As of today, December 14, I have one week left in Greece.  Not even a week, really.  Four days at this point since our bus out to the airport leaves Friday at 5:00 in the morning.  Today I have to turn in my final sociology paper and attend a final literature class and give a final presentation on Zorba The Greek the book versus the movie adaptation.  Tuesday I have a history final and then I’m trekking to Central Market to buy crabs for our final Eftichidou 16 dinner, and then I will probably spend the rest of the day cooking for that (I’m also making yiantes which take a good five hours to prepare in all).  Wednesday I plan on busing out to Nafplio, the pretty seaside port town that I have yet to make it to, and Thursday, among packing and saying goodbye, Jay-Z and I are going to hit up the Hard Rock Cafe.  Arcadia is throwing an all-night party Thursday for us, so you can be sure I’ll be hanging there, trying to hold back tears as I say goodbye to everyone.

I’m a big fan of self-reflection, and so naturally, I’m getting into that pontification mode, trying to figure out what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown from all this.  Naturally, I learned a heck of a lot about Greece.  Between the history of the place and the culture of the people, I sometimes feel like I walked onto another planet.  I can only imagine, too… Greece is certainly more Western at this point than it is Eastern, and if Greece still feels so foreign to me, I can only imagine what more countries to the east of here must be like!

I have gained way more independence, that much can be said.  My cooking skills have improved dramatically (partly because I learned to expand my food pallet again, which was another positive result of coming here) and I do believe I have developed a good appreciation of alcohol.  That last statement people might not be so enthusiastic about, but really, when you look at the way American college students drink, that’s not exactly healthy, and now I really don’t think I’ll ever resort to binge-drinking behavior.  I’ve learned to appreciate food more.  I’ve learned to appreciate the moment more and living in the present.  I’m still a mad crazy planner (I have earned a reputation for that here at Arcadia, actually), but I am not planning everything nearly as much as I did.  I am leaving a little room for spontaneity. Really!

I have this bigger purse I bought at the laiki one week, and everywhere I go I take a set list of things: my phone, my keys, my wallet, my iPod, my camera, my planner, and a pencil (or two).  I figure I’ll want my camera because you never know when a photo opportunity might crop up.  The iPod… well, life is just better put to music, so if I’m craving a song, I can whip it out.  My planner is a bit of a space hog, but if I need to write down a name or number or want to check what’s going on later, I have that.  And the pencil… well, I always carry a pencil.

I tried an experiement this weekend.  I left my iPod, camera and planner at home when I went out.  My friends Ryan and Jay-Z were floored (like, really) and were even more surprised when I explained I was trying to “live in the moment” and not get distracted by music, photographing or thinking about the future.  I would not be able to do this indefinitely.  Music is a part of my soul, and I love taking pictures… and without my planner, I am helpless.  But for a weekend, it was a good experiement.  It is also the reason, though, on why I don’t have any pictures of Hell’s Kitchen where we ate dinner one night, the Saturday night riot demonstration in Syntagma, or the 2004 Olympic Stadium in Irini… I guess I’m just going to have to go by pure, unadulterated memories and leave everyone else wondering.

I have become more globally-minded (surprise, surprise!).  I have an appreciation for things from the States… I have an appreciation for people back in the States, the people who care about me and who I love.  I’ve learned to listen: to people, to places… (to the American Embassy when they sent out warning emails telling me not to enter the city center on a particular day).  I’ve learned – like really learned – how to survive in a city.  I discovered that I want to live in the city.  I am a city-person and need to feel the throngs of people rushing by on a 24/7 basis.  I discovered a secret passion for the Middle East and for more “mystical” religions.  I found a great group of friends to travel and adventure with, and for heaven’s sake, I even learned some valuable lessons in love and the emotional interplay that can occur between people.

And I did learn some Greek.  Ναι, ναι! Πολύ καλά!

Thank goodness I made myself leave CMC this semester. I don’t regret it one bit!