IN MYTILINI
„One of my most favourite words in greek is aurio,“ remembers half year stay on greek island Jana Niklova (24). „The word is pronounced as avrio and you will hear it if you need registration at school, if you need card for the library, if you need ahe bank account or if you want to fix the hot watter in your hotel. Aurio in translation means tomorrow, in fact it means maybee or even never.“
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How to get there
The stage on Aegean University I have chosen during my master studies of media on the FSV UK (shortcut of my university). After serious thinking I have decided to enjoy the stay, not overwork myself and by the way to get sun tanned. I denied frosty Finland, cold Germany and expensive England and I have chosen Lesvos – third biggest greek island famous according to local people, by the most amount of sunny days during the year. One year before me there was one of my classmates and she told me so nice things that i could not resist. During choosing procedure I had to prove knowledge of english language and write a project – what I want to do there and why right there. I have chosen comparison of greek and czech newspapers – how they wrote about olympic games. To succed was not problem finally. Places were 2 and the only one who wanted to go was surprisingly only me. On the island I also did not have hurry. The obligatory to gain 10 credits ment to make 2 or 3 subjects. In Czech I have 6 or more lessons in one semester.
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(this belongs to pictures)
Ideal place for resting are next to the beaches the coffe shops. For coffee you pay 3 euro but after it you can sit and talk as long as you want, play games, anything. Local people are able to do it for more than 4 hours.
Foto: JANA NIKLOVÁ
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What for it
For turists is Lesbos a little bit more expensive then in our country. Food is more expensive and expensive is also the traveling – with student card you pay for one ride 70 cents. The biggest difference is in prices for accomodation. The room where I lived is during summer holidays rented for 40 euro per day. If you want to stay longer it is better to talk with local people and find something cheaper. Than you can live for 200 euro.
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The scholarship for Erasmus students is a little bit lower after we entered EU – instead of 430 I got 320 euro per month. But it does not mean that you have to work during studies or to spent your savings. Students on the Aegean University does not have to pay a lot of usual things. They do not pay for food and books. And for foreign students was for free even the accomodation. Yes it was 13 km far from the major city Mytilini, where the university was, which desired everyday traveling, but instead of not nice dormitory room I was expected by nice room in family hotel 200 meters far from the beach. Far destination from the city was compensated by air conditioning, tv, kitchen and bathroom. Also – who would complain, if he has from the balcony view to the clear blue sea surface and all the comfort for free. Count snd underline, on the beautiful island of student socialism you can even from the lower scholarship live comfortable and also travel a lot. Depends how much you spent for the alcohol and parties.
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Distances from the close
University of Aegean is placed on 5 islands. On the Samos are faculties of computers and math. In Mytilini on Lesbos are various subjects – from marine science to social sciences. University buildings, offices of professors, computer labs and lecture halls are spread all over the city. Mostly they are small buildings hiden in tiny little streets. That they belong to university you can recognize only according to a small gold label in greek language and sometimes according to an old torn flags of EU and Greece. On the hill outside of the town is bigger campus Xenia, where erasmus students study greek language.
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(this belongs to pictures)As Mykonos island is favourite place for gays, lesvos is atractive for lesbians. The role plays mythology. On one of the biggest beaches every year comes turists with lesbian orientation. (how nice words next to my picture, my friends were joking a lot :o))
Foto: Jana Niklova
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Lesbos has aproximately 100 thousand inhabitants. In harbour city Mytilini 1/4 is living. Mostly students. Rest of the inhabitants lives from tourism or they grow olives. Also ouzo is made up here – alcohol from young grape things :o), the best in Greece, they say. It taste like one kind of candies and man have to get used to it. But i did quite fast.
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Winter in Mytilini is a little unfriendly. From the sea it blows a lot and even if it is 10 degrees C, you need real winter clothes. Spring and summer deserves only superlatives.
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About habbits and people
How it was written on the web pages of Aegean Uni and they confirmed it by email, semester should start 9 of february. After arrival I realised it will start 3 weeks later. Happily at least one student picked me up from the airport and left me to rest in his house and called everywhere to help me to find where i will live and other important things. Polish students who arrived one day later did not have such fortune. The girl that should pick them did not managed to do it. She told them this one week later when accidently met them in student restaurant. This is how it goes in Greece. Some things work and some not.
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In the same spirit goes everything, even the lessons. For example you go for the lesson of taekwondo and instead of it you try to play tennis for hour and half. You coach did not came and students of tennis trainer dod not came too. Other day you go with a good will to student film club, but instead of some worth intelectual film you go with all the people from club and with alcohol to Sapfous square to night drinking party. Make plans is useless, better is to let yourself to be surprised.
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As it was not enough that sometimes professors does not arrive to the lesson, free rythm is provided by a lot of national celebrations and free days. Almot every week you can find a reason, in the calendar, to close the school at least for one day. If not for the celebration, at least for the strike. Last month the school was closed totaly. Students lived squated the university and did not let anybody to enter. In our country it could ot happen, but in Greece policeo or army can not enter the academical ground. We Erasmus were just hoping, that somebody will give us our degrees. Without we would have serious troubles.
