20250322 Athens

 

After landing at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, I hurried to retrieve my checked-in luggage. It was my last quarter at college, so I had moved out of my apartment, shipped most of my belongings through a moving company, and brought what was left with me in a small suitcase. I had done some research beforehand, so I knew I would be taking the X95 bus to get to CYA in Πανκγράτι(Pangrati). Of course, I was advised to take a taxi, but not everyone has an extra €50 to spare.

The journey started with a bit of confusion, as the airport felt vast, and I was not entirely sure where to catch the bus. I went to the information desk, where the officer directed me to the bus terminal just outside the arrivals area. Once I reached the X95 stop, I saw a long line of travelers, many of whom spoke Greek (Ελληνικά). I quickly realized the X95 was a popular choice. After tapping my card (κάρτα) and paying only €6, which was a bargain compared to the taxi, I hopped on.

The bus was not exactly comfortable. I could not find a seat among the massive crowd, and the road to Athens was bumpy. The landscape quickly changed from the rural outskirts of Greece to the bustling urban streets filled with life. And cars as well. As the bus slowly made its way through the traffic of Αγία Παρασκευή(Agia Paraskevi), a northeastern suburb of Athens, I struggled to keep my suitcase in place every time the bus abruptly stopped for jaywalkers.

After almost two hours of what felt like a mild workout, since I never did get a seat, I finally hopped off at the Evangelismos hospital, from where I had to walk to the CYA building. It was then that I discovered there was a subway station near the hospital, which I could have taken from the airport. The cost was about the same as the bus, but the ride would have been much smoother. Next time, I will not trust Google Maps so blindly.

As I stepped off the bus, I immediately felt the energy of the city, not just in the air but also in the way motorcycles rushed through the streets right in front of me. It was clear that the people of Athens had learned that if they started yielding to clueless tourists, they would never get anywhere on time. The pedestrian crossing signals were short and abrupt, so I had to quickly adapt and figure out how to weave through traffic to cross the road.

After arriving at CYA, I was introduced to my apartment. It was not very different from what I had expected, and after living in an overpriced and old low-rise in Hyde Park for four years, I was happy to finally have my own balcony with sunshine. The tiny elevator and steep stairs did not bother me at all. However, the lack of window screens worried me a little, since I knew that Athens' climate was ideal for breeding mosquitoes.

In the afternoon, I explored the streets of Πανκγράτι, which is again the district where my apartment was located. I needed to buy a lot of supplies since my move-out from my Chicago home was not exactly smooth, and I was missing a few things, including bug spray and a universal adapter. I figured Athens was a big city, so it should not be hard to find those.

I walked into a nearby pharmacy (Φαρμακείο), and the lady at the counter did not speak any English. Fortunately, I already knew how to say "bug spray" in Greek: Αντικουνουπικά (Antikounoupika). The lady seemed puzzled, but after a moment, she showed me a few different brands of sprays. I did not recognize any of the words on the cans, but since there were people waiting behind me in line, I bought one anyway. Σας ευχαριστώ!

On the way home, I finally managed to read the tiny label on the back of the can and realized it said αποσμητικό (Aposmitiko, deodorant). That certainly exposed my level of Greek pronunciation. I still do not understand how she got "Aposmitiko" from what I said, but at least the way you use it is similar.

After this small adventure, I returned to my apartment, where my housemates were also moving in one by one. We decided to try a gyros (Γύρος) place for dinner. There were too many to choose from. I had expected the number of gyros spots in Athens to be similar to the number of diners or burger joints in Chicago, but I was wrong. Almost every street had a small family-run gyros place, and the reviews were all solid.

After a slightly heated discussion, we finally picked a place to eat. One of my roommates was vegetarian, so we chose a spot with a vegetarian menu.

I do not think Πανκγράτι is exactly a tourist area, but the restaurant owner spoke English very well nonetheless. The food was great and affordable. However, I am a bit worried now that we did not leave a tip because none of us knew that, in some cases, tipping is expected in Greece. There was not much table service involved, so hopefully, it was not necessary.

That night was rough because of jet lag and mosquitoes. It was past ten in the morning when I finally decided to get out of bed. I wanted to try one of the local frappe spots. The drink was very different from what I expected. It was definitely nothing like a Starbucks Frappuccino, but it had a unique and pleasant flavor.

At the same time, I was able to practice my Greek. The café owner, who spoke English very well, also taught me a few new Greek words. I do not know whether Greeks enjoy small talk, but hopefully, my stammering did not annoy the locals too much.

After a brief orientation at CYA, I was eager to explore the subway, as I had finally received my card with an unlimited pass. But first, I had to find a subway station. Across the street from my apartment was Εθνικός Κήπος (the National Garden), and on the other side of the garden was Πλατεία Συντάγματος (Syntagma Square), one of the busiest squares in Athens. Naturally, there was a subway station nearby.

The station was full of people, yet it was very clean. A cleaning lady was working on the stairs, and I could not help but think about how long it had been since I last saw someone cleaning a station while using the Chicago L (this is just an impression, not an academic argument or anything, so take it with a grain of salt).

I took the train to Evangelismos Hospital, which was the very next stop and the only place I had been to so far. After a short ride, I walked back to my apartment. Athens has been exciting so far. Let’s see what comes next!