First Week of Class

I've built up so much excitement to classes, and finally, Monday comes.  I jump start the day with the help of my new friend Nescafe and head off to painting class.  It's the typical 'first day' kind of class.  Sarah tells us what the class will be like, we go over a syllabus, etc.  I really liked it when she said, "I'm going to teach you all some rules, and then you can break them." Wonderful.  She shows us some slides of her work, and it's quite nice.  After some more intro stuff we head over to the drawing studio and do some exquisite corpse drawings with out new group of classmates.  A great way to see everyone's different styles and a good way to start a semester of working together.  

After painting I go to lit, where we pretty much just listen to George talk.  He wants to take the writes approach to looking at different works of literature.  Sounds kind of cool, but I really don't know how I feel about that.  I think he assumes that everyone is in creative writing.  Overall, a rather uneventful, not very exciting first day of class.  There are only about 30 kids in the entire program, but this class has just way to many kids.

Then to art theory, with Sarah again.  She's really great.  All of us love her.  The best part is that there are only eight of us in the class, so the conversations are both accessible and stimulating.  Sarah said that since it's such an ideally small group, more opportunities will open up for us.  She said we can go to this artist collective and drink wine on their balcony, watch them work, and talk with them.  Sarah is the main teacher of the class, but we will have guests come and give lectures and sometimes other teachers will take a turn at heading the class.  Did I mention that Sarah's great?

Soon it's time for interrelated media with Ben.  Side note: another weird difference from St. John's to here is that everyone including the teachers is on a first-name basis unlike St. John's where everyone including peers is on a last-name basis.  Anyway, Ben's great too.  I told him that I liked him and he told me that he likes me too.  We go around the circle and give a little introduction.  I'm sitting on Ben's right, and the name Ben means "right hand man" and since we already have talked a bit, he starts off going left because "we should start with what we don't already know (Allison to his left) and come around in a circle to what we already know (me, the right hand man)."  Introductions: our name, where we're from, our own experience with art, interests, and a concern of ours.  A lot of people were concerned about what they were going to do after school. Mehhh.... for now concentrate on what you're going to do in school.  Then Ben shows us some slides and we start a discussion.  Some of us accept the conceptual work and were diggin' it and others got straight up pissed off (which is also good).  Emily, a classmate, even spouted, "I can work all day for eight hours on a nice painting, and this guy staples a carpet to a wall and he's the famous one with work in a gallery."  Haha.  Yep! Time to step back from pure aesthetics and start to think about artwork with concepts.  But I'm really glad she said that.  It was cool.  Oh yeah, stapling a carpet to a wall and calling it "For Verbs": brilliant.

7 o'clock, or should I say 19:00 rolls around and I can finally go home.  I've been in class since 10:00.  I'm writing this over a week later, so it's hard to remember what I did after that.  I was probably tired and I probably just made some food and passed out.  Interrelated Media class gets me really excited and I'm ready to start working ASAP.  My head is already flooded with ideas.  I pressure Ben into pressuring Barry about how I can get into the studio as soon as possible.  The only thing standing between me and creating work are locked doors.  I'm so excited to do so many visual projects I decide to drop lit, but feel bad only taking four classes, so I swap it for film studies.

Tuesdays I have off, so on Monday night Madeline and I agree to find an adventure the next day.  Around noon on Tuesday she knocks on my door and we start walking.  We hike along the coast northward and the sandy beaches quickly turn to treacherous rock.  Eventually we make it off the giant rock and down to a nice beach to relax, swim, and bask in the vitamin D rich rays of Apollo.  It's a pleasant few hours spent, then we take a two euro boat ride back to Paroikia's port.  

I get into the studio and start a project that I will later call artwork.  The studio is really very nice.  It's a big space with marble floors (of course), with an echo to it that urges me to fill the space with work, and it is right on the Agora (Market Street)- one of the three streets on the island that actually has a name.  It feels good to start working, especially for myself, as I haven't even gotten assigned a project yet with the exception of a little drawing reproduction.  It's been awhile since I've made anything and that adds to the pleasure.  And I like my idea.

Tangent no. 2:  I have homework! yay! It's been awhile!  And it's not pulling my hair out over Descartes or Pascal, it's to look and listen, see and smell!  To explore and find objects on adventures to bring to class.  Amongst, of course, a reading titled "The Art of Pilgrimage" which is very well-written, interesting and inspiring.  Sarah gave it to us because after all we've come all the way to Greece on our very own pilgrimage.

Tuesday night:  Word got out Ben is DJing at the Saloon (formerly referred to by its apparently incorrect name: NV) so a few of us head over there to investigate.  Our friend, the owner whose name I've finally managed to remember, sits out front.  I have no idea how to spell his name, but fo-net-ik-ly it is ee-ooo-nok-oh.  He said he knew nothing about Ben DJing, so we sneak off to Karen's where we happen to find Ben and Moshe.  We don't occupy space with them for long and they peace out.  We stay for awhile, though, to enjoy Karen's company, until Ben comes back, committing Parian social suicide, to take us from that bar back to the Saloon.  His way of having it all under control though is by announcing that it's time for class, and that makes me smile so we happily follow him.  We get back to hear Ben's thirteen, or twelve to fifteen (as he puts it) minute DJ set.  Barry's there and he's obviously drunk.  I watched him drink beer, wine, and tequila in the same small interval of time.

Ben asks me if i needed a drink and I reply, "not unless you're paying."  

"I was just going to order it for you."  I don't think he was actually going buy me a drink but soon enough there are beers in front of all of us.  What a guy.  Then Barry dances out from behind the bar by the DJ, heading straight for me.  Before I know it, I have my left hand around his back, his right around mine, and my right hand in his left in standard couple dance position.  We share a moment until I spin him and he spins off.  This is my teacher, the guy who created this amazing program, tanked, getting the dance party started.  Soon we're all up out of our seats transforming the area in front of the bar into the dance floor.  Ben's set comes on and the few of us privileged students get to share the floor with Barry, Ben, and Sarah.  I'm impressed that Barry, strutting the lapels of his sport coat, knows the words to the songs.  I lean in to hear a freestyle mix of what sounds like poetry until it evolves into what sounds like African tongue scat.

I don't know if he's loaded or because he's like Elvis on this island, but Barry brought out from behind the bar tray after tray of tequila shots.  Luckily, I'm a smart guy and stepped out back from the table before someone forced me to take one.  I manage to slip away.  I go outside for some fresh, waterfront air and Ee-oo-nock-oh catches sight of me and invites me over for a quick chit chat.  I ask him when he will take me fishing on his boat.  He says, "how about tomorrow?" But, that's no good for me as I have class.  When he asks me for my for my phone number and I tell him that I don't have the funds for one, he seems disappointed but says that has an extra one he can give me.  The next night after class on our walk back home, we pass him outside of his bar and he stops us and gives me a phone, sim card and all!  I still want to go octopus fishing (octopussing?) with him.  Sometime.

In class on Wednesday Sarah shows us a few tips on measuring up a drawing and then we take our own crack at it.  Then a meeting about work study.  My job is to clean the studios with Allison.  Easiest $500 I've ever saved.  Twice a week we need to sweep the floors and take out the trash.  That breaks down to like $20 per time, which takes what, like 40 minutes?  We were all to bring an object for interrelated media class, so when class began we all collaborate on a piece.  Either to be defined as art or a mess.  When we're done, Ben takes us to a nice group of dumpsters, full of potential.  We all dive in and grab the objects that we can.  I scrap a bunch of computer chips, some wires, three old batteries, and a TV remote.  We turn around to walk back to the studio when Karen comes straight at me on her dirtbike.  We make small talk.  I made some joke like, "did you see her do a wheelie as she road off," and that turned into fact when word got around that the 3D class saw Karen do a wheelie.

With these objects, and anything else we wanted to find, we're told to make a sculpture/installation to talk about by Monday.  Class is out at 19:00 and I rush from the studio to the school (which is nearby) for a rescheduled film studies class because George has to leave later in the week.  We, tired and hungry, watch "Henry and June."  When it's over is late so we don't talk about it.

Thursday, I would typically have film because by now George is out of town so I spend the day bouncing between the beach and the studio. A few of us went to a bar that none of us had been to yet, but for some reason (that time of the month maybe) I was in a bad mood so I went home.

Friday I have philosophy with Barry.  He handed out a list of questions and had us write down what our partners answered.  It was interview style.  Then as a class we discussed our views.  The conversation escalated to warm (I won't say heated).  I don't think anyone went out on Friday night.  I decided to grab my deck and go for a nice long skate around the town. I managed to find some paved roads and cleared my head.  I came back to my apartment in a fantastic mood.  I needed that.  Let round three of watching the entirety of Twin Peaks begin.

Saturday was like this:

woke up

made the breakfast I promised myself

went to the studio

made lunch

went to the studio

made dinner

went to the studio

By that time there were four of us in there and when it became quittin' time Dan, Libby, Allison, and I decided to go to Karen's for one drink. 

Sunday- we all meet at the wind mill at 7:15 am, climb on a bus to Naussa, then jump a boat to take us to he islands of Delos and Mykanos.  The sea is rough because of the wind and a few people spend the ride with the toilet.  I got a good nap.Delos is really cool.  It's not really inhabited, as it would be really hard to live there because no one can be born or die there.  We walk through an ancient town of ruins, climb an ancient mountain, see old temples including my favorite of the day the temple of Isis.  On our way out, rused by the boat that will not wait for us, I quickly venture over to a huge palm tree that grows on the spot where Apollo, and I think Dionysus was born.  -Many pictures to come soon. 

The group meets back up and we voyage across the rough Aegean for a short ride to Mykanos.  We dock and are free to roam around.  Phil, Allison, and I break away from the group and consumed by hunger grab a bite to eat, then indulge in a Bailey's Frappe.  We wander around, see sights, and snap all sorts of photographs along the way.

PS-Thanks you for reading this series of run on sentences with random verb disagreements.

 

First Weekend

FRIDAY & SATURDAY-
I wake up around what I guess to be 8:30 or so. For the last couple days I haven't known what time it was ever because I didn't have a watch. So I pass through the my door into the lobby/reception area and get a coffee out of the vending machine. An impressive apparatus whose contents include but are not limited to coffee, beer, and soda. I take a walk around town and finally buy a watch.
I cook myself lunch for the first time in a few days, and finish in time for a meeting. The teachers (Barry, Sarah, George, Ben, and Mosha) tell us about their classes and we ask questions. REALLY EXCITING STUFF! This program is the most amazing thing I've ever heard of. I enroll in Painting, Interrelated Media, Literature, Art Theory, and Philosophy. The philosophy course will be a lot different than what I'm used to from St. John's. Instead of only caring what dead white guys think we're actually going to think about what we think! Not what we think that some guy thinks.
Allison, Molly, Libby, Phil, and I go to Karen's for a wine. I go to refill my cup and Phil's and I meet Karen. Karen is a Character. She is probably 60ish, and has a smoked out raspy but soft voice in a thick Scottish accent. She makes me take a shot of something Greek without making a face. When I don't make a face the guy next to me screams, "This guy's fucking Keanu Reaves!" She offers another free one on the house, but I tell her to save it for another time. I go back to the table to join the group again. But soon enough Karen calls me back to the bar to play her in a drinking game called "Mexican". She kicks my butt. Then Allison has to play.
Eventually we head out, but not to go to sleep. We watch some skate videos and then go for a late night swim at the beach right by our apartments. Out of a manifested fear of Jaws and sea urchins in the dark, we get out of the water. We get back and stand around in the lobby not ready for sleep, but not knowing what to do next. And then Madeline who has just woken up from a solid 8pm to 5am (yes, 5am at this point) comes out of her room and invites us in to share her wine. Ty, who thought he was the only one awake comes across us and joins us on the balcony to drink some wine and listen to the roosters kokadoodling from the hills in the distance. The sun comes up and eventually it's late enough for places to be open and we decide to get coffee instead of more booze. Then we jump a bus for 2 euros to the opposite side of the island to Pounda Beach. A beautiful beach and a beautiful day with beautiful people. We get back and cook a lovely dinner.
I take a two hour nap (the only slept I've gotten since Thursday) and Madeline and Allison come to wake me up because there's a party all of us students are supposed to go to, but it seems hopeless. There's no way I can get up and go to a party. BUT, I do with the help of Red Bull and Cross Examination jammin' on my iPod.
We mass exodus to the party at Dubliner's a pub owned buy the same guy from NV. He hooks up the HISA kiddos with a free shot and a free cocktail, but when it comes time to buy drinks a bunch of us decide to leave because there's no way we'll pay 8 euros for a cocktail. We walk to Karen's where we know there's cheaper drinks. The owner gets a little heart broken when we leave and says that he would tell the bartender to only charge us 5. So we say we'll be back. At Karen's we are all having a good time and I step into a conversation with Mosha, the photography and historical sites teacher, and Amanda who are having casual conversation. All conversation up to this point has all been a casual "get-to-know-ya" type, but then because of the drinks probably I drop Mosha a serious question and finally get everyone to talk seriously about art. It stimulates more people to talk and then I get caught up in a nice philosophical talk with Allison. Then I talk with a homeless Parian about his life. Then the bar gets a noise complaint and has to close. Amanda is trying to get a job at Dubliner's, so she drags us all back there.
The owner is happy to see we're back and offers us all a glass of champaign. Then I get into a deep and long conversation with him. It's fun to talk about the Ancient Greeks and their ideas with someone who is actually Greek for a change. We talk until what's probably 5 in the morning. I would probably have stayed longer but the only other two HISA students that were there still were really drunk and needed me to walk them back. I hear the Roosters when I fall asleep. Finally, sleep...

SUNDAY-
I need to wake up without an alarm clock for our group excursion around the island. Luckily I don't sleep forever and hear people in the lobby outside my room look out my bathroom window and see that they are all ready to go. So I quickly grab a banana, chug some coffee and hop on the bus. We tour a couple of towns and hit up a beach. I remember Parikia, but Lefkes was especially fun to wander and see the the restaurants and shops that I visited before with my family and be like, "Hey, I've been there before!". We get back and I write this.

Arrival

THURSDAY-

After a four and a half sea voyage on the ferry, we arrive on the island.  We walk off the ship and then walk to our apartment compound.  We get our rooms and settle in a bit.  On the rooftop, Owen and I high-five in disbelief about how lucky we are to be here.  After everyone looks around, the group disbands and I go to the grocery store for a few items.  

We meet for a quick tour of a few helpful places to know, and end up at the school for hellos and welcomes from the staff.  Then we go to dinner- a free dinner actually and go to a place that HISA has a relationship with.  We eat delicious food and indulge in a bit of wine.  As we finish our meal, a light sprinkle drips out of the sky.  Apparently, that is a rare occurance in september and october.  We step out into the rain and go down a few doors to a bar called NV (envy) to receive a free drink from the owner who also has a relationship with Barry and HISA.  Apparently this man is one of the wealthiest on the island. 

The group gets smaller and smaller and eventually Aliki, a student who was here last semester too, takes me, Allison, Madeline, Molly, and Ty to another bar, a much cheaper bar called Karen's which is a favorite among HISA kids.  We are sitting outside when all of the sudden a group of Britts dressed up as star wars characters come in a start dancing.  They say that they arrived by Rod Stuart's Yacht.  Lie.  Allison and I talk for awhile with them and learn that C3PO is sisters with princess Lea and their father is Darth Vader, and their husbands are Disco Darth Maul and a storm trooper.  As I'm talking with Chewbaca as he drinks beer from a straw refusing to take off his mask, C3PO tells Allison not to bother talking to Chewy because he's from Glasglow, Scotland so she wouldn't understand a single word he said anyway.  We wander back home to watch Star Wars- ha.  People seem to be really offended that I've never actually seen Star Wars before.

LEAVING

I wake up from a nap because in my sleep I hear my mom yell out to my dad eating in the side yard "about ten more minutes."

I'm packed already.  At least I think.  So I load up the car and the three of us climb on in.  On the way to the van Galder bus terminal we discuss a few things, one of the most memorable topics was one of nature's amazing phenomena: the monarch butterfly.  Soon enough, an estimated timing of 46 minutes, we arrive at the bus station.

As we say goodbyes, the contagiousness of my mother's tears makes me feel like something's wrong, so I ask, "What's the matter?"

"I cry when everyone leaves."

One more hug and I climb the bus's stairs to pick out a seat- a good one- where I return each of my parents' several waves goodbye.  With the wheels rollin' I dig through a green plastic grocery bag to see what my mom packed me.  The contents of the green plastic grocery bag are as follows:

1 sub sandwich

1 baggie of lettuce intended for DIY application to the sub thus preventing soggy bread

2 apples

2 bananas

3 packaged string cheese 

5 cookies

2 napkins

Damn right my mother loves me.

It's quiet on the bus.  Beethoven.  Violin Sonata #1. In D.

Evidently, I've slept and wake up as we enter O'Hare.   The flight from Chicago to London had some good movies to choose from (not conducive to my reading).  I finally saw Hitchcock's "The Birds" and Part One of Che!  I'm looking forward to seeing Part Two.  A long 8 1/2 hours.

As I await at the gate in London for my plane to Athens, I notice the kid sitting next to me (let's call him Ty) is going over Barry's pre-departure letter for the first time. I meet my first HISA-mate.  I bet him that the Blonde girl (oh which one? oh the one over there who looks American and appears to be traveling alone) is also HISA.  HISA is the program I'm doing for those of you who aren't "hip on the know".  Ty and I share a cab and once we get to the hostel, and see that she's there too, I know I was right.  I meet most of the rest of the kids.  There are about 30 of us and only 7 of us are guys.  We're all a good-looking bunch.  I throw my bags in my room, get to sit and chill for a whole ten minutes until the entire group exoduses for dinner.  We eat in a real Athens dining setting.  Outdoor seating, stray cats, and Greek tweaker waiters who (or whom, what's that rule again?) I observe from afar. Excellent vegetables. Excellent beer.  Mythos: a Greek lager.  

After dinner, the group splits up into smaller groups.  Some go back to the hostel, some to the pubs, but I, on a budget, join the let's-walk-around group.  When we decide to go back to the hostel, we stop in a shop  to buy some wine and beer (I got 2 Alfa Beers) then headed back to enjoy them on the patio.

Side-note: Graffiti in another language is neat.

We sit in the Athenian night, drinking slowly and get to know each a little more through some conversation.  I get to bed around 11:30, jet-lagged to hell, with my mental alarm clock set at 5:30.  It's early, but it gives us all enough time for the entire group to catch taxis down to the dock where our gerry awaits to take us where Paros awaits.

I jolt awake, probably around 2 am because I hear what I think is the entire group outside and ready, but it's just Amanda, drunk in the head and body stumbling back from the bars on the arm of my hostel roommate, Phil.  When she gets to the dock still in the dark Greek morning with sunglasses hanging from her face, she announces "I'm drunk."  I already feel like I know what this one's going to be like.

Post-Scriptum:  Some of the names of people and places may (or may not) have been changed to respect their privacy.

FORWARD

I haven't written anything in quite awhile, but I suppose I'll write something to satisfy your voyeuristic fetish in needing to know everything I do, what I see, and who I meet.

But maybe you'll never know what's true or how anything actually happened.  Hell, maybe I got off the bus at the Clocktower and everything that follows this is completely made up.

But...  maybe not.

Untitled #1

Conducive has always been one of my favorite words.