An Eventful Week in Athens

On Monday after my training my new Greek friend V invited me to go watch her friend play in a music concert. It wasn’t really what we expected but it was a nice experience. The event was in a French school and somehow it was related to Christmas even though for me Christmas has already been celebrated a long time ago. It was old, classical Greek music which only lasted for like 15 minutes, so I wouldn’t say it was a concert. After the music they held a lot of speeches, so we decided to take the subway back to the center of Athens. But it was nice to visit Pireas, the harbor area of Athens. After being between high blocks for three weeks it was wonderful to see the ocean. Later that evening we climbed up to the rocks beside the Acropolis and enjoyed the view.

The illuminated Acropolis

On Wednesday I met up with V and K and some of their friends to go to a basket ball game organized by some of the Red Cross volunteers. We stayed there for a couple of hours and then we went to Keramikos for some Greek fast food. We ordered pita gyros with French fries on the side. A pita gyros is usually a pita bread filled with your choice of meet, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, fries and tzatziki – I really recommend it. 

Pita gyros at Kándaulos

On Friday I went to a Latin club together with V. It was a really small but crowded place. I think the name of the club is Palenque. I have always loved dancing, but I had never danced salsa with a partner before, so it was quite awkward. At first, I wasn’t even planning on dancing because I felt uncomfortable but suddenly someone just grabbed my arm and took me to the dance floor even though I tried to tell that I really don’t know how to dance with a partner. I think I stepped on some toes that night, but they didn’t seem to mind. The best part was the atmosphere in the club; everyone danced with each other regardless of the age or whether they knew each other from before or not. Maybe I’ll take some salsa lessons when I come back to Finland…

Palm trees in the National Garden

On Saturday I finally met E, who arrived to Athens on Friday, also for an Erasmus placement. I tried to be her guide for the day and we walked around in the center of the city. We went to a few shops and then we stopped for some Greek souvlaki. It was a beautiful, sunny day, so we climbed up to the Acropolis and watched the sunset together with probably a hundred other tourists. We continued the evening in a bar called City Zen which had a nice rooftop with a view to the illuminated Acropolis.

After a while we got invited by V and K to come to a restaurant with live Greek music in Exarcheia. We had heard some bad stuff about that area, but they convinced us that it would be totally safe at that time of the evening (22.00). We took the metro from Monastiraki to Omonia and walked about 10 minutes to the restaurant. On our way, we saw some men with those kinds of black cover-up masks that you see in movies and they were actually beating somebody up at the Omonia square. We got a little bit alarmed and continued walking faster towards the restaurant. We got there safely and had a nice evening, but I have to say that it was one of the most horrible looking restaurants I have ever seen. All though, it seemed like the locals really loved the place because after some time it was totally crowded with Greek people singing and dancing.

At around 1 am we started to get tired, so we decided to leave the restaurant and head home. The second we went outside our eyes started to burn but we figured it was because we had been in a room with a lot of cigarette smoke. When the burning sensation spread its way to our noses and got stronger, I suddenly realized that it was tear gas. We kind of freaked out a little bit because we didn’t know what to do and we saw people walking really fast with their mouth and nose covered with clothing. Well, we went back inside the restaurant and told the others what had happened, and they just laughed and told us not to worry. After 30 minutes we tried going outside again and the worst was over, but we could still feel it in our throats while walking to the taxi line. 

Sunset from the rocks beside the Acropolis

On Sunday I woke up to a knock on my door. I opened the door and my roommates looked at me all shocked and asked me if I was okay. I was really confused and told them “yeah, why?”. Because I had come home so late the two past days we hadn’t seen each other at all, so apparently, they were worried about me which was warming to know. After convincing them I was fine, they asked me why my eyes were so red… I guess it was a side effect from the tear gas.

I believe that was the weirdest birthday wake-up I have ever had. Usually it has been my family or boyfriend with chocolate cake and presents but this time it was my worried roommates interrogating me. I continued my morning reading all my messages and it was the first time I got really homesick. To be honest I might have cried a little, but it was mostly happy tears from all the wonderful birthday greetings I got. When I had pulled my self together I went out with E for some Chinese food and for dessert we ate Lukumades which remind me a little of Spanish churros.

Lukumades with honey and cinnamon (traditional) and some with white chocolate

Despite the scary situations, I had the best week in Athens so far. Sorry for the long post!

Earthquakes and Strikes

This week was a little more dramatic than the last one. On Monday the public transportation was on strike so I had to walk to The Red Cross Health Center where I'm having my practical training. It took a good hour to walk, but luckily it was a nice day weather-wise. When I arrived, everyone asked me why I had come - they weren't expecting me to come because of the strike. And of course as I had predicted, there weren't any patients either because of the lack of public transportation. So maybe I should have stayed home at the apartment after all...

Walking home from the Evangelismos metro station

Later that day when I was lying in my bed trying to go to sleep I suddenly felt my bed moving back and forward like a wave and I saw all my stuff moving. I took me a moment to realize that it was an earthquake. It only lasted for a few seconds but for me it was quite dramatic because it was something I had never experienced before and I didn't know what to do. For a short period of time I even thought I had imagined the whole situtation, but then I heard my flatmates wondering about the same thing. In general, Greek is prone to earthquakes so it is not something to worry about. I checked the news and it said not to be concerned. 

The Panathenaic Stadium

Otherwise the week was pretty much normal. It was my second week at the practical training but I didn't get too do anything more than last week. I talked with my supervisor about what students are allowed to do at this point of the studies and the answer was a bit depressing. In Finland we get to do a lot more! I hope it will be different at the hospital where I'm having my second training.

The pediatrician's examination room

Yesterday I met with another Greek nurse student. We walked around in the center and stopped for some cola zero and a cold chocolate drink in one of the most beautiful spots in Athens (of what I've seen). It is a shame that the two wonderful local students I have met are leaving to Estonia in a couple of weeks, but maybe I'll see them later in the spring if they come visit Finland during their exchange!

Prophet Elias Church 

I'm looking forward to next week because on Friday I finally get some Finnish company when my new friend Essi arrives to Athens for her Erasmus period. On Saturday I think I'll drag her to the night life of Athens to celebrate my 22 year birthday and hopefully my new nurse buddies will join us as well :-)

The Practical Training

I was supposed to start this week with a meeting at my receiving school, but because of some kind of strike it was rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday. I met my contact person and she introduced me to some of the teachers of the Nursing Department and to the principal of the school. Due to some managerial procedures (I think) the international office was closed, so I wasn't able to do my registration. Basically, I only got my clinical handbook for the practical trainings.

A small part of the school campus

After school I took the metro to the center and did some shopping. I left the subway on Syntagma Square which is on the opposite of the main shopping street. It was crowded with people so I tried to be quick. I knew it was going to rain at the end of the week so I bought an umbrella. I also didn't pack a purse with me from Finland, so I got one of those as well, and after learning how cold it can be inside the apartment I figured I needed some slippers too.

The Syntagma Square

On Wednesday I met the professor from TEI of Athens outside the metro station of Panormou. He showed me the way to my first placement which is the Educational Health Center of Red Cross. He introduced me to my supervisor and of course to the manager of the Center. The staff was really nice and I felt very welcommed.

The Educational Health Center is in a old, quite small building and it consists of a mobile unit and the actual health center. I will stay at the health center for four weeks and then I will have my last week with the mobile unit. At the center they only treat patients who are under 14 years. I think they have two pediatricians but one of them has been sick so I haven't met him/her. They also have a gynecologist who got really excited when he heard I am studying to become a midwife. His first question was if I'm able to assist in giving birth. Well, I have played  a "Baby Bakery" game in one of my courses at school, but I wouldn't say I'm qualified...

I spent my first day at the reception where the patients come to make an appointment to the doctor or to "check in" for the appointment. The patients are mainly children from refugee families or disadvantaged Greek families. You notice that the culture is very different because a big part of the patients don't even show up for their appointments and some can show up 3 hours late and tell us that they were sleeping... The principle is that they only take patients with appointments or with acute needs, but for example one day a family with eight children walked in without any appointment and they still got a time to the doctor for vaccinations.

Because of all the refugees they have two translators working there as well, one for Farsi and one for Arabic. I got to watch a health education powerpoint presentation of hygiene with some Arabic kids but I had to follow the gestures in stead of the language, because the presentation was held in Greek and they had it translated forward to Arabic. So the communication isn't only hard to me, it's hard to the staff as well. One day with the metro on strike, the Farsi translator didn't make it on time to work so I used google translator with some patients... It worked pretty well.

The Educational Health Center of Red Cross

On the second and third day I did my training with my supervisor in the nurse's reception. Usually the patients are there for a health check before the vaccinations or for some kind of health certification the school requires. We always take the height, weight and the temperature, and with babies also the head circumference. For the certification we also take the blood pressure, pulse and do a sight test. There is a lot of patient counseling about nutrition etc., but that is hard to participate in because of the language barrier.

On Friday the metro was on a strike so I had to take the bus for the first time here in Greece. It was pretty easy; I walked 20 minutes to the bus stop and travelled with the bus for 10 minutes and then I walked five minutes to the Health Center. But on my way home the traffic was so jammed that I decided to exit the bus and walk home in the sunny weather. There were police men all over the Place trying to guide the traffic. Oh, and one thing I have noticed is that the people here don't let the ambulances through the traffic even though it has the siren screaming. Tomorrow all the public transports are on strike so I will have to walk to my practical training which is an hour away - let's hope it doesn't rain!

My First Days in Athens

Day 1

My flight arrived at the promised time and after picking up my baggage I found my way to the bus station and waited 10 minutes for my ride. The driver was very nice but he didn’t have the best English skills, so it was a bit hard to chit chat. I think it took like at least 40 minutes to get from the airport to the area Vyronas. On the way we picked up the guy who had the keys to my apartment.

When walking in to the apartment I was greeted by two of my roommates. They were just cooking dinner, so they asked me to join them which was very nice. I unpacked and started struggling with my supposed to be “travel wifi” which I found out isn’t to be used outside of Finland – what? I specifically asked for something I could take with me to Greece. Oh, well.

I didn’t go out that day because it was raining, and I was tired from the bad night sleep I had at the Munich Airport. I contacted two Greek students who had promised to show me around on my first days in Athens. They were both out of town, so we scheduled a meeting for another day.

The apartment was just like the photos and videos I had seen. I was really happy with it and I still am. It has everything you need. I was told that someone would come to fix our washing machine (done) and to install the wifi (still waiting). Other than that, everything was perfect.

Day 2

I had a good long sleep and woke up to a lot of noise, but I guess that is just the life with roommates ;-D I didn’t have any food in the fridge, so I was planning on going out to find a market, but then I decided to take care of some phone calls and e-mails first. Exactly when I was on my way out the door the cleaning lady and the apartment’s caretaker came so I wanted to stay in case there where something I should know about.

After all this I finally made it outside and tried to find a grocery shop. I walked to Lidl and went straight in thinking there would be shopping baskets inside but what did I know. And then it seemed like there was no other way out than between the cashiers which were full of people, so I tried walking out the way you come in when a Greek lady started telling me (in the Greek language of course) to use the other direction. Here it doesn’t help to say that you don’t speak Greek – they just continue babbling, at least most of the locals.

Anyway, I went back outside and took a shopping cart and wandered in the store for a good time trying to find all I needed. When I was done I had two heavy shopping bags and no clue of the way back to the apartment. Athens is a labyrinth – luckily, I have my new best friend Google Maps.

I didn’t do much that evening because I was exhausted from getting lost and walking back and forth with two heavy shopping bags in my hands. I made myself some food and then I talked with my family. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I was alone in the apartment that night when someone ringed the doorbell and I assumed it was my roommates and of course opened the door. A strange man walked in with shopping bags in his hands and stated that I most be the new roommate. I was a little bit confused because I thought I had already met my roommates, but little did I know. I wonder why the other ones didn’t tell me about him or maybe it just went in one ear and out the other one…

Day 3

Woke up, ate my breakfast and stressed about how I would find my way to the metro station of Evaggelismos where I was supposed to meet a Greek nurse student. This time I actually didn’t get lost – I walked 20 minutes and arrived to the station where I met a wonderful young woman who made my day perfect!

She taught me how to use the metro and then we travelled to the place where the TEI of Athens is. After that we went to the centrum of the city and walked a really nice path around the city. Unfortunately, I don’t remember or know how to write the names of the places we went to. It was a beautiful day, almost like Finnish summer – 15 degrees and a clear blue sky. I would have been fine with shorts and a t-shirt but the people here wander around with winter jackets on.

After a couple of hours of sight seeing with my personal guide we went back to Evaggelismos and continued back to our homes. While walking back home I tried to find an open store but all was closed so I ended up at a little street kiosk and bought some water and cola. When I came back to my apartment my Irish roommate invited me to eat dinner that he had made. I have already been fed twice by my roommates so maybe I should cook them a Finnish meal someday. Do you have any suggestions?

Day 4

Today I have been the laziest person in the world. I woke up at 12, ate a delicious breakfast and catched up with my friends and family. Almost everything is closed on Sundays, so there isn’t that much you can do – or at least not something I would know about.

We actually had a blackout not too long ago. Luckily, it only lasted about 40 minutes. I wasn’t prepared at all, but my roommates had wine and candles, so you can say that we made the best of the situation.

Now I’m trying to plan what I should do tomorrow. The original plan was to go to school and attend to an orientation session but for some reason the school is closed. I think I will try out a gym that should be very near my apartment and then I’ll probably take the metro to the centrum and shop for an umbrella. It has been about 17 degrees and sun today, but I think it is supposed to rain at the end of next week.

The Application Process

This may not interest you if you are here for pictures and greetings from Athens – this is all about the things I had to take care of before travelling.

The whole idea of going on an exchange had been in my mind since high school but I was told it was easier and cheaper doing it when studying at a university. When I heard there was going to be an info session I had no second thoughts about attending. I got a lot of useful information, but it was still a long time to the actual application period.

I had good time to figure out where I wanted to travel. My first thought was Norway, because I have family there and I have been thinking of working there in the future. Then when I found out that they didn’t have any cooperation with Bergen’s University in my study field I started thinking of other options.

My next option was quite the opposite; Thailand. And to be honest I was really excited about that. After filling out the application form and attaching my transcript of records, CV and motivation letter I waited quite some time before an answer. I got accepted but unfortunately my school (Turku AMK) and the receiving school (Rangsit University) had some time schedule difficulties – so again I started to consider other options.

Another difficulty with Thailand (or travelling outside Europe) was that my Norwegian citizenship didn’t allow me to get the grant from my school. I found that really unfair given the fact that I have lived in Finland from 2005 and if I were to apply for a dual nationality I would lose my Norwegian one because they don’t accept two nationalities in my case. I actually took this up with the one of the international coordinators at Turku AMK and got them to reconsider the whole rule. I’m proud to say that they promised to change the rule so that also people with another nationality can get the grant. Of course, to me it didn’t matter anymore but for somebody else it might.

I told my international coordinator that I would like to travel to Greece and she maid it happen. I changed some details from my application, filled in and signed the learning agreement and waited for further information. I had only approximately a month to get all the necessary stuff done.

I had already been to the doctor’s to get a health certification and I had also taken the A-hepatitis vaccination (thinking I was travelling to Thailand). In this field they also require a certificate that shows you have gotten all the B-hepatitis shots which we get from our school’s health system for free. I also made sure that I hade a good enough health insurance.

It took some time before I got to know the dates of my practical trainings. I booked my flights almost immediately after finding out. Then I started apartment hunting and I had no clue what to do or where to seek from. I googled and asked some people and  most of the people recommended Air bnb. It seemed fine and I found a lovely apartment, but I had problems with the payments. I only had a couple of weeks left when I found an apartment from Facebook in a group called Erasmus Accommodation Athens. The one I rent from was kind enough to offer a ride from the airport as well, all though, I did pay for it. But it was cheaper than e.g. a taxi. More about the apartment in another post.

Last minute things I did was applying for financial aids from KELA and getting the European health card. I took copies of all important documents and I got six passport photos taken. I also thought I made sure that I had a proper mobile subscription before leaving, but that didn’t go as planned. Luckily my dad helped me from Finland by taking care of my subscription related affairs for me. <3

I actually moved out of my apartment in Finland before leaving to Greece, so I didn't have to worry about paying rent in Finland as well. 

I’m not gonna lie – the process wasn’t easy. It is a lot of emails back and forth and a million things to take care of. You face difficulties and you get frustrated. There is also a lot of waiting. But this is only my experience – someone else has maybe had it easier. I still believe it is going to be worth it!

I will update you on my first days in Athens very soon!

At The Airport of Munich

Right now I'm chilling at the airport and waiting for my connecting flight that don't leave until 8:40 am tomorrow. Luckily, there are some really comfy chairs around here and a ton of charging points which will be badly needed because I don't think I'm going to get any sleep tonight.

You might guess the reason to this sleeplessness if you have read the little info text on the right or if you came here via my Facebook link. I'm travelling to Athens for an exchange period and I'm really excited about it. I'm currently studying to become a midwife and this spring I need to complete a surgical practice and a primary health care practice. To spice things up I decided to do this abroad.

The whole application process etc. wasn't easy, but I will tell you more about that in my next post. Keep in mind that the most important reasons why I'm writing this blog is to keep my family and friends updated and to tell about my experience to others that might be interested in an Erasmus exchange. I'm writing in English so that as many people as possible can get something out of this. My English is not perfect, but I hope it is understandable enough.

My plan now is to write my next post about the whole exchange process and then watch some Modern Family on Netflix. I should be in Athens tomorrow about 12 o'clock. I wonder if my driver is waiting for me with a sign with my name on, as in the movies... Well, anyhow - you'll hear about me soon enough.

PS. I'll try to take some pictures in the future - right now I only have boring airport pictures of an completely empty terminal and of the comfy chairs I was talking about.