The Best Birthday Ever

Yesterday (May 29th) was my birthday and I could not have asked for a better way to spend it than with a better group of people. It was an eventful day filled with awesome and memorable activities. In the morning, we returned to Olympia where we saw the Stade (the original Olympic Stadium), and experienced Plaut's big run. Once we left the stadium, we walked through the Museum of Ancient Olympic Sport located not too far from the Stade.  After the museum, we headed back to our hotel to gather our belongings, and we started our five hour journey to Athens. Along the way, we stopped for snacks where Charma and I shared the biggest doughnut I've ever seen, while others ate meat on a stick and other tasty treats. Once we finally arrived in Athens, we walked around to get a feel for what was around our hotel. we stumbled upon a playground! (big mistake Prof. Ryan).  I've never seen so many college students get that excited and enjoy a playground more than the little kids who were there before them. I was probably the most enthusiastic about the situation. I had a blast. My favorite part was jumping on the trampoline with everyone while Prof. Ryan laughed at us and tried to explain what was happening to the people watching us. After our childhood flashback, we walked over to the Marble Stadium that was used in the Athens 2004 games. Down the street from the stadium, was an archaeology site. That was a very cool experience. When we left the site, we started walking back to the hotel when a dog started following us. At first, we all thought it was just passing by; but then the dog crossed multiple streets with us. Even though the dog was unbelievably cute, Prof. Ryan said we could not keep him (probably a good call). Later on, we had dinner at a noodle bar next to our hotel. It was quite delicious. We headed back to the hotel after dinner and celebrated my birthday. In the mist of celebrating, Jordan walked through the door! The group was reunited again.

Overall, I can't complain. It was a great day. After all, how many people can say they celebrated their 19th birthday in Greece!