My moment in Greece

It's is extremely different for me to choose "my" moment in Greece specifically but as i have been sitting around extremely sick for the past day I have come to the conclusion that my moment in Greece was in Rhodes.

When we arrived in Rhodes I knew that I would fall in love with the city immediately. When we arrived at our hotel and I saw the Aegean Ocean just 5 short steps in front of me I was mesmerized. As our five days went on I became very close friends with our waiters at the hotel, Ernest and Ilias. They joked with me and made me happy every morning that I went to breakfast! Also as i previously mentioned in one of my other blogs, I became i guess you could say family with Paulo and Pina two of the cutest Italian people i will ever know. I ate pizza at their shop everyday and enjoyed breaking yet another language barrier with them! The last person I met I knew actually got his name but we call him Kodak Man. We met him while printing a picture at his store and in the end he taught me to see the good in all people.

My moment in Greece was my last day in Rhodes. We went around Rhodes giving the waiters, Paulo and Pina and Kodak man our gifs. I have never felt so sad leaving a place where i had begun to feel at home. But in the end when i look my last walk on the beach, through my tears, I was greeted with a feeling of warmth. I knew that someday I would be back to see these people, and that these were friends that I would never ever forget. They have left permanent foot prints on my soul.

S'agapo,
Alex

My Moment In Greece

My moment in Greece began when I arrived in Rhodes. The moment I saw the water, the deep rich mesmerizing blue, I knew that I would never want to leave this place. Our hotel was right off the beach and I could have spent every second there gazing out at the water. When looking at the water I felt as if my soul was opening up to God, I felt connected to God through the beauty that he had created. How could there be anything less but a powerful and almighty God that had created this beautiful, formidable, and vast water before me? This unfathomable vibrant blue water made me feel not only connected to God and in a state of peaceful content but I was also in a state of wonderment at this absolute beauty before me.

The experiences in Rhodes only got better time went on, which would make it all the more difficult to leave. We would take a treacherous ferry ride to the island of Symi, but all the fear and sickness would be worth the beauty that I would behold. The water would have the same effect on me as it did in Rhodes, only this time I had other wondrous sites to behold has well. When I had climbed to the top of the city it was a breathtaking site full of Greek houses and the hills framing one side while the vast sea framed the other. It was a site to behold. I could only marvel at the beauty that lay before me.

I was again struck by the beauty of the water at Rhodes. It was late at night, the sky was dark, but somehow the still seemed illuminated. There was a lightening storm occurring right before my eyes. I could see the bolts as they hit the water and illuminated the sky. It was such a powerful experience because it was if the water was impenetrable by these powerful bolts. The bolts were persistent but the water could hold its own and was unfazed. It was such a contrast to see the lightening bolts and the water together, these two powerful natures created by God butting heads.

These were my moments in Greece because I felt a connection with the place around me and the God who had created it. These are the most beautiful experiences in life, and makes life worth living for.

My moment in Greece

My most memorable moment in Greece would have to be when we went to the island of Symi and decided to climb to the hilltop to get a panoramic view of the harbor. For some reason Markelle and I decided to wear sundresses and running shoes; true European fashion. Actually it’s not, but I gotcha didn’t I? We wore sundresses because we planned to go swimming and wanted something that could have been taken off really easily; that sounded provocative but it’s not. We wore running shoes for comfort. If you can imagine our outfit it was sundresses, with leggings, a bright cerulean rain shell and running shoes. It was after lunch that we had time to kill so we decided to find our way to the top. We didn’t know the way to the top so we just winged it. After wandering around we made it to the top. We decided to climb up the last portion of the cliff which was a rock face. The only somewhat problematic thing during the climb was the fact that I was wearing a dress that flowed with the wind and let me tell you, it was very windy at the top so I’m basically trying to say that whoever was behind me climbing up had a clear shot of my heiny/buttocks/donk/trunk/etc. The view from the top was amazing! I saw the entire harbor and the entire town down the hill. I also had a clear view of the town that was settled into the hillside. I wandered off on my own, no surprise, and had a little moment of silence and took in the view. It was a feeling that words can’t explain. I sat on the mountain side with my feet dangling over the edge for quite a while until it was time to go back down to head to the ferry. It was one of the funnest days of my life and I’ll always keep the memories made on this day close to my heart.

Stay classy Athens and thanks for stopping by,

Khadijah

My moment in Greece...

I was told, before the trip, that this month would go by so fast. While it is unbelievable that it is already January 30th, I don't feel as though time went by fast. As I've already mentioned in previous blogs, my sense of time has been a bit skewed since my arrival in Greece due to my lack of cellphone. I would go as far as to say I had absolutely no sense of time while in Greece and this was the greatest blessing. I am sad to leave and, again, in disbelief that our departure home is so soon but I do not feel cheated. I do not feel as though it went by too fast. Everything about this trip was perfect, even the "time" spent here.
So how do I capture a moment of Greece when it's all been so seamless to me? How does one pinpoint an experience without the aid of time?

Remember this? We're going to go full circle here. Brace yourself!
In the exhaustion of travel and the sickness that threatened to (and eventually) took over my body, it hadn't really hit me that we'd landed in Greece. If you recall it took the Acropolis of Athens (pictured above) for reality to hit me. Greece. I remember the feeling of the smile that appeared on my face, automatic and sincere. Despite my lack of sleep and my body's unwillingness to do anything but sleep, I was ecstatic to be standing in Greece, so close to the Parthenon.
Ironically, it wasn't until this last Saturday that we saw the Acropolis of Athens up close. After everything else we'd been through, it wasn't until then that I confronted, head on, the origin of my acceptance of Greece as a reality. This is what I saw, through sleepless eyes, that made everything feel so real. Twenty-one days later, there I was.

It's hard to define this trip in one moment. Although the Acropolis of Athens might be the closest I'll get, there's so much to tell! I saw ruins (and never got tired of seeing them!), I spoke to the locals, I ate the food, and loved every minute. If that wasn't enough, I made new friends along the way. All of these treasured moments in Greece wouldn't have been the same without them. No matter who I was hanging out with in this amazing group of people, I was having fun. Everyone brought something unique to the experience. When we arrive back in Washington I will still think of them as my Greece friends. There's a bond there that will remain as long as we keep it in our hearts.

I cannot call this trip a moment. I cannot say that the title of this blog is accurate in any sense. This was a life experience, this was a soul searching quest, this was a month of laughter and awe. To call any part of it a mere "moment" would be a lie and a dishonor to the experience.
This was a month's worth of journeys, adventures, meals, stairs, recovery, inspiration, and falling in love with everything Greek. And I will never forget it.
<3Christine

My Moment in Greece: Going from Lost to Found

Getting lost allowed me to be found.

Although there are hundreds of memories from my time here in Greece that I will never forget, there is one memory that stands out as my favorite.

As mentioned in a previous blog, on the second day of our trip we got lost in one of the sketchier parts of Athens after the majority of our group, including our tour guide/professor left us when we stayed too long in a store.

In that moment, I was completely lost. I was stranded in a foreign city, unable to speak their language, with four girls who I didn't know at all.

I had a decision to make. Would I allow hysteria to take over our group, or would I set the example by calmly leading these people I didn't know? I'm happy to say I chose the latter.

In that moment I stepped into a leadership role and assumed responsibility for the safety and direction of my peers. Although I had no idea where we were, or how to get back to our group (whose location was unknown since we didn't know the net stop on our Athenian tour) I had confidence in my ability to lead these four young ladies to safety in a calm and collected manner, despite our surroundings.

It sounds like a hyper-masculine cliche, but I was never scared. Even when I observed the frightened state some of my peers were in, I was unwaivered.

The reason I mention the above paragraph is not to stroke my ego, but to show how I've grown.

I have never been a man who flaunted excessive braun or bravado. I don't hunt, I do not possess the ability to grow a respectable beard, and I hate scary movies, because they scare me. Why people enjoy them still baffles me.

So for me, the moment when we finally found our classmates and professor was a powerful personal triumph. To be able to lead in the face of extreme adversity and emerge victorious gave me confidence in my abilities, and myself.

This moment gave me confidence from the onset of our trip that I would be able to overcome whatever adversity that might come my way. It has freed me from the fear of the unknown that we encounter daily being here in a foreign land.

Yet this new confidence comes not from myself or my abilities, since I am flawed. My confidence comes from my faith in God, and my relationship with my Savior.

When I realized the group I was in was lost, I started praying. Throughout the time we were away from our big group, I prayed. The verse that came to me during that time was the passage from Psalm 23,

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. Your rod and Your staff they comfort me."

As I repeated this passage over and over I felt a wave of peace and confidence wash over me.

Thus I was never afraid not because I have no fear, but because I knew I wasn't walking alone.

My favorite moment in Greece was the day that I walked with God. The day He took me from being lost, to being truly found.

~Z

My Moment In Greece

Before I came to Greece I was a decently happy person with a pretty good direction in life. One thing I didn't like about myself was my inability to see past the mistakes people have made to see their inner good. It was difficult for me to trust people even from the start because I assumed people were innately selfish (to a degree) and though people often try to hide this through polite conversation, I figured as soon as things got tough, I would see a true side of people. Philosophically speaking, this is pessimism, the belief that people are not innately good, nor are they a tabula rasa (blank slate) in which the world shapes them in every way. 


This is not the most fulfilling way to look at the world or to look at life. I wanted to be able to immediately see the good in people, to share pleasant stories and know that my audience is not simply nodding their head to appease me, but thoroughly enjoying our time together. This is what Greece brought me the most. Even more touching than all the beautiful places I saw, the curriculum we covered in class, and the fun experiences, none will affect me more than the people I met in Rhodes. 


Rhodes is a pretty big island in the Mediterranean off the coast of southern Greece. We spent a week here as a class and within a few hours, I had already met the most incredible people. One couple, Pina and Paulo, run an Italian restaurant in the "portico of hunger"-basically a street with a bunch of quick food places. The couple spoke only a few words of English, even less Greek as they were full Italian. After days of having lunch there, we were able to communicate without words, we hugged, and they began to treat us with free desserts (made just for us). 


When a few of us decided that we wanted to give them a gift, we went to a Kodak store to print a photo that we had taken with the couple. The man that ran the photo booth, whose name we never got (we call him Kodak Man), was one of the most incredible people I have ever met (my eyes are tearing up already). He gave us the photo for free, which was the least of the kindnesses he offered us. More than this, he gave us advice on life, on love, on family, on academics and on friendship. We ended up standing there with this man for almost an hour listening to him speak about his three children (all with PhDs who study in the States), his wife, his love for life and his passions. He was one of those people who touch you so profoundly, so deeply and so immediately that you will always remember him and reflect on his advice for the rest of your life. 


What Pina, Paulo and Kodak Man gave me was the greatest gift of this trip. They restored in me the belief that people are innately good, that even when a person does a bad thing, they are victim of poor circumstances, of temptation, of evil but are not, themselves, evil. Listening to any old person try to tell me this would not have made the same impact. It was the way in which he spoke (with perfect English), the passion he put into his words and his effort to entertain us that really made his point resonate in me. Pina and Paulo may not have been able to speak to us in words, but our relationship grew so much in a matter of days. They gave us their address and asked us to write to them and let them know how we are doing (at least I think that was what they asked!). They have a daughter who speaks English (she was out of town), so she will be able to help translate our messages. 

Paulo and Pina

My moment in Greece was when we were giving the gifts (chocolates and signed cards) to Pina/Paulo and Kodak Man-this is when I realized the impact these three people had on my life and I knew this was one of the reasons I made this trip. 

My Moment in Greece - Refusing to Accept it as Such

This photograph is of a clock tower near our ferry landing in Symi; I’ve noticed that clock towers are one of the numerous motifs that pop in most everyones photos, alongside pictures of doors, empty paths, chandeliers, and others. Its interesting that our obsession with time (I’d be the first to concede that I have a problem) yields the construction of these towers that everyone can see, as if knowing the time is equal in importance to being reminded of God or something like that (I’m thinking of the comparably tall minarets we observed in Rhodes).

Likewise, the photograph alone is a reminder for our concern with capturing time, freezing it in such a way so we can go back and relive it. There’s an irony of taking a picture of a clock, or any other contraption that regulates time; the action is a way of stopping reality, however the subject matter in the photo reminds you that seconds, minutes, and hours continue to tick away. 

But that’s enough of that. One of my biggest realizations on this trip, although it is something that I am still working on, is that I don’t need to continue being afraid of the moment when a good time (such as this moment) ends. I am not suggesting that pictures, blog entries, or any other means of reliving our experience is unimportant, however I’ve come to understand that what matters more is if I am enjoying myself in the present. And photographs and journaling contribute to this understanding, as going back and reflecting on our journeys will inspire happiness at that moment as well. In this sense, I need not worry about time, but rather about making the time I have unforgettable.       

My moment in Greece sure felt like one (and it will never be forgotten), yet it was coupled with a (practically) never-ending feeling of happiness and amazement. Consequently, although I will most likely shed a tear before we leave, who could ask for more?

My Moment in Greece: On Top of the World

This trip has been amazing. I can’t believe I have to say goodbye to this beautiful country tomorrow (although I’m pretty excited to be hitting up Italy!) Our time here went by so fast, and we experienced so much. It’s hard to pick a favorite day or moment, but if I had to pick that one moment that really stuck out for me, it would be at the top of Mt Lycabettus. That was one of our first nights here, and maybe the first time in my life that I really felt at peace. It was like nothing in the world could get to me, just looking out at the gorgeous city below. I could have stayed there forever. Words really can’t describe the feelings I had. I have never been able to think more clearly.
That’s one thing that’s really been important for me on this trip: being able to just sit and think. My life back at PLU is so busy that I rarely have time to take even a few minutes and just be. Think about what I want to do with my life, the person I want to be. I cannot say enough how much this experience has meant to me, and to everyone who helped make it happen THANK YOU! It doesn’t seem real that this is my last day here, but I know I’ll be back someday!
PS: My pictures are not wanting to upload :(

My Moment in Greece

My moment in Greece took place in Symi.  The island of Symi was beautiful with its picturesque houses, turquoise water, and welcoming people.  We awoke early in the morning, traveled the treacherous sea by ferry boat, walked miles along the ocean, swam, ate a traditional Greek island lunch of seafood, and returned to the mainland after a full day.  

Everything about the trip was positive except for my mood.  It was an exquisite place and there were many adventures had.  I learned from my time abroad in Ecuador that you don’t want to regret anything and so I went along with everyone and the exploring that we went on that day.

The previous day something surpassed that had put me in a bad mood but I didn’t want to miss the once in a lifetime trip to Symi and so I decided to go along just as I had planned.  The ferry was quite fun despite to rocking back and forth like a roller coaster for most of the ride.  When we arrived on the island we split up and mostly wandered around for a bit looking at all of the brightly colored houses and admiring the sights and winding roads.  There were many animals that we encountered and of course we pet and played with them before heading to search for the beach that the large sign in the middle of the town was pointing to.  It took us a bit but we finally found a way down to the water and some of our group stripped down to their swimsuits and began swimming in the water.  Apparently the water wasn’t cold however the wind was a biting temperature and whipping wildly throughout the day. 

We sat by the water for a bit, my hair windswept as the air came off the water, and we mostly sat in silence for an hour or two, some of us taking pictures and others just lounging, enjoying the experience.  We decided to take a suggestion from a man that we had passed on the way and head further down the beach to a small town.  That ended up being a nice walk, although long, but then there didn’t end up being food there so we had to trudge back to the main town where we had gotten off the ferry.  After an impeccable lunch in which I got to eat giant garlic prawns a few people wanted to go to the top of the hill.  Now this hill was more like a mountain and we probably walked up at least 500 stairs to get there.  The group I was with had really wanted to go up there so I went for it as well.  Throughout the entire climb I was regretting my decision to go to the top, my calves burning with the walk, but after finally reaching the summit I was glad that I had made it to the top.

Andrew’s gorgeous picture from the top made it onto the PLU homepage advertising for our blog-posts.  The view was of course breathtaking and we could see all the way across the island to where we had walked just a few hours earlier in search of food.  Despite my emotional state being somewhat fragile that day it is still one that I will never forget.  There are so many things from this trip that are memorable that I think my brain will have a hard time choosing which ones to forget.  This experience has been truly amazing and I feel so blessed that I got to travel to Greece with such a great people.  We left PLU as 18 students and two faculty and staff members embarking on a journey together and we will return as 20 friends that spent a month together in Greece with an experience that has forever changed our lives. 

This was my moment in Greece.

My Moment in Greece

It really does seem like it has only been the briefest passage of time since I arrived in Greece a month ago. My mind is telling me there is no way that we could have only been here for a couple weeks because of everything I have seen and done. All the experiences, all of the sights, all of the trips, all of the walks seem to have only happened just yesterday or last week.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog entry because I know that it will be my final one. I know I’ll be coming back and not just because of my 12 hour layover when I come back through from Italy. I honestly believe I will come back to this country. When we had our farewell dinner last night I was asked the question of what do I love the most about Greece. My answer was twofold: I love the fact that I can walk down the street or look out my window and see places that I have only ever read about in a book and that I love the architecture. There is not a building over maybe 10 stories in Athens but walking the streets you feel like they are extremely tall. The narrow streets make them seem a lot taller than they actually are and I love walking down them every day. I will definitely miss the food especially Greek fast food. I had a lot of pork, chicken, and lamb. I tried some very different takes on foods that I don’t think I would have eaten normally like eggplant, zucchini, and spinach.

I am so thankful for all the friends I have made on this trip.

And the experiences I have shared with them like journeying to several islands, hiking up steep mountains, swimming in the Aegean, conversations over coffee, and spending hours on every meal because we aren’t rushed to leave. I didn’t think a meal could take 4 hours but I was wrong and I loved it. I really like that there never seems to be a sense of urgency to be doing something every moment of everyday. Yes there was a lot to do and see but you can sit for hours having coffee and people watching or you can go shopping and sightseeing and then come back and take a nap because it is siesta time. And tomorrow I leave for Italy with 4 incredible friends.

I remember thinking back in September/October that this day was so far off I couldn’t even fathom being in Greece or what it would be like but now that I’m here I don’t want to leave.

The dream is collapsing and all I want to do is go deeper.

My Moment in Greece!

The month of January is quickly coming to a close. Tomorrow I will be leaving Athens, not forever, but for a while. I look back on the month with a smile on my face. Almost every day includes a memorable event. When I am an old grandma, knitting my grandchildren mittens, I will tell them the story of my fondest Greek memory. It all started when my professor told us he had a surprise in store. We were on the island of Rhodes. As a class, we walked to the Acropolis not knowing what we were in for. Walking towards the tall columns, Finitsis tells us that we will be holding our own Olympic games in the stadium. People lined up to stretch and remove their bulky jackets to partake in a sprint. The others flashed photographs as they raced by. After the triumph of the athletic games, we turned to singing. Professor Finitsis then takes the lead and starts to teach us the traditional Greek dance that I like to title “Opa!” At this very moment, I felt united with all the others on the journey. We linked arms and circled, tripping over feet and the uneven cobblestone. Turning in circles and wave like patterns, I reminisced on how close the group has become in such a short time. The eighteen of us all have such unique personalities and we contribute differently to the cohesive bond that was formed. I not only felt like I have created friendships that will last a life time, but while spinning with my friends, I realized that I will be leaving a piece of my heart in Greece. The time I have spent here has taught me about who I am as an American in a foreign country and how I should uphold my values and beliefs while immersed in another culture. We danced, and laughed and I felt ever so Greek as we finished the traditional dance. Across the road, we looked out to a beautiful view of the water. We were up so high that the boats looked like battery-operated, toy boats floating off into the distance. I perched on a rock and watched as the sun started to slowly creep down. The pinkish-orange color had even more contrast compared to the blue sea water. Watching the sun, I thought of the power of God. The earth is bigger and more gorgeous than I can fathom. I can’t try to understand the strength of God and how he created this wonderful world. It was one of only a few moments of silence I had in this month, but I felt like the world was flashing in front of me. During my time here, I have thought about the importance of God in my life. I am blessed for this opportunity and will forever look back and remember the best month I spent in Greece.

My Moment in Greece

So my moment that I am going to talk about is probably going to seem a little unconventional, but bear with me. After a long day trip to Lindos and our normal 3 hour dinner, a few of us wanted to just hang out and watch a movie. Since we have been quoting Anchorman this entire trip we thought that would be a good choice. Khadijah, Zach, Jill, Camille and I piled onto Christine and Katie’s beds and set up the computer. Before the movie started I wanted to upload some of my pictures so I tried putting my SD card in without looking. Bad idea. I accidentally put it into my disk drive and it got stuck. It is probably the stupidest thing I have ever done. I was immediately hysterical. Everyone started making jokes about it and trying to comfort me at the same time. So by this point 5 minutes had gone by and I was crying and laughing. In these five minutes we tried tweezers and brochure as a make-shift hook. I was still crying and was about to give up when Jill said, “Its like having a baby, you got this!” and right when I looked back down it had fallen out! We all started jumping for joy and screaming. I was so relieved that I didn’t have to find an Apple store and explain what had happened. 

My moment is not being hysterical but just the feeling of being surround by people I care about. It was awesome that we chose to hang out. It wasn’t something we had to do. We all wanted to sit around the little laptop screen and bond over a funny movie. Just knowing that I have made real friends who I want to be around and want to remain friends with is such a great feeling. There have been many moments where I have felt this way, but I thought this was an entertaining example. I have treasured my time here in Greece and I am thankful that every person here will act as a souvenir back home. We will hang out and continue to exchange stories about our amazing time abroad. I couldn’t think of a better souvenir than the relationships this atmosphere has created.

My moment in Greece.

Last night, at our farewell dinner, I was talking to my professor's sister and she asked me two questions: What was the thing I hated about Greece and what was the thing I loved that I will remember forever?

I had very little to say to answer the first question but I managed to find something. I told her that I hated not knowing the language because it set such a barrier between me and the Greek people and culture. I also told her that I hated not being able to see more of the country.

Then, when thinking about my answer to her second question, I couldn't stop talking. There are so many things about this trip that I love and I will remember forever.

I think the most fun I've had on the trip has been at the soccer game in the Olympic stadium. Going with a small group of classmates allowed me to get to know more people, experience a whole new piece of the Greek culture, and really have some good hearted fun! I remember every detail of that night.

I will always love the life and energy and culture in the markets here in Greece, whether it was the farmers market every Friday or the flea market every Sunday. The city and the people became more alive and I loved experiencing that new life too!

Some of the most moving experiences I've had on the trip have been on our visit to the cemetery and my visit to the Orthodox church in Rhodes. Both places were incredibly spiritual and overwhelming for me but I was deeply moved by both. They are experiences that I will look back on later in life and have the same feelings I had on those days.
I will never regret waking up at 5 am to go and watch the sunrise over the acropolis and explore Athens with that entirely new perspective. Even though the clouds masked most of the colors in the sunrise, it was still vividly beautiful.

I remember looking out over Athens, standing where the Apostle Paul stood, and being in awe.

I will always remember (and be a little baffled) walking down dozens and dozens of streets lined with orange trees, having never expected to find anything like that here in Greece.

I will never forget the excitement I had when we first arrived and began exploring Athens. I will never forget the new friends I've made, what they've taught me, and how I've been changed. I will never forget the new people I've met and the Greek culture I've managed to pick up and hold on to while I've been here.

[My new Greek friend Kiddeagos, who is studying in Crete]

Overall, I rambled on and on about just a few of my experiences here in Greece that I don't think I could forget if I wanted to.

Just a few moments in time. Just a few moments from this month. Just a few moments from Greece.

But they carry a lifetime of memories, lessons, fun, and love.

And I will never let those memories go.

But, I mean, this trip is just a moment in my lifetime, right?

My moment in Greece.

-Jess

My Moment in Greece

My moment in Greece wasn't at an Acropolis, it wasn't on an island, it wasn't climbing a mountain, it happened to be at last nights dinner. Don't worry, I have truly valued and reflected spiritually at the surrounding beauty, but it cannot compare to the feelings that came over me at dinner. Why it was at dinner, I'm not sure. I've eaten meals with my colleges plenty of times, but yesterday struck a nerve.

Last night we dressed up and had a delicious and filling five-course meal. Throughout our dinner, we listened and laughed with Momma Fin as she shared stories of her young life. As I listened to her story, I looked around all the faces of my friends, the strangers who became family, and reflected on the story we have written. This is when my moment hit me. Our time here in Greece was coming to a close, and I had to fathom the thought of leaving my new-found world. These people are the explorers who walked alongside me in the journey of self-discovery. The architects who built a home amongst the unfamiliar and the counselors who listened in times of pain.

This moment felt like hours. I was overcome with the feeling of love, appreciation and heartbreak. In an instant, thousands of memories flashed before me and my eyes began to fill with tears.

Words cannot define the feelings I have for Greece and the friends who were here to share it. Because of this experience, I know who Katie Fisher is. I found her by answering questions I faced in classroom discussions and living amongst Greek culture. This trip has challenged me mentally, and spiritually and I would not have been able to conquer these obstacles if my classmates weren't beside me. For that, I am eternally grateful.
My moment ended at the sound of roaring laughter. I quickly dried my eyes and became engaged in the conversation. After all, I have the whole plane ride to cry. With the final day approaching, I will cherish every moment I have left.

Akira: My Moment In Greece

It feels as though an eternity has passed since I landed. It feels like thousands of miles separate me from the person who first crawled into her bleach-white apartment and cried until the sun rose. The time has been endless, it seems, a time and a half of constant movement within the confines of a city I don't understand. Rattling through a dense language barrier. Fueling myself with strange delicacies. Weeping alone and aching as the world revolves and the people talk and the city moves and no one is the wiser that I even feel.

And now, 33 hours remain. I will ascend the steps to go home. I will drug myself so the anxiety isn't too terrible and play through the video games I borrowed for the sheer shake of diddling away time. 33 hours until I bid my good-byes to the maniac drivers, the ancient acropoli, the blood-colored sunsets, the stray dogs, the pushy vendors, the too-bright lights, the too-small rooms and pack up my newest souvenirs in my carry on for the long flight home.
Though I bring back more than the material. I slide into my suitcase things far greater than the gifts I bought for my family. I am returning with new perspective on myself as an individual. Though the time was not ideal, though I may not even classify it as good, I still learned an incredible amount. I added to my endless library of religious literature and expanded my knowledge of my intended major. I have new understanding of my ideas of death, life, friendship, love, family and my place within the community I have built back in Washington. My final paper for the course will revolve around these revelations so I will save them for that particular assignment and leave my readership in the dark. Be assured, I have found a few new pieces to add to the collage I deem "Self."

The 33 hour dark.

The final sprint before the crashing of the wave. The light as it sparkles and shines and takes me.

I am ready to go home.

I am counting the hours.

My Moment in Greece

I would have to say that my favorite moment in Greece was going up to the Acropolis and overlooking the entire city of Athens. This was my moment because as I looked out over the city I was able to reminisce about everything that we had done and seen over this trip.

I could look over and see Mt. Lycabettus and think to myself, “I’ve been there!”

I could see the old Olympic stadium and think about our time in the apartments, walking to get souvlaki after class.

I could remember waking up early to watch the sunrise over the Acropolis that was now right in front of me. 

Although my time in Greece is coming to an end, it’s been an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

My Moment in Greece

I'm sad to say that the trip is almost over. In less than 48 hours, we will be on an airplane headed back to the US. It seems like last week when we first arrived here, and yesterday when we were in Rhodes. I can't believe so much has happened in such a short amount of time.

Before we left, I was fully anticipating the most moving experience to have something to do with thousand of year old rocks. But, the thing I'll probably remember most of all is the soccer game we went to the second Wednesday here. It was amazing and so much fun. We arrived and bought our soccer gear, and then sat next to the "sick men" who were crazed with the spirit of the sport. When the home team scored in the last two minutes, I thought the stadium would explode, even though there weren't a lot of people there.

Overall, its hard to pick a favorite moment in Greece. Whenever I'm at home and people ask, I'll probably give a top five. It's been such an amazing experience, and I'm so grateful to have the chance to go on it. I'm glad we had such a great time, and I'm sad to leave this wonderful country.

Bad Romance: A Soliloquy from a Future Famous Play

Context: The main character, Katie Fisher, is forced to leave the city she loves in four days.

Athens. The city of glory. You are my one true love.
Four days from now, I will be taken from you.
How will I survive and how will I breathe?
Before you, I was a lifeless soul, searching for purpose.
Yet, now I live in the freedom and passion you've laid before me.
Without you, I am a kite without wind, a garden without rain.
You have taught my soul to soar, and my mind to ponder.
Then why must I leave you? Don't make me go.

The day is soon approaching when my heart will break.
A fairytale with a tragic ending. A romance turned bad.
Every sunset I will think of you. On each sandy shore and every crashing wave.

No amount of tears will bring you back.
I am doomed for sadness and destined for pain.

Now and forevermore, I will great each daylight and moonbeam
With a prayer to thrive in your arms again.

Akira: Bad Romance

I'm cynical, if you haven't already guessed. I have a rather bad romance with life itself and sometimes attempt to correct it. Other times, I just let life boil by. Watch the pot simmer down until the bottom blackens and the iron twists and everything burns.

As this trip comes to its inevitable conclusion, I wonder how I am going to describe this experience to others. Certainly, I will be asked if I had a good time. How do I respond? The answer is far too long. The short answer is rude and no one wants to hear it. They only wish to know how much fun I had, how much I saw that brought me to tears of happiness; all the sights and smells of joy.

But what if this is a true Bad Romance? What if it wasn't a blast in the traditional sense? A fun-filled romp all who have gone before me made it out to be? I learned much about myself but the experiences themselves are scattered practices in madness. I have more complaints than exaultations. I enjoyed what I pulled from my own time alone but there are things--there are troubles. There are problems within myself and the experiences I endured. I have my critiques, my corrections, my tears of fear, sadness, and pain. I keep it bottled up to please those around me, to please those reading my blog and those grading me and those who paid all this money to have me here.

I am a chaotic creature. I am painfully honest to a fault. How do I explain the angry, violent courtship between I and my study abroad program? How do I convey what I have done without sounding ungrateful? Rude? Unappreciative? Because I am, endlessly, thankful for the opportunity--it just traced a path I didn't...

How much trouble will my honest perception of this bad romance bring?