It's Greek to me

Denita and I have been trying to learn a little Greek, to help things along here.  I knew we were in trouble when our instruction manual got to the word for "yes."  It is nai, pronounced "nay."  Yep, the Greek word for yes is the old English word for no.  It was not a promising start.  Here at the house we have two teachers, Doyle and Erica, who delight in helping us along.  I have accused Doyle on occasion of relishing this role a little toooo much, if you catch my drift.  If you attempt a word of Greek in public, and a native hears, they will not leave you in peace until you get it right.  They are utterly without mercy.  Like a dog with a bone, they will not let up until you get it exactly - and I do mean exactly - correct.

Nevertheless, we have persevered.  A watermelon is a karpoosie, and a grape is a stefelie.  The word for lentils is Φακές, pronounced "Fahkeys, which was pretty easy for an Oakes.  Most of our language skills, you will notice, revolve around food.  We have learned enough Greek to order in a restaurant, as long as we always want a coffee and a sandwich (or a watermelon).

Life is different here.  Living in America is incredibly convenient.  You hop in the car, drive to Albertsons, load up the trunk, stop by McDonalds for a meal, get home, unload, and you're done for the week.  Here, you walk to the bakery, then to the little market, carrying everything in little bags, walk up the 99 steps to the house - and tomorrow you will do it all over again. 

The streets here are narrow and the cars tiny.  Jaywalking in Greece is not a crime, it is a custom, a national pastime, if you will.  Everyone shares the narrow rights-of-way:  cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, in no particular order, and cars park in the adjoining little sidewalks.  But traffic moves along slow, people are courteous, and accidents are rare.

Lest you get the wrong idea, we love it here!  It is truly the experience of a lifetime.  Life is slow and it is quaint.  We get to one of the gorgeous beaches several times a week, and sometimes I just hop in the car and drive, exploring new nooks and crannies of the island.  The friends here have gone out of their way to make us welcome, and living with people who possess the "faith that was once delivered unto the saints," has increased my faith.  My joy is overflowing is this rich, rich experience.