well, wish me luck...

So this transportation strike is wreaking a little more havoc than originally thought. The metro, buses, etc. were running today from 10-3, so Julie from Nea Zoi and I took the subway to the train station to get me a ticket to Thessaloniki for tomorrow. Because of the strike the past two days, the only train to Thess tomorrow is full. I had the choice to stand in the aisle for 6 hours, but was advised strongly against that (and it doesn't sound very appealing to me either). So, the train is out. Next, the bus (about a 7 hour ride). You don't buy your tickets in advance, so I need to get myself to the bus station tomorrow morning early enough to try to get on a bus (there will be the same problem with the buses, since they haven't been running the last two days, they will probably be full). So I think I am going to take a taxi to the bus station, wherever it is, early in the morning and try to get on a morning bus. If I can get to Thess, hopefully the girl I'll be staying with will be at the station to pick me up. If not, hopefully I can get up there on Friday. I am hoping to be able to go tomorrow so I can do an outreach with the Door to Life group up there tomorrow night. Whatever works, I guess.

I'm tired today, have heard some confusing things about the different organizations and people who I may be working with, and am a little overwhelmed with prospects and possibilities. Ordinarily I might be feeling more prepared to attempt to get myself and my luggage across a foreign country on my own via several different modes of transportation, following instructions like "when you get to the bus stop that looks like the one in Athens, don't get off there, get off at the next one," but right now I'm kind of wishing for a travel companion to get lost with and to kind of process everything with. Unfortunately no one here speaks spanish so when my brain automatically switches there upon hearing a foreign language, it doesn't help me. :)

Ok well, I am going to go scavenge for some food for my bus ride for tomorrow (being optimistic) and go back to my hotel. In the morning after some good sleep (again, optimism!!), I will be ready to buck up and charge ahead. :) Hopefully you don't hear from me for a few days, which will mean I made it!