I Think I Fixed My Internet

I don't really know what I did, but I fiddled with my internet settings at the hotel and my 6 Euro internet is now working.

I have already lost track of how many days I've been in Greece, but it seems like we've done quite a bit of work already. Yesterday, four groups of four students each went out to do interviews in different neighborhoods of Athens. I headed to another neighborhood on my own to do my follow-up interviews on last year's research topic.

What a difference one year makes! The dirty, grungy neighborhood full of drug addicts, stumbling drunks, and otherwise shady characters had been transformed into a family-friendly square with a new playground set, see-saws, a foosball table, and a basketball hoop.

Since I had to interview people around the square, I struck up a conversation with a guy selling bootleg DVDs. During our twenty-minute conversation, I learned that he had come to Greece from Nigeria and spoke Greek fluently (funny that he said he really only speaks one language—Greek—since he doesn't believe the languages he grew up speaking count—English, pidgin English, and his tribal language). From him, I learned that apparently all the business owners and residents of the neighborhood came together about four months ago, tired of all the drugs, and "drove out the junkies."

I guess they haven't been back to stay since. The basketball hoop looked so new, the net seemed to have never been used. Maybe because the kids playing in the square were more interested in kicking around the soccer ball, I don't know. But some of the other students on the program and I want to go buy a basketball and shoot hoops in the square. :)

My day of interviewing didn't yield many results. It's a bit tougher, I think, trying to gather interviews on your own. Last year, I had a great partner who was very enthusiastic about talking with people, but this year, I have to work on this by myself (other than the few times Taso will come along). I wish I spoke Greek because then I think they'd be more open to chatting with me. Most of the folks I spoke with were very hesitant to speak at length in English, even though I could understand them just fine. I'm pretty sure the recorder is quite intimidating as well.

Today was supposed to be another day of interviewing, but one of the group's tape recorder broke. So I lent them my digital recorder and stayed at the hotel to transcribe the audio file from yesterday instead. Transcribing is one of the most tedious tasks I've ever had to do...as interesting as interviews can be, transcribing almost takes all the fun out of it. :) Funny how I proposed to do interviewing/transcribing for a full year during my Fulbright research.

This afternoon, the students have a seminar with Professor Ingebritsen at the Institute. I'm meeting at friend by the Olympic Stadium, so I'll miss that and possibly the group dinner too since the Metro station I have to get to is rather far, but we shall see. It's nice to visit friends I made last year. Always fun to hear the latest Greek gossip.

Tomorrow is Taso's wedding, so I'm gonna break out the suit and tie. I chose a blue tie and white shirt (Greek colors!). It's going to be about 95 degrees though, so I'm staying by the air conditioner as long as I can. I'll post any good pictures sometime next week. For now, here's a few from the last week:

I can see the Parthenon from my bed...pretty awesome view, I'd say. :)

The Parthenon and the rest of the Acropolis are always lit up at night.

Here's this year's Athens program group. What a fun bunch of people.

This is the top of the Propylea...the entrance to the Acropolis. The sun was already beating down at 10 AM.

Of course, gotta rep DP. :)

I haven't taken all that many pictures this week, so I'll try taking more next week to post online. It's 1 PM and I haven't eaten lunch, so I'm starving. I think I'm gonna go for my 5th gyro in Athens this week. :)

Sam