Carnival

I had a good day today. I’m really enjoying my classes. Plus, my last class of the day was permanently moved an hour and a half earlier, so instead of waiting around 3 1/2 hours I only wait two, and get home that much earlier.

I intensely cleaned my apartment today. It’s amazing that 100 square feet can contain so may dust bunnies, and take so long to get rid of. It doesn’t help that my cleaning supplies consisted of a broom, a sponge, and a bottle of “cillit bang”, which I’m assuming is an all-purpose cleaner. At least, I hope so.

I also invented a snack today that literally looks like poop but tastes delicious.

And that’s my day. Productive? I think so.

It’s carnival here in Greece, the time leading up to Lent when everyone parties like crazy. We’re supposed to come to school tomorrow dressed like an animal, but I don’t think I’m going to. One, I didn’t really think about bringing costumes when I packed for Greece, and two, tomorrow I take the public bus and I think, in general, it would not be well-received to have a giant chicken on the bus.

I did learn, however, that on Clean Monday (which we have off school) there is a Penis Festival in a village two hours from here. Dating back to the Dionysian revels, this festival celebrates the penis, with giant penis decorations, special food that’s supposedly good for your penis, and all sorts of practical jokes and pranks relating to, you guessed it, the male reproductive organ. I think it’s absolutely mind-boggling that an obscene, lewd festival that might have been created in the imagination of pretty much any guy I know is actually the product of pagans thousands of years ago and has survived through the centuries, and through various attempts by both the church and government at different points in history to shut it down. What was even better is that my cute little Greek anthropology teacher is the one who told us about it—she was cracking up and said that it’s absolutely amazing to see. I think I’m going to try and go with a couple of my friends. I did say that I want to see more of the surrounding area!