Don Trinite '08
American College of Thessoliniki - Thessaloniki, Greece
dtrinite@monm.edu
Des Plaines, IL

Mailing Address:
Don Trinite
c/o Efi Antonakopoulou
Anatolia College/ACT
P.O. Box 21021
GR-555 10 Pylea
Thessaloniki, Greece
 

December 13, 2006

Hello everyone. This will be the last email about my stay her in Greece as I am coming home on Sunday. So I will start this email like the last, as well as add a short recap and overview of this trip.

This weekend we all hung out and relaxed. My buddies and I had many deep philosophical talks. It was very cool and got me thinking a lot. We went to a rock bar where they played awesome ROCK AND ROLL, in which I was even dancing, and we all know how I DO NOT DANCE, because I look like Elaine Benice from Seinfeld! Either way it was a very calm and relaxing weekend. It was a lot of fun and it was ideally the best way to spend my last weekend with these new friends of mine. This week is going to be Hell. I have 3 finals on Wednesday and one on Thursday. How WONDERFUL!!! But when it comes down to it I will be coming home soon and life will resume as usual.

RECAP
So, I went to Greece three months ago as an ignorant young American kid, and I am coming back with a wealth of knowledge about the world as well as knowledge of what other people see our beautiful country as.

Being in Greece I HAD to visit other places of which I went to ITALY and saw Venice, Florence, Rome and a bit of Milan. That was a great time and I got a lot out of it. It really has spurred my interest in artwork and how perfect of a craft it really is.

I also visited Germany, Netherlands, and France in which I was in Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Paris. I enjoyed this trip a lot. I got to see a concentration camp and really understand how tough it was for those people. I also got to experience the kindness of the German people and the rudeness of the French people. Paris was beautiful and I really enjoyed the time I had there hanging with my cousin. Amsterdam was a trip. It was crazy and I would like to go back and visit it again someday. Greece in and of itself is an amazing country and I have been all over it. I feel like I got a very good view of Europe as well as the lands of the Classical civilizations. It has been in short AMAZING!!!

What I Have Learned
I have learned a lot about myself and about other people and cultures. I feel like I have a very broad view of the world around us. Sometimes at home we don't know how we affect other countries and now I finally see how it does. I feel that I have changed a lot since September and I think I am a better person now that I am coming back. Life has been very good to me and I shall never take it for granted again.

Thank you for taking the time to read these entries I have been sending. I hope through these you were able to live through my adventures and what have you.

Don Trinite
Class of 2008

December 4, 2006

Hello everyone! Well my days here are numbered; I officially have 13 days left until I fly home to the good ole USA. However I am still having an amazing time here such as this past weekend.

On Friday we had a birthday party and hung out at one of the other apartment buildings. We hung around until about 4:30am and then went back to our own abodes. It was a nice night to just relax after a ridiculous week of tests, presentations and papers.

On Saturday a bunch of us threw a football around and killed time until about 7pm where we all went down to Aristotle Square and watched the ceremonial tree and boat lighting. The reason for the boat is this, the Greeks have a ceremonial boat rather than a tree because they are the people of the sea and their lives revolve around sea rather than the mountains and the land, pretty cool huh? Anyway, there was a full band and 2 choral groups. After they lit the tree and the boat there were fireworks and another rock band came on and started jamming. They were playing music from the Greek's favorite era of music....the 80's! It was cool. After that we walked along the water and went back home and relaxed for the night because we all had a big day on Sunday!

Sunday comes around and we threw around a football for a while and tailgated on our balconies for a few hours before going to an AWESOME soccer game. It was between ARIS, Thessaloniki team, and Panahenaicos, who are from Athens. The place was crazy and there was soooo much energy in the air. There was mad chanting the whole time and I got to sit on top of the defensive glass and wave my flag. It was SOOOO cool. We had a great time and it was very riotous because ARIS won and it was a big upset for Panathenaicos. It was a good time all the way through.

That night (rather this morning) I called my beloved fraternity to talk with the guys about my speech as well as answer questions about being president. It was soo good to hear their voices.

And now, I have even better news that topped off the weekend. I am the NEW ZBT PRESIDENT!!!!! I am so happy and excited I can't contain myself. However I must because I have a TON of work today and I feel like I am struggling in my Greek class here. Oh well, I will make it through and I will have a good time doing it!!!

Hope all is well and I miss you all!

Don Trinite

November 27, 2006

Greetings everyone!! I just got back (2 days ago) from my super huge trip! Here’s the abridged version……the unabridged can be bought from me in hardcover form for only $25 and it comes with a SWEET bookmark!

So on the 17th of November we get to Athens and get on a plane to Berlin. I am traveling with 2 other people who happen to be in a very rocky relationship. When we got to Berlin we played pool in our hostel and had a beer. We had a long day the next day so we went to bed early. When we awoke we proceeded to take a bike tour of Berlin. They took us to: Checkpoint Charlie, the rest of the Wall, Humboldt University, the Luftwaffe building, Hitler’s bunker, the Jewish memorial, Brandenburg gate, Tiergarten and the Reichstag as well as many other places of interest. We even made a stop at a Biergarten in the Tiergarten and had some tasty Heffe-Weisen’s. After the tour we walked about Berlin and saw some more places to hang out around and some museums and what have you. We got on a train later that night bound for Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam our hostel was cozily located in the red light district. That was kind of spooky. However we had a great time going to the Anne Frank house, Heineken Museum, Van Gogh museum and a few others of which will keep to my self…..We walked all over Amsterdam and really took in the sights and the people and all kinds of stuff you could do there. It was a lot of fun. I even got lost a few times in the depths of the red light district which I fully believe is the living version of Dante’s Inferno.

The next city was Paris. Paris was beautiful but the people were awful mean to us. It’s ok though, we got to see Paris by bike as well and saw such things as: Eiffel tower, Champs du Mars, Ecole militare, Seine River, Napoleons tomb and his hospital, the Louvre and the toulerie gardens. It was really cool. The architecture in that city is incredible! After the tour we went to the Louvre and saw Mona Lisa and Venus di Milo among many, many other great works of art. Rohan left me and went home after that so I am at this point traveling completely alone. I met up with my cousin Melanie and we went to some other places in the city including the street Rue de la Trinite! It was cool. After that I went to bed and woke up for the next city.

MUNICH, GERMANY!!!! This city was crazy. I got my money stolen from me here but recovered my wallet at least. I got lost a little bit and then found my hostel. I met a guy named Mike from Canada and we went to the Hofbrauhouse and another club. The Hofbrauhouse is an old school Bavarian drinking hall with live Bavarian music. It was cool, but I had a HUGE day ahead of me. The next morning I took a train out to the town of Dachau and saw the concentration camp there. It was very sad and somber. Everyone was quiet too and it was an eerie place to be. If you want to know more about this leg of the trip ask me and I will tell you. Later I went to the Olympic stadium in Munich, which was NUTZ, and walked around in a park. I headed back to Berlin that night and headed home the next day.

It was a great trip full of tons of stories and what have you, and I will be glad to relay all of them back to you when I get home…or you can always buy the book! I hope all is well and I miss you all. Take care!!

Don Trinite

November 13, 2006

Happy Monday everyone! I had another AMAZING weekend this past weekend. This weekend I got to see yet another place in which I never thought I would be able to see outside of a textbook. I was in Athens Greece and saw everything it had to offer.

On Friday we left for Athens on a bus (7 hours). We got there at about 2 a.m. and went right to sleep. The next morning we took our bus to the Acropolis and hiked up there to see the temples. Talk about IMPRESSIVE! The Parthenon is still being worked on, but it did not take away the utter majesty of this building. Of course the other temples were also incredible including the temple of Athena Nike which is also really awesome. The wind on the top was so strong it blew my hat off and several people slipped and fell in the rocks. It was out of control! After we spent a good amount of time there, we traveled some more of the city and saw a lot of cool modern Greek history stuff.

The next part of this day was traveling to Sounio which is the temple of Poseidon that sits on a small cliff-side peninsula in southern Attica. This was amazing, honestly because the view was BEAUTIFUL and the sun had just started to set over the water. We stayed there for a while and then headed back Athens. When we got back we ate a great Greek dinner in Plaka which is the oldest district in Athens and sits at the base of the Acropolis. It was a great day!

The next day (Sunday) we saw the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and it was so cool. There was a parade and a band and the soldiers were in old school uniforms. The front of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a carving of a fallen spatan from Thermopolye which is really kool.

After that we headed to the archeological museum and saw amazing artifacts and statues such as the most famous bronze Zeus and the mask of Agamemnon and his treasure. It was really cool, and I really did not want to leave but we only had a limited amount of time. We ate lunch shortly thereafter in Plaka and then headed back to Thessaloniki.

It was an AMAZING weekend and I urge everyone to go to the Acropolis if you ever get a chance, because it is definitely something one must see. This week will be a little hectic. I have to do laundry and cook a meal for everyone on top of packing for my week long excursion to Germany, Netherlands, and France. I am SUPER excited and I hope all goes well on this trip just like the others.

Take care, I will write again soon!

Don Trinite

November 6, 2006

Hello, and happy Monday!

This past week flew by quick on account missing school for 2 days while in Italy. This weekend was yet another trip to an amazing place in Greece. The name of this place is Meteora and it is considered to be where the first monastic civilizations lived in Greece under Christendom. It was so incredible; these monasteries were built on Rocks, VERY TALL ROCKS and in them were a small city for monks. It was SO cool. We learned a lot about them because our tour guide from school knew everything, which was awesome. There was one room that sticks out in my mind as the coolest. In the back of this one monastery there was a Martyr room, in which all the old martyrs were painted on the walls (from top to bottom) in accordance with how they died. IT WAS NUTS! I have decided some of my favorite artwork is by Christian Byzantine artists because of the way that they present people in their paintings and the narrowness of the bodies to make them look taller. A quick fact. On the top of the dome of EVERY Greek Orthodox monastery there is an AMAZING painting of Jesus Christ. It is so awesome and powerful to see how deeply people believe in God and to what extents they will go to. I admire it very much. I would rank Meteora right up next to the St. Peter’s at the Vatican. Very cool.

So this week should fly by as well, on account of I am going to Athens for the Weekend. I am sooooo stoked to see the acropolis and other ruins around there. I never, ever thought I would see in person what I read in books, and finally I will be able to tell people and my students (when I begin to teach) that I was there, and I saw it and I experienced it. Very, Very cool. Until my next email take care and keep on truckin'!

Don Trinite

November 1, 2006

Hello Everyone!!!

Well I just got back to Thessaloniki from my trip to Italy. And let me tell you it was AMAZING!!! On Friday, we flew in from Athens to Milan and hopped the first Train to Venice. We got to Venice and saw it at night. It was beautiful. The next morning we saw San Marco square and took water taxis all around Venice. It was really cool. I actually had pigeons landing on me and eating food from my hands which was crazy! The Basilica there is incredible and looks kind of like the Taj Mahal. After we saw that it was off to Florence where we stayed with this Hippy in a really cool hostel. We saw a lot of artwork in Florence, such as David, The birth of Venus, The Primavera and Da Vinci's Annunciation. As well as tons of sculptures and marble and columns and other pieces of antiquity. It was REALLY amazing!

Finally we got to the crown jewel of the trip which was Rome. We got there at night and had Italian Ice Cream (Gelato) by the Trevi Fountain (which is an AMAZING site!). The next day we attended Mass at St. Peter's Basilica and saw the Pieta and all the artwork in side of it. The Vatican has to be one of the most beautiful places for statues and marble work in the whole world. It was absolutely amazing! Then we walked to the coliseum (Flavium Amphitheater) and took a tour of that and the Roman Forum. Both were amazing. We even got to go up on the Palatine hill where Rome was founded. We saw all there was to see in Rome, and then some. On the last day we just hung out in the forum and relaxed. We took a nap next to the coliseum and everything.

All in all it was an amazing trip and I got to see things I had no idea I would see ever in my lifetime. So life returns as normal here in Thessaloniki and this weekend we go to Meteora. Next weekend the Acropolis and the week after that WW2 super loop (hosted by Don).

Take care all!
Don Trinite

October 20, 2006

Well another week has gone by and Thessaloniki is still standing. There aren't any really big plans for this weekend. We were thinking about renting a car and driving to Bulgaria, but we'll see what happens.

This week was actually very fun. We went to 2 parties, one was a 21st birthday party and last night it was a freshmen welcoming party at a nightclub. That one was ridiculous. I think we got home at 5:00 am and we had to get on the bus for school at around 10. Ridiculous.

So yesterday I walked around the city and took a few pictures here and there. I got to see a whole lot just walking around and I found some really cool places to hang out and drink coffee. We have formed a really good relationship with the janitor of our building and he took me and a few others out to coffee at a Cafe bar called Cafe Brulee. Hardcore Yuppies, I laughed because that's typically not the type of place I go to at home. But hey, When in Greece....or Rome...I guess that phrase works.

So I leave for Italy next weekend and I can hardly wait. I have talked to a lot of people who have given me advice on what to do and where to stay. Good times. I have made friends with this group of Greek guys and we stick to each other pretty well. I think people might mistake me for a Greek when I hang with them....well maybe not, I think the red of my beard gives it away, and the fact that I do not wear incredibly tight jeans (thank God)!!!

Take care all I will be in touch soon! Kalispera!!

Don Trinite

October 18, 2006

Hey everyone! Just thought I would drop another line to you all saying what's going on here in Greece.

Riots a plenty, lot's of violence and spooky people.....those are NOT characteristics of Thessaloniki, thank God! However, all is well and I am still enjoying my time here.

We went out last night for a girl on the trip's birthday (21). It was a lot of fun and we didn't get home until 3am in the morning. This is interesting because the Greek nightlife starts late. So as we were leaving the bar, it was getting crowded!

I was going to go to Mycenae and Tiryns this weekend, but I think I may take the weekend off so I can prepare for ITALY!!!! I'm extremely excited about this trip and I will have tons of pictures.

Classes are going great, they are exuberantly easy and a lot of fun. I still love my Ancient Greek class, we just started to get into Homer's epics (Iliad and Odyssey), which are great texts and once you understand the way it is written they are quite interesting. My philosophy class is ridiculous. I thought we would talk more (philosophize) but instead we are learning the logic of reasoning which is boring and incredibly confusing. Oh well. My Greek is coming along just fine and I am starting to understand it better.

I miss you all! Another email soon, promise.

Don Trinite

October 1, 2006

HELLO!!!!

Well, let me tell you that this past weekend was incredible, and I will tell you why....

On Friday we left for a town called Letohoro on a bus. From here we could see our destination. That destination was Mount Olympus. We got to the base camp of Prionia at about 3 pm and began our climb. We hiked for 3 hours to get to the next base camp. This was brutal in the fact that it was like walking along the side of a mountain at a 50-60 degree angle. It was SOOO hard, but rewarding.

At one point there were 2 run away donkeys that ran down the side and came careening toward me and my friend Andy, but we got out of the way in time. Thank God! Anyway, the climb was steep and we got to the first base camp and stayed the night. It was FRIGID up there, about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. We finally went to bed under tons of blankets and woke up at 6:30 am for the next bit of our climb. This was the hardest part. We began upwards in the total fog and the paths were steeper. As we got closer and closer to the top, it got colder and colder and colder. It actually was snowing on top of the mountain. The rocks were icy and it was incredibly dangerous, however it was totally worth it. We got to the top and it was INCREDIBLE!!!! It was like a cliff that fell straight down 2,918 meters. That was scary, but we took tons of pictures and had a great time on top before we began the hike down. We hiked non-stop all the way back down to Prionia, and got on a bus and went home.

It was a very gratifying experience, and I am very glad I did it. And for the victory dinner we went to my favorite restaurant...Applebees! Way too expensive though. So on Sunday I hopped a train with a few people to the city of Edessa. Edessa has TONS of waterfalls and cool old places to visit. We had a really good time at the waterfalls and took a ton of pictures. In fact when we sat down at a restaurant I ordered the whole tables food and drinks in Greek, I felt VERY accomplished.

October 10, 2006

Hello!

This weekend, as you know, we laid low and relaxed. Things are getting a little tense between people, and our building has been getting in a lot of trouble for noise complaints...I have no part in this of course. For instance, there was greek dancing going on last night at 3 am, RIDICULOUS!

I am finally learning what it is like to live on my own, buying and making food for myself and learning a lot about the kind of person I really am. I can already see changes in myself, and I like them, but it makes me feel very distant from home (which I am).

I am recovering from this cold and I should be good as new in a few days. I am sooo happy classes are so easy; it helps me to get by and learn more about the culture by helping me to get out of my apartment.

Life rules!

Don Trinite

October 7, 2006

Hello!

Sorry I have not written in a while. I seem to have contracted some sort of stomach illness Thursday night and have been bed ridden until today (Saturday). I still feel nasty, but I'm sure it will pass.

School is going great and I met a real cool kid. His name is Antonis and he is a thoroughbred Greek, and he fences! This is great because I have wanted to fence since high school. He is taking me to his club sometime this upcoming week to fence with him and his friends. I'm pretty stoked about this. He fences Epee, and although I know saber and foil better, I will make due, for sho.

On Thursday I talked with my friend -Z- from Bulgaria and he told me all about Bulgarian history. Which is quite interesting, and I don't really know why they don't teach it in the states. Maybe I'll try to start a class like that in Monmouth (Independent study??).

I also learned to play backgammon, which is surprisingly popular with the older and younger crowd here. It's actually quite a skillful game, you should all try it. Anyway, I'm getting MAD homesickness, and I miss all of you. Postcards will be sent soon, so watch your mailboxes!!

I was planning to go to the Peloponnese this weekend, but being sick got in the way. It really ticked me off, I gotta tell ya. My ancient Greek history teacher has taken a real liking to me, and we seem to discuss a lot after class every M-W-F. It's really cool and it feels like Monmouth here....except it isn't.
Next weekend, I am climbing Mt. Olympus, I will say hello to Zeus for all of you!!!

Talk 2 you all later!

Don Trinite

October 3, 2006

Hello all!
I know I am a day late in writing this, but it seems that I have come down with a terrible cold. Probably due to lack of sleep and what have you.

However, class is going very well, and I am STILL having a great time. I have learned enough Greek to get myself around in a taxi, I can even understand the taxi drivers now. It makes me happy to know that I am finally learning to deal with another language. I mean I hear it all the time and it starts to get ingrained into your head.

So this weekend, I was unable to go to Santorini, no big deal. However I did go to the Island of Skiathos, which I think is better. It was a lot less tourist-like and had more of an "old time" feel to it. There were villages in the mountains, and old school windmills, and the beaches were beautiful. I am still so impressed that the water is actually clear! I could see the bottom of the Aegean floor at a depth of 35 feet! Incredible.

The day after we got there, we rented two small Fiats (a popular car here) and drove around the island taking panoramic pictures and finally made it to the Evaggalistra monastery which is rich in Greek history. It was built very long ago (not sure when) but, it was forgotten about by people. The monks made all there own food and stuff there, and took care of this 3 domed monastery. During the war of Independence of Greece, the first Greek Flag was made there and the monks bled themselves in the middle of it to show their sacred fraternity to each other and to their country. This was the first flag made and it was also the first place it was flown during the Independence war (which ended in 1912).

We had a great time and the ferry ride back was breathtaking, due to the fact that we were on the top deck of this HUGE ocean liner and we had the best view of all the islands going by and the water. Unfortunately I have come down with a terrible cold. I hope it goes away soon. I think I will be going to the Pharmakeio (Pharmacy) and getting something to ease this sickness. I hope all is well back home and wish everyone a good day! I will write again soon!

P.S. I am planning a trip to the Peloponese this weekend to see Sparta, Tiryns, Mycenae, and Epadavros!

Don Trinite
 

September 27, 2006

Well, well, well...
A lot of you have asked what classes I am taking, and this is what is up...

Ancient Greek History
Greek Language 101
Political Science 101
Philosophy 101

Pretty decent schedule, not too much work. I was planning to go to Santorini, but I won't have enough money...rough... Anyway, all is well. We have started cooking for each other to save money for dinner. I have made SOOOO many friends here. I have friends from Norway and Bulgaria and Istanbul, and friends from the states of course. Life is going well here and I can't wait for this weekend, although I have NO IDEA what is going on. I miss you all so much and I can't wait to tell you of all the experiences I have had, such as my friend jumping into the greasy water of the port of the Aegean to get his sandal...that was funny.
later!

Don Trinite

September 26, 2006

Well, the first day of class was yesterday and today is the second. I have a pretty sweet schedule, which goes a little something like this...

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 4 classes. I am in school from Noon - 4:00
Tuesday - 1 class at 1:00pm
Thursday.....NO CLASS!

I think it will work in my favor. Last night me and my friends walked along the Thessaloniki Bay and sang songs and had a good ole time. There are a lot of stray dogs in Thessaloniki and I stopped one from attacking a runner. Sadly that dog ended up following us and protecting us from other dogs. It was REALLY weird....So when we were about to get into a cab, the dog (it was a great dane) hopped up onto my lap in the taxi. It was ridiculous!

I have been having so much fun here with these people and in this country. We have found it is very hard to concentrate in class due to the fact that the windows look out onto BEAUTIFUL countryside...oh well, I'm sure we'll do fine! I will write again soon, but feel free to write me whenever. I check my mail once a day, and I will have an actual mailing address soon.

Keep it real!
Adio!!

Don Trinite

September 25, 2006

Yas sas!!!! (Greek for Hello all)

This is my first of MANY emails to come about my whereabouts in Europe. My college is very small much like my college in the states and its very nice. It is situated at the base of mountains at the far edge of Thessaloniki Greece.

Let me just say that this is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The culture is very laid back, and it is acceptable to be late. The people here are friendly and the language is very hard, however I am catching on already and am able to converse with natives a bit.

I live on the 7th floor of an apartment building with a roommate from Vermant who is Greek and he translates a lot for me. My balcony looks right out onto huge beautiful mountains with an unobstructed view!! It is incredible.

This week we experienced so much of this culture that it already feels to me that I may not want to go back to the states, but I will, don't worry!

This weekend we went to an area of Greece by the name of Halkidiki, which is a HUGE spot for vacationing in the Aegean area. I swam in the sea and it was beautiful. Earlier in the week I was able to go to the museum of which the tombs of King Phillip II (Alexander the Greats father) and Alexander IV (Alexander's son) were still intact and all of the trinkets and gold were in cases. It was amazing. I never realized that Greece was so into gold back then.

The food here is cheap and delicious and I enjoy it so much...too much sometimes hahahaha! Anyway, I will be sending an email as much as possible to all of you so you know what I am doing. I start school tomorrow, and it will be incredible just like the rest of this country.

Adio!

Don Trinite