Things I have learned while being in Greece:

• Mystery meat all over the world will always be a mystery to me.

• Feta (cheese) makes everything taste betta!

• Pedestrians are just as — if not more — dangerous than the crazy drivers here in Thessaloníki.

• When someone tells you there is a meeting at 1 p.m. — they really mean 2 p.m. at the absolute earliest.

• When the doctor says take off your blouse he means take off EVERYTHING ... in front of everyone! Crazy I know.

• And last but certainly not least … flip flops are absolutely and positively forbidden in the country of Greece … there must be at least a two inch heel or more on every shoe you wear! Shoot me!

Oh, and olives don’t taste like the olives we know … the ones here in Greece will get me drunk! I swear!

Thessaloníki — the place I reside for now. Surrounded by breathtaking views and blue waters, I must admit that I am in a beautiful world.

The jet lag finally started to ware off on about my seventh day here. With a seven hour difference I found myself waking up at three in the morning, tossing and turning or doing push-ups and sit-ups trying to get my self to fall into a at least a state of semi-sleep. Thank goodness I finally achieved four full nights … and hope for many more to come.

My lodging, which consists of a dorm room with two lockers as my closet, a bed and a bathroom on the second floor of the girls dorm, is just perfect for me and my 20 pairs of shoes. All in all this is going to be a good life for the next nine months.

The American Farm School is located just outside the busy downtown city of Thessaloníki. I took my first adventure to the city where I was taken to the doctors office in the middle of chaos. The hospital I was taken to is a very old one, but it is well respected. I went in and tried to speak my English and understand the Greek language as well as possible. “Ummm … Follow to room ... take green line ... go insideaa ... and then take off youra blousa.” What? I went into the room and waited … and was again told, “Taka off the blousa”

In my mind I was wondering, well are they going to give me something to put over myself? Oh, no! I had to get skin naked in front of complete strangers. Standing in the middle of the room in my birthday suit it was x-ray time ( I had some chest congestion). What an adventure.

As you can see, the language barrier and the culture barrier has already taken its toll. I am starting to understand what it feels like to be a foreigner just trying to fit in. I find that it is much harder being alone in such a big city. Over the past summer, I had gotten used to the quiet country life and this is a huge culture shock.

But, hey, I am going to take it one day at a time, and be open to anything and everything to experience all this adventure has to offer. My new motto is — No Holding Back!!!

A native of Middlesboro, Emily Schneider is teaching and coaching in Greece. Contact her via e-mail at editor@middlesborodailynews.com.