On my last morning in NYC, I received an alarming email from a friend in Greece warning me to reschedule my flight due to upcoming airport strikes on the day I was set to arrive. Frantic, I contacted the airline, but they had no information about the strikes and mentioned hefty fees for any changes. I chose to proceed as planned.

My journey started at 7 pm from NYC, heading to Kyiv, Ukraine, before connecting to Athens, Greece. Arriving in Kyiv by noon, I learned that my onward flight was delayed. The staff at the counter couldn’t provide a specific waiting time and suggested I check back later. This resulted in a 12-hour layover at the Kyiv airport, where I passed the time sleeping on benches, wandering, consuming bland cheese sandwiches, sipping hot tea with lemon, and using the expensive internet—six euros per hour, which made me appreciate the free WiFi we often enjoy in the US. Finally, at 12:30 am, I boarded the flight to Athens, arriving at 3 am, and my friend Kat waited to take me to her home in Piraeus. We slept a few hours before heading to their island residence on Aegina at 7:30 am.

Interestingly, upon arriving at Aegina, the scenery immediately reminded me of a dream I had last year—a vivid, lucid vision of standing atop a mountain overlooking a village by the sea. It felt peaceful and nostalgic, especially strange since I had this dream long before I planned any travel.

Later, Kat introduced me to Helen, a sculptor she had modeled for, who also invited me to model. It was an intriguing and novel experience for me, holding a pose while Helen traced my outline, took photos, sketched, and noted measurements. Although the sculpture won’t be ready until next year due to her travel plans, I’m eager to see the outcome.

After the session, we enjoyed lunch in town and explored Aegina’s beautiful, quaint streets—its blue waters, lovely homes, and charming alleys were captivating.

Next, I’m headed to Corinth for a month of school, hoping it won’t be too demanding. I’m looking forward to settling in one place for a while.