April, Easter, & My Birthday

Well so the month of April is almost over, it is hard to believe that it has been a month since I went to Greece. The month of April has been a hectic month. It started with just the students being normal after a week off of school, but after the first week they settled down. Then we found out that we were having our final evaluations with-in the next few weeks and lucky me mine was first. My evaluation was for a science lesson, which I was lucky to have a great lesson planned. We did a wind exploration lesson, which included the students predicting which way the wind was blowing and then using bubbles to see if they were right. Well push come to shove and I got a great review. I was happy to walk out of my evaluation with the principal excited about how much I have improved and how much the students are learning from me.

Sadly I wasn’t able to take a break just yet. The next Sunday and Monday we had Tribal coming. Tribal is a company that is hired to come in and make sure that the PPP is doing what they are supposed to. However we still have to sell ourselves to them since they do report back to ADEC. They came in on Sunday for about an hour over all in my classroom, watching my class, checking my binders, and making sure I had lesson plans. We are not sure how it went, but as far as I can tell I didn’t have any issues.

It being the month of April means tomorrow things Easter and my birthday. Well truth be told it didn’t feel much like Easter, since we still work on Sunday. I thought that the normal group of us were getting together to celebrate Easter, however I was completely surprised to find out that it was a surprise party for me. Gayle had me completely going I even fried chicken to bring thinking I need to bring something. Well I showed up and I was amazed to see all my friends there. It was a great time and I am so happy to have made the friends I have.  Well it looks like I will be home for my birthday. I am amazed since I have been sicker this year than ever with teaching, but I guess that comes with moving to a new environment and trying to get used to it. I am hoping that this time the meds correct it and I am good for the rest of the year.

Greece 2011

Day 1, Athens

Well after twelve hours at the airport I was finally able to meet up with Leah for the rest of the flight. The flight was smooth and had a great lunch, which include Lamb Biryani and Apricot Crumble. Once we arrived in Athens we caught a cab and headed to my hotel. I got settled in and then we headed out to wander. We were on the lookout for an internet café since the hotel didn’t have any. I also found some great shops to revisit at a later date. We ended our walk at a little café and sat for a while enjoying the weather and a nice drink. Once back at the hotel I was able to realize my amazing view of the Acropolis. Leah ended up being picked up by her friends and I settled in for the night.

Day 2, Athens

So started the day with a small breakfast and a walk around the area, which was so quiet and peaceful. I than caught the bus for my day trip around Athens. We started the tour at the Olympic Center where the first modern Olympics took place. We head then to the New Greek Museum. It was so amazing to see all the items that were found and uncovered at the Acropolis.  After that we walked to the Acropolis, were I met my first new friends two where from Australia and on there honeymoon, the other was from Sri Lanka. The Acropolis was amazing to see so amazing, you can see the history there and how people could have lived when this thrived. After the visit to the Acropolis we walked down to the Old Plaka. We stopped for lunch at a small side café and then I decide to walk back to my hotel. After I wondered around for about an hour I finally broke down and hailed a cab. I was very glad I did, since I seemed to have been walking in the wrong direction. I then decided to head out and start my shopping in town and then back to the hotel for a nap.  

After my nap I went out for another walk, this time I broke down and bought a sweatshirt, since I was cold in Greece. On my walk this time I realized that on almost every street there is either an orange tree or olive tree. I walked and wondered if people can just pick these or if there was a government had some picked them. I ended up in the square to connect to the internet for a while and just sit and watch people and the way they are. Things seem so relaxed and slowed down while I was sitting there, as if people just didn’t have a care in the world. As I sat there I was just thinking about how I could live there and it was a great feeling to just not really be in a rush or worried about things. I then headed back to the hotel for the night and to get ready to head for the boat.                                    

Day 3, Mykonos

Well first day on the cruise, I had decided that I was going to write everything down by day so that I didn’t forget anything. So far no sea sickness, so hopefully I won’t get any, and I didn’t. So what has happened today so far is the all aboard tour. We saw our cabins, check in our cards, and then had the safety drill. I did end up running into another travel that had been on the tour with me the day before. We decided that we would set dinner together for Wednesday night the Gala night. We left port at 11:00 am on time with smooth, beautiful waters to Mykonos.

I decided that I was going to treat myself a little more, so I got a massage and a facial (well needed). I met a lot of people so far on the cruise, most of them interested in the henna I had done before I left. People seem to be drawn to it and wonder where I got it. It actually helped me meet a teacher from Canada, who was there with 40 of her students. I then met three retired teacher at the fashion show, she seemed to be really interested in my story about where I am living and came from. We arrive at Mykonos early and where able to dock. I decided to not get off the boat and take the time to relax and just get used to everything.

Day 4, Kusadasi (Ephesus) & Patmos

So it was an early start to the day, I was up at 6:00 am to make it to breakfast and then started for the mainland at 7:15 am. Ephesus was such a great and breath taking place to see, the old homes and streets and the history that is found in them. I met another teacher from Abu Dhabi that was on the cruise with me, it just shows how small of a world is really is. It was great to get to walk through the street of a town that Cleopatra once walked down. After the visit to Ephesus the tour returned to the city of Kusadasi, where we were all able to walk in the market for a while. I decided to skip watching the Turkish rug being made, since most people just wanted the free drinks. So I walked around the market for a while and then headed to back to the ship. After lunch I went and watch a group of middle school students from Jacksonville, FL perform. It was such a great opportunity for them, and they did an amazing job.

We ported in at Patmos early and where able to dock, so I decided to get off the boat. Glad that I did, I found a lot of great things for people back home. The little village that was right off the boat had tons of neat little shops that I was able to get some great bargains. The trick is that here you have to haggle, which I have been getting better at. I shopped and walked around for about three hours in Patmos.  On my way back to the boat I decide to stop and get some gelato, so I just sat and watched the water. On the boat for the night was Greek Night, so everything had to do with Greece: Greek food, colors, cloths, and a Greek dance show.

Day 5, Rhodes

Again we arrived early, so were able to board the tour bus early. The tour started by heading to the city of Philerimos and the  restore Byzantine church of our Lady of Philerimos, a chapel with 15th century frescoes. It was amazing to see the Byzantine church, there were tons of peacocks all around the church and the sights were just amazing, after the tour headed to the walled city or the Old City. The tour took us into the ruined Castle of the Knights, which was full of mosaic floors and beautiful artworks. After the tour I walked around the city some on my own and did some more shopping. I headed back to the ship after that to relax before Captain’s Dinner.

I have become addicted to the non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiris and reading in my free time. I have been able to finish two books in my free time on the boat. Captain’s dinner was so much fun, it started with a cocktail hour and then to dinner. I didn’t need to dress up as much as I did, but it was still fun too. While we were at dinner, we finally hit some rough sea. So for the first time the boat was rocking back and forth. Lucky for my cabin is lower so I won’t get it as much as the people higher up.

Day 6, Heraklion & Santorini

Today is my free day; we arrived at Crete at 7:00 am again. It was nice since I was able to just get off and walk around. It was a nice little city; I walked with a family that I met the night before. We took a self-walking tour, seeing the chapels and the open air market of the city. We ended the tour at the Museums of Archaeology. It was a small museum, but it was interesting to see how they had rebuilt some of the items that they had found. After that we headed back to the boat and I was able to just relax for a while.

Finally we arrive in the town we had all been waiting for, unfortunately it was cloudy so the view coming into the town wasn’t as good as it could have been. However it was still great to see it all. I went out with two people I met. We tendered over to the island and then took the cable car up to the town. We were not about to take the donkeys up. We walked around the town for a while; it was so interesting to see how this town was just built into the mountain. After returning to the boat, we ate dinner and settled down to watch the talent show. Then it was time to head back to my cabin to pack and be ready to disembark for the morning.