Settled In

This is going to be a relatively short post. This week was spent working hard on the audit. (No sarcasm here, I did some work from home on it, actually).

On Friday, Marios, the other Greek auditor here, besides my boss, Anna, took Sean and me out to eat. Of course, he wanted to do a traditional Greek meal in traditional Greek style. So we left our hotel at 8:30 to meet him. We took the metro to the Keramikos/Gazi area. This is a popular spot with a lot of Greek restaurants. Marios took us around the area and then FINALLY at 10 we sat down for dinner!

Greeks value quality dinner time and conversation, so by the time we were actually finished and had paid, it was somewhere around midnight. I was full and exhausted and content to sleep the metro ride home. (I didn't, Mom, so don't worry, I practiced safe transporting).

Saturday, I slept in for a little bit, then headed to downtown Athens to get lost in the mass throng of people. I really didn't do too much sight-seeing, but spend a lot of time on Ermou Street and the Plaka area. I started my Christmas shopping, and Christie, I must say, I LOVE YOUR GIFT!! :)



Whilst I was walking around the area, I did pass an old church, so I stopped in to look. The inside was incredibly beautiful, but no one else was taking pictures, so I didn't either. I did notice that everyone was lighting candles as a sign of prayer, so I lit one too. Then on my way out, I realized that you were supposed to pay to light the candle, so apparently I stole a prayer.

Oh, and I collected 2 business cards and had the opportunity to get a 3rd, but turned it down. Apparently I look about 45 years old (not that 45 is a bad age, it's just not my age), because I had 3 guys over the age of 50 ask if they could take me to coffee. Now, these guys were also owners of jewelry stores in the Plaka, so it's possible they were trying to flatter me into shopping in their stores, but I didn't fall for it. The last guy was really trying to lay it on thick and by this time, I'd had enough, so I was a little not so friendly. He was telling me how he'd been to Chicago and Miami and loved it and blah blah blah. Then he asked me why I was wearing my sunglasses, I said, uh, because the sun's out? He told me he wanted to see my eyes. I said, "Not gonna happen" and walked away. Ugh, being a heartbreaker is so hard. NOT.

Sunday, I went to church and then had dinner at Goody's (the Greek McDonald's) with the Stricklands, the missionaries. Their daughter is 3 or 4 and likes me very much, it's super cute!

And that pretty much sums up my weekend. It wasn't full of excitement, but it was nice.

Anyhoo, love you all. And now it's time for your lecture: EMAIL ME!!! I have limited correspondence with home and I'd like to have my email flooded from people back home. Hold the forwards though... ;) rlkinney01@hotmail.com