Back in Athens with a Bad Romance.

Today, during the class we had before leaving for Athens, we learned a new version of the story of Joseph that was very interesting and "romantic" (in a very loose sense of the word). It was kind of this bad romance from the beginning. It was very a very interesting story to learn but also very awkward.

[My Lady Gaga "Bad Romance"/Lion pose]

But throughout the trip, I've learned about gods and goddesses that have had their own forms of bad romances. I've learned about come of the past relationship troubles of the people in my class as I have gotten to know some of them better. I have learned about the constant change in the relationships between religious groups and sects throughout history. I've learned about different romances through the museums we visited, the movies we've watched for class, and simple Greek mythology.

[The character Zorba from the movie, ']

It is all very interesting and it all has one thing in common, the ache, the hurt, and some sort of bad nature. Each of the romances and relationships that I have learned about have either had an unhappy ending, disappointment, heartbreak, or some other type of negative feeling or situation.

It makes your heart drop, at least until you have peace with the story or you see the happy ending after the negative. And I couldn't help but think about these bad romances and connect them to my time here in Greece. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not sure I would really consider this trip to Greece a bad romance, per say, but I can easily connect it to this idea.

My time in Greece has been amazing but I have also gone through my rough spots here (with adventures gone bad, homesickness, etc.). Overall, I know this trip will end (very soon..) with a happy ending. Yes, I will be sad to leave this place I have come to love, but I will always look back on this trip with joy and good memories, even through the rough spots.

And I guess I never really expected to hear the words "bad romance" and think happy ending. But this trip and everything we are learning had taught me a little extra something about romance. So, this month and my last few days left here, I think I'll consider, my newly defined, bad romance.

-Jess