Alright, so last week I had an interesting experience. First, a little background. In Greece they have universal health care. Hooray for the practice of enlightened ideals! Obviously this means that there are public and private hospitals and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which is nicer of the two. Since Obama leads a health care reform in the US and the public cry for universal healthcare has grown louder in the past few years, this experience gave me a small taste of what to expect.
*Disclaimer* I understand that a trip to a Greek public hospital and American public hospital (in the event of universal health care) are significantly different due to technological differences with the equipment, but the jist of the situations would be similar enough to warrant a comparison.
Upon arriving at the hospital, our study abroad advisor asked us for 10 Euros each so he could go pay at the front desk. He waited in line for 45 minutes simply to pay basically a cover charge so that we could enter in the hospital. As he led us to the room to get tested for TB, the scene there could be described as hectic. Significantly more people wandering around the hallways and seemingly fewer doctors present than my experience in the US. We waited another half an hour and then we were shown to our room. Three minutes for the three of us to get a TB shot and then we were led to get an X-ray of our chests. The hallway outside the X-ray rooms were PACKED. Many people were wearing makeshift casts and there were a few pretty gruesome looking breaks. Did I enter a time machine and land back in a WWI hospital? Every time a door opened and a doctor emerged, he was swarmed by a group of people trying to get in next, despite the fact that the doctors had a list of names for the order. Another half an hour passed by and we get our thirty second X-ray. We exited the hospital a different way than we entered and still more and more people walked around the hallways. The doctor to patient ratio must have been exponentially higher than it should've been. Roughly two hours or so later, and we were on our way out.
This was not exactly a bastion of efficiency. And it made me wonder: if we had universal health care in the US, would we expect a similar result? How much of it is the country, the technology, the day we went, the setup of health care? One must incorporate an endless number of variables into the argument for or against universal health care. Just a little food for thought considering how relevant this actually is to Americans.
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Friday, 15 October 2010
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Gilbert Arenas Growing Up?
Gilbert Arenas told Flip Saunders that his surgically repaired (multiple times) right knee felt stiff. Saunders decided to sit Arenas for the game, rather than push his starting shooting guard through a meaningless preseason game.
But with Arenas, the situation is never what it appears on the surface. And true to form, there was more than met the eye with this "injury." Arenas secretly concocted a plan to fake an injury for teammate Nick Young so that Young could start in Arenas' place and get more playing time. Young was frustrated with his lack of time on the court, and with a new subdued and more mature Arenas around, the two figured this plan would work best for Young to shine.
When Arenas announced after the game that he faked the soreness so that his teammate could get more run, the media backlash was predictable. But I will distance myself from that group of journalists who want to write off Arenas' action as another example of his inability to grow up. I see Arenas' gesture as another piece of example of his growth since the league suspended him for the remainder of the 2009-10 season for the gun incident.
It started with Arenas changing his number from 0 to number 9. A small act that showed he did not need demand so much attention. Then he appeared on media day the antithesis of his former self. Gone was the swagger, the arrogance and the spotlight. In it's place was a humbled man who knew that if he wanted to salvage his career, he needed to grow up. He correctly recognized and informed the media that the Wizards are now John Wall's team. He knows he is now second-fiddle and accepts that role.
Then the fake injury incident arises. Most will point a finger at Arenas and say he returned to his true form. To me, though, his choice further indicates his desire for reform. Arenas, routinely described as selfish and a bad teammate, sacrificed his playing time to help a teammate out. Spare me the argument about it being a game. It was a preseason game. And no, Arenas skipping one preseason does not affect team chemistry. The team working and playing together happens on a daily basis, so for Arenas to miss one game is not catastrophic.
Was it stupid of Arenas to announce to the media the success of his plan? Absolutely. And if this had been a regular season game, I too would have criticized Arenas. But the intention behind the act holds more significance than the act itself. Arenas seems to have grown up in his time away.
But with Arenas, the situation is never what it appears on the surface. And true to form, there was more than met the eye with this "injury." Arenas secretly concocted a plan to fake an injury for teammate Nick Young so that Young could start in Arenas' place and get more playing time. Young was frustrated with his lack of time on the court, and with a new subdued and more mature Arenas around, the two figured this plan would work best for Young to shine.
When Arenas announced after the game that he faked the soreness so that his teammate could get more run, the media backlash was predictable. But I will distance myself from that group of journalists who want to write off Arenas' action as another example of his inability to grow up. I see Arenas' gesture as another piece of example of his growth since the league suspended him for the remainder of the 2009-10 season for the gun incident.
It started with Arenas changing his number from 0 to number 9. A small act that showed he did not need demand so much attention. Then he appeared on media day the antithesis of his former self. Gone was the swagger, the arrogance and the spotlight. In it's place was a humbled man who knew that if he wanted to salvage his career, he needed to grow up. He correctly recognized and informed the media that the Wizards are now John Wall's team. He knows he is now second-fiddle and accepts that role.
Then the fake injury incident arises. Most will point a finger at Arenas and say he returned to his true form. To me, though, his choice further indicates his desire for reform. Arenas, routinely described as selfish and a bad teammate, sacrificed his playing time to help a teammate out. Spare me the argument about it being a game. It was a preseason game. And no, Arenas skipping one preseason does not affect team chemistry. The team working and playing together happens on a daily basis, so for Arenas to miss one game is not catastrophic.
Was it stupid of Arenas to announce to the media the success of his plan? Absolutely. And if this had been a regular season game, I too would have criticized Arenas. But the intention behind the act holds more significance than the act itself. Arenas seems to have grown up in his time away.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Could Barcelona Make It In The NBA?
Phil Jackson clearly holds the NBA in high esteem. After his Lakers lost 92-88 to reigning Spanish League champs FC Barcelona, a reporter asked him if he thought FCB could withstand the competition in the NBA night in and night out.
"No."
Well, that makes it fairly clear, I think. And frankly, I am inclined to agree with him. Xavier Pasqual, Barcelona's head coach does not agree. And he does not think that this victory is an isolated incident, as he noted that Barcelona almost beat the Lakers in the Staples Center back in 2008.
"If we played [in the NBA] and we changed our way of doing things, I think we would be able to compete differently," Pasqual said.
Mr. Pasqual, with all due respect, NBA preseason games mean little. Maybe I should point out to you that the Lakers also lost to Minnesota by 19 in their first preseason game. Minnesota. The same team that won fifteen games last year and just traded away their best player, Al Jefferson.
Or maybe you need to see that Kobe, the best basketball player in the world right now, played only 25 minutes because of recent knee surgery.
Or how about that the Lakers arrived in Spain only two days prior to the game and were likely still adjusting their body clocks.
Small sample size, Mr. Pasqual. Yes, your team played well and their performance should encourage La Liga that they continue to improve. But the NBA remains the greatest league in the world, a place where these players dream of playing ever since they were young. The best of the best make it to the NBA, and if your team really has the talent to compete with the best, then they would already be over there.
For a couple of games, I think FCB would surprise a few teams. But the wear and tear of traveling, the physical style of play, and the 82 game season would derail their season quickly.
Congratulations on the victory Barcelona, but the rest of the world remains miles behind the NBA.
"No."
Well, that makes it fairly clear, I think. And frankly, I am inclined to agree with him. Xavier Pasqual, Barcelona's head coach does not agree. And he does not think that this victory is an isolated incident, as he noted that Barcelona almost beat the Lakers in the Staples Center back in 2008.
"If we played [in the NBA] and we changed our way of doing things, I think we would be able to compete differently," Pasqual said.
Mr. Pasqual, with all due respect, NBA preseason games mean little. Maybe I should point out to you that the Lakers also lost to Minnesota by 19 in their first preseason game. Minnesota. The same team that won fifteen games last year and just traded away their best player, Al Jefferson.
Or maybe you need to see that Kobe, the best basketball player in the world right now, played only 25 minutes because of recent knee surgery.
Or how about that the Lakers arrived in Spain only two days prior to the game and were likely still adjusting their body clocks.
Small sample size, Mr. Pasqual. Yes, your team played well and their performance should encourage La Liga that they continue to improve. But the NBA remains the greatest league in the world, a place where these players dream of playing ever since they were young. The best of the best make it to the NBA, and if your team really has the talent to compete with the best, then they would already be over there.
For a couple of games, I think FCB would surprise a few teams. But the wear and tear of traveling, the physical style of play, and the 82 game season would derail their season quickly.
Congratulations on the victory Barcelona, but the rest of the world remains miles behind the NBA.
Showin' the Greeks How To Play For 22 Minutes
So I am just hanging out in the gym shooting around with a couple of the girls in my group, when two of the guys on the team come up to me and tell me they need me to play in their intramural game this afternoon. Cool, sounds like fun to me. They were excited because I have made a name for myself on the team by just busting my ass and giving 100% the whole time. I figured I would just mark up on whoever the opposing team's best player was and just play hard defense and let them do the scoring. Then they told me we were playing the other group of guys from the team, including the starting point guard and shooting guard (the starters on the team are actually pretty good, much much much better than the average Greek). Shoot. Alright well it'll still be fun.
We come out and are immediately down 7-1 with the 1 being a free throw I hit after going to the basket and drawing the foul. Then something weird happened. For the first time in my life, I let loose on offense. Anyone who has played 5v5 with me knows that I really do not shoot the ball much, instead electing for the extra pass or establishing good rebounding position. I rattled off our next 13 points and we took the lead. With three minutes to go, it is 25-23, our lead and I have 18 or 20 of our team's points. Then, of course, I start to really screw up. First, I get my pocket picked BADLY from the front and the guy scores a one on none fast break. Then two plays later, I lose my handle, get my pocket picked again, leading to another one on none. Oh boy. Next play, our point guard gets trapped right after crossing half court, throws a bounce pass to me that I don't move to and the same guy swoops in, and another one on none. Next thing we know, we're down 34-25. My three clangs out and that settles it.
So what did we learn today Peter? Step to your passes, protect your dribble, and remember all the small things that Pops taught you when you were younger. I single handedly KILLED our team's momentum. Really frustrating.
On the plus side, if I get a physical from a Greek doctor, sign some papers and provide them with a copy of my passport, I can play with the team in league games. Their league, however, is a "company league" as the coach phrased it. That means we are playing some guys our age, but then we'll face some teams that are 35 year old guys. That's going to be weird. I never play against older guys and don't like to because they usually play dirty because of their waning athleticism. So I think I am going to go ahead and play and that will give me some more stuff to blog about.
Coming up tomorrow, a review of the soccer game we are going to tonight. Greece's national team is playing Latvia in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. I am bubbling with excitement to see what a national team game is like in Europe. Sure it is only Greece and Latvia, but come on, I think we all know it will still be intense. Make sure you check back to the blog often, tell your friends about it and if you really want to make me happy, become a follower of it so I have some idea of who actually reads my posts.
Missing the USA, but definitely loving life here.
We come out and are immediately down 7-1 with the 1 being a free throw I hit after going to the basket and drawing the foul. Then something weird happened. For the first time in my life, I let loose on offense. Anyone who has played 5v5 with me knows that I really do not shoot the ball much, instead electing for the extra pass or establishing good rebounding position. I rattled off our next 13 points and we took the lead. With three minutes to go, it is 25-23, our lead and I have 18 or 20 of our team's points. Then, of course, I start to really screw up. First, I get my pocket picked BADLY from the front and the guy scores a one on none fast break. Then two plays later, I lose my handle, get my pocket picked again, leading to another one on none. Oh boy. Next play, our point guard gets trapped right after crossing half court, throws a bounce pass to me that I don't move to and the same guy swoops in, and another one on none. Next thing we know, we're down 34-25. My three clangs out and that settles it.
So what did we learn today Peter? Step to your passes, protect your dribble, and remember all the small things that Pops taught you when you were younger. I single handedly KILLED our team's momentum. Really frustrating.
On the plus side, if I get a physical from a Greek doctor, sign some papers and provide them with a copy of my passport, I can play with the team in league games. Their league, however, is a "company league" as the coach phrased it. That means we are playing some guys our age, but then we'll face some teams that are 35 year old guys. That's going to be weird. I never play against older guys and don't like to because they usually play dirty because of their waning athleticism. So I think I am going to go ahead and play and that will give me some more stuff to blog about.
Coming up tomorrow, a review of the soccer game we are going to tonight. Greece's national team is playing Latvia in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. I am bubbling with excitement to see what a national team game is like in Europe. Sure it is only Greece and Latvia, but come on, I think we all know it will still be intense. Make sure you check back to the blog often, tell your friends about it and if you really want to make me happy, become a follower of it so I have some idea of who actually reads my posts.
Missing the USA, but definitely loving life here.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Ball Outrageous in Greece? Not Quite...
So one of the areas that I was really interested in when I came to Greece was what playing pick-up sports would be like. Obviously, when I am at home, the games are usually 2v2 or 3v3 and pretty competitive. Things get a little chippy sometimes and people don't shy away from contact. Lots of pick and rolls, cuts to the baskets and for the most part defense is pretty solid. At BC, it is basically the same. It is always 5v5 there, so you are bound to get a few more lemons once in a while on the courts, but the average BC student is a pretty good athlete with a firm concept of the game. Same basic ideas apply: play tough defense, generally physical, hustle and just play smart basketball.
Greece? Man, we're looking at a black and white difference here.
American basketball fans' perceptions of European players is that they are generally soft and complain excessively about fouls. Let me tell you that that is the case all the way down to the worst kids here in 2v2. Playing 2v2, my man's teammate sets a screen on me. I wrestle my way over the top of the pick but am still a step behind him. Fortunately, due to a basic lack of basketball skills that most people possess here, I blocked him off the bleachers. One of the biggest blocks I have had in my life. He calls a foul and my jaw drops faster than the ball sailing out of bounds on said block. And yeah, I realized that I am a biased party in this description but I would bet my life that I did not foul him. Not to mention, I have about a dozen of these stories as well. To sum up: Europeans play softer than the Pillsbury Doughboy.
Now, nobody plays 5v5 here. It all goes back to what I have talked about earlier in which I said that this culture is just generally not very motivated and driven. After a game of 3v3 in which there was actually some good competition, I made a remark to my teammate about how I was tired because I had been playing for 2 1/2 hours. He goes "well you shouldn't try so hard man, you were playing way harder than us. This is just for fun."
...
GOOD COMPETITION IS FUN. Sure, I enjoy screwing around with my friends as much as the next guy, but playing intense basketball is significantly more fun than just dicking around. There is no two ways about it. And this is not an exception to the rule -- basically everyone plays at 50% and not a lick of defense. To sum up: Greeks just don't seem as interested in competition as Americans.
A few small nuances. You don't check the ball. Ever. If you score a basket, you grab the ball, take it to the three point line and just go. Nobody takes time to let play restore some structure. It's just grab and go. If a shot is missed and you grab the rebound, you can take it back, but you have to immediately pass it after that. You are not allowed to score. Huh? Really? Really. And of course, the one rule I have never liked, even when it is attempted to be played in the US: you don't have to take out an airball, you can just lay it right in for your team's points. Silly. That's all that is.
Now, to wrap this all up, here's a little fun fact for you today: I made the college team. Yep, that's right. Cut freshman year, CYO since 4th grade Pete made the team. Unfortunately, since I am only here for a semester, I can't play in the games, although the coach told me that it's too bad I was only here a semester because I would have seen the floor during games. So instead I will practice with the team, but be an unofficial member. Peter, we're not in America anymore. The team here is roughly the equivalent to a good intramural team at BC playing NCAA or a mediocre NBA team. So yeah, that's how I made the team. Not quite as impressive anymore, right? As you nod your head yes, I agree.
Oh yeah, and even on the team, nobody plays defense and the big men are softer than a kleenex.
I guess some things just don't change, regardless of skill level.
Greece? Man, we're looking at a black and white difference here.
American basketball fans' perceptions of European players is that they are generally soft and complain excessively about fouls. Let me tell you that that is the case all the way down to the worst kids here in 2v2. Playing 2v2, my man's teammate sets a screen on me. I wrestle my way over the top of the pick but am still a step behind him. Fortunately, due to a basic lack of basketball skills that most people possess here, I blocked him off the bleachers. One of the biggest blocks I have had in my life. He calls a foul and my jaw drops faster than the ball sailing out of bounds on said block. And yeah, I realized that I am a biased party in this description but I would bet my life that I did not foul him. Not to mention, I have about a dozen of these stories as well. To sum up: Europeans play softer than the Pillsbury Doughboy.
Now, nobody plays 5v5 here. It all goes back to what I have talked about earlier in which I said that this culture is just generally not very motivated and driven. After a game of 3v3 in which there was actually some good competition, I made a remark to my teammate about how I was tired because I had been playing for 2 1/2 hours. He goes "well you shouldn't try so hard man, you were playing way harder than us. This is just for fun."
...
GOOD COMPETITION IS FUN. Sure, I enjoy screwing around with my friends as much as the next guy, but playing intense basketball is significantly more fun than just dicking around. There is no two ways about it. And this is not an exception to the rule -- basically everyone plays at 50% and not a lick of defense. To sum up: Greeks just don't seem as interested in competition as Americans.
A few small nuances. You don't check the ball. Ever. If you score a basket, you grab the ball, take it to the three point line and just go. Nobody takes time to let play restore some structure. It's just grab and go. If a shot is missed and you grab the rebound, you can take it back, but you have to immediately pass it after that. You are not allowed to score. Huh? Really? Really. And of course, the one rule I have never liked, even when it is attempted to be played in the US: you don't have to take out an airball, you can just lay it right in for your team's points. Silly. That's all that is.
Now, to wrap this all up, here's a little fun fact for you today: I made the college team. Yep, that's right. Cut freshman year, CYO since 4th grade Pete made the team. Unfortunately, since I am only here for a semester, I can't play in the games, although the coach told me that it's too bad I was only here a semester because I would have seen the floor during games. So instead I will practice with the team, but be an unofficial member. Peter, we're not in America anymore. The team here is roughly the equivalent to a good intramural team at BC playing NCAA or a mediocre NBA team. So yeah, that's how I made the team. Not quite as impressive anymore, right? As you nod your head yes, I agree.
Oh yeah, and even on the team, nobody plays defense and the big men are softer than a kleenex.
I guess some things just don't change, regardless of skill level.
Monday, 4 October 2010
Bronco Fans Cry Foul
No respect. Unfair. We need a playoff system. Save your breath, Bronco fans.
The newest AP polls were released on Sunday and Boise State, who previously found themselves safely tucked behind Ohio State and Alabama, was migrated over by the Oregon Ducks. "How can this happen" Bronco fans ask themselves. "We haven't lost a game. We knocked off our two tough early tests in Virginia Tech and Oregon State. We just offered up New Mexico State as a sacrificial offering on Saturday night. Nothing unimpressive so far and we actually drop a spot?"
That's the nature of the beast when you play in an inferior conference. WAC vs. Pac10? That's the equivalent of putting a featherweight and a heavyweight in the same ring. Let's take a quick look at the two teams' respective opponents, Stanford and New Mexico St and a few of their statistical ranks:
Passing yards: 29th, 101st
Rushing yards: 23rd, 96th
Points per game: 4th, 118th
Points allowed per game: 45th, 119th
All of these rankings come after Saturday's games, which means Stanfords numbers took a huge hit after the Ducks romped them. Even a look at this should make it evident why Oregon jumped Boise State. The voters will reward teams with tougher games, which will doom Boise State once again.
Boise State will need serious help if it wants to even sniff the idea of a national championship appearance. After Albama thrashed Florida, the SEC appears theirs to hold. In a watered down Big 10, Ohio State will go as far as Terelle Pryor's arms and legs carry them. Oregon faces a few major tests left, but they appear to possess the tools to capture the Pac 10 crown. And of course, Boise State must look over its shoulder too. TCU remains undefeated, plays in a stronger conference, and their non-conference victory over Baylor looks stronger than Boise's win over Virginia Tech (each team played, and beat, Oregon State which cancels out). Don't overlook Nebraska either, who could find themselves in the Big 12 Championship, which may carry enough weight to pass over Boise as well.
Don't protest too hard, Boise. No amount of whining and complaining will change the fact that you play in an inferior conference and suffer as a result. Pray that Virginia Tech wins the ACC and that one of the teams in front of you slips up, otherwise you will find yourself, once again, on the outside looking in at the National Championship.
The newest AP polls were released on Sunday and Boise State, who previously found themselves safely tucked behind Ohio State and Alabama, was migrated over by the Oregon Ducks. "How can this happen" Bronco fans ask themselves. "We haven't lost a game. We knocked off our two tough early tests in Virginia Tech and Oregon State. We just offered up New Mexico State as a sacrificial offering on Saturday night. Nothing unimpressive so far and we actually drop a spot?"
That's the nature of the beast when you play in an inferior conference. WAC vs. Pac10? That's the equivalent of putting a featherweight and a heavyweight in the same ring. Let's take a quick look at the two teams' respective opponents, Stanford and New Mexico St and a few of their statistical ranks:
Passing yards: 29th, 101st
Rushing yards: 23rd, 96th
Points per game: 4th, 118th
Points allowed per game: 45th, 119th
All of these rankings come after Saturday's games, which means Stanfords numbers took a huge hit after the Ducks romped them. Even a look at this should make it evident why Oregon jumped Boise State. The voters will reward teams with tougher games, which will doom Boise State once again.
Boise State will need serious help if it wants to even sniff the idea of a national championship appearance. After Albama thrashed Florida, the SEC appears theirs to hold. In a watered down Big 10, Ohio State will go as far as Terelle Pryor's arms and legs carry them. Oregon faces a few major tests left, but they appear to possess the tools to capture the Pac 10 crown. And of course, Boise State must look over its shoulder too. TCU remains undefeated, plays in a stronger conference, and their non-conference victory over Baylor looks stronger than Boise's win over Virginia Tech (each team played, and beat, Oregon State which cancels out). Don't overlook Nebraska either, who could find themselves in the Big 12 Championship, which may carry enough weight to pass over Boise as well.
Don't protest too hard, Boise. No amount of whining and complaining will change the fact that you play in an inferior conference and suffer as a result. Pray that Virginia Tech wins the ACC and that one of the teams in front of you slips up, otherwise you will find yourself, once again, on the outside looking in at the National Championship.
Motivation, or a Lack Thereof
Alrighty, so I am going to take this time to elaborate a little what the school system is like here. This conversation took place in the gym in between basketball games and gives a small idea of how school is viewed here:
Greek kid: So how do you think classes are so far here?
Peter: (in an attempt to not sound like a know-it-all snob) Oh you know, it's not too bad. It's just really different from back home.
GK: Really? That's funny. How many classes are you taking here?
Peter: I'm required to take five while I'm abroad and I take five when I am in the U.S. too.
GK: (in an astonished voice) You take...five...clasess? Wow, that is alot. I am taking three and I feel like I have so much to do. I only took two last semester.
Peter: THAT'S BECAUSE NOBODY WORKS HARD HERE ON SCHOOL AND NONE OF YOU SEEM TO CARE AT ALL.
Okay, so that last line never actually happened, but it was what I was thinking in my head. School is simply not a priority to most here. Paying attention in class is overrated and taking notes is going far beyond what should be required for a student. Granted, there are exceptions to the rule, but seriously, people here just don't seem to care much. And I understand that English is their second language so of course I have a leg up on the competition, so spare me the "you're being too hard on them Peter" argument.
Here's just another little example of how classes and work are generally treated. In my Media Ethics class, there are about 15-20 kids. She assigned us a paper on an article we read and said "It can be as long as you need to get your thoughts out on paper. It is due a week from today." Okay, simple enough, right? I cranked out 2 1/2 pages of fairly decent work figuring that should be adequate for the teacher's expectations. On the day it was due, six kids showed up. Barely 1/3 of the class, on the day a paper is due? Would not happen in the U.S. Nobody wrote more than a page...with the heading double spaced. Oh boy. I hate to say it, but these kids would get chewed up and spit out the back end of a U.S. college faster than they could ever imagine.
Now don't accuse me of being culturally insensitive. I understand that to them and their entire culture, competiton and school is just not the same as it is back home. And that's cool, because it means that I am getting plenty of relaxation time. But I will admit that it is a tad bit frustrating when you have been at school for over a month and you've put in approximately five hours of work outside of class...and you're still two weeks ahead.
However, as I said, it has given me plenty of time to explore other facets of their society and culture since I am not bogged down in mounds of work. For instance, the thing to do here is to just go and sit in a coffee shop for a few hours and just chill with friends: play cards, backgammon, chain smoke endlessly (you ever seen that many cigarettes consumed at one time? Eh, not for me), etc. So I guess you just have to take the good with the bad. That's just the way it goes.
Expect another cultural difference post this week and on Saturday I will recap going to a Greek national team game on Friday night. That's right. Greece vs. Latvia in a qualification match for Euro 2012. Should be intense. And going with the sports theme, a truly wonderful person indirectly challenged me to continue with my sports writing and thanks to her, you can check back here every so often for my thoughts on the sporting world.
And once again, I write too much. Anyway, I hope that people found this somewhat informative of my time here and drop me a Facebook message or email or something because I would love to hear from some of you that I have yet to hear from. Αντίος.
Greek kid: So how do you think classes are so far here?
Peter: (in an attempt to not sound like a know-it-all snob) Oh you know, it's not too bad. It's just really different from back home.
GK: Really? That's funny. How many classes are you taking here?
Peter: I'm required to take five while I'm abroad and I take five when I am in the U.S. too.
GK: (in an astonished voice) You take...five...clasess? Wow, that is alot. I am taking three and I feel like I have so much to do. I only took two last semester.
Peter: THAT'S BECAUSE NOBODY WORKS HARD HERE ON SCHOOL AND NONE OF YOU SEEM TO CARE AT ALL.
Okay, so that last line never actually happened, but it was what I was thinking in my head. School is simply not a priority to most here. Paying attention in class is overrated and taking notes is going far beyond what should be required for a student. Granted, there are exceptions to the rule, but seriously, people here just don't seem to care much. And I understand that English is their second language so of course I have a leg up on the competition, so spare me the "you're being too hard on them Peter" argument.
Here's just another little example of how classes and work are generally treated. In my Media Ethics class, there are about 15-20 kids. She assigned us a paper on an article we read and said "It can be as long as you need to get your thoughts out on paper. It is due a week from today." Okay, simple enough, right? I cranked out 2 1/2 pages of fairly decent work figuring that should be adequate for the teacher's expectations. On the day it was due, six kids showed up. Barely 1/3 of the class, on the day a paper is due? Would not happen in the U.S. Nobody wrote more than a page...with the heading double spaced. Oh boy. I hate to say it, but these kids would get chewed up and spit out the back end of a U.S. college faster than they could ever imagine.
Now don't accuse me of being culturally insensitive. I understand that to them and their entire culture, competiton and school is just not the same as it is back home. And that's cool, because it means that I am getting plenty of relaxation time. But I will admit that it is a tad bit frustrating when you have been at school for over a month and you've put in approximately five hours of work outside of class...and you're still two weeks ahead.
However, as I said, it has given me plenty of time to explore other facets of their society and culture since I am not bogged down in mounds of work. For instance, the thing to do here is to just go and sit in a coffee shop for a few hours and just chill with friends: play cards, backgammon, chain smoke endlessly (you ever seen that many cigarettes consumed at one time? Eh, not for me), etc. So I guess you just have to take the good with the bad. That's just the way it goes.
Expect another cultural difference post this week and on Saturday I will recap going to a Greek national team game on Friday night. That's right. Greece vs. Latvia in a qualification match for Euro 2012. Should be intense. And going with the sports theme, a truly wonderful person indirectly challenged me to continue with my sports writing and thanks to her, you can check back here every so often for my thoughts on the sporting world.
And once again, I write too much. Anyway, I hope that people found this somewhat informative of my time here and drop me a Facebook message or email or something because I would love to hear from some of you that I have yet to hear from. Αντίος.
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