Went to services then Chabad for lunch. There were some repeats from last night (Cretan boy, Panamanian and Israeli), and a new couple originally from New York but now living and working as doctors in Israel. I learned a lot about the Jews of Panama! Who knew there were so many?? It was sad to have to say goodbye to the Hendels, but I am so happy that I found them here and was able to spend Shabbat with them every weekend (except the one when they were out of town). It truly made such a difference in my experience here in Athens.
In the evening, I walked down to the stadium (which is right next door) for the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics. I didn't have a ticket so I couldn't actually go inside the stadium, but I stood outside and was able to see all the different countries lined up and walking in to the stadium for the procession. It was so wonderful to see all of their faces and hear each countries chants and pride.
Logo
This one is for Uncle Matt:
One Happy Island
Denmark, I think
Why did the U.S. decide to wear such awful shorts?
United States
Today
Museums!
I started my day at noon :) at The Jewish Museum, Greece. It wasn't really anything special but I'm glad I went. As a museum, it sucked...information wasn't easily accessible and the order didn't make sense; instead of having labels at the base of window displays, they had baskets of 9 x 17" laminated pieces of paper next to each display with a numbered picture, then descriptions listed next to the corresponding number below. Not only is this a great way to spread germs but it was inconvenient and hard to follow. I did learn a bit about the history of Jews in Greece though. Apparently many Greeks helped protect Jews during the Holocaust by hiding them, but the Nazis still managed to exterminate 87% of the Jewish population in Greece (75,000 before the war). One of the Holocaust displays was somehow related to the Athens Film Festival and had a separate blurb next to it; the title caught my attention: "The Banalaty of Evil (An open wound on the body of 20th century history)."
After this museum, I walked past Gazi to the Benaki Museum Annex for some really fun, innovative and interesting exhibits. I went for one exhibit in particular, but as a student at a Greek university, I got free admission and was able to see the entire museum. Unlike the Benaki Museum we went to with class that focuses on historical objects, the annex was much more modern and reminded me of the "Virtual Identities" exhibit I went to in Florence. A lot of my descriptions of the exhibits include the information from the blurbs posted around the building. I found their words very strong and much more descriptive and informative than my ramblings about what I saw could do.
Against All Odds Project
"An individual's self-perception is largely determined by the culture of their profession - its views, ideologies, trends and evaluations. The existing framework of the discipline of architecture, or any other profession, will often curb our ability to perceive issues which are obvious and self-evident to others. The Against All Odds project is a starting point for removing the dividing lines and working with other disciplines, such as art and design, in order to find ways for each of us as citizens and professionals to contribute to the evolutionary process of society as a whole, to redefine our sense of identity at a time of great changes, both local and global.
The Against All Odds project is a mechanism that produces thoughts, ideas and actions.
Specifically, AAO is:
first, a ‘think-tank’: it promotes debate on occurring issues which need to be addressed within the framework of Architecture (in its wider understanding as spatial practice) regarding society, ecology and culture.
second, a ‘disseminator of ideas’: it raises public awareness on the value of Architecture (as spatial practice) in resolving significant current issues, as well as in offering a podium for the promotion of projects that address its main philosophy.
third, a ‘do-tank’: it sets targets for the fulfillment of which it creates partnership models with organizations, educational institutions and designers, becoming their strategic partner."
Okay, sorry to bore you, but I really liked the mission statement and explanation of their project. There's more, but you can read about it on their website (http://aaoproject.org/?page_id=1447).
This year, AAO's actions and events are under the title "Ethics/Aesthetics."
In the exhibition "twenty internationally celebrated architects, designers and artists from Europe, Asia and the US adopt various pioneering ways to devise new pratices for reinforcing social bonds and environmental protection, while transcending the established boundaries of architecture and the other spatial practices and redefining their role." It was broken into four sections:
Activism, Groups with Vision
Society & Aesthetics
Identity, Professional Ethics
Action - Reaction
A lot of these people should do TED talks.
A few of my favorites were "Worldbike," a more practical bike for use in third world countries, and various innovative and interesting ways to recycle.
"The Sun Gives Without Receiving"
Tree Stump Chair
At the end of the exhibit were "Slow Down Rooms." There were 8 "rooms" that "use mostly ephemeral materials to create inependent hybrid environments and to explore specific issues around the delineation of organic space and its potential reconstruction through the use of stereotypical materials, or unexpected cheap or discarded materials, and by means of alternative techniques with the emphasis on handicraft."
Slow Down Rooms
My favorite in the Slow Down Rooms was a "carpet" made entirely from spices:
Spice Carpet
Contemporary Japanese Architecture
Various photographs and blurbs about Japanese religious, cultural, political and family buildings. Lots of really interesting and beautiful architecture. One structure that caught my eye was the "Reversible Destiny Lofts:"
"The designers of the Reversible Destiny Lofts are New York-based artists whose entire body of work is aimed at delaying death. They hope these apartments will be used by the elderly and infirm, but rather than following the prevailing trend toward barrier-free design, they intend the inhabitants to be challenged and stimulated. The multiple colors, shifting floor levels, and irrefular surfaces are all methods of enlivening people by forcing them to pay close attention to
their environment."
Reversible Destiny Lofts (www.pinktentacle.com)
ARRRGH! Monsters in Fashion
This is the reason I came to this museum. I had seen an add for this online as well as at the main Benaki Museum. It was creepy, weird and excellent.
Mobile in NY
A Greek man's journeys through New York with his cell phone camera. Cool concept, interesting photos.
I am all packed up and ready to go to Paros! Our ferry leaves from Pireaus at 7:30 tomorrow morning, so we are getting up quite early to head down to the port. I am really looking forward to Paros. I think it will be a completely different experience, and I'm ready for a change of scenery.
Lesson of the Day
Athens has been interesting. Not really at all what I had expected, but I definitely learned much more than I had anticipated and the class-aspect of my time here was truly wonderful. As a city
itself, there are other places I'd rather be.
Photo of the Day
I think I need this sign in my everyday life...or atleast in my teen years it would've come in handy :)
The Count
Glasses of wine drinken: 107
Meals eaten at Chabad, Athens: 4
Jewish Museums visited: 2
Photos taken: 3587
Tomorrow
Paros!
I think we'll arrive around 10:00 and we don't have orientation until 6:00, so I have all day to settle in to my new home and explore the island!
I went for a lovely run this morning in the National Gardens. It was my first run in over a month so all things considered, it wasn't half bad. The Gardens are absolutely beautiful though. Everything was just waking up and I had fun timing my strides to avoid various sprinklers and barking dogs.
Exam went well.
I took an adventure to the Post Office to mail some extra stuff home. And by adventure I mean worst cab ride of my life. The driver didn't know where the post office was, didn't understand the street name I was telling him, sat on the side of the road for 5 minutes with the meter running trying to figure out what I was saying and where to go and took 2 wrong turns while ignoring my directions before lifting up the Pokemon (Gotta Catch 'Em All!) hat on his dashboard to reveal a GPS. He then spoke the address to GPS lady, then went straight when she said turn right, made a U-turn and 10 minutes later we made it to the post office (which is only 850 m from my house...850 m!!!!!). The only reason I took a cab was because the box was awkwardly large and it was brutally hot. Oh, and he charged me full price. Thanks.
Package sending was surprisingly quick and easy.
I met up with the rest of my program at a Taverna nearby where we had a farewell (free!) lunch. Well, nothing on a school program is free because I'm paying tuition buuut...it felt free. Regardless, it was delicious. It was the traditional Taverna experience: lots of appetizers and small plates (mezedes), similar to tapas. They included bread, tzatziki, Greek salad, keftedes (Greek meatballs) and fried zucchini. Keftedes are delicious; they are not just meatballs, but balls of goodness with garlic, parsley, dill and who knows what other deliciousness. Of course we had wine throughout and after the mezedes they brought out a giant plate of meat and french fries. Dessert was watermelon. Om nom. :)
I waddled home and finished packing because I have to move apartments for the weekend before I leave for Paros on Monday morning so they can turn over my apartment for new students coming in. Quite frustrating and inconvenient but oh well. I putzed around the apartment for awhile, chatting and running various errands with the roommates.
After taking my suitcase to my new apartment (where some other students are already staying), I walked to the synagogue for services, followed by dinner at Chabad. This was my first time going on Friday night in Athens and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The service was nice, and the Shabbat table was much more crowded than either of the lunches I've been to. There was a couple from Buenos Aires on their honeymoon, 2 University of Washington (Seattle) students who just finished Birthright and are now travelling in Greece, a Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate from Harvard who is starting Emory Med School in the fall, loves Classics and is currently traveling for 7 weeks in France, Italy and Greece, a man from Panama who was here for a conference of sorts, an Israeli here for another conference/seminar, a Greek man currently studying music on Crete and an Athenian man. What an assortment! I talked to most of the guests and it was really interesting and exciting to hear all their stories and interests. Throughout dinner we took turns going around the table and telling a bit about ourselves which I enjoyed. In the middle of dinner we started hearing lots of noise, cheering and honking from outside and someone looked out on the balcony, then motioned for the rest of us to follow: on the street below there were thousands of bikers taking over the entire street and stretching for miles. The Rebetson explained that this is a demonstration that the bikers of Athens do every Friday night in different neighborhoods around the city as a way to increase awareness about biking and fight for more bike lanes and bikers in the city. SO GREAT!
Afterwards we all walked back towards Syntagma because many people were staying near there. I walked with the Athenian and asked him many questions about growing up Jewish in Greece and his thoughts about the immigration problem and other problems in Greece. I love talking to Greeks. I am understanding more and more each day the situation here and what people think about it all. I hope to interact with more Greeks on the island and I anticipate that they will have a different perspective.
Photo of the Day
The only photo taken today.
See that meatball in the bottom left corner that seems to be hollow? It's filled with melted, oozing cheese. Nomlicious.
Om nom assortment of meat.
Lesson of the Day
The National Gardens are great AND SAFE. I've spent the whole time here being afraid to go in them because of Cretan flashers and other sketchy garden dwellers, but really I don't know why I was so scared. I constantly feel safe in Athens and I can honestly say that I feel the safest in the Gardens.
The Count
Glasses of wine drinken: 107
Meals eaten at Chabad: 3
Maximum number of languages being spoken at a meal: 5
Photos taken: 3305
Tomorrow
Moving the rest of my stuff to the new apartment in the morning, then going to services and Chabad again...I just love it!
Otherwise just enjoying my last two days in Athens. Given my newfound love of the Gardens, I'll probably be spending some time there.
Shoutout
To Andrew Sapperstein for informing me that some photos from "Exam Review" weren't showing up. They should all be fixed now. Please let me know if there are ever any problems with my posts! :)
oAthens defeats attempted invasion by the Persians
§Brauron
oTemple of Artemis—goddess of women, hunting, wild animals, responsible for children; virgin goddess, looks after young girls until they come of age. Bear danc
oRooms for robe dedification to Ifiginay
§Sounion
oTemple of Poseidon
oship sheds
§Eleusis
oDemeter
otemple of Demeter is designed for worship inside because it is designed for secret initiation rights
ostrategic location—controls isthmus: access between the peloponese and the rest of Greece
§lots of disasters
§Roman city, refounded by Julius Caesar
--
Athens is the greatest and most important of the Greek city-states
*historical and social reasons and explanations for that
why did classical Athens produce the wonderful things it did?
EVIDENCE
§archaeology
ohow to use archaeological evidence, how we know whats going on, come up with explanations
§texts
oPalzanius (author)
§tells use of buildings, etc.
oThucydides
oHerodotus
THEORY
IMAGINATION
--
important Archaic people
§Pisistratus
otyrant—allows constitution to take place but makes sure it's always his men
ostarted temple of Zeus
obuilt temple of Demeter (agriculture) at Eleusis
ocult of Dionysus—dramatic festivals
oreorganized Panathenaic games
ouses cults to keep people and gods happy, public works (fountain houses), fosters pottery industry, brings in foreigners
§Cleisthenes
ooverthrows sons of Pisistratus, establishes foundation of Athenian democracy and divides city into 10 tribes that geographically unite the city: city, coast, plain
§Themistocles
obattle of Salamos
oarchitect of naval strategy
ofortifies Pireaus
obuilds Themistoclean wall
§Persian sack of Athens
owipes away archaic city, come back and they rebuild classical city
Classical period
§The Fifty Years
oParthenon, Propylia, city wall and long walls, Pireaus, Temple of Hephaistus, many buildings in Agora
oPerikles—democracy, builds long walls, Sounion, temple at Eleusis
§Pelop Wars
oNike Temple, Erichtheum, rebuild Theater of Dionysus
§Fall of Athens
§Battle of Chaeroneia—Philip 2 conquers Athens, Corinth and Thebes
oPhilo
§Piraeus arsenal
oLycurgus
Hellenistic
§Demetrius of Phaleron
§Antiochus 4 (Syria...Olympieaeon)
§Attalus, Eumenes (Pergamenes—near Turkey: Stoa of Attalos and Stoa of Eumenes)
§Ptolemies (Cleopatra, Egypt)—tower of the winds
§*Syria, Pergamon Egypt
Roman Empire
§Herulian sack--trash agora, build more restrictive wall for inner city using trashed buildings
§classical and roman athens has been wiped out
§Caesar and Augustus (roman agora)
§Nero
§Hadrian (finished temple of zeus, arch, library)
§Herodes Atticus (theater, stadium)
Lesson of the Day
Blogging is a great way to study.
The Count
No changes. For the first day ever.
Tomorrow
Exam. Taverna lunch. Farewell dinner with friends.
