up Guantanamo Bay and then Bush. And after every exercise or in the middle of his sentences he would say "Krystal, do you understand?" and then proceed to make fun of me.
At one point he made me tell him where everyone in the class was from, which i didn't know. Then he became emphatic about how stupid americans are for not knowing geography (hello, i know my geography, but I lack telepathic powers to know people's countries of origin. He was the one with the enrollment sheet, not me). The class started feeling sorry for me at that point and started whispering where they were from to help me out. As soon at the prof realized what they were doing, he changed the exercise. I think everyone was glad they weren't me.
So, free class, and free lessons in humility. I kept smiling and, towards the end of class, even cracked a joke, IN GREEK, that had everyone laughing. They say when you can express a sense of humor in a second language, that's true success.
So it was a successful day. | | |
| I went to Peggy's on Sunday and we ate moussaka and baked cupcakes. Which failed. Or exploded rather. I was humbled, and shall never again attempt baking in someone else's kitchen, with a half dozen greeks watching and arguing with me about the appropriate way to make cupcakes. Which they've never made in their lives, by the way.
Peggy was distraught by my deteriorating Greek language skills, and gave me an hour long impromptu Greek lesson. We went through a book and picked out words I should learn before I see her next time.
In the process we came across the English phrase "Couch Potato". I explained the meaning: someone who is being lazy, spending most of their time on the couch watching TV.
Peggy thought about it and then responded: "Yes, and I am a chair potato."
Mrs. Eleni overheard us and declared from the other room: "AND I AM A BED POTATO."
So. I didn't manage to learn any of the Greek words. But my English vocabulary has expanded. | | |
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Three demonstrations planned tomorrow:
1. a far-right rally (against immigrants) is scheduled to take place tomorrow afternoon in central Athens; it is unclear exactly where.
2. an anti-fascist rally organized by left-wing groups and labor unions, is due to begin at Omonia Square at 5 p.m.
3. Another demonstration, at the same time, is being organized by anarchist groups under the slogan “solidarity with migrants.”
Read #3 carefully. I think the anarchists are failing to comprehend the basic principles of anarchy. (taboo: "organized" and "solidarity")
Well, sounds like a busy day. Wear your tear gas hoodies if you plan to sight-see in Athens. | | |
| I'm famous!
My hairdresser lady saw me yesterday and said, "I SAW YOU IN THE NEWSPAPER!"
She was so excited she started telling everyone in the shop (in Greek) that I was in the paper and described what I was doing.
The feeding program, the one the Orthodox Church is putting on jointly with the protestant churches, in the center of Athens, in one of the worst areas, was being covered by all sorts of media.
And apparently there was a picture of the people handing out food and my hairdresser recognized me as she flipped through the paper.
If I was in America, I'd get a dozen newspaper clippings in the mail from friends and acquaintances. But here, no such luck.
I made the Greek paper but I'll never see it. | | |
| Shopping has never been on my List of Relaxing Things I Like To Do. If it was, I suppose I would have more than 5 shirts hanging in my little wardrobe closet.
Shopping is almost always a painful experience. I get confused by all the choices, discouraged by the prices, and can't really visualize what looks good and what doesn't. I think this is a by-product of growing up in the snowy north. No one cares what you LOOK like, it only matters that you are WARM. ("Wow, she looks HOT in that parka!" -- literally, as in temperature. something to be envious of.)
The other day during a dreaded but necessary shopping excursion with a very patient and shopping-savvy friend...
(This story really isn't about shopping. Sorry for the poor segue.)
...we ended up with front row seats to a session of police brutality and incompetence. Two police officers charged at a crowd of about 10 illegal immigrants selling their usual goods on blankets spread on the main walking street. The vendors scattered (forcefully, I was hit by one guy trying to vanish). In the end, only one young vendor got caught. It was surreal. The police weren't even trying to arrest him at first, they were just hitting the vendor with their batons.
A LARGE crowd of people formed a circle around the spectacle, and everyone was shouting at the police to let the guy go. He was howling like a hurt animal. They FINALLY pulled out the handcuffs and marched him off.
I've always given the Greek police the benefit of the doubt. I tend to think the anarchists create most of the problems. I don't sympathize with the rioters. But after witnessing such idiocy and incompetence from the police, I'm beginning to better understand the animosity between the general public and the police force. There is no reason it should have taken so long to handcuff an unarmed, non-violent street vendor -- and seriously, why would 2 officers charge, with batons raised, a group of 10 vendors? If the purpose was to arrest them all, then the strategy used was very poor (and failed). If the purpose was to let off a little testosterone and terrorize the public, well done.
I really, REALLY dislike shopping.
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