I love the feeling of getting to a new place/country. EVERYTHING, I mean every interaction is in some way amusing...

-Most conversations I just sit and smile and nod. Then I start translating things into Spanish. Then I remember that that won't help, so I sit and smile some more!
-I passed by THREE bike shops today...except they were all mo-ped shops...everyone seems to have a bike, but I have no idea where they got them
-There are lots of stray cats, some stray dogs...I think I'll make some friends...apparently neutering and spaying animals doesn't exist in this country

Oh and today's "failures":
-I walked around town trying to find the synagogue on the map, I thought it would be cool to see. I went to the exact spot on the map, but definitely couldn't find it...hmm...doesn't matter though, I loved just walking around the city
-I found a restaurant that had English on the menu and offered vegetarian gyros...I thought that would be a sure way to not eat meat...WRONG! The ladies serving me spoke no English, an no matter how many times I tried to say no meat, there was definitely a huge pile of meat when I got my plate. I decided that it would be more inhumane to let the meat go to waste, so I ate some...it was disgusting, greasy, fatty, and even a little delicious. I think I'll stick to cheese and hummus though.

So I got here yesterday morning, managed to stay up till 6 pm, before crashing for 13 hours. When I woke up this morning I went for a jog and did some yoga, walked around school meeting people and learning about Anatolia, went grocery shopping with Dr. Holland, the school's director and Grinnell tie, then explored. This week is pretty chill- the kids don't come until the ninth. Oh, and my dorm room is small but beautiful. It's on the third floor and I can see the sea from my balcony! And if none of the kids move in next door, then I will have my own yoga/guest room (the director, Teresa, might make this possible!)

Anyways, Im getting ready for bed, even though its only 3 Kansas/Grinnell time (8 hour difference!)

adio,
Alexandra Stephanie Kossoy (did you know Alexandra and Stephanie are both Greek!)