It's Been A While...

Hey y’all! So I’m back after a couple of weeks of repression under Turkish censors. Seriously, Turkey has blocked Blogspot. It was really bizarre…I guess the Turkish government doesn’t like free speech. Who knew?

So, we’re now in Italy, and I’m back online. So for my first post in a couple of weeks, I’ll update y’all on Turkey, and give a quick idea of what we’re doing this week around the Bay of Naples.

Turkey started off cold, rainy, and windy; I prepared myself for the worst. However, though it stayed cold, rainy and windy, we had a very enjoyable time. This may have been due to the fact that we had, at most sites, free reign to scramble and roam amongst the ruins (unlike in Greece, where we were whistled at for wrestling in a wide open space at Olympia). So, we took full advantage of the opportunity: ultimate Frisbee at Sardis and Assos, climbing down mountains (literally) at Assos and Pergamum, climbing up open ladders to the roofs of structures at Sardis, hiking through open cow-fields (complete with patties) to see a half excavated stadium at Magnesia, and scaling just about every theater we could lay our hands on. It was the adult version of a five year old monkeying around a playscape. And we did have some good weather at Assos, where we stayed for two days. Oh by the way, our hotel was waterfront, looking off at the island of Lesbos, and we had beautiful sunsets. On the second day, our free day, we found an open field (complete with rocks and the droppings of various fauna) and played Ultimate Frisbee for two and a half hours (yes, we’re getting course credit for this…it’s a fair trade off for the nine hour days we’ve pulled in southern Italy so far. More on that below).

Then we got to Istanbul, which felt like another country entirely from the rest of Turkey. Yes, the incessant crowd of Germans persisted (they love that place), but the big city feel was something we had missed up to that point. Our hotel was perfectly placed with a view of both Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, two of the most impressive structures in the city. Although the rain resumed, we made it a fun time, seeing the Grand Bazaar and famous spice market, as well as the spectacular Byzantine mosaics and structures throughout the city.

And now we are in Castellemare di Stabia, on the Bay of Naples (we once again have a beautiful ocean view…there seems to be a theme here). So far, we have walked all over Pompeii (remember those nine hour days I was telling you about), Herculaneum (where we got to see a bath complex that is closed to the public), and the cave of the Sybil at Cumae (the Sybil was a prophetess, who famously tells Aeneas how to get to the Underworld in Vergil’s Aeneid). Pompeii and Herculaneum, for those of you unfamiliar with the tale, were destroyed in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D, Herculaneum by the lava flow and Pompeii by the ash cloud that fell on top of the city. Excavations in these two cities have provided classicists with some of the most complete information regarding the daily lives of the ancient Romans. We have seen excavated and restored homes with frescoes still on the wall and mosaics on the floor. Inside the homes are signs of everyday life: furnaces in the kitchen, latrines, drainage from the shallow pool in the front rooms, broken staircases, bed frames. In Herculaneum there remain carbonized wooden doors and window shutters. On display in some of the houses are casts of the remains of people (and animals) excavators found, their bodies carbonized by the lava that flowed down the mountain at up to 60 mph.

As for myself, I’m still lovin’ the experience, as overwhelming as it can be. There’s something very liberating about not living in the same place for more than a few days, after which you pack everything up and take your life with you to the next stop. It’s liberating in that my life right now fits into a neat package; I have clear goals each day, and there is only a limited amount of distraction. It’s not a life for everyone at all times, but for this short period, it has been invaluable and extremely enjoyable. It has been affirmed that I am a goal-oriented person, who does not let silly things like hunger or fatigue get in the way if the day is not over. This can be a good thing, but I have learned that I need to be aware of when I’m pushing myself past my limits physically (a tendency of mine I’ve seen crop up quite a bit). This carries over beyond just myself. If I do go on to teach (and this applies to any leadership position), it will be important for me to be aware of my pace in order that I not exhaust those whom I’m attempting to lead.

That’s a pretty good summary, I think. More to come soon. Please send feedback if there’s anything specific y’all wanna hear about.

Back to the Grind

Hey fam! Spring Break is now over and I can settle into a slower pace. Yes, a slower pace. Once my parents told me that our itinerary in Rome was essentially up to me, we were up and going all day, every day. It was incredibly fun, and I think they had a wonderful time (I did!), but it made out pace on the CSA look like a vacation. In Rome, we saw countless churches (they all blur together into one ever-changing kaleidoscope of fresco, marble, and gold) and ate way too much food (one word: gnocchi). Oh yeah, it also rained a little. You know that image of Rome that you see in the movies as eternally sunny and beautiful? Let's just say that no one films a movie in Rome in the winter. We had rain every single day, with the one exception being the only day that we did not spend in Rome. Overall, and despite the rain, it was a most enjoyable experience, and I cannot wait to go back. Oh wait, that's only a month away :)

So...that brings us to the present. The CSA is back in session. We are sitting in the Athens airport, awaiting a flight to Istanbul and eventually to Antalya, in the southwest region of Turkey. Personally, I have no idea what to expect. Turkey will be a completely new experience, one which past trips have thoroughly enjoyed, so I have high hopes. Perhaps this is a Classical influence escaping, but part of me sees this part of our trip as a kind of Argonautic journey to the mysterious East, the customs and culture of which is shrouded in rumor and whispers. Ok, maybe that's pushing it, but I've never been, so what do I know about Turkey? In many ways I'm sure it will be very different from my expectations and customs I'm familiar with. However, it is also equally possible that there will be more similarities that I expect. As Herodotus and Aeschylus showed us earlier in the semester, even the most foreign of peoples share a certain amount in common with us. Either way, I coming to Turkey with an open mind, willing to identify the value of a society that is uniquely rich in its own history and culture. I don't think I could have gotten this far into this semester without being willing to accept the new and different.

I have heard from a couple of sources that I should be more frequent in my communications, so I will try to provide updates on a more regular basis. No promises (we never know the Internet situation), but I will make a more concerted attempt to give y'all more posts. Please let me know if there's anything specific y'all want to hear about. Until then, take care and God bless!