Serifos is Beautiful This Time of Year

We made it to Serifos on Monday! I know, I know, it's Friday and I should have posted earlier. But hey! I've been busy! We have had Greek Class every day until today and man, that is a hard language. It seems to come a lot more from eastern places, like Russia, rather that Latin. Our teacher Ilias, shared this blog on his Facebook, so thanks, Ilias! Or should I say αυχαριστο!?
Although it's really hard, I think the Greek language is beautiful. And it is full of such a rich history. My favorite words so far are as follows:

Marvelous - θαυμάσιος (thav-MAH-sios)
With color - έγχρίνια (ENG-chro-mos)
Forever - πάντα (PAN-ta)

And yesterday we read Ithaca by C. P. Cavafy in class. The poem is so beautiful. It's all about journeys and destinations. Here is an English translation:

Ithaca

When you set out for Ithaca
ask that your way be long,
full of adventure, full of instruction.
The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - do not fear them:
such as these you will never find
as long as your thought is lofty, as long as a rare
emotion touch your spirit and your body.
The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - you will not meet them
unless you carry them in your soul,
unless your soul raise them up before you.

Ask that your way be long.
At many a Summer dawn to enter
with what gratitude, what joy -
ports seen for the first time;
to stop at Phoenician trading centres,
and to buy good merchandise,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensuous perfumes of every kind,
sensuous perfumes as lavishly as you can;
to visit many Egyptian cities,
to gather stores of knowledge from the learned.

Have Ithaca always in your mind.
Your arrival there is what you are destined for.
But don't in the least hurry the journey.
Better it last for years,
so that when you reach the island you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaca to give you wealth.
Ithaca gave you a splendid journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She hasn't anything else to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca hasn't deceived you.
So wise you have become, of such experience,
that already you'll have understood what these Ithacas mean.

I like that it reminds us to look around and enjoy our journey through life, and to not be constantly focused on the end result. I have found this sentiment to be especially true here on Serifos. Back home, I spend so much time rushing around and getting things "done" that sometimes I think I miss the enjoyment I should be feeling. I am so lucky to be alive at this time and place and I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have in life. Being here has helped me remember.
When we arrived, there was a step up to the apartments. My dad and I were a little frustrated to see that, but I was able to stick some rocks up against the step to make a little ramp. When we got inside to unpack, we heard some commotion outside. And we came out, not 20 minutes later, to see them laying cement for a ramp. Unbelievable. THAT is the quality of people I have come across here.
Today we went to a monastery and I was blessed by a monk, Father Makarios. He was in my professor, Dr. Norris Chumley's film, Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer. His monastery is so beautiful. He is 71 now and has been there since he was 17. It is on a different part of the island from where we are staying. We drove there and I sat on my dad's lap in the car. There were a lot of steps. I was carried by my dad, Ilias, Craig, Brady and Cooper around on a chair. I felt like royalty. There is a TEDTalk by Aimee Mullins called "The Opportuniry of Adversity" where she says that in ancient times, people so valued the disabled and elderly in their communities that they carried them around in chairs or on platforms over their shoulders. They did not keep them hidden away. I love that. I am so grateful to everyone who helped me get around. Thank you guys :-)
Today, Dr. Norris and I are going to film some footage for a promotional video. And I'm the director! I feel kind of inadequate, but I'm grateful he's letting me do as much as I am. And this week, I'll trek to the beach!

Arrived in Athens!

We got into the Athens airport yesterday safe and sound, although it was touch-and-go there for a little while with the airplane people trying to deal with my wheelchair (yikes!) but no harm was done.
Yesterday I went up to the Acropolis (which was about a thousand winding roads away from the Attalos Hotel where we are staying) and it was beautiful. It's up on top of this huge hill (which felt like a mountain) and so looking out from the ruins, you can see a panoramic view of all of Athens. It is such a big city! It reminds me a little of Rome in that it has so many shops and more modern-looking buildings right next to ruins that have been there since the 400s B.C. I was talking to a guy going up to the Acropolis about how old things are and we agreed that it's different coming from America, where a very old building is only a couple hundred years old. I like feeling connected to history and people I never got the chance to know here. And it also makes me wonder if people back then would have ever imagined people in modern times looking at their buildings. Especially ones in wheelchairs.
In order to get up to the Acropolis, I went up a lift for the longest set of steps I've ever seen. The lift seemed new and the guy operating it was very nice and helpful. After the lift, we went up a freight-type elevator that was significantly scarier. It operated like a glass elevator, but with metal fencing around it instead of glass.
Last night we walked to a cafe and ate dinner. I wasn't much of a fan of the Greek diet (at least so far) but I'll probably get used to it.

Pre-Departure

I'm leaving in nine days!  I am so glad my Study Abroad trip to Greece is all worked out.  It has felt like a long road getting to this point, especially since we've made all of the accommodations for my disability, but I am so glad it's finally going to happen!  I'll be studying film (I think the official title is Culture and Media) under a professor from NYU School of Film and Television, Dr. Norris Chumley.  He's very nice and very complementary.  And I'm the only one in the class!  It'll be so great!  I'm hoping I'll be able to finish my first draft of my screenplay before I go, so he can read it over and possibly give me some pointers.  We are also going to work on a short film, so maybe I'll be able to use that for grad school applications!  I'll also be taking a Greek class, so we'll see how that goes...  I'm terrible at languages, but I'm trying to get a head start now.  Maybe I'll be fluent by the time we get back!  Miracles can happen...

First, we will go to Athens for three days and do our Study Abroad Orientation.  After that, we will take a ferry to the island of Serifos and stay there for the rest of June.  My dad will come for the first two weeks and my mom will come for the second two.  I keep joking with them that they're getting a free vacation on a Greek island.  Well, they'll be taking care of me so it won't really be free.  I'm just really glad they were able and willing to help with that part.  I have awesome parents.  And everyone who has helped me get to this point is awesome, too.  This includes Jason Kinnear and Aliki Barnstone, the Mizzou people who answered all of my questions.

So I guess I'll post again soon!  Probably once I arrive in Athens.  Pray I have a good (long) flight!!