Stories from Patra

I believe that I mentioned before the fact that I have a great friend in Patra, a bigger city just one hour away from Messolonghi. Her name is Theano and I met her in the Netherlands during the Summer University.

I’ve already been to her place 3 times now, you could say I’ve almost moved in there, something that I might actually do to some degree or another. The last time I went to Patra I met a bunch of Erasmus students studying there, most of them Spanish. I also remember talking to one girl from Scotland who was here with Erasmus but not as a student but to do social work, especially concerning the refugee problem that Greece faces. Apparently, the problem is bigger than I ever imagined and illegal immigrants from countries with little chance of a decent life come to Greece in very large numbers and have been doing so for the past 15 years. One of the most difficult things to comprehend is the fact that they have no rights here, and apparently not even the most basic human rights are recognized by local authorities. Knowing this, most of them try to get onto the boats going to Italy, in hope of a better life in a more understanding community. I understand that there is a plan about building a refugee camp close to the city, where food and shelter could be provided, but the idea has met with many impediments because of the attitude of local citizens who don’t desire the camp to be placed in the vicinity of their neighborhood. I want to keep a close eye on the development of things in this matter, but I forgot to get any contact information from the girl I was talking to. But I can probably get in touch with her somehow if I really want to. ?

I have just come back now, from my last trip to Patra, which lasted about 5 days. I had a great time going out with my friend and I met some more of her friends as well with which I got along great.
Since on Saturday we didn’t have that many things to do, except going out for coffee, taking a walk and chatting about various things, we decided to do something different on Sunday. We went hiking in one of the mountains close-by. It was an invigorating trip, and although it wasn’t the Himalayas the view of the city from 1500m was indescribably beautiful. The fresh air, the wind, the climbing between many rocks gave me a thrill I haven’t felt in a long time. I hope to do it again soon. We went on this trip with a climbing organization called EOS Patras, that will organize more difficult trips in the future and I hope to be fit to join them. But before that, on the 23rd of November they have a rafting episode planned which I will be joining. I expect it to be great, even though I am worried a bit because of my complete lack of experience in this matter. Just avoid the rocks a friend told me.. :-D I can’t wait :D:D

On Monday I went with Theano to one of her courses. She told me it was a course about trade, but the only words I understood were Hollandia, Gallika, and egrasia (which means work). The context in which these were mentioned is completely unknown to me as the course was only in Greek and I was too bored to ask my friend to translate everything. Notwithstanding the fact that I didn’t understand what was being taught, I enjoyed the feeling of being in a classroom again, falling asleep almost and waiting for the course to end while chatting with my friends, an experience that I will be deprived of here, in Messolonghi, where, from what I have understood so far, I will not be attending courses like normal students, since there are only greek courses available. I will probably be given books and some programs to work with, like the first professor that called me has done. I might go by the university once in a while to ask for clarifications and such, but other than that I don’t really think I will have any reason to be there. I never thought I would miss the existence of a schedule so much, no matter if I keep to it or not, the whole idea of not having some sort of plan for the following days is very depressing. On the other hand I might get used to relaxing all the time, like on a very very long vacation.

I will drop by the university tomorrow to tell a few ‘kind’ words about the Erasmus organizational system here that I believe to be very wrong and lacking so many things, most of all, normal courses. :P I hope to find some sort of information about whether or not I need to be here , and other such things. If everything goes well and I don’t actually need to be here, I will go to Patra again and hang out there. :D I should be going to Turkey sometime in November as well. Ah, this weekend I will be going to Patra to meet with Theano, but the next day we will take the train to Athens. I might not have too many things to say since we are going to see her grandparents, but anything is better than staying here and getting bored to death.

Because of the very capricious weather I think I managed to catch a cold. But I hope to be rid of it soon, since it is very annoying. :P

Ah, I forgot to mention something about my last bus trip to Patra. As I found my seat on the bus and sat down, I took out my greek conversation guide, in hope of maybe learning some words or phrases. I sat down next to a middle aged man who recognized the type of the book and asked me where I was from. We started talking and I found out he was from Agrinio, a very big city close by, which I hope to get a chance to see soon. He told me about his numerous trips to different countries. He had lived 2 years in Paris, visited Russia, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, England, Japan, Egypt, South Africa, parts of America, and others I can’t remember now. He had worked on a cruise ship for a while and that is how he got to visit some of the above-mentioned places. I was impressed with the idea of South Africa and he mentioned there were very cheap airplane tickets from Athens Airport to South Africa. Ever since this conversation I can’t stop thinking about going there. :D Although I few days ago I was looking on Google Earth and realized just how extremely far far away South Africa really is. But I’m not giving up on the idea. :)

On two of the nights in Patra I went to a few friends’ houses and we watched a movie. I came to understand that it’s a very student-like activity to gather in a friend’s house and call up a bunch of people and watch a movie together. I was not surprised with this, but I enjoyed it very much, since it was a very familiar atmosphere that I lack in my hotel room. :P On both occasions we were extremely hungry so we ordered a huge delicious square pizza. :D And after watching the movie we stayed up and talked, had a beer or two, or something similar and just relaxed. Although most of the time they tended to forget I didn’t understand and started talking in greed, I didn’t mind so much since I was very relaxed. On the second night we went to the house of a guy who had a guitar, and there was actually someone who knew how to play amongst the 8 of us that were there. I got to enjoy some nice greek songs that sounded a little like folk to me, which I like very much by the way, and also some great classic english songs like Nothing else Matters, Californication etc, and my very own favorite, which I had never heard played live before, Stairway to Heaven ... :D

Oh, did I mention I’m trying to read Ancient Greek literature poorly translated into english ? I started to read Homer’s Iliad, but I am finding it a bit difficult since it’s also trying to imitate old english.. Ah, and I’ve also started reading Aristotle’s Poetics, which you can imagine is also not very easy..

So far, so good…