In Agrinio

Pictures: 1) Anna on the phone in her living room, 2) with Anna at a Greek bar - having my first full drink (white wine and sprite), 3) Anna and her boyfriend Chris, 4) my bed (in blue) in her room

After finishing my paper last night I went to a metro station called Victoria (in Athens) where I met Olga. She is 33 but looks younger and agreed to host me at the last minute. I immediately liked her - such a kind, sweet, talented person. We walked from the station to her house and she insisted that she help me with my luggage because we had to walk uphill to reach her apartment. She took my quite heavy backpack from me and would not give it back until we got there. Lol
Her apartment was very tiny, with a tiny entry way that serves as a dining room (holding a small kitchen table for 2), a miniscule kitchen, bathroom and one bedroom. It was probably only a little bigger than my dorm room, but, it was clean and cozy and just perfect. She had a fold away bed set up in her room for me that had a memory foam mattress on top. As I got settled she made me dinner - Greek salad (with tomatoes, cucumber, feta and hard bruchetta bread on the side with excellent olive oil). She loves to cook and I promised to send her some recipes from home (maybe my mom’s famous cream cheese cookies or potato soup).

After that we walked about 10 minutes to a bar where other couch surfers were having a meeting. There were at least 30 CSers there and I met/talked with many nice people from all over the world. I talked to two French guys who were traveling the world and I told them if they made it to NC then they had a place to stay. I have been quite impressed with the French people I’ve met - all have been very nice and non-creepy. Lol I also met a girl from Alaska, a girl from Oregon, other Greeks of course, Italians, and probably more.

We left there about 11:15, and I got ice cream on the way home (I can’t help it - is is so good here! I got chocolate orange flavor…mmm). Olga gave me a towel and let me use her soap and shampoo and even offered me slippers if I wanted them. We chatted about boys and jobs and life. She has three jobs: secretary at a hospital, translator/editor for medical texts, and singer. I wish we’d had the time so I could go see her sing somewhere. I got up at 7:45 as she had to leave for work at 8:30 and when I got up she had cereal, milk, bread and butter sitting out for me. I was sad to leave so soon and she said she also wished I could have stayed longer. What a great first couch surfing experience!

This morning I stopped by an internet café quickly to get Anna’s phone number (the girl I’m staying with tonight in Agrinio). Now I’m on a train to Patra and from there will take a bus to Agrinio. On the train I have been talking to a retired couple who live on their sail boat where they split their time between Greece and Turkey, but they go back to NY for a few months each year. The man, Tony, is Greek but speaks 5 languages fluently, and the woman, Maryann, is from Brooklyn. They told me about many of the places they had seen and suggestions of where I should go. They were happy I had the guts to travel Europe alone. Maryann said her brother won’t even let his daughter (who is 20) go to Greece with a friend to visit them! Talk about over-protective! They said they think this is wonderful for me to do as so many Americans know very little about other places and cultures.

I very much enjoyed talking to them and not worrying about speaking too fast. Haha They said it was a shame I’m leaving Greece soon because I could have couch surfed with them on their sailboat.

Well, I think I’m almost to Patra, so I will try to write more later from Anna’s house.
I’m at Anna’s house now - it is so big! They have an amazing balcony and a large living/dining room and several bedrooms etc. It feels like a real home and I’m so happy to be here. Anna is actually not Irish (I thought she was) - she just loves Ireland and wants to move there eventually. However she doesn’t look as Greek as many Greeks do - she has hazel eyes and long medium brown hair. She is the only one who speaks English though, which will be a bit frustrating for her parents and boyfriend when we gab on in English. Tonight we are going to watch one of the movie I bought in the market the other day (I got Revolutionary Road, The Reader, and Bride Wars for 9 euros).

I really like Anna and I look forward to spending a few days with her!