Where in the World is....Audra

My entrance into Greece has been a memorable one to say the least.  As I left Madrid with 2 hours of sleep, due to my characteristic packing procrastination, I headed to the metro at 5:45 am to catch the first metro of the day.  This lead to my second metro and finally my third metro before finally arriving at the airport.  Once there, I waited in line where a mysterious man rushed up to me, looking me in the face and smiling.  He then persisted in insisting that I try a Japanese candy that he proclaimed to be the “best ever”.  I finally submitted by trying the candy before rushing off to my plane.  Exhausted, I briefly slept on the short flight that only cost me 24 euro…I LOVE European low-cost carriers!  Arriving in Athens, I needed to then catch a bus in order to catch another bus to ultimately catch the ferry to Corfu.  In this process I had a few more delightful experiences.  The drivers for the bus out of the airport were fabulous…speaking English (as I didn’t even know “Hello” in Greek!) and telling me that they would wait for me to go to the other kiosk to purchase my ticket.  Once on the bus, I had to stand for approx 45 minutes with my ridiculously over-stuffed backpacks, while attempting to balance myself against the speedy turns the bus-driver would take.  Once at the bus station, it hit me that I no longer had $ in my main checking account and was still waiting for the $ from my other account to transfer, leaving only my credit card to rescue me.  As I entered the bus terminal the reality that they may not accept credit cards hit me.  Small and run down, the smoke-filled terminal was likely to have no ATM’s (even if I did have money available) and no credit machines.  Approaching the ticket counter to Corfu, I attempted to buy a ticket and was quickly told that they didn’t take credit.  OF COURSE!!!!  So, quickly thinking on my feet I remembered that I had $100 U.S. dollars hidden in my backpack.  Asking for an exchange office, the man behind the counter and I realized that we did not speak enough of the same language to understand this question or receive the answer.  Having been talking on the phone, he passed the phone through the window.  Not sure what I was doing, I said hello and asked where the exchange office was.  He told me to stay put and he would come to help me.  A few minutes later, a kind man named Gorge (I’m sure the wrong Greek spelling, yet sounds like Jorge in Spanish yet with the “g” pronounced as if in the word “goat”).  He swiftly led me to a bus ticket counter and bought me two tickets…one to get to the exchange office and one to get back to the terminal.  When I offered him money and told him he didn’t have to do that…thanking him over and over, he stated it was “no problem” and not to be “so surprised”.  The kindness of strangers repeating itself in my life yet again.  I made my way to exchange my money (let me just remind you of how little the U.S. dollar is worth!) and was able to hop right back on the next bus.  There was a young man who continuously caught my eye…it was as if he wanted to talk…or to tell me something.  He followed me into the bus terminal…I had a brief thought of “what is this punk up to”, yet quickly reminded myself that I have come across nothing but kind people and this would continue to be my experience.  As I walked again to the ticket counter he approached me, as ked me in broken English if that was the place to buy tickets to Bari.  Stating “no”, he soon left to find where he was going, all the while looking back over his shoulder…hmmmmm.  I still wonder what that experience was about, since I have continued to carry it with me since it happened.  Buying my tickets I was finally able to take off my packs (I don’t think I could feel my shoulders at this point).  I had to wait for the overnight bus, so I remained exhausted in the smoky lounge for the next 5 hours.  As the bus was to be loaded soon, I walked to where I was supposed to be…people everywhere, there were many employees with large push carts transporting packages from one office or bus to another.  Soaking it all in…I noticed a black plastic bag that resembled a body bag.  Chuckling to myself I thought…”there’s probably a body in there”.  As the cart rolled past, I noticed the foot of a skinned goat protruding, uncovered, through the plastic.  I was in Greece….
The long bus/ferry ride to Corfu was long and filled with greek music and videos.  I found the music lovely and the videos interesting as the greek women…though beautiful and sensual, were covered up very well and in no “compromising positions” as found in American videos.  Arriving, very tired, to Corfu at about 6am the following morning, I was greeted by Julia, another farm volunteer.  We arrived to the farm (roosters crowing, dogs barking and cats meowing) and I quickly crashed on my bunk bed for the next 5 hours before being woke to get a tour of the farm.  
As we approached the barn we were told that one of the horses was colic-y (spelling?).  In between feeding we attempted to care for the horse.  As the afternoon progressed into evening, the sweet pony, Sandra, continued to worsen.  Ms. Steen (owner of the farm) then flew an incredible vet from Athens to Corfu that evening.  This began our full night of veterinary medicine.  Filling her with IV fluids, placing tubes through her nose into her stomach, holding her down when she rolled and went rigid, walking her when she would allow us and fighting her to stay standing when at all possible, we all fought hard to keep  this pony alive.  By about 2am we finally decided to let her rest on her pain medication and sedatives and all of us, except for Rachel who slept in the stall with her, went to bed physically and emotionally exhausted.  Rising again, seemingly only hours later, we returned to the barn to begin the process again.  Worse than before, we repeated the process of IV’s, medication, draining her stomach and attempting to give her as much affection and love as we could possibly give.  Yet unfortunately this was to no avail…Sandra passed away later that evening.  It was a very somber night as we all went to say goodbye to her.  
Due to the situation I walked into with Sandra, it wasn’t until the following days that I learned what day to day life here would be like.  As a barn volunteer, I head down to the stables at about 830am and help feed, muck out, feed again, drink Tea with Rachel (barn manager) and then feed again.  In between helping with odds and ends, lunging and riding when possible.  This place is amazing!  Having been rainy, everything is lush and green.  My bedroom window overlooks a bay and from a lookout point on the property you can view the ocean.  There is a small chapel on the property, in which Ms. Steen and her children have been married as well as her grandchildren baptized.  I think it will be somewhat of a sanctuary for me.  There is only one other volunteer here now, yet the others are scheduled to return mid January.  Ms Steen is a lovely woman who loves to tell stories of her animals and the history within this home.  She has chinchillas, cats, birds, owls, horses, hamsters, tortoises and I am sure many other animals that I have yet to discover (though there is an unwelcomed rat that visits our bathroom and has been leaving teeth marks in my bar of soap…YIKES!).  Not only is this a farm (www.thesilvaproject.org), it is also a kiwi farm.  I was warned about the kiwi’s, being told to eat them in moderation, as they have “medicinal properties”.  I soon found out what these were…let me just say that if you EVER have ANY problems going to the bathroom (Dave…this obviously does NOT concern you), then eat a few kiwis…I prefer the whole dehydrated ones…within 24 hours you will be clear as a whistle!
We have been into town a few times, one of which we found my favorite pastisserie…home of the BEST baklava EVER (at least until I try Ms. Steen’s…who says she’ll teach me).  I told the owner, Spiros, that I will continue to return often…to which he laughed and smiled…I only have a MONTH to get my fill…you bet I’ll be returning!
Well, I’m off to explore and figure out if I want to walk to town or to the beach…I have no idea how to get to either…so an adventure it will be!