Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1990)
Page 8D The Battalion Monday, August 27, J &Mstudent chronicles adventures in Greece, Turke) Editor’s A/ote .The following story is a Texas A&M student’s personal diary of the Texas A&M Greece/Turkey Study Abroad trip during the 1990 Summer first session. The trip was spon sored by the architecture depart ment, and 24 A&M students par ticipated. By JeffKapche (Special To The Battalion) o. At the Acropolis, 1 noticed a woman who had made the climb in high heels and a narrow skirt. In the middle of catching her breath, she decided to smoke on this particularly hot day. She then complained about her sore feet, the heat and the rip in her skirt. I entertained thoughts of pushing her over the side for her lack of preparation. r nthe day of departure, my giddy anticipation sprung me out of bed and into the kitchen for breakfast. I stared at the box of Raisin Bran, and wondered how the trip would change me. Three hours, and a soggy bowl of cereal later, it was time to go to the airport. My pending excitement was increased when I heard Madonna’s “Vogue” on the radio. This unusual happiness came from the knowledge that it would be the last time I would hear this hideous bumt-out song until I returned. The nine-hour flight turned out to be quite refreshing with the beautiful Dutch stewardess with an accent that was a cross between South-African and sex. She was kind enough to loan me a music headset that I was forced to return because the pop channel kept playing “Vogue.” ATHENS, GREECE Arriving in Europe, I stepped inquisitively onto Greece, hoping to learn truths about Europeans. I spent the first week of my trip in Athens — where it’s not uncommon to see the same billboard advertisement 100 times in one day (just like home) or wait two hours in a restaurant for a good meal. Besides the excessive heat on some occasions, the weather was ideal with clear and sunny days. The most interesting thing about Athens turned out to be the National Garden, where one can escape the smog-saturated city, and view ponds, fountains and hundreds of cats running loose. Acropolis One can’t go to Athens, however, without climbing the Acropolis. Besides the awesome historical temples and structures, like the 5th century Parthenon and the Erechtheum, the view of Athens from the Acropolis is spectacular, even with the smog. Mycenae The next major excursion was a bus ride to Mycenae — the ancient citadel where King Agamemnon of Mycenae, leader of the Greek army, lived around 1200 B.C. and later fought in the Trojan War. Walking through the Lion’s Gate, my mind wandered back in time to when Agamemnon returned after his victory over Troy following the 10 years of battle. The feeling he must have had while walking through the impressive gate to his city again. What grandeur meets the eyes!... Suddenly, I was brought back to reality when 300 screaming Greek children ran through the Lion’s Gate. Questions I had of the erosion of the fortification walls were answered when the children began throwing rocks off the walls at each other. All you need is a few hundred children a month to destroy a historical site. After leaving Athens, I concluded that you can not trust things you hear about Europe — whether your sources are friends or the media. I met an Iranian who was extremely friendly to me. It was interesting to get an Iranian perspective on issues and events. I discovered that many Iranians did not hate America, their attitudes were just products of their own government. Then, the Iranian told me something I will always remember. He said, “My country is run by the government now, and the people are not happy, don’t let them (American leaders) take your country like they (Iran’s government) took mine.” Sailing the Greek Islands The next two weeks of the trip were spent in three rented sailboats led by Greek captains. Our destination was Turkey, but we visited several islands along the way. On paper, the trip was well A&M students hoist the Aggie flag while sailing on the Ae gean Sea during a tour of the Greek islands. planned, so there was nothing to fear. Still, some people insisted on taking medication for sea sickness. I laughed at those with weak stomachs and vowed not to get sick, even without medication. After getting sick, I knew the nude beaches on several of the Greek islands would be refreshing after an intense day of sailing on rough waves. Although parents may disagree, laying out on nude beaches in the Greek islands is the ultimate form of education. The Greek island of los was a college student haven. The clubs and beaches portrayed an eternal spring break, only with more beautiful and cleaner surroundings. Unfortunately, most of the clubs I ventured in played exactly what I hoped Europe would help me avoid — that fascist song “Vogue.” Overall, the Greek islands were beautiful, but very hard to compare because each had its own feel and character. However, there were many overwhelming moments of sunsets, black-sand beaches (island of Santorini), ancient ruins (island of Rhodes) and simple, peaceful lifestyles on the smaller islands. The experience of learning to sail a boat along with the occasional water balloon fight yielded a rewarding sail of the Aegean Sea. lyLINC Special 1 Photo by JeffKapche The eastern view of the Erectheum on the Acropolis is located in Athens, Greece. Turkey I spent the last 10 days of the trip in Turkey. After being reminded of the movie “Midnight Express” — based on a true story about the horrors of Turkish prisons —-1 decided to declare all my possessions at customs in Bodrum, our first stop. One of the main attractions in Bodrum is the Underwater Archaeology Museum — converted from an old Christian castle. Dr. Frederick vanDoominck, professor from Texas A&M, has been working there for the past 14 years on restoring a shipwreck of Syrian glass that is 1,000 years old. Sheila Matthews, an A&M graduate, works with vanDoominck for the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. The “glass wreck” that Dr. vanDoominick and Matthews are restoring was open for exhibition when our group was there. We were the first non-archaeologists to view the exhibit. Matthews explained that preparation for the exhibit was so time consuming because the preservation of the wood and documentation of the glass requires a lot of research and processing. The antiquity of the wreck and the years spent on restoration undoubtably made the exhibition a highlight of my trip, and I never encountered any “Midnight Express” horrors. The Seven Wonders Of The World On the way to Istanbul, I had an opportunity to see three of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Unfortunately, my eagerness turned to apathy when I visited the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (in Bodrum) because they no longer existed. I still got pictures of the rubble anyway. does Istanbul have smog like Athens, but it has dilapidated factories along the harbor and filthy air from the smell of sulfur and coal. Unfortunately, the sunny sailboating days were left behind, and the last week in Istanbul was filled with gloomy, overcast days. Still, other things peaked my interest. The “Call To Prayer” of the Islam religion is strange when first heard, and it’s played on loudspeakers throughout the city. The “Call To Prayer” is a reading for the “Koran” — the sacred book of Islam. It can be heard at any hour of the day because of the religion’s strict guidelines on when to pray. Istanbul n Istanbul is a city that borders Europe and Asia, and its pollution is comparable to Athens. Not only Mosques The beauty of Istanbul is found in the mosques — where Moslems pray. The towering minarets and huge domed celings are impressive places to congregate for the “Call To Prayer.” Fortunately, by following a few clothing rules — remove shoes before entering and don’t wear any clothes that show the legs — one may venture inside a mosque during the day, providing there is not a “Call To Prayer.” Upon enterting the Blue Mosque, which is the largest in the city, 1 noticed that some Moslems pray when there’s not a “Call To Prayer," and unfortunately, they’re surrounded by thoughtless tourists. I felt sick when I saw an America! tourist walk between a praying Moslem man and the alter—justto take a picture of the Moslem. Despite the interrupted prayer, the thoughtless tourist was ashamed at himself only for not having takeniIk picture at a better angle. After Istanbul, the study abroad trip was over, and I said goodbye to the environmental design and architecture majors I had fun with for the past month. 1 then traveled to other parts of Europe, which is a novel in itself. Aggie enown< \&M. Bonfi jents’ t rell out teld th \&M v> ball gam The v of the school, ; of the yt Early look at. have bu more th by Corp with stu< suing foi It stoc had no • bered n on top o welcome Bonfi ance was gieland’s The 1936 al plained previous The c and true wood tn non-stoli Cente 1946. T were cor foot cer tradition In 19i of 109 f ever in for safet height tc Safety- fire to t original mond R of the M — llllM Photos By Jeff Kapche This view from a Greek Orthodox church on the Greek island of Santorini was one of the many highlights of touring the Greek islands. A volcanic eruption created the harbor. Coming Home After making it home safe, the first thing I did was sleep. WhenI finally arose the next morning,! walked the unforgetable path,asa drunk would, into the kitchen for breakfast. I sat down with the same bowl of cereal in front of me, and stared at the same box of Raisin Bran, but I knew it was not the same person sitting there. I learned on this trip that one gains understanding when visiting other countries. It’simportant to realize that differences between the people of the world is only skin deep. People of other countries have hopes, dreams, and desires—just like Americans. Anyone traveling in a foreignlanil should remember to go with an open mind. Tasting different cultures anti foods like tasting life. In conclusion, develop your own opinions by experiencing different lifestyles yourself and learn the tmtl about what is out there instead of having it fed to you by friends orth! media. Later that day, I noticed that MTV was having a Madonnathon, or 24 hours of Madonna videos. The announcer told me they would play all my favorite Madonna videos, including that big European hit... well, you know. My thanks to Dr. Charles White and professor Weston Harper—bol worked hard on putting this successful trip together. Jeff Kapche is a senior journalism major from Houston E Bellyxh T/Th, S Hawaii Tues. i Tae kw T/Th, I Self De T/Th, ! Yoga: M/W, S Interim T/Th, < Messina Mof Pop Quiz Q. Do you need to kickback and relax? A. Visit the lovely Messina Hof wine cellars. Enjoy a lakeside picnic, sample our bistro style deli, or experience tasting by appointment. (Must be over 21) For more information please call 778-9463 (WINE) Directions to the winery: Take Hwy 6 to Hwy 21. Go east on Hwy 21 for 2 miles. Turn right on Wallis Rd., and follow the signs for 1.5 miles. 100% IBM Compatible at 50% of the Price! Computer Dynamics, Inc. offers quality products and services at a fraction of the price you would pay elsewhere. These services include: - Installation - Financing - Training/Consulting - Personalized Service - One Year Warranty On All Parts and Labor Computer Dynamics, Inc. offers the COMDYN 386-SX/20 Mhz with the following specfications: Price $1,675 Specs: -2 MB RAM - 42 MB Seagate Hard Drive w/controller -101 Enhanced Keyboard - VGA Color Monitor w/card - SW or SVz" Disk Drive For more information or a personal demonstration of the COMDYN 386-SX/20 Mhz please contact: Russ Peterson Campus Sales Representative 846-0768 2 Memorial Student Opera & Performing Ar for 1 HURRY! Attend the entire MSC OPAS season at half the cost! Texas A&M students may buy two balcony season tickets for the price of one. But you must act now offer expires Sept. 10,1990. The Aggie 2-for-1 special is $75 and available in-person, only at the MSC Box Office. Intro tc M/W, 5 T/Th. 5 T/Th, ( Pagema M/W, ( Microsc T/Th, J Intro tc M/W, S M/W, C AggieVision Option 23 WordPe M/W, S T/Th, ( Texas A&M's video yearbook Lotus 1 T/Th, S M/W, C