My great-uncle died yesterday (the day before, depending on the time zone) at his home in Pennsylvania. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to see him a few times before we came over. It was odd to come home from an evening out and call my dad at 3:30 in the morning Athens' time to hear he was gone. The surreality of the moment hasn't quite passed. My uncle will be missed.

It's been a difficult week at school. There was some conflict between some of the administration and Miah and me that hopefully is done. Without rehashing the entire affair, there was a question of professionalism that boiled down to cultural differences and which led to some heated exchanges. Saturday evening we had a parent and faculty 'cruise under the stars' around Piraeus on the boat of one of the board members, and it was a relief to sit and drink wine with the Mediterranean wind blowing away all the frustration of the week. Of course, at that moment my family in the States was gathering around the bed of my uncle, a divergence of experiences which speaks to me of the infinity of human individuality.

We spent a great part of the evening with Matt Barrett and his wife, Andrea, an American expat who has settled in Athens and has the most comprehensive website with information about Greece. Google it.