Pictures from Harvard

Harvard's Main Library
A View of the Square


The Other Side

The Classics Building

A Jolly Squirrel

Χελώνες

Who knew that there were wild tortoises in Greece? The skylakia found a poor tortoise and were tossing it about when I came back from my walk today. I grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks and quickly stuck the tortoise in my bag. Another one that had also suffered the same treatment was lying on the grass a little further. While both had scratches to their shells and gnaw-marks, they seemed to be fine for the most part. Some of the girls came and looked and there was much picture taking.

Since our skylakia are very sweet but rather energetic, I decided it would be best if the two tortoises were brought far away from them. So after a brief visit to our room, I took them out to a field but not without taking some pictures first

Φωνές by C. Cavafy

Ιδανικές φωνές κι αγαπημένες
εκείνων που πέθαναν, ή εκείνων που είναι
για μας χαμένοι σαν τους πεθαμένους.

Κάποτε μες στα όνειρα μας ομιλούνε
κάποτε μες στην σκέψη τες ακούει το μύαλο.

Και με τον ήχο των για μια στιγμή επιστρέφουν
ηχοί από την πρώτη ποίηση της ζωής μας-
σα μουσική την νύχτα, μακρινή, που σβήνει.

Gratitude Moment

source

Every once in a while (probably not as often as I should), I realize how lucky I am to have a life filled with kind and good people. Yesterday, when I came back from my class trip I discovered that I'd lost two notebooks with all my notes from class from the last six months. I was really devasted by this as I thought I'd probably left it in a hotel somewhere and would not be able to get it back. I went to see my Bulgarian friend Bobby to ask if she'd seen it and my friend Zhaina from Kazhakhstan also stopped by. Both these girls were just really great and helpful and soon we found a solution to the problem (I called the driver and it seems I left them on the bus). Before that time and also after I talked to Roderick on the phone a couple of times and as always he was wonderful and reassuring. Also, my roommate Olga was as ever, cheerful and understanding. As those who know me well know, I have a bad tendency to get very stressed over things when I can't fix straight away (hello planning a wedding!) and I think I would have gone slightly mad a long long time ago were it not for all the people who make my life better on a daily basis. You are all the best (especially you Pondu!)

p.s. I am a little behind with posting but I have some good things to write with a ton of pictures so check back soon. :-)

My Baby Loves Me!

What a fabulous surpise!!!!

My favorite flowers in the whole wide world are orange roses. Besides that, any orange flower makes me happy. To my great delight and surprise, when I came back from my fieldtrip today I found a giant bouquet of all orange-colored flowers (including gorgeous roses) waiting for me at the xenonas. Pondu darling, you really know how to make a girl happy. Lucky me that I get to have you as a husband, I love you so much!!!

Ουράνιο Τόξο

Springtime in the mountains (especially mountains in the Epirus) makes for some spectacular weather. I just saw a rather extraordinary rainbow over the lake and rushed outside to take a picture of it. It seemed to be almost horizontal! We've had quite a wet week here and I've seen some stunning clouds and skies.

Did I mention the garbage men are striking again?

Αποκριές

Decorations at the Entrance to the Castro

Tomorrow is the first day of Lent (καθαρή δευτέρα) according to the Orthodox calendar, so this meant that today (and especially tonight) was Carnival (Αποκριές). Our teacher Fani told us in class on Friday that Carnival is traditionally not a Greek custom but was imported from the West, especially from the Venetians. In Greece, the biggest carnivals are in Patra and on Corcyra but from my experience in the town tonight, Ioannina is a rather wonderful place to celebrate the Αποκριές as well. I remember many carnivals from my childhood when I often went to see the parades with my brother and my grandparents in the Catholic south of the Netherlands and a similar festive atmosphere was to be felt around the city tonight. An amazing array of excellent costumes was to be seen; there were jailbirds, a giant four-person caterpillar, nuns, Vikings, Asterix and Obelix, a terrifying ghoul who I captured on film, a fetching Red Riding Hood wearing a garter, but by far the most popular disguise seemed to be that of a clown.

This goodly ghoul was kind enough to strike a pose!

I went around with my delightful Bulgarian friend Bobby who kindly let me borrow her mask and we visited two bonfires, one inside the old castle and one near the stadium. At both there was clarinet music and children dancing all wonderfully decked out. When I saw all these dressed up children dancing around a bonfire to sweeping clarinet music, I felt very clearly the pagan rhythms still pulsing in the Greek festive tradition. A magical experience!

At the Bonfire inside the Castro

The παππούδες got the best seats (I loved the black cauldron too!)

Bonfire inside the Castro




Bonfire near the Γήπεδο

Sparks from the Bonfire

Γλέντι

Pondu, to lessen your nostalgia for Greece I've added more music down at the very bottom of my blog but these songs you can download to your computer! The 15 songs are folk dances from different parts of the country, mostly the Epirus. The 12 step dance is Μήλο μου Κόκκινο, with voice.
Love you so much!

Μήλο Μου Κόκκινο (My Red Apple)

I just put out how to add a neat feature to my blog: an audio streamer. The website it comes from has this one nice Greek CD so I put two songs from it, one very famous traditional song from Macedonia (which has a 12 step dance that goes along with it that I learned here at dance class) and a Syrtos, which is a type of dance found all over Greece, but mainly in the northern parts such as Macedonia and Thrace. At some point, Roderick we must go to Thrace! Here are the lyrics to song called My Red Apple.

Μήλο μου κόκκινο, ρόιδο βαμμένο (x2)

Γιατί με μάρανες το πικραμένο

Παένω κ’ έρχομαι μα δεν βρίσκω (x2)
Βρίσκω την πόρτα σου μανταλομένη

Τα παραθυρούδια σου φεγγοβολούνε (x2)
Ρωτάω την πόρτα σου, που πάει η κυρά σου

Κυρά μ’ δεν είναι ‘δώ, πάησε στην βρύση (x2)
Πάησε να βρει νερό και να γεμίσει

See my poor translation in the comments, Pondu, can you do a better job of this?

Also this is where I'm totally taking dance classes next year.

Happy Sunday

Sundays are usually quite slow days here at the Panepistimioupoli but today the weather was wonderful and the clouds were fantastic. Time for the fish eye lens!


The quality is a bit grainy, I think I may have to use the tiny tripod to get a more steady pictures, but it gives a good impression of the vast expanse of sky and land there is here in the Epirus, just beautiful!

Also, spring has definitely arrived here and so have the giant ants. Here's one I saw on the way to lunch.


I am one artiste it is for sure!

Dodona: The Oracle of Gods and of Men

Today my class took a trip to the oracle of Zeus at Dodona. The camera has made a timely recovery and so I have many pictures to post. First a bit about the oracle though. The site is located at about 22 kilometers' distance from Ioannina and was one of the most famous cult centers in Antiquity, attracting pilgrims from as far away as Persia. It is said that at this site, Zeus dwelled in the roots of great oak trees that grew in a sacred grove and the priests of the oracle would divine the god's will by listening to the rustling of the leaves and looking at the flight of the birds that nested in the trees.

Although evidence of prehistoric activity have been found at the site (by the archaeological society of Ioannina University no less!), the oldest of the remaining structures dates from the fourth century B.C. The popularity of the cult reached it's peak before 166/7 but continued to fare well into Roman times. It was only in the fourth century after Christ, by order of the Christian emperor Theodosius that the oracle was shut down and a church was built on the site. One of the most impressive structures is the wonderful theatre, built in the second century B.C, which has been quite well-preserved. Until recently it was used for plays and concerts but now due to loose stones all performances have been suspended for some time (until they restore it at least). We couldn't go up to see if we could hear a pin drop but somebody clapped when I was standing quite far away and the sound was perfectly clear. What a magical place it is!

A Doric (thanks Pondu!) column

The Whole IKY Gang

My friend Zhaina from Kazakhstan

Ο Αρραβώνας Μας

Θα γράψω την ιστορία του αρραβώνα μας αντί πως γνωρίστηκα με τον Σοφοκλή γιατί όταν αρραβωνιαστήκαμε, ήταν κατά την διάρκεια ένος ταξιδιού. Η ιστορία είναι η εξής. Μια μέρα τον τελευταίο Σεπτέμβριο, όταν ήμασταν στα Γιάννενα μόνο κάποιες εβδομάδες, ο Σοφοκλής πρότεινε να πάμε εκδρομή στο νησί μέσα στην λίμνη Παμβώτιδα.

Αποφασίστηκε να φύγουμε από το σπίτι μας στις έντεκα το πρωί και επιβιβαστήκαμε στο καράβι λίγο μετά, και ετοιμαστήκαμε για την διαδρομή. Ζαλίστηκα λίγο από τα κύματα αλλά όταν φτάσαμε στο νήσι αισθάντηκα υπέροχα λόγω της χαράς που ένιωσα να είμαι με τον αγαπημένο μου σε ένα τέτοιο πανέμορφο μέρος. Εντυπωσιαστήκαμε από το μουσείο του 'Αλι Πάσα και τα διάφορα μοναστήρια. Ιδιατέρως θαύμασα το μοναστήρι του Φιλανθρωπινού που έχει μέσα στο τείχος εικόνες με τους σοφούς από την Αρχαία Ελλάδα.

Ξαφνικα, ο Σοφοκλής με ρώτησε αν ήθελα να κάνω βόλτα γύρω στο νήσι. Περιπλανηθήκαμε για λίγο καιρό και αποφασίσαμε να ανηφορίσουμε στην κορυφή του νησιού. Εκει ο Σοφοκλής με ρώτησε αν ήθελα να τον παντρευτώ και αμέσως είπα ναί! Για μια στιγμή χαθήκαμε στην καινούρια ευτυχία μας αλλά γρήγορα γυρίσαμε στην πραγματικότητα και αγκαλιαστήκαμε. Δίπλα μας ήταν ένα δέντρο με μια καμπάνα μέσα και ο Σοφοκλής την χτύπησε να γιορτάσει τον αρραβώνα μας.

Ήταν μια τέλεια εμπείρια για μένα και κάθε φορά που πάω στο νησί την θυμάμαι με πολλή χάρη. Αυτή την ήμερα επίσης υποσχεθήκαμε να γυρίσουμε εκεί όταν είμαστε παντρευμένοι μια φορά!

Composition written for class to practice the aorist passive form of the verb. I love you Roderick.

How to Score a Yummy

After our exciting weekend of snow, nothing much is going on here in Ioannina at the moment. Tomorrow however is a great day commemorating the liberation of the Epirus from Turkish occupation (95 years and counting!). There will apparently be a parade with fighters jets circling in the sky, so I'm going up to see it. Meanwhile, my camera is still giving me trouble but I figured out (or rather Roderick told me) that if I keep it level it will work for short bursts. The subject of my current post is thus by necessity something that could be photographed from a static position.

Now, I should mention that in the language center and adjacent student housing where I live, they have two small dogs. These dogs were orphaned when they were about eight weeks old and they've been lovingly reared by the caretakers here and are generally adored. They had more siblings but they found good homes and these two now belong here. They are very sweet but a bit wild and they like to gnaw on whatever they can get hold of. When Roderick went to America, he left me a giant bag of doggy biscuits that I am stealthily dispensing to my two small friends when the caretaker isn't looking. My new room faces the lawn where they play and nap during the day and early evening and they've learned that I am occasionally a source of snacks so at times they visit my window.

Such was the situation tonight as I was doing some wedding administration and other things that I suddenly saw a tiny piece of white ear in the corner of my eye out the window. Here is what followed.





This last one is my favorite although it is unfortunately a bit blurry.

Audio Post

I've added an audio file to the bottom of my blog, I hope it works! I had hoped it would work much like the video files that you can easily post on blogger but unfortunately it only lets you download from another location. Anyway, I talk a little bit about the wonderful snow that we're having here today. If anyone knows a better way to post audio files, I'd be interested to know.

Fun with A Camera

Ioannina is a very photogenic place. It lies nestled in a valley beneath snow-capped mountains and was built on a beautiful lake. When the sun shines even the most inexperienced photographer can take a decent shot or two. With my new favorite toy I went around today and yesterday taking some pictures both of the campus where I live and of the lake. The weather has been quite wild and blustery the last few days and the city is full of drifting newspapers and other small items of garbage that take to the sky like kites. The waters of Lake Pamvotida (the all-nourishing), which is usually mirror-faced and placid, was choppy and dark with largish waves washing over the promenade.


Quite a few of the reeds that grow on the nearby island were tossed up on the land and made an interesting mess on the pavement. A Greek family was standing nearby with a small boy who was rather excited by this grand display of the elements but as soon as he ventured nearer to the water's edge his anxious mother called him back. After about fifteen minutes in these gales I went to Haagen-Dasz like the other more sensible people and watched the spectacle while sipping a hot cocoa.

Goodbye for Now!

Roderick left for Athens earlier tonight. As his flight is on Monday, he was planning to leave on Saturday morning in order to see his old friends the Masseras family and go to church on Sunday. These plans were suddenly changed when an unexpected e-mail from the government agency in Holland who is arranging our wedding license warned me of some stamp that was missing from Roderick's birth certificate and needed to be there to make it 'official'. So off he went tonight to go see if the American consulate would do such a thing for him tomorrow, we're keeping our fingers crossed because it would save quite a bit of hassle if things could be sorted out tomorrow. Nevertheless, with pain in both our hearts Roderick left our beloved Ioannina and is off to Michigan to seek adventure and employment. On the way back to my room at the University I counted the weeks left until we see each other again, there are quite a few. Although on the flip side, there are alarmingly few weeks left before the wedding and so much to do. Also, I now have Roderick super fancy camera at my disposal so I shall be posting the fruits of my bad photography anon to show the wonders of this land where I live. I hope all is well for everyone, I keep you in my prayers.

First Post

Welcome to my blog!
I begin this recording of thoughts and events to share my life here in Greece with my fiance Roderick, who will shortly be moving back to America in the months preceding our wedding. I also want to acknowledge the encouragements of my fabulous future sister-in-law Emily, whose own delightful blog will serve as a model for this one.
My time here in Ioannina has been wonderful so far and it will be a joy to share the wonders of this beautiful region of Greece (the Epirus) and to write about my experience of living in a foreign country that feels more like a home than my native land.
I've decided to call this blog 'Health and Joy' as a reference to the wish Greek people sometimes express when they part company with someone they meet. Darling Roderick, I wish you both of these in abundance until and after we meet again and want you to know that when you leave Greece and travel to Michigan, you will never be far away from my thoughts. Σ'αγαπώ πάρα πολύ!
Enjoy!