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There´s always something else to learn...

Oh God, how can I explain what I felt being there. Honestly, I've been to many countries and never, never, felt this way before about a place.

I lived in Argentina for one year, and that year was magical, and special, but really nothing compares to the feeling I had being in Greece.

I arrived in Athens on my way to Macedonia, FYRO, and the night I arrived, a friend took me out to a mountain where there was a little Orthodox chapel and from there you could see the whole city plus the Acropolis.

The day after, we went to buy my train ticket to Skopje and after that, I went to Acropolis. I remembered all the learning from school and university about Greek history, but nothing compares to being there. I felt amazed, I felt touched, and cold!!!!! Yes, it was so freaking cold!!! It was snowing! But I loved it.

The day after, I took a train to Skopje, and then went to IPM… but that is another story.

On my way back home, I took the train from Skopje to Thessaloniki and I was ready to get a bus to Athens (because the train was full and my reservation was for next day) and suddenly, at the bus station, John Kelly showed up! He told me there was a group of MCPs staying at a hotel and I asked if I could stay with them until the next day, so I did =D. (John Kelly, Emily Jones, David Benjamin, Johnjo Ryan, Ethel Nuila, Naoufel Testaouni, Lynn Parins, Missy Shields)

Oh God! We spent the afternoon walking around Thessaloniki and were to a coffee place in front of the beach with a really nice view!!!! (see the picture)…. =D it gets better.

The day after, I woke up early and took a walk on the beach, it was empty!!!! But beautiful!!!! (a good reason to go to Greece in February/March, low season) I've never seen "water" without waves, so there it was, the Sea with no waves…

After that, we went back to Thessaloniki (down town), we walked around and we saw the decorations for the carnival (another reason to visit Greece in this season) and then we went for lunch… to bad, because even though we found a very nice place and we ate a very good and expensive meal, right after lunch we found what seemed like a food market (reminded me Juayua), people were eating and dancing, dancing and eating, there were musical groups in every corner (for some reason they were all dressed in black) it was so funny and then even funnier because the group in front of us started playing Kalashnikov, and we dance this song at AIESEC conferences =D. John was laughing because I was so exited that they were playing this song.

That afternoon, I took a train to Athens and the rest of the group went back to Skopje; did I mention how good it is to travel by train? It is good, it's always good traveling by myself, but the train was special.

The next day in Athens I felt so sick I didn't want to go out or anything but finally I decided to stand up and go out, after all, I have no idea when I will be able to go back. Spent the day visiting different metro stations! Yes I got lost, and then I went to the Acropolis again but didn't go in. TO BAD because I when I went back to the hotel someone told me that on Sundays (and it was Sunday) they entrance is free because of the low season. =(.

I took a brochure about a 1 day trip to 3 islands and it cost around 99 Euros and you had to be at the port at around 8 am so I thought it was a good option to take it the next day. I woke up at 9 am… and still feeling very sick. I made my luggage and head to the port and I went to the island called Aegina. And this island… oh God, the island deserves another post….

I should have write about this about a month ago… anyway, here it is:

It felt so AIESECy walking around Skopje, especially in the company of Brazilian, a Portuguese, a Peruvian, a Serbian, a Bosnian, a Mexican, a British, and an Indian... of course it was after IPM, so no wonder such a diverse group.

We didn't actually have a plan. We started walking and we ended up going some ruins of what seeming to be a Fort. Later I found out it was Tvrdina Kale.

Kale fortress is situated on a hill in the middle of Skopje and dominates this whole portion of the Vardar valley. Archaeological excavations has revealed traces of habitation from the late neolithic and early bronze ages.

Walking around the Fort, I couldn't help but thinking: how such a young nation (only 15 years old) can have such a vast history. I was also wondering why I don't know in deep the history of my country? Shame on my educational system? No. A friend once told me: never let your educational system keep you from learning.

After that pleasant walk, we went to have lunch, something very typical of Macedonia, but I don't remember the names, I only know it has been the only time I've tasted white beans and actually liked them.

After lunch, part of the group head to the airport and the Brazilian, Portuguese, Peruvian, Serbian, Bosnian and I decided to take a "religious tour" we went to an Orthodox Church, actually to two of them. Then we went to a Mosque, and we finalize our trip going to a Catholic church. We actually looked for a synagogue but we didn't find one =(.

Seeing the differences… just made me be sure that I'm happy with what I believe in.