“I will continue my path, but I will keep a memory always.”

I will certainly keep many memories from Greece.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to explore Mt. Parnassus. This blog post is not about that specifically, although I will be posting something about that in the future. . .

My point is, Something about going there made me think of a lot of things. There was a small group of us, in the mountains, climbing and exploring the past.

And alls I could think of was how I really wanted to proceed with my future.

More specifically, how did I want to proceed with my future in study abroad. 

I've talked about my mishap with my plans to go to Italy in the fall of my sophomore year.

When that all happened, it felt as though I would never get the opportunity to see and study a completely new place.

To actually BE here has been just the unique experience I'd been searching for.

Greece does many things much differently than we're used to in America.

For one, everything has to be made from scratch. This is partly to do with availability of materials and partly to do with the fact that we can't read the directions on the products that look like "instant."

So, my recent culinary successes have been genuinely achieved.

Greece's education system is totally different. They also have a more proactive role in making itself a "green" place. There are customary differences, of course. All things that contribute to this experience.

I think that it goes without saying, however, that with this two month mark, half way through the program, there are definitely some homesick feelings.

Greece is lacking hot sauce. And if you know me, you know that this is a serious problem. Peanut butter is more expensive here than nutella is in the states. Its frustrating to not know exactly where to go when you're looking for something specific. The language barrier starts to weigh on you. Even students in Modern Greek classes aren't finding much success in bridging this gap. These things are things that one could expect when living some place else- Things take time to adjust.

We've just finished our midterms this past week, and we're headed to the Peloponnese and Delphi tomorrow for the week.

This is our last official program trip.

We are under our 60 day mark, and thats crazy.

Ideally, I would leave from Greece and head to Italy. I would spend a week with my boyfriend in Rome, enjoying the sights and spending some quality time with a familiar face.

From there, we would go our separate ways. Me to Ireland and him back to NY. 

And so, my second semester in Ireland- Another four months away, would begin.

Since I've returned to Mt. Parnassus, I have entertained the idea of simply not going.

And so, in thinking of this possibility, I have thought of all the things I am missing at home.

There is a certain sense of disconnectedness thats unavoidable with being so far away, and I've been desperate to bridge that gap.

Additionally, there are so many things I have been missing on Campus that I would normally be proactive with.

In Greece, we don't have clubs and things to help occupy our time. The rigorous schedule I've grown so accustomed to, and comfortable with, is just none existent. I truly miss those forms of expression in my life. 

And as I explored this list of pros and cons, I began  to realize what the most ideal decision was.

As much as I would love to see Ireland and spend time there getting to know it intimately, I crave the familiarity of my Rochestarian streets. I crave the hustle and bustle of my city life and the company of my wonderful band of misfits. 

So this is how my path has changed.

Ireland would be a wonderful experience. But now that I am actually here, in Greece, I feel confident in believing that I will travel more in the future- Just not in the 2013 future.

I want to be a citizen of the world, and someday I will be wise enough to call myself that.

But for now, I think I will look forward to coming home.

The Other Faces of January!

Morgan's 15 seconds of fame!

Waiting. (left to right) Me, Amber, Anna, Kayla, Remy (PC: Emily)

Late last week, I was up late on my computer, IMing with Max and wasting the night away on Tumblr when my mother IMed me and asked "Are you doing that movie thingy?" To which I responded with "Uh, What Movie thingy?"

I had no clue what she was talking about, and according to some other CYA-ers, I was not the only one.

As it turns out, an email was sent out to the Parents of CYA, I'm assuming by accident, informing us on a casting call for the upcoming production, "The Two Faces of January." This movie is staring the lovely Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman, Elizabethtown), Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) and Oscar Issac (Sucker Punch).

The director was looking for 8 light brown/blonde haired girls to play Extras as College Students.

Now, I'm certainly not blonde, but my hair is pretty light. So I figured, why not?

A group of 8 CYA ladies made our way to the casting call, that Thursday. We met with the casting director [?](Note, I'm entirely sure what his role was, but we're pretty sure he was important.) He gave us some information about the role. It was supposed to film Monday and Tuesday at the Acropolis, we'd know by Saturday, and of course, it Paid.

He took down our information, size, height, etc. And took our picture.

He had 15 girls profiles to send to the director.

Saturday morning, my phone rang and I was told I was chosen for the part! (Despite my hair color!) I ran into Ambers room, who had gone to the casting call as well, and shamelessly jumped up and down as we silently celebrated while I got more information on the roll. Once I hung up, Amber and I did some 10th grade style screaming, and her phone rang. She, too got the part.

Four of the CYA ladies were chosen for the role. And we were super excited. 

Our fitting was the following day. We went in and met with the Costume designer.  

I went first, and ended up in the first dress she'd selected. "That looks quite sweet on you." was her comment. (Note, they're British). The shoes, however, were not as sweet. They were about the equivalent to a 6 1/2-7 womens size. Which is arguably 3 sizes too small for my feet. But I was "suffering for my art" as the Brits say. I'd get over it.

She told me I would have to remove all my jewelry. Of course. Because good 60's college girls dont have nose piercings and ear piercings etc etc. 

She watched me fumble with all of them, trying to get it all out, and said I must be a nightmare for Airport scanners. I informed that I was not.

But I kept forgetting my rings and bracelets. I am so used to wearing them that I didn't think to remove them.

The other girls went in, One at a time. Some of them had to try on multiple dresses. While we waited, we met Kayla, a sophomore from Indianapolis who is studying here in Athens at her universities sister college. 

Once we were fitted, we were told to be back there at 1:30 the following day for the real deal. 

Over all, I ended up missing 3 classes for filming, which were excused on the count that the opportunity was flipping awesome. 

When we arrived Monday, the studio was transformed. Makeup and hairdresser stations were set up, people were running around getting things done. As we were arriving, a whole crew of other extras were leaving, all in costume, to go to the set. 

We were prompted to get ready.

Filming! (PC: Dany)

My hairdresser sat me down first and started putting curlers in my hair. 

But unfortunately for him, I still needed to get my dress on, which was going to be a pain in the butt with my head full of curlers. 

So naturally, my curlers got all messed up.

He didnt seem phased, and continued on anyways. My hair was supposed to look like that girls from "Hairspray." He teased the hell out of it and messed with the curls, which were not cooperating at all. When he was satisfied, he pinned my hair to keep the curls from fumbling while I got to set.

We all began walking through Athens all dressed up with out accessories and such. I had my flip flops because I was not walking all the way up to the Acropolis with those heels. 

When we were almost there, however, the woman leading up got a call. We all had to go back for approval. 

They ended up giving me a purse and sunglasses to go with my dress and white period gloves.

We stood around for awhile, and finally, headed back to the Acropolis. 

This was the first time I'd seen the Acropolis and it was amazing. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't bring camera's or phones on set. 

There was Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen, crawling all over the Acropolis in their period costumes and shoes, filming their scene. I wish I could have seen my face every time I watched them film a scene.

There were people swarming the set, taking pictures of Dunst and even of us. People would pose next to us when we weren't paying attention, thinking we were some up and coming actresses. One guy wished us luck on our careers and said he was excited for us to be famous, so he could say he'd met us on our first films. We didn't have the heart to correct him.

Then, hair and make up swarmed us. 

They had a fit trying to cover up my tattoos on my wrists. And the hair dresser panicked over my hair color being too modern. My hair is red, but I have a layer underneath thats black. Apparently, Casting didn't think of that when they selected my hair style. So two or three hairdressers fumbled with my hair, bringing it back into a poofy ponytail. I hated my hair.

So there we stood, in awh of the production, nervously awaiting our time.

And then we were told that the weather took a bad turn and they couldn't use us today.

So day one was Anticlimatic.

Tuesday, we had to arrive at 8:20am. Which was horrifying.

I made a note to put my dress on before I went to the hair dresser. This time, I got a semi-bumped ponytail with a green ribbon tied around it. My hair was swept across my ears, covering all but the clip ons I was given. Which hurt like a mother, might I add. No wonder people started putting holes there. Leave clipons on for too long, and they pierce your ears for you!

My hair got styled without an issue, although I'm still convinced that my hairdresser hated me.

I went into make up and my face got some attention, and my tattoos were covered without a fuss.

We made our way to the Acropolis thinking that we'd be the first scene shot. That was not the case. We ended up waiting at the Acropolis for 6 hours, waiting for our moment in front of the camera. 

In the mean time, Remy, another CYA student, and I kept sneaking up to the set to watch them film. We ogled Dunst and  Mortensen while they filmed. Everyone was fine with us being there, besides make up, who fussed over us constantly. We were wondering what made us so special. Other Extra's were sitting around, in the sun, doing whatever, and hair and makeup didn't even look twice at them.

Finally, when our time came, Hair and makeup swarmed up once again, perfecting every detail. 

Our scene consisted of walking up to the Acropolis, along side up and coming actress and love interest for Issac's character, Daisy. She got fitted the same time as me. She is super sweet and humble. She's 20 as well, and went to acting school in New York City. This is her first movie. 

The 9 of us were proper, rich American college students visiting Athens. We'd been in Greece for a week, and Issac, playing a tour guide, was our favorite tour guide so far. Basically, the Acropolis scene is where Daisy and Oscar meet, and that story line picks up. Issac also meets Dunst and Mortensen, and that story line picks up. 

We filmed for 2 hours. And in between every shot, the hair team was fussing over my hair, which, because it is layered, would not stay placed over my ears. One person would pin it too high, another would take the pin out and place it lower. Then someone else would come along and change it. It literally happened the whole 2 hours. At one point one woman said "I disagree with my colleague" and changed my hair again. It was sort of amusing.

They were very accommodating, offering us water, and wiping the sweat off our brow.

And we figured out why our look is so important.

We get close ups. The camera gets close to all of use in such a way that the audience can distinguish all our features, which is why we only get the one scene. We'd be recognized as extras in other scenes.

(Back) Me, Amber. (Front) Remy, Anna. (PC:Freddy)

So that's pretty cool. We've got like, 2 minutes of air time, we're not likely to be cut, and we might even be in the credits. 

We heard that our scene was the directors favorite scene, and he took forever picking up specifically to fit his vision. 

Our scene allowed us to meet Oscar Issac, who was super sweet and funny the entire time. We got pictures with him.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet Kirsten or Viggo, which makes my heart hurt.

But we still was very very close to them.

However, 2 CYA students just happened to run into Kirsten and got pictures with her. This makes me even more sad.

Over all, it was a fantastic experience.

I have pictures of us in our costumes, but we're not allowed to post our pictures until the movie comes out.

The pictures featured here were taken by Frederick Montgomery, Emily Arbut and Dany Paulson !

The Two Faces of January

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