You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August, 2008.
I know I just posted yesterday, but I got my housing assignment today. I am located here:
NEOPTOLEMOU 2
116-36 Pagrati
Athens, Greece
tel. 2107562018
It makes it all just a little too real for my liking. But there is no turning back now… even though I feel physically ill from thinking about it sometimes…
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Coldplay – Don’t Panic
My little Google countdown widget has informed me that I currently have ten days before my flight to JFK airport takes off. That’s terrifying. I know there are people going sooner than I am (meaning everyone), but still… I feel so unprepared. I’m more prepared mentally, I think, which is good, but if I don’t have the physical, tangible stuff to back that up, then that’s no good! I know I’ll get everything taken care of (I always do), but still… it’s a little nerve wracking. My room is a mess since after coming home from Berkeley, I basically dumped everything and then flew back up to Northern California for that Outlands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park (which, might I add, was totally worth it!).
Anyways, last Tuesday Brendan and I drove up to Claremont McKenna College to have lunch with my dad, and lo and behold, my visa had arrived! I marveled at the little stamp for a good while before I was able to put my passport away. At least I have it, though. Greg also handed off his international cell phone and a calling card or two in addition to a converter. Slowly I am collecting things. Now all I need is a big suitcase, some good running/walking/hiking shoes, a good passport/money holder and all the other little things that you don’t think about needing until right before you leave. Somewhere in there I need to get some new clothes, too, though I plan on buying most of my stuff in Athens.
Sometime this week I’m going to have to rent Zorba The Greek or some other fun Greek movie. I need to start practicing my Greek, too… I have a little audio CD after all. Or maybe that’s something to do on the plane ride over… it’s all ending so quickly now. My plan is to eat delicious Southern California frozen yogurt EVERY DAY!
More to come… perhaps after the going away party that my mom is throwing me on Sunday…
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Describe yourself using one band and song titles from that band
Choose a band/artist and answer only in song TITLES by that band:: Beck
Are you male or female:: Girl
Describe yourself:: I Have Seen The Land Beyond
How do some people feel about you:: Nitemare Hippy Girl
How do you feel about yourself:: Totally Confused
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend:: Loser
Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend:: No Complaints
Describe where you want to be:: Where It’s At
Describe what you want to be:: Lord Only Knows
Describe how you live:: Guess I’m Doing Fine
Describe how you love:: The Spirit Moves Me
Share a few words of wisdom: It’s All In Your Mind
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Beck – Guess I’m Doing Fine
What a day. What a flipping day!
So today I got up around 4:30 a.m. to make sure I had enough time to drive to Oakland airport, park, and get through security for my flight down to Los Angeles. 6:00 and I’m leaving the house and realized that I locked my apartment keys and the clicker that opens the garage door gate inside the apartment. A few frenzied phone calls to my father, some frantic running around the complex, and finally, an impressive feat of climbing through the window, I wound up inside my place and realized that I had my keys in my backpack all along… on a different keychain… in some remote pocket.
Level One passed. I drove to the airport, parked and made it to my terminal with 45 minutes to spare. Upon arriving in Ontario, my father picked me up, and he, my cousin Ellen and I caravaned down to the Los Angeles Greek Consulate.
Southern California is ridiculously hot in summertime. I guess it never got to me before because I was used to it, but after spending all my time up here in
The place was very unassuming… it was like a little office in a big towering office building down near Santa Monica. The Greek woman in charge of visas was intense, and after some pleading from me and some encouragement from my dad, she took my paperwork and told me to have FedEx mail my passport to a place where someone will be home during the afternoon to sign for it. Since that eliminated my mom as a viable passport/visa recipient, my dad told them to mail it to CMC. So it looks like I will be visiting good old Claremont McKenna at least once more before I leave…
Anyways, we had lunch at the restaurant where Ellen hosts, and then my dad I drove back to Claremont. He needed to pick up his wife’s car from the shop, so I got to drive his car back to his house. From there, we went in to CMC so my dad could check email and so I could go swing by the new study abroad office and say hi to everyone. The new dorm looks pretty cool, by the way, and the “mod pods” (officially named “Center Court”) have taken over the tennis courts area. It was strange to be back on a quiet campus, especially knowing that I won’t be back there this fall.
My dad took me to Golden Spoon, I took a nap in my old room at his house, and then Nancy (the woman who makes the Kravis Leadership Institute run) came over to deliver some food for Becky Reichard’s goodbye party. Then I bid goodbye to my dad and Nancy took me to the airport so I could catch my plane home.
I think I’m finally ready to go… and I’m actually super excited about it all, which means a happy song for exciting future ruling of the world! Err… the Greek world?
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