The American College of Greece recognized World AIDS Day on December 1, 2005 by distributing red ribbons and AIDS information pamphlets to students.

The red ribbon is the international symbol of HIV and AIDS awareness. The global campaign to promote AIDS awareness is sponsored by the United Nations’ AIDS agency.

The ribbon is worn to represent support for those living with HIV and for those who have lost friends, family members or loved ones to AIDS.

The annual report of the UNAIDS agency said that this year there will be five million new infections and more than 3.1 million deaths.

“Wearing a red ribbon is the first step in making a commitment to the fight against AIDS,” read the campaign’s mission statement at UNAIDS.org.

The shop owner stops at the exit of his store and studies the crowds. “I love it. I never get bored, even on the slow days,” said Nikos. “The people are so colorful. They’re fun to watch.”

It is a weekday at Monastiraki square. The Acropolis looms overhead as Athenians and tourists mingle and assemble into groups to watch street musicians perform their daily show.

From the square, several winding streets branch out in every direction. Running along the streets, vendors spread out their blankets or stands and present their wares.

Nikos gazes at the landmarks that rest in the corners of the square: an eighteenth century mosque – a relic of Turkish rule – and the monastery of Panayia… Continue reading →

Two floors of high-tech gadgetry that display the latest, innovative technology from Greece to Korea sounds like a techie’s paradise. Sixty fully-loaded computers with the newest games and a high-bandwidth connection are a gamer’s fantasy. This digital technology exposition will become a reality on November 18 at the Expo Athens convention center in Anthousa.

The dte-COMDEX Greece 2005 convention marks the second time Greek companies will display new technological trends to the public and interested investors. Twenty-two thousand people visited the exposition last year, 60 percent of whom were part of the IT industry and 12 percent of whom were technology tourists.

“It’s much more important for the consumer to see my [Dell] product than a competitor,” said Vasillis Theodoropoulos,… Continue reading →

In 2002, tourists came to Greece anticipating sandy beaches and summer fun. What they did not expect was a 5,000 euro fine for playing a Gameboy.

Greek Law 3037, which prohibits the use of electronic and electrical games, wreaked havoc in the Greek gaming scene and cost tourists thousands of euros in fines.

The law was created in response to an illegal gambling scandal that involved electronic games doubling as gambling machines. Law 3037 targeted all games of any kind, labeling game enthusiasts as “criminals.” A judge in Thessaloniki declared the law unconstitutional in September 2002, but three years later the law continues to cause problems.

“This is the third time I’m going to court for this,” said Giorgos Michalopoulos,… Continue reading →

Leftheris, the busboy, clears off one of the wooden tables at Goody’s. Among the artistic mélange of empty bowls, cigarette butts and wrappers is a plastic cup adorned with the familiar mermaid emblem.

The Deree campus Starbucks opened on Thursday, Nov. 3, marking another addition to coffee options available to students and staff.

To celebrate the grand opening, Starbucks employees served free coffee from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Starbucks coffee is offered in over 10,000 locations worldwide. There are currently 38 stores in Greece, plus one at the American College.

“As far as we know,” said manager Voula Kyriakopoulou, “we’re the first college in Europe with Starbucks.”

Kyriakopoulou, who relocated from the Starbucks at Ag. Ioannou, said that Deree… Continue reading →

Construction work obstructs the view of the new fine arts center. Although the building is complete and classes have already begun, construction workers are still building something on the second floor.

Around the busy site amidst the dust-filled air, chairs and lamps clutter the floor and a glass counter faces the front windows. The familiar green letter waiting to be added to the building’s façade can only mean one thing: another Starbucks.

"We should be finished in November," said a sweating Nikos Tsouroulas, the construction foreman. Progress has been quick, with the kitchen and serving counter already complete, and signs with the traditional "coffee of the day" set up.

"The main store is already finished," said Tsouroulas, "But the outside… Continue reading →

As you take your last step up the stairs and enter the room, a comfy looking sofa beckons, but the last thing you think of is sitting down. Music pounds from all directions. Above the music, laughter lingers and glasses clink. Behind the sofa a big glass window overlooks the streets of Glyfada. Two doors face each other on either side of the room. To the right, the door opens and Greek music streams in. To the left, the door opens and house music bounds in. You make your choice, or you go back and forth. Welcome to Mercedes Café.

On October 9 Mercedes Café is making its comeback; lead by legendary Tsilichristo and the team of Destijl Club. On… Continue reading →

Every year about 270 million turkeys, 572 million pounds of cranberries and 831 million pounds of pumpkins pass through supermarket checkout counters across America during the last week of November. They are destined for the Thanksgiving table, on a day when Americans express gratitude for their abundance of goods and blessings. The feast of Thanksgiving traces its roots to the 17 th century Pilgrims, who were grateful to have enough to survive.

In the harsh winter of 1620, many of the Pilgrims died of starvation and disease. They had no flour for baked goods and no cows for milk or butter. But they did manage to grow pumpkins and corn with guidance from the Native Americans of Plymouth. During the… Continue reading →

The buttery smell of freshly popped popcorn is still in the breeze. The jasmine wafts over from the near by gardens caresses my nostrils. The grin on my grandfather’s face while he smokes a cigarette and watches a movie still comes to my eyes sometimes. I can still hear the scratching sound of the old speakers. And the starlit sky comes back to me in my dreams.

As an adult, I go to the Ilioupolis open-air cinema to refresh my memories.

And I’m lucky I still can. In the 1960s Athens had over 1000 open-air cinemas. Now the number has fallen to 100. Huge television screens, VCRs and air-conditioned cinema giants have stolen the show from this fading part of… Continue reading →