So my trip is almost over :-(
It has been absolutely amazing here, I have 13 days left and cannot believe that I have been here as long as I have. I'm definitely ready to come home and see my family (John Nicks especially!!) my friends for sure, and the boy :-) but it will be bittersweet and I'll miss my life here in Greece. I'll write a blog once more when I get home to sum up the jet lag and culture shock...I'm gonna have a lot to get use to...food, people, culture..i'll have to get back into the fast paced life of the States but maybe I can have a little influence on my family and us not always get drive thru on road trips, and i'll try more to drink my coffee at home or at Starbucks instead of in my car...I'll also eat my waffles with ice cream and I'm gonna learn how to make gyros. Funny how in the beginning of my trip I had blogs about missing things from America, now its the things I'll miss about Greece!
We just got back from an overnight trip to Corinth. It was pretty cool. I loved being able to say that I was standing in the same spot that the apostle Paul stood. I saw the Bema where Paul was on trial in Corinth, I also saw the marketplace where Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla would have had a shop...it was really interesting and very faith building.
I think that the older I get the more this trip is going to hit me. Right now I know I have seen some amazing things that most do not get to witness but I still havent been hit over the head that I walked on the same street as Jesus, I stood in the footsteps of the apostles, and I have seen the Seven churches from Revelation...its a hard concept to accept but my faith has been strengthened greatly. I will be able to teach to others one day in a very different way than most. Its exciting to me but like I said it still hasnt hit me completely....I'm afraid right now I'm too focused on coming home haha I'm trying to remember to not wish it away though.
I know many will ask me my favorites when I get home, the food I loved the best, the best sites, the best people, the best countries....I know i'll be telling stories for days about the different thinks I have seen and I'm glad about this. I want everyone to know the wonderful things that have changed my life while I have been here. I do not mind at all telling about this trip and what it has done for me....
In 13 days I'll be in America with my family and friends, I'll greatly miss Greece but at the same time I'll be able to eat peanut butter and drink cranberry juice whenever my heart desires :-)
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
turkish adventures with omer...
So I have been traveling across turkey for the past 10 days. Let me just say it has been absolutely amazing! I am in complete awe with this country. Never ever ever would I have thought that Turkey would be in all my life soo beautiful! I love the culture, the people, the food, and the TEA!
We started our trip out in London ... I fell in love with this city. The old part of the city is wonderful! We saw the blue mosque, the hippodrome, St. Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Market, and took a river cruise on the Bosphorous. We also went to Topkapi Palace and saw the Kremlin and the 5th largest diamond daggar in the world! We ate lunch at the Pudding Shop (made famous by the movie Midnight Express!) And I love Turkish food and the Turkish people! Everyone is sooo nice in this country ... maybe its because I'm blonde though? The men were very friendly and yes I can now saw that I have been kissed by a Turkish man. Haha on the cheek of course! He said the blue eyes were his favorite and our tour guide then informed me that the fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes is rare and what they look for. Oh joy, I stand out majorly! Still in Istanbul everything was wonderful.
Next we made a cross country trip ... We went to soo many different cities! I will try to list them all but there are so many its hard to remember them all. We saw 6 of the 7 churches of Asia. We did not make it because it was too dark to Thyatira and we were running out of time in the day. But we went to Pergamum, Sardis, Laodicea, Philadelphia, Smyrna, and Ephesus. They each were cool in their own ways. We also saw Hierapolis and Aphrodisias. The limestone hot springs in Hierapolis were incredible! So beautiful! The sites have been amazing!
Ephesus was my favorite of all of them. It still looks just like a city and it was amazing to think that I was in the place of the apostle Paul. We even went to the theater mentioned in Acts 19 and sang. It was an awesome feeling. Another experience that I will never ever forget!
The trip was made by a wonderful individual by the name of Omer, our tour guide. Otherwise known as the Omer magnificent! The most caring man ever! He made sure everything was wonderful and he was absolutely hilariosu! He gave us all nicknames and had the cutest giggle! I LOVE OMER! He even took us out one night for Turkish dancing and taught us how to belly dance! Soo funny! He was wonderful.
The tea here is fantastic. I have never ever liked tea but then I was given the cutest little tea glass and saucer of red apple deliciousness and my hatred changed! I am hooked! So what did I do? I bought lots of boxes of it! Mmmmmmm. SOOOO good!
Tea was not the only great thing, all of the food was wonderful! Turkish pizza is to die for and Turkish delights are quite heavenly! (Do not worry, I bought to bring home some of those too!) The food here has been incredible and plentiful, let's hope the pants will still fit!
Another thing that happened was the Turkish bath. If you dont know what this is, its a Turkish bath, literally a bath. One of the most awkward experiences of my life, since I thought I was getting a massage, but at the same time of the greatest experiences. My room mate and I decided to try it out one night in Istanbul and this tiny little Turk named Telluk bathed us. Its a long story, if you want to know just ask Dad! haha I'm sure he would be glad to fill you in!
I also saw how Turkish carpets were made and went to a Turkish sheep skin leather factory and fell in love with a beautiful jacket! Best purchase of the trip by far!
Again, everything in Turkey is amazing! Its absolutely beautiful in sooo many ways! I would suggest everyone try to come to this country at some point! A great place, LOVE it.
Headed back to Greece tomorrow. Only 22 more days and I'll be home! Time to buckle down on school work!
Enjoy.
Friday, October 16, 2009
sunsets and parents
Yesterday it poured down rain here. Felt like a hurricane and we even had hail. For just a few minutes I felt like I was at home haha....good ole hurricane weather! So the rest of the day was nasty and cloudy and cold. THey had us scheduled to go to Cape Sounio which is on the ver tip of the Athens coast line. In the ancient days it was a very famous place to go and many pilgrims/tourists came here. It is the location of the Temple of Poseidon and one of the most famous places to go for a sunset. So we were all excited thinking that we were going to see this magnificent sunset.........well we were way wrong! Due to the rain and bad weather, it was very cloudy and the easiest way to put it is that the clouds ate our sunset. There wasnt much to see, a tad bit of a disappointment for us all.
After Cape Sounio we came back to the hotel and I was unbelievably excited for the rest of the night.....why? MY PARENTS WERE COMING!!!!
It had been a long day for them since they missed their connecting flight in Paris but after 30 hours of traveling they made it to Glyfada. I am soooo excited that they are here! Now they can taste a little piece of how my life has been the past 3 months. I'm going to try to show them everything.....the ice cream waffles, the shops, the Plaka in Athens, gyros and souflakis, the grocery store I go to, church, Mars Hill, possibly a real Cape Sounio sunset, an island tour, and the list goes on and on and on.....They have no idea what they are in store for! I probably wont post much since I'll be with them.
Miss everyone tons!
Enjoy.
After Cape Sounio we came back to the hotel and I was unbelievably excited for the rest of the night.....why? MY PARENTS WERE COMING!!!!
It had been a long day for them since they missed their connecting flight in Paris but after 30 hours of traveling they made it to Glyfada. I am soooo excited that they are here! Now they can taste a little piece of how my life has been the past 3 months. I'm going to try to show them everything.....the ice cream waffles, the shops, the Plaka in Athens, gyros and souflakis, the grocery store I go to, church, Mars Hill, possibly a real Cape Sounio sunset, an island tour, and the list goes on and on and on.....They have no idea what they are in store for! I probably wont post much since I'll be with them.
Miss everyone tons!
Enjoy.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
sorry to leave ya hanging!
the last post ended before I got to finish typing out the rest of the Israel trip. Our internet here in Glyfada is pretty ridiculous and sometimes it will cut out and we wont have it for the rest of the day. So now I actually have internet, dont have any tests to study for, all my clothes are washed, and I can finish up my blog.
So after we left St. Anne's (where we sang) we toured the rest of Jerusalem. We saw the church of the holy sepluchre (spelling??) and we went to the western wailing wall! Let me tell you about our adventure to the wall....have you ever been to a concert where the people are packed in all around you, or have you ever been on the subway or in a very crowded spot??? well multiply that times 10 and then add fast walking to the mix and thats what you get when you walk through the streets of Jerusalem at night....absolute mayhem. I grabbed the shoulder of the person in front of me in our group and held on for dear life. I literally had no choice in where I wanted to go. I was just led there by a sea of people....
okay i have another confession to make, I have been a ton of places and havent blogged once. Things have gotten soo hectic here and I'm trying to get a lot of school work done. The first part of this blog is what I had begun to write but just havent had a chance to finish so here is what I have decided......I am not going to play catch up any longer. It is wayyyy to hard. I am going to start from today and just move forward that way I wont feel soooo bogged down. If you would like to know more about my trip to Israel or to Crete and Patmos (which we did go to I just havent been able to write about) then please email me. I could talk about it for DAYS! Again, it was wonderful!
This past week we went to Northern Greece. I had 12 hour days every single day. Our bus driver got us lost many times in Thessaloniki but it was still a great trip. Exhausting but great! I saw Mt. Olympus, Philippi, Berea, Thessaloniki, and some other great places. Again, If you would like to see pictures or know more about this then let me know through email. If not when I get home (this is to my family) you will see and hear everything! I can talk for days which all of you know!
The people that are here from Faulkner are wonderful! I am growing so close to each of them. We have started a Sunday morning girls devotional and its really great. This trip has been amazing for my faith and I am learning so much and growing in a way that would have never happened in the States. It is great. There are a couple of girls here that I have especially grown close to and that I will keep as close friends once I go home.
Here's a side not for ya, I am loving the Greek culture. My favorite thing is how chill they are about everything. Sooooo laid back. Here is an example for you. My room mate and I went to Starbucks the other day to study for class. We needed to get out of the hotel and have a change of scenery. I had been sick for a few days and had finally started to feel better so we headed out. First of all, the guys here must not see blondes much. I feel so awkward all the time cause I am constantly stared down. Yes I am an American blonde girl and to them that is rare. My room mate is as well so when we go in to town there are two blonde American girls. It can get pretty frustrating. But thats not the point of this story, the point is everything is so relaxed. When we got to Starbucks we stayed for about 4 hours. This whole time everyone else, the other Greek civilians, stayed the same amount of time. They sit for hours here and just talk talk talk talk talk. I LOVE it. Why do we not do this in the states??? It has officially given me a strong loathing for our American love for drive-ins. I have not seen a single drive-in here in this entire country! Even when we are on the road and we stop at gas stations there are tables and chairs and restaurants or cafes inside. Our tour guide would stop at a gas station and say okay we have thirty minutes here! Thirty minutes at a gas station???? In the States (at least in my family) if you even get to stop on the road you are lucky but when we do its 5 minutes of run in and run out. I have also noticed that no one here walks around with coffee in their hands. In the states (and I am unbelievably guilty of this) everyone, everywhere has a Starbucks cup in their hands. Here it is uncalled for. You walk by a coffee shop and people are sitting at tables drinking coffee. Never, ever do they get up and walk away if they arent finished. And even if they do finish they sit and talk to their friends for hours. I think this is the reason why they dont have psychiatrists and therapy here. They talk their problems out. America is wonderful and I miss it greatly but maybe we should take some advice from other countries and SLOOOOOW DOWN!
They also have waffles here :-) mmmmmmmm. And what do they do with their waffles?? They scoop out 3 giant scoops of sweet, dairy-filled ice cream and then they pour chocolate or caramel or strawberry syrup allllllll over it! Talk about a diabetic coma! It is absolutely heavenly! I could eat one every day of my life, blow up like a balloon and still be happy! hahaha When I get back home I will not limit my waffles to morning breakfast. It is possibly the best dessert there is. If you are reading this, take my wise advice and try it tonight. Make you a waffle and cover it in ice cream. You will NOT regret it! haha
My parents are coming here on Friday! You do not even know how incredibly excited that I am! I have missed them soooo much and can't wait to show them my life here. Its crazy to think but this is my home! I have struggled majorly with homesickness but I do love it here. I love Greece and in a way it has become my home. The other day I actually had to foreigners come up to me and ask me directions on how to get to a certain part of Athens. I knew exactly how to get the them there and that was my sign, I am officially Greek. At least a 3 month foreign Greek. Sadly, I can't speak much Greek but they do speak English so I have been okay.
I'm ready to see everyone and I miss home. I could list you a whole paragraph on what I miss. Coffee at any time of the day, the dollar, Zaxby's, ranch, peanut butter, my own car and going wherever I want without waiting for a tram, my family, a boy, my friends, Lindsey Gay's goofy self, Faulkner, having a regular schedule, biscuits, a meal without cheese in everything, making myself a meal without having to include Nutri-grain bars and Pringles, going to the grocery store and knowing what I'm buying, mailing things from my house after 2:00 pm, my puppy that just turned 5!, Peyton's Place with John Nicks, American television shows, the radio in my car, an English speaking mall with prices in dollars, the seasons, falling leaves, wearing jackets and boots, not waking up to naked old men on the beach, plugging my things straight into an outlet without having to find my converter, using my debit card without it taking an hour to go through, Charmin toilet paper!, leaving my room and the electricity staying on, peach cobbler, poppyseed chicken, Chick-fil-A, Halloween, my bed, talks with my parents at the dinner table, and even though the list continues, I'll spare you. Don't get me wrong its great here but there is never anything better than home sweet home (and i dont mean my hotel room!)
I'll try to write again soon....Love and miss everyone greatly!
Enjoy.
So after we left St. Anne's (where we sang) we toured the rest of Jerusalem. We saw the church of the holy sepluchre (spelling??) and we went to the western wailing wall! Let me tell you about our adventure to the wall....have you ever been to a concert where the people are packed in all around you, or have you ever been on the subway or in a very crowded spot??? well multiply that times 10 and then add fast walking to the mix and thats what you get when you walk through the streets of Jerusalem at night....absolute mayhem. I grabbed the shoulder of the person in front of me in our group and held on for dear life. I literally had no choice in where I wanted to go. I was just led there by a sea of people....
okay i have another confession to make, I have been a ton of places and havent blogged once. Things have gotten soo hectic here and I'm trying to get a lot of school work done. The first part of this blog is what I had begun to write but just havent had a chance to finish so here is what I have decided......I am not going to play catch up any longer. It is wayyyy to hard. I am going to start from today and just move forward that way I wont feel soooo bogged down. If you would like to know more about my trip to Israel or to Crete and Patmos (which we did go to I just havent been able to write about) then please email me. I could talk about it for DAYS! Again, it was wonderful!
This past week we went to Northern Greece. I had 12 hour days every single day. Our bus driver got us lost many times in Thessaloniki but it was still a great trip. Exhausting but great! I saw Mt. Olympus, Philippi, Berea, Thessaloniki, and some other great places. Again, If you would like to see pictures or know more about this then let me know through email. If not when I get home (this is to my family) you will see and hear everything! I can talk for days which all of you know!
The people that are here from Faulkner are wonderful! I am growing so close to each of them. We have started a Sunday morning girls devotional and its really great. This trip has been amazing for my faith and I am learning so much and growing in a way that would have never happened in the States. It is great. There are a couple of girls here that I have especially grown close to and that I will keep as close friends once I go home.
Here's a side not for ya, I am loving the Greek culture. My favorite thing is how chill they are about everything. Sooooo laid back. Here is an example for you. My room mate and I went to Starbucks the other day to study for class. We needed to get out of the hotel and have a change of scenery. I had been sick for a few days and had finally started to feel better so we headed out. First of all, the guys here must not see blondes much. I feel so awkward all the time cause I am constantly stared down. Yes I am an American blonde girl and to them that is rare. My room mate is as well so when we go in to town there are two blonde American girls. It can get pretty frustrating. But thats not the point of this story, the point is everything is so relaxed. When we got to Starbucks we stayed for about 4 hours. This whole time everyone else, the other Greek civilians, stayed the same amount of time. They sit for hours here and just talk talk talk talk talk. I LOVE it. Why do we not do this in the states??? It has officially given me a strong loathing for our American love for drive-ins. I have not seen a single drive-in here in this entire country! Even when we are on the road and we stop at gas stations there are tables and chairs and restaurants or cafes inside. Our tour guide would stop at a gas station and say okay we have thirty minutes here! Thirty minutes at a gas station???? In the States (at least in my family) if you even get to stop on the road you are lucky but when we do its 5 minutes of run in and run out. I have also noticed that no one here walks around with coffee in their hands. In the states (and I am unbelievably guilty of this) everyone, everywhere has a Starbucks cup in their hands. Here it is uncalled for. You walk by a coffee shop and people are sitting at tables drinking coffee. Never, ever do they get up and walk away if they arent finished. And even if they do finish they sit and talk to their friends for hours. I think this is the reason why they dont have psychiatrists and therapy here. They talk their problems out. America is wonderful and I miss it greatly but maybe we should take some advice from other countries and SLOOOOOW DOWN!
They also have waffles here :-) mmmmmmmm. And what do they do with their waffles?? They scoop out 3 giant scoops of sweet, dairy-filled ice cream and then they pour chocolate or caramel or strawberry syrup allllllll over it! Talk about a diabetic coma! It is absolutely heavenly! I could eat one every day of my life, blow up like a balloon and still be happy! hahaha When I get back home I will not limit my waffles to morning breakfast. It is possibly the best dessert there is. If you are reading this, take my wise advice and try it tonight. Make you a waffle and cover it in ice cream. You will NOT regret it! haha
My parents are coming here on Friday! You do not even know how incredibly excited that I am! I have missed them soooo much and can't wait to show them my life here. Its crazy to think but this is my home! I have struggled majorly with homesickness but I do love it here. I love Greece and in a way it has become my home. The other day I actually had to foreigners come up to me and ask me directions on how to get to a certain part of Athens. I knew exactly how to get the them there and that was my sign, I am officially Greek. At least a 3 month foreign Greek. Sadly, I can't speak much Greek but they do speak English so I have been okay.
I'm ready to see everyone and I miss home. I could list you a whole paragraph on what I miss. Coffee at any time of the day, the dollar, Zaxby's, ranch, peanut butter, my own car and going wherever I want without waiting for a tram, my family, a boy, my friends, Lindsey Gay's goofy self, Faulkner, having a regular schedule, biscuits, a meal without cheese in everything, making myself a meal without having to include Nutri-grain bars and Pringles, going to the grocery store and knowing what I'm buying, mailing things from my house after 2:00 pm, my puppy that just turned 5!, Peyton's Place with John Nicks, American television shows, the radio in my car, an English speaking mall with prices in dollars, the seasons, falling leaves, wearing jackets and boots, not waking up to naked old men on the beach, plugging my things straight into an outlet without having to find my converter, using my debit card without it taking an hour to go through, Charmin toilet paper!, leaving my room and the electricity staying on, peach cobbler, poppyseed chicken, Chick-fil-A, Halloween, my bed, talks with my parents at the dinner table, and even though the list continues, I'll spare you. Don't get me wrong its great here but there is never anything better than home sweet home (and i dont mean my hotel room!)
I'll try to write again soon....Love and miss everyone greatly!
Enjoy.
Monday, September 21, 2009
the rest of the holy land....
So now I'll finish up our trip to Israel, yes I am still mad at myself for not blogging the whole time I was there. Its hard to play catch up when I have sooooo many new things to say but I will try to remember everything!
We got to our Hotel in Jerusalem, called Shalom, and I was very surprised at how nice it was! It was very modern and had great food...they actually had Ranch dressing there believe it or not! Maybe to you all back home this isnt a big deal but to those of us over here, its like heaven on Earth. You would be surprised at all the foods that we take for granted...Here's you a list: peanut butter (especially the crunchy kind!), maple syrup (all they have here is honey), cranberry juice (still having trouble finding it on a regular basis), brewed coffee (now let me explain....I know in an earlier blog I wrote about how amazing the coffee is here and I'm not contradicting myself but here you cannot find coffee in a pot, plain and black. They only really sell the fancy stuff like lattes and cappuccino's) and chips and salsa (my favorite and its rare here, very very rare here). So if you eat any of these foods while you read this, take an extra bite for me please!!
I am going to rewind a bit, hope you dont mind, and tell you about getting to our hotel in Jerusalem. Now earlier in the day we had been at Bethlehem seeing the church of the nativity. I didnt realize that in order to get to Bethlehem you must go in to Palestinian territory. THerefore, when you leave Bethlehem you come back in to Israel and you must pass through border control. Well we stopped at border control in our giant tour bus and we are all in the cab goofing off, listening to music, reading, whatever and then we are told to get our passports out. Next thing I know this scary looking men are walking on to our bus with dark sunglasses and AK-47's.....a tad bit freaky if you ask me. Sure they were there for our protection but they werent helping us out till we were on their side of the border and we unfortunately were not. They told our bus driver that we couldnt pass through and they made us turn around and head back in to Palestinian territory, how lovely! AAfter driving for a few minutes we found another cross point and this time made it through safe and sound, Shalom Israel!
But like I said the food was good, we were tired, and sweaty and we had another big day planned so it was off to bed for us all.
The next day was pretty great! It was packed with things to do. We started off the day going to the Shrine of the Book and seeing the copies of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it was pretty cool but not my favorite. Next we headed to the Old City of Jerusalem. We walked in through the Damascus gate and I'll try to explain this as best as possible. We go from a very modern "New York-ish" city to a village looking town with millions of people, street vendors selling toys, clothes, and food, we are walking on cobblestone streets and I couldnt take my eyes off all the things to see. If you like to people watch, this is the place to do it. Culture shock. After working our way through the crowded gate, I felt like I had jumped in a time traveling machine and was somewhere back in the 1st century. A very weird feeling. Here I was standing on the very street that Jesus walked on while carrying the cross to Calvary. Its been a week and I still can't quite grasp that concept. It was a wonderful thing to experience, something I will never ever forget!
Next we went to the ruins of the fortress where Pilate had Jesus on trial and gave Him over to the people to be crucified. Leaving there we walked on through the old city out the gates to Bethesada. I saw the baths where Jesus healed the paralytic man and I also so the Catholic church here St. Anne's. This church was amazing! In looks? no. It was a very "plain Jane" kind of building but the acoustics inside were phenomenal. You arent allowed to talk in this building, only sing; so we did and we did and we did. If you were to ask me what is the best experience of your trip, I would say singing in St. Anne's Cathedral. Was there any significance to the site? No not really but when I was singing the songs that I have grown up singing such as Greatest Commands, It is well with my soul, and These are the days of Elijah, all I could focus on was God. There arent enough words in the English language to describe those feelings. To be sitting there in the city where Jesus died for my sins and to be singing to the Lord about how great He is, I was speechless and amazed. It was incredible. I was crying and shaking and had goosebumps. How great is our God!!
We got to our Hotel in Jerusalem, called Shalom, and I was very surprised at how nice it was! It was very modern and had great food...they actually had Ranch dressing there believe it or not! Maybe to you all back home this isnt a big deal but to those of us over here, its like heaven on Earth. You would be surprised at all the foods that we take for granted...Here's you a list: peanut butter (especially the crunchy kind!), maple syrup (all they have here is honey), cranberry juice (still having trouble finding it on a regular basis), brewed coffee (now let me explain....I know in an earlier blog I wrote about how amazing the coffee is here and I'm not contradicting myself but here you cannot find coffee in a pot, plain and black. They only really sell the fancy stuff like lattes and cappuccino's) and chips and salsa (my favorite and its rare here, very very rare here). So if you eat any of these foods while you read this, take an extra bite for me please!!
I am going to rewind a bit, hope you dont mind, and tell you about getting to our hotel in Jerusalem. Now earlier in the day we had been at Bethlehem seeing the church of the nativity. I didnt realize that in order to get to Bethlehem you must go in to Palestinian territory. THerefore, when you leave Bethlehem you come back in to Israel and you must pass through border control. Well we stopped at border control in our giant tour bus and we are all in the cab goofing off, listening to music, reading, whatever and then we are told to get our passports out. Next thing I know this scary looking men are walking on to our bus with dark sunglasses and AK-47's.....a tad bit freaky if you ask me. Sure they were there for our protection but they werent helping us out till we were on their side of the border and we unfortunately were not. They told our bus driver that we couldnt pass through and they made us turn around and head back in to Palestinian territory, how lovely! AAfter driving for a few minutes we found another cross point and this time made it through safe and sound, Shalom Israel!
But like I said the food was good, we were tired, and sweaty and we had another big day planned so it was off to bed for us all.
The next day was pretty great! It was packed with things to do. We started off the day going to the Shrine of the Book and seeing the copies of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it was pretty cool but not my favorite. Next we headed to the Old City of Jerusalem. We walked in through the Damascus gate and I'll try to explain this as best as possible. We go from a very modern "New York-ish" city to a village looking town with millions of people, street vendors selling toys, clothes, and food, we are walking on cobblestone streets and I couldnt take my eyes off all the things to see. If you like to people watch, this is the place to do it. Culture shock. After working our way through the crowded gate, I felt like I had jumped in a time traveling machine and was somewhere back in the 1st century. A very weird feeling. Here I was standing on the very street that Jesus walked on while carrying the cross to Calvary. Its been a week and I still can't quite grasp that concept. It was a wonderful thing to experience, something I will never ever forget!
Next we went to the ruins of the fortress where Pilate had Jesus on trial and gave Him over to the people to be crucified. Leaving there we walked on through the old city out the gates to Bethesada. I saw the baths where Jesus healed the paralytic man and I also so the Catholic church here St. Anne's. This church was amazing! In looks? no. It was a very "plain Jane" kind of building but the acoustics inside were phenomenal. You arent allowed to talk in this building, only sing; so we did and we did and we did. If you were to ask me what is the best experience of your trip, I would say singing in St. Anne's Cathedral. Was there any significance to the site? No not really but when I was singing the songs that I have grown up singing such as Greatest Commands, It is well with my soul, and These are the days of Elijah, all I could focus on was God. There arent enough words in the English language to describe those feelings. To be sitting there in the city where Jesus died for my sins and to be singing to the Lord about how great He is, I was speechless and amazed. It was incredible. I was crying and shaking and had goosebumps. How great is our God!!
Friday, September 18, 2009
summing up the Holy Land
So I know it has been a while since I have posted and I apologize. Last Sunday I left for my trip to Israel and I couldnt take my laptop so I have had no way to post anything. But I'll try to hit the highlights of the trip without being too boring.
On Sunday we got to Israel and lets just say I was dumbfounded. Nothing at all like I had pictured growing up as a child. Yes there are some sandy areas but believe it or not Israel looks just like America except theres lots of ancient ruins everywhere. I was very impressed with the security at the airport. We were sectioned off in to groups and twos and questioned over and over about who we were with, where we were going, if we knew anyone in Israel, if we had packed our own bags, etc...I think the guy was flirting a little bit with Sarah and me and so we got off pretty easy on the interrogation part. After many bag screenings and security check points we made it to the gate, safe and sound. Maybe America should consider adopting this, it made me feel safe.
After landing in Tel-Aviv we drove to Ceasarea Maritime. This was my first shock point of the trip. Stepping off the bus all I can see is miles and miles and miles of clear blue water. Absolutely beautiful. I wasnt sure what the significance of this place was at first but after walking through the ruins I learned that this is where Paul was brought to trial a few years before his death. I stood in the exact spot that Paul was tried and I saw what is thought to be the prison that he was kept in. I saw the port, (made by Herod the Great), that he was shipped out of headed back to Rome. Standing there, I realized that this trip was about to become more to me than just tourist sites....
After leaving Ceasarea Maritime we headed to Tiberius to check in to the hotel just in time for dinner. From my hotel room I could see the Sea of Galilee!! I think my jaw stayed dropped for a while. It was wonderful. A big group of us decided to walk down to the sea (about a 20 min. semi-sketchy straight down hill walk) and have a devotional. We walked through the market and found beautiful dresses and jewelry and of course I had to buy a few things! We got to the beach for the devotional and just sang for hours. It was awesome. Right in front of me was the exact water that Jesus walked on. It was the same water that Jesus had touched along with Paul and the other apostles. The Bible was coming to life for me. It was a long day and rest was definitely needed.
On Monday we had an early start. We were headed back to the Sea of Galilee to take a boat ride across to the other side. Before I tell you about this I want to tell you about our tour guide, Walid. He was wonderful. I hope that we left a good impression on him. He became our grandfather for the short time we were there and I will definitely miss him a whole lot. He had a goofy accent that was mixed with Texan, Southern, Greek, Hebrew...haha can you imagine? He's a great person and I hope to see him again. Okay, enough of that. The boat ride was super cool. We took the path that was typically taken in Bible times. We sang on the boat and read scripture (Matt. 14:22 and 8:23). This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. There I was sitting in a boat fashioned like boats in Jesus' time, reading scripture about how he walked on this very sea (which actually looks like a lake). It was unreal. I will never ever read the Bible the same. Its hard to describe the emotions.
After getting off the boat we actually went to a museum and saw a boat that was found in the water that dates back to 2000 years. They say it could be one from Jesus' time period. We also went that day to Capernaum. Before we got there I was thinking that we would be going to this modern day city but the bus pulled up to a narrow street, dropped us off and we walked in to this city of ancient ruins. It was really cool to think that Jesus had walked these exact streets. We also saw Peter's house there in Capernaum and the synagogue that Jesus went to. Later on that day we went to the site of the sermon on the mount and the place where the 5,000 were fed. It was all really cool.
The next day was extremely busy. We went to Cana and saw the site of the 1st miracle, we went to Nazareth and saw Mary's Well and the catholic church of the annunciation, and in Bethlehem we saw the catholic church of the nativity. I was shocked at how elaborate these churches are. Million and millions of dollars must have been spent to errect these buildings. Sometimes it almost felt like it was too much but I have to remember that there are people who have this as a part of their belief. The buildings are important to them. It was very eye opening to me.
We also went to Megiddo, where one of Solomon's palaces was built. We saw the valley of Armegeddon and a Canaanite altar that was 5000 years old. That was my favorite part to see what the Old Testament talks about. Very interesting.
The next couple of days were very busy as well. We moved on in to Jerusalem and this was my favorite part of the trip. I will do another post just about Jerusalem and our trip back to Glyfada.
Enjoy till next time.
On Sunday we got to Israel and lets just say I was dumbfounded. Nothing at all like I had pictured growing up as a child. Yes there are some sandy areas but believe it or not Israel looks just like America except theres lots of ancient ruins everywhere. I was very impressed with the security at the airport. We were sectioned off in to groups and twos and questioned over and over about who we were with, where we were going, if we knew anyone in Israel, if we had packed our own bags, etc...I think the guy was flirting a little bit with Sarah and me and so we got off pretty easy on the interrogation part. After many bag screenings and security check points we made it to the gate, safe and sound. Maybe America should consider adopting this, it made me feel safe.
After landing in Tel-Aviv we drove to Ceasarea Maritime. This was my first shock point of the trip. Stepping off the bus all I can see is miles and miles and miles of clear blue water. Absolutely beautiful. I wasnt sure what the significance of this place was at first but after walking through the ruins I learned that this is where Paul was brought to trial a few years before his death. I stood in the exact spot that Paul was tried and I saw what is thought to be the prison that he was kept in. I saw the port, (made by Herod the Great), that he was shipped out of headed back to Rome. Standing there, I realized that this trip was about to become more to me than just tourist sites....
After leaving Ceasarea Maritime we headed to Tiberius to check in to the hotel just in time for dinner. From my hotel room I could see the Sea of Galilee!! I think my jaw stayed dropped for a while. It was wonderful. A big group of us decided to walk down to the sea (about a 20 min. semi-sketchy straight down hill walk) and have a devotional. We walked through the market and found beautiful dresses and jewelry and of course I had to buy a few things! We got to the beach for the devotional and just sang for hours. It was awesome. Right in front of me was the exact water that Jesus walked on. It was the same water that Jesus had touched along with Paul and the other apostles. The Bible was coming to life for me. It was a long day and rest was definitely needed.
On Monday we had an early start. We were headed back to the Sea of Galilee to take a boat ride across to the other side. Before I tell you about this I want to tell you about our tour guide, Walid. He was wonderful. I hope that we left a good impression on him. He became our grandfather for the short time we were there and I will definitely miss him a whole lot. He had a goofy accent that was mixed with Texan, Southern, Greek, Hebrew...haha can you imagine? He's a great person and I hope to see him again. Okay, enough of that. The boat ride was super cool. We took the path that was typically taken in Bible times. We sang on the boat and read scripture (Matt. 14:22 and 8:23). This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. There I was sitting in a boat fashioned like boats in Jesus' time, reading scripture about how he walked on this very sea (which actually looks like a lake). It was unreal. I will never ever read the Bible the same. Its hard to describe the emotions.
After getting off the boat we actually went to a museum and saw a boat that was found in the water that dates back to 2000 years. They say it could be one from Jesus' time period. We also went that day to Capernaum. Before we got there I was thinking that we would be going to this modern day city but the bus pulled up to a narrow street, dropped us off and we walked in to this city of ancient ruins. It was really cool to think that Jesus had walked these exact streets. We also saw Peter's house there in Capernaum and the synagogue that Jesus went to. Later on that day we went to the site of the sermon on the mount and the place where the 5,000 were fed. It was all really cool.
The next day was extremely busy. We went to Cana and saw the site of the 1st miracle, we went to Nazareth and saw Mary's Well and the catholic church of the annunciation, and in Bethlehem we saw the catholic church of the nativity. I was shocked at how elaborate these churches are. Million and millions of dollars must have been spent to errect these buildings. Sometimes it almost felt like it was too much but I have to remember that there are people who have this as a part of their belief. The buildings are important to them. It was very eye opening to me.
We also went to Megiddo, where one of Solomon's palaces was built. We saw the valley of Armegeddon and a Canaanite altar that was 5000 years old. That was my favorite part to see what the Old Testament talks about. Very interesting.
The next couple of days were very busy as well. We moved on in to Jerusalem and this was my favorite part of the trip. I will do another post just about Jerusalem and our trip back to Glyfada.
Enjoy till next time.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
sorry it has been a while
I know I havent posted anything lately and I apologize. There has been a lot going on and believe it or not I am actually trying to do some school work. It is hard over here to remember that I'm not on vacation but that I'm actually in school. haha but I will get it done.
So here is a recap of what has happened the past few days. On Sunday we took another city tour of Athens. This time we went to the agora, the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hesphaistos, the Olympic Stadium, and the Roman agora. It was such a long long long long day and it was about 100 degrees here in Athens. We probably walked around 10 miles or so and I was already tired from the previous trips but it was pretty interesting and I did actually learn a few things. My favorite thing was seeing the agora and using my imagination to picture all the shops, the prison, the theaters, just the every day life. Agora means marketplace and that is where everyday life happened. We even saw the ancient ruins of a news stand and that was really cool. They had a lottery, and jury duty, and elections for Parliament. It was cool to think that Paul probably walked around where I was walking and bought himself lunch just like I did. Pretty cool.
Our lunch was pretty awesome. It was the first time we had actually eaten gyros (here they say it like year o's) and they were WONDERFUL! The pita bread here is addicting and they love meat. Its always cooked perfect. Believe it or not the eat french fries here and they arent that bad. The call them french potatoes though and instead of ketchup (which is very hard to find) they eat them with stuff called zitiziti or something like that. Its a cucumber yogurt that somewhat looks like cottage cheese but it is delicious! I think it sort of tastes a little like cucumbers and ranch.
Sunday night we went to church and I enjoyed it very much. Its definitely different here but not in a scriptural sort of way. It is different here as in the people. Growing up in the church and in America were Christian is common makes me sometimes not think of it in special terms. I hate to say that we Americans take advantage of it but after coming here to Greece and seeing how they thirst for it makes me realize that I dont know how blessed I am. Our friend Verdi came to church Sunday night and got to meet a lot of people and she told us that it was what she had been looking for. The people here at church were so enthusiastic. There were only about 20 members and with the 26 from our group the crowd wasnt that big but the singing was wonderful and the prayers and the lesson. I could just feel that everyone wanted to be there and everyone was there for one reason, not because they HAD to be there, but because they truly love God and WANT to be there to worship Him. It was very encouraging, very uplifting and I am glad that I get this experience for 3 more months. I know I will come back home with a new vigor and perspective on God and the church.
On Monday we had class and not much else happened. It was a pretty simple boring day but it was a much needed resting day. This whole week actually has been that way. The newness of Greece is slowly fading and I'm realizing more and more that I am not on vacation. This is actually my home. I hope that come October/November I dont get homesick. I talked to mom today and was told that I'm getting a care package in the mail! My room mate and I can't wait!!! HOME MADE COOKIES!!!! haha I think the whole group is craving American food so we may all be going to eat in Glyfada soon because they have an Applebee's! yay!
On Tuesday we went shopping. It was our first experience on the metro and the tramline for a long time. We had to take the tram for about 30 min. to the other side of the coast and then once in Athens we had to switch to the metro. The metro here is sooooo nice. VERY VERY clean. I was a little worried about going on there but it is almost nicer than having a car. Of course it is public transporation so you still feel like slathering yourself in hand sanitizer but its much nicer than any I have ever been on in the states. After 1 1/2 hours we got the mall and let me tell you it was well worth it! 5 stories of shopping! I couldnt ask for more.....shoes, purses, clothes, jewelry. It was all over the place and the cool thing was they had very very few American stores. So all we did was shop Greek. It was fun and I bought a few things and a couple of presents and then after 3 hours we headed back to Glyfada, another 1 1/2 hour trip. That night I was exhausted and took it easy did some homework and watched a movie.
I wont bore you with yesterday cause it was pretty much the same....class, workout, homework, dinner, then coffee in Glyfada.
Verdi, if you remember her from my earlier posts, has come by the hotel regularly. We all have decided that she is officially our Greek grandmother. She went to the bakery before she came by the other day and brought us a ton of Greek pastries and desserts....we are still eating on them! She is a very sweet lady and I feel blessed to have gotten to know her. God has many things planned for her here in Athens and I am glad that I have been able to have an impact on her life. This just goes to show that you never know who you can affect by just being you....She has taught me a lot about my life, my feelings, and how God answers prayers just by being her. It is a wonderful gift and something that I will never forget. Because of her I know more about my life and my spirituality and about what some people really mean to me....
haha okay enough of the sappy stuff. Greece is amazing! I love it! I miss you all! and I can't wait to see each of you in person....I am reminded of this by a certain someone every day: 10 1/2 weeks left hahahaha
Till the next time. Enjoy
So here is a recap of what has happened the past few days. On Sunday we took another city tour of Athens. This time we went to the agora, the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hesphaistos, the Olympic Stadium, and the Roman agora. It was such a long long long long day and it was about 100 degrees here in Athens. We probably walked around 10 miles or so and I was already tired from the previous trips but it was pretty interesting and I did actually learn a few things. My favorite thing was seeing the agora and using my imagination to picture all the shops, the prison, the theaters, just the every day life. Agora means marketplace and that is where everyday life happened. We even saw the ancient ruins of a news stand and that was really cool. They had a lottery, and jury duty, and elections for Parliament. It was cool to think that Paul probably walked around where I was walking and bought himself lunch just like I did. Pretty cool.
Our lunch was pretty awesome. It was the first time we had actually eaten gyros (here they say it like year o's) and they were WONDERFUL! The pita bread here is addicting and they love meat. Its always cooked perfect. Believe it or not the eat french fries here and they arent that bad. The call them french potatoes though and instead of ketchup (which is very hard to find) they eat them with stuff called zitiziti or something like that. Its a cucumber yogurt that somewhat looks like cottage cheese but it is delicious! I think it sort of tastes a little like cucumbers and ranch.
Sunday night we went to church and I enjoyed it very much. Its definitely different here but not in a scriptural sort of way. It is different here as in the people. Growing up in the church and in America were Christian is common makes me sometimes not think of it in special terms. I hate to say that we Americans take advantage of it but after coming here to Greece and seeing how they thirst for it makes me realize that I dont know how blessed I am. Our friend Verdi came to church Sunday night and got to meet a lot of people and she told us that it was what she had been looking for. The people here at church were so enthusiastic. There were only about 20 members and with the 26 from our group the crowd wasnt that big but the singing was wonderful and the prayers and the lesson. I could just feel that everyone wanted to be there and everyone was there for one reason, not because they HAD to be there, but because they truly love God and WANT to be there to worship Him. It was very encouraging, very uplifting and I am glad that I get this experience for 3 more months. I know I will come back home with a new vigor and perspective on God and the church.
On Monday we had class and not much else happened. It was a pretty simple boring day but it was a much needed resting day. This whole week actually has been that way. The newness of Greece is slowly fading and I'm realizing more and more that I am not on vacation. This is actually my home. I hope that come October/November I dont get homesick. I talked to mom today and was told that I'm getting a care package in the mail! My room mate and I can't wait!!! HOME MADE COOKIES!!!! haha I think the whole group is craving American food so we may all be going to eat in Glyfada soon because they have an Applebee's! yay!
On Tuesday we went shopping. It was our first experience on the metro and the tramline for a long time. We had to take the tram for about 30 min. to the other side of the coast and then once in Athens we had to switch to the metro. The metro here is sooooo nice. VERY VERY clean. I was a little worried about going on there but it is almost nicer than having a car. Of course it is public transporation so you still feel like slathering yourself in hand sanitizer but its much nicer than any I have ever been on in the states. After 1 1/2 hours we got the mall and let me tell you it was well worth it! 5 stories of shopping! I couldnt ask for more.....shoes, purses, clothes, jewelry. It was all over the place and the cool thing was they had very very few American stores. So all we did was shop Greek. It was fun and I bought a few things and a couple of presents and then after 3 hours we headed back to Glyfada, another 1 1/2 hour trip. That night I was exhausted and took it easy did some homework and watched a movie.
I wont bore you with yesterday cause it was pretty much the same....class, workout, homework, dinner, then coffee in Glyfada.
Verdi, if you remember her from my earlier posts, has come by the hotel regularly. We all have decided that she is officially our Greek grandmother. She went to the bakery before she came by the other day and brought us a ton of Greek pastries and desserts....we are still eating on them! She is a very sweet lady and I feel blessed to have gotten to know her. God has many things planned for her here in Athens and I am glad that I have been able to have an impact on her life. This just goes to show that you never know who you can affect by just being you....She has taught me a lot about my life, my feelings, and how God answers prayers just by being her. It is a wonderful gift and something that I will never forget. Because of her I know more about my life and my spirituality and about what some people really mean to me....
haha okay enough of the sappy stuff. Greece is amazing! I love it! I miss you all! and I can't wait to see each of you in person....I am reminded of this by a certain someone every day: 10 1/2 weeks left hahahaha
Till the next time. Enjoy
Saturday, September 5, 2009
living like a real greek
So today was a free day. Nothing set in stone to do. I had made up my mind that I was going to do homework for Monday and some of my independent study classes for the fall. I was hoping to get some work done for that and be a tiny bit closer to finishing and enjoying the rest of the trip without homework to do......buuuuuuuutttttttt, that didnt happen. And here is why:
A group of us went cliff jumping.
A lot of Greeks do it for fun and a lot of younger boys do it so we thought we try the fun. We had to take our first trip on the bus line. Not speaking Greek in a Greek speaking country is not easy. Some people speak English but if they do it is so heavily accented and broken that I can barely understand it. So here we are a group of nine non-Greek speaking students waiting at a bus stop and having no idea where we are going. There was an older lady at the bus stop who barely spoke English but told us to do what she did. So we got on the bus and luckily a younger couple new of some good cliffs and we followed their directions.
The cliffs were BEAUTIFUL! One of the prettiest sites I have ever seen but we learned quickly that the rocks are very slippery and flip flops were not a good choice of shoes. Not only were they not good to climb in but they also were bad because we had nothing to swim in. We also discovered today that black sea urchins are not good to step on. Two of the people in our group accidently stepped on these sea critters and when they are stepped on the send needles deep into your feet, kind of like a splinter that burns. Luckily I had my flip flops on even in the water and didnt get attacked with a needle. Some tweezers, scissors, and hydrogen perioxde will get them out just fine. I did surgery on a guys foot to get it out...pretty cool actually haha
We stayed on the rocks for a while and yes I did jump. We also met a 14 yr old Greek boy and he told us that we had come to the male nude beach/cliff. After taking a quick look around we saw the nudity and didnt look again. This beach even included 80 yr old men. I was scarred. But the rest of the time, the view of the ocean and skyline was AMAZING. check out the pictures on facebook.
Tonight we had dinner on the roof because there was a wedding going on in the hotel and then went out to the beach to meet some guys from the church here in Glyfada. They told us their stories of becoming Christians from a Muslim background. Its very encouraging to hear stories like that. One guy, Donny, is from Iran and left due to the political situation. He became a Christian and hasnt been back to Iran in 7 years. When a Muslim converts other Muslims have the right in their belief to kill them. Its a sad situation and shows me how much I take advantage of the freedom of religion given to me in the USA. He also told us about some day trips to make to some islands and how to find non touristy shopping.
In the morning we have church and then more tours of Athens. We are also going to the Changing of the Guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Goodnight. Enjoy.
A group of us went cliff jumping.
A lot of Greeks do it for fun and a lot of younger boys do it so we thought we try the fun. We had to take our first trip on the bus line. Not speaking Greek in a Greek speaking country is not easy. Some people speak English but if they do it is so heavily accented and broken that I can barely understand it. So here we are a group of nine non-Greek speaking students waiting at a bus stop and having no idea where we are going. There was an older lady at the bus stop who barely spoke English but told us to do what she did. So we got on the bus and luckily a younger couple new of some good cliffs and we followed their directions.
The cliffs were BEAUTIFUL! One of the prettiest sites I have ever seen but we learned quickly that the rocks are very slippery and flip flops were not a good choice of shoes. Not only were they not good to climb in but they also were bad because we had nothing to swim in. We also discovered today that black sea urchins are not good to step on. Two of the people in our group accidently stepped on these sea critters and when they are stepped on the send needles deep into your feet, kind of like a splinter that burns. Luckily I had my flip flops on even in the water and didnt get attacked with a needle. Some tweezers, scissors, and hydrogen perioxde will get them out just fine. I did surgery on a guys foot to get it out...pretty cool actually haha
We stayed on the rocks for a while and yes I did jump. We also met a 14 yr old Greek boy and he told us that we had come to the male nude beach/cliff. After taking a quick look around we saw the nudity and didnt look again. This beach even included 80 yr old men. I was scarred. But the rest of the time, the view of the ocean and skyline was AMAZING. check out the pictures on facebook.
Tonight we had dinner on the roof because there was a wedding going on in the hotel and then went out to the beach to meet some guys from the church here in Glyfada. They told us their stories of becoming Christians from a Muslim background. Its very encouraging to hear stories like that. One guy, Donny, is from Iran and left due to the political situation. He became a Christian and hasnt been back to Iran in 7 years. When a Muslim converts other Muslims have the right in their belief to kill them. Its a sad situation and shows me how much I take advantage of the freedom of religion given to me in the USA. He also told us about some day trips to make to some islands and how to find non touristy shopping.
In the morning we have church and then more tours of Athens. We are also going to the Changing of the Guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Goodnight. Enjoy.
sorry I missed yesterday...
So last night I tried to get on here and post something for yall but the internet in the hotel was messed up so this blog is going to be an accumulation of yesterday and today before dinner.
Yesterday morning we woke up to go on our tour of Athens. We havent been to Athens yet so I was very excited to get to see the actual city instead of our suburb, Glyfada. We started by going to the Roman Auditorium. This place was huge! Here is where they use to have concerts and stuff. Now the roof is burned off but they still have concerts there like Diana Ross and Eric Clapton. It was pretty cool.
After that we headed up this hill, yes we hiked it, to the Acropolis and the entrace of the Parthenon. First I would like to talk about my feet. I had on chaco's (sandals with straps) and am climbing on these stone stairs and my feet are disgusting. Everything there was marble. Its so crazy because we spend a fortune on marble for our houses and they have their park benches and their sidewalks made of it. But the marble has this white powder that gets everywhere and my feet were disgusting and covered in it. It made me think about in Bible times how they always talk about washing the feet. I had never thought this that gross, yeah sure its someone elses feet and they have been walking around. But back in the day when they went barefoot or had tiny flat sandals on they would have had unbelievably disgusting feet! This completely made me change my view on Jesus washing the apostles feet. It definitely shows you how much he lowered himself for us humans. What a good lesson in humility.
Once inside the Parthenon, I was speechless. It was gigantic! and to think that all of this was built using wooden carts, oxen, ropes, and chisels. Its unbelievable, and the carvings and decorations on the columns are so detailed. You see so much history and our tour guide Katerina told us a ton about it.
We also saw another temple, the temple of Poseidon. It has a really cool story. There is this olive tree that is huge that stands right next to the temple. And tradition says that the goddess Athena and the god Poseidon had a rivalry over who would be the main god of Greece. So they were both asked to give their best gift. Athena gave the olive tree that is next to the temple. She said it could be used for electricity such as candles and then Poseidon struck the earth with his Tritan and gave the Athenians salty water. The people of Athens declared that light from olive oil was more beneficial to the city and Athena became the goddess and thats how the city became called Athens. Pretty cool story and it was neat to see the temple.
The best part of the day came next. We hiked down from the Parthenon and came to this giant rock/boulder in the middle of the walk way. On the side of the boulder was a plaque with Acts 17 on it in Greek. We were standing at Mars Hill, where Paul gave a sermon to the Greek philosophers. How incredible was it to stand at the bottom looking up and thinking that 2000 years ago Paul stood in the same exact spot. I climbed the original stairs to the top and was speechless. I could see the whole city of Athens in front of me and to the right the Parthenon on top of the hill. Now it makes sense as to why Paul says he knew they were religious people. There are gigantic temples to all of these gods completely surrounding him as he speaks. My group sat down on top of Mars Hill and our professor pulled out a Bible and he read Acts 17 to us. After reading we sang Pierce My Ear and Jesus is Lord. Then we prayed and headed down to the bus. I have never felt so close to God before. Its incredible to think that where I am right now, living for the next three months is a place that is in the Bible. Does it bring the Bible to life? Yes. I can now read Acts and think to myself, I have been there. I have seen this. I have sat right in the place where Paul preached. Its something incredible.
We then went down to Plaka which is the old Athens to eat lunch. Its a part of the city that has less traffic and is a lot more quiet. The streets have outdoor cafes everyone and lots of touristy shops to buy things at. I bought some Greek sandals and some other things for the family and then we headed to the museum of the Acropolis.
When the architects started building this museum they uncovered the ruins of an ancient Athens neighborhood. So they decided to build the museum floor out of glass so that as you walk around the museum you can see the ruins underneath you. It was pretty cool. We couldnt take pictures becasue they didnt allow cameras but I sneaked a few just to remember it by! I was exhausted by this point from being out all day and tried to pay attention to all the ruins, artifacts, and statues inside but I'm afraid most became a blur.
Last night we came back in time for dinner and then headed into Glyfada to explore the nightlife. We went to a super cute little ice cream parlor with amazing ice cream! It was delicious, strawberry was my choice of course! Even though we were so tired we ended up staying up very very late hanging out in the hotel. I am getting to know some of the people here very well. I can tell already that this trip is going to bring new friends in my life and that we are going to have some crazy and funny times together!
I wanted to put pictures up here but for some reason its being difficult. They are facebook so definitely check them out. There are some good ones.
I'll post again tonight to tell you about today.
Yesterday morning we woke up to go on our tour of Athens. We havent been to Athens yet so I was very excited to get to see the actual city instead of our suburb, Glyfada. We started by going to the Roman Auditorium. This place was huge! Here is where they use to have concerts and stuff. Now the roof is burned off but they still have concerts there like Diana Ross and Eric Clapton. It was pretty cool.
After that we headed up this hill, yes we hiked it, to the Acropolis and the entrace of the Parthenon. First I would like to talk about my feet. I had on chaco's (sandals with straps) and am climbing on these stone stairs and my feet are disgusting. Everything there was marble. Its so crazy because we spend a fortune on marble for our houses and they have their park benches and their sidewalks made of it. But the marble has this white powder that gets everywhere and my feet were disgusting and covered in it. It made me think about in Bible times how they always talk about washing the feet. I had never thought this that gross, yeah sure its someone elses feet and they have been walking around. But back in the day when they went barefoot or had tiny flat sandals on they would have had unbelievably disgusting feet! This completely made me change my view on Jesus washing the apostles feet. It definitely shows you how much he lowered himself for us humans. What a good lesson in humility.
Once inside the Parthenon, I was speechless. It was gigantic! and to think that all of this was built using wooden carts, oxen, ropes, and chisels. Its unbelievable, and the carvings and decorations on the columns are so detailed. You see so much history and our tour guide Katerina told us a ton about it.
We also saw another temple, the temple of Poseidon. It has a really cool story. There is this olive tree that is huge that stands right next to the temple. And tradition says that the goddess Athena and the god Poseidon had a rivalry over who would be the main god of Greece. So they were both asked to give their best gift. Athena gave the olive tree that is next to the temple. She said it could be used for electricity such as candles and then Poseidon struck the earth with his Tritan and gave the Athenians salty water. The people of Athens declared that light from olive oil was more beneficial to the city and Athena became the goddess and thats how the city became called Athens. Pretty cool story and it was neat to see the temple.
The best part of the day came next. We hiked down from the Parthenon and came to this giant rock/boulder in the middle of the walk way. On the side of the boulder was a plaque with Acts 17 on it in Greek. We were standing at Mars Hill, where Paul gave a sermon to the Greek philosophers. How incredible was it to stand at the bottom looking up and thinking that 2000 years ago Paul stood in the same exact spot. I climbed the original stairs to the top and was speechless. I could see the whole city of Athens in front of me and to the right the Parthenon on top of the hill. Now it makes sense as to why Paul says he knew they were religious people. There are gigantic temples to all of these gods completely surrounding him as he speaks. My group sat down on top of Mars Hill and our professor pulled out a Bible and he read Acts 17 to us. After reading we sang Pierce My Ear and Jesus is Lord. Then we prayed and headed down to the bus. I have never felt so close to God before. Its incredible to think that where I am right now, living for the next three months is a place that is in the Bible. Does it bring the Bible to life? Yes. I can now read Acts and think to myself, I have been there. I have seen this. I have sat right in the place where Paul preached. Its something incredible.
We then went down to Plaka which is the old Athens to eat lunch. Its a part of the city that has less traffic and is a lot more quiet. The streets have outdoor cafes everyone and lots of touristy shops to buy things at. I bought some Greek sandals and some other things for the family and then we headed to the museum of the Acropolis.
When the architects started building this museum they uncovered the ruins of an ancient Athens neighborhood. So they decided to build the museum floor out of glass so that as you walk around the museum you can see the ruins underneath you. It was pretty cool. We couldnt take pictures becasue they didnt allow cameras but I sneaked a few just to remember it by! I was exhausted by this point from being out all day and tried to pay attention to all the ruins, artifacts, and statues inside but I'm afraid most became a blur.
Last night we came back in time for dinner and then headed into Glyfada to explore the nightlife. We went to a super cute little ice cream parlor with amazing ice cream! It was delicious, strawberry was my choice of course! Even though we were so tired we ended up staying up very very late hanging out in the hotel. I am getting to know some of the people here very well. I can tell already that this trip is going to bring new friends in my life and that we are going to have some crazy and funny times together!
I wanted to put pictures up here but for some reason its being difficult. They are facebook so definitely check them out. There are some good ones.
I'll post again tonight to tell you about today.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
the spilled soap incident...
Today hasnt been much different than yesterday. This morning Kana and I over slept and didnt make it to class on time. We think that our alarms didnt go off or something like that and ended up only making it in time for chapel. We made it to the rest of our classes and then at lunch ate some really good shishkabob things. Since we did sleep in I didnt get coffee, havent had it all day. You would be surprised at how hard it is to find coffee other than Starbucks here for a reasonable price. So I think I have decided that I am going to buy a cheap coffee pot for my room and brew my own WONDERFUL greek coffee in my room every day.
After lunch we headed to the square to find some more necessities. Everything ran pretty smoothly and then the late afternoon was filled with swimming and laying out. I guess I'll eventually find time for homework. Dinner was great tonight and we had some cheesecake jello thing for dessert that was very very good.
The best part of the day came after dinner tonight. During dinner one of the professor's wives, Dr. Dixie, came up to all the girls and asked that we meet in her room after we were finished for a devotional. Once in the devotional she began to tell us about an incident today at the supermarket. The 4 adults went to buy groceries and were in line checking out. There were 2 people in front of them an older Greek lady and an oriental man. As they were checking out their hand soap spilled all over the counter and the bags. She said they seemed frustrated so the professors decided to help them with their stuff. While they were helping them to bag the lady, Verdi is her name, began to speak in Greek. Dr. Dixie told her in English that they did not understand. Verdi was excited and started talking to them in English. Dr. Hicks, Dixie's husband, told her that there was a group here from America from a Christian University in Alabama. Verdi heard the word Christian and was very shocked and wanted to hear more so she offered them all a ride back to the hotel. She told them that she had been looking for something Christian here and was starving for the truth. Dr. Hicks told her about our church services and gave her his card. She dropped them off and went on her way. As Dr. Dixie finished telling us this, she started saying how we needed to be more open to spread God's word. Before the words could come out of her mouth in walks Verdi. Dr. Hicks was with her and we couldnt believe it. She brought figs with her and we all tried them. Then she started talking and told us how thankful she was that we are here. She said she has been praying for months for Christianity to come to Glyfada and that she has been starving for the truth. She was begging for answers to who we are and what we believe. We started telling her things and she just cried. She said she wanted fellowship with other Christians and couldnt believe what she ran in to at the supermarket. We prayed with her and then she left and promised she would see us on Sunday.
I cant even begin to tell you how this impacted me. To think that our Study Abroad program wasnt even supposed to be in Greece but in Italy. For some reason unknown to us at the time we ended up in Greece and for some reason the professors were at the supermarket when Verdi was there. As Verdi told us about her feelings and her longing for the truth my eyes teared up. I couldnt believe how hungry some people are for things I have had all my life. I felt like I was here for a reason that I didnt even know. It was very eye opening and uplifting. I have been inspired and encouraged. This is something that I never expected to experience while I was over here and it has been the best part of the day.
Tomorrow we are headed in to Athens to tour Mars' Hill and the Acropolis and some other things as well. I'll have a lot more to say tomorrow. I just thought I should share the spilled soap incident with everyone.
Goodnight. Enjoy till tomorrow.
After lunch we headed to the square to find some more necessities. Everything ran pretty smoothly and then the late afternoon was filled with swimming and laying out. I guess I'll eventually find time for homework. Dinner was great tonight and we had some cheesecake jello thing for dessert that was very very good.
The best part of the day came after dinner tonight. During dinner one of the professor's wives, Dr. Dixie, came up to all the girls and asked that we meet in her room after we were finished for a devotional. Once in the devotional she began to tell us about an incident today at the supermarket. The 4 adults went to buy groceries and were in line checking out. There were 2 people in front of them an older Greek lady and an oriental man. As they were checking out their hand soap spilled all over the counter and the bags. She said they seemed frustrated so the professors decided to help them with their stuff. While they were helping them to bag the lady, Verdi is her name, began to speak in Greek. Dr. Dixie told her in English that they did not understand. Verdi was excited and started talking to them in English. Dr. Hicks, Dixie's husband, told her that there was a group here from America from a Christian University in Alabama. Verdi heard the word Christian and was very shocked and wanted to hear more so she offered them all a ride back to the hotel. She told them that she had been looking for something Christian here and was starving for the truth. Dr. Hicks told her about our church services and gave her his card. She dropped them off and went on her way. As Dr. Dixie finished telling us this, she started saying how we needed to be more open to spread God's word. Before the words could come out of her mouth in walks Verdi. Dr. Hicks was with her and we couldnt believe it. She brought figs with her and we all tried them. Then she started talking and told us how thankful she was that we are here. She said she has been praying for months for Christianity to come to Glyfada and that she has been starving for the truth. She was begging for answers to who we are and what we believe. We started telling her things and she just cried. She said she wanted fellowship with other Christians and couldnt believe what she ran in to at the supermarket. We prayed with her and then she left and promised she would see us on Sunday.
I cant even begin to tell you how this impacted me. To think that our Study Abroad program wasnt even supposed to be in Greece but in Italy. For some reason unknown to us at the time we ended up in Greece and for some reason the professors were at the supermarket when Verdi was there. As Verdi told us about her feelings and her longing for the truth my eyes teared up. I couldnt believe how hungry some people are for things I have had all my life. I felt like I was here for a reason that I didnt even know. It was very eye opening and uplifting. I have been inspired and encouraged. This is something that I never expected to experience while I was over here and it has been the best part of the day.
Tomorrow we are headed in to Athens to tour Mars' Hill and the Acropolis and some other things as well. I'll have a lot more to say tomorrow. I just thought I should share the spilled soap incident with everyone.
Goodnight. Enjoy till tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Today was the first day in Greece. Not too bad here. We had class this morning to figure out all the different stuff. This morning Kana, my room mate, and I woke up in a sweat and I had a massive headache from how hot it was in our room. The air conditioning is a lot different here. You have to put your room key in a switch in the room in order to keep the air and the lights on, so when you leave your room the air goes off. It can kind of get stuffy. So at the meeting in class this morning they told us to check our thermometer and it was over 80 degrees in here! No wonder I was sweating and had a headache.
So we got that all straight and ate an interesting lunch. It was french fries and a giant hotdog with some kind of mustard, mayo, carrot coleslaw spread all across it. I think they were going for an American vibe but it wasnt greatly liked by us Americans. Water is the drink of choice here but I did learn that Greek coffee is AMAZING! Everyone knows about my obsession with coffee and I have found that the coffee here is the best I have ever had.
Today after lunch we went to walk around in town. It was not as easy as I had planned. My converter broke in my bag while we were flying so I am here without anyway to charge my camera battery but Kana and I assumed that we could find one easily in town. WRONG! The group as a whole tried to find a supermarket, anything close to a Best Buy, anything close to a Wal-mart. No luck. haha welcome to a foreign country. It is harder to get around here because the Greek alphabet is not the same as our alphabet so its harder to read signs and stuff. Another problem we had was that we forgot our maps in our hotel room. Needless to say after much much much walking we found a market, a semi Best Buy but no converters (and a very nice Greek man helped us here and gave us his business card with flowers drawn all over it and asked to come to our house in America. This is when Kana and I decided we needed other boys with us), a Starbucks (yay!), and the tram.
By this point we are burning up so the swimsuits were thrown up and we went for a swim in the Agean Sea. It was wonderful!! SOo pretty and the water is sooo clear! It was absolutely freezing though and by the time we got out of the water, I was shaking and my legs were cramping up. It is crazy here how many old women, young women, and girls go topless. Sometimes its very funny but the Greeks have no shame. They are all out there. We havent run in to any sharks, sea urchins, or other dangerous creatures but we have run in to the salt. It is very easy to float here and you barely have to tread water. The salt is very heavy in the water and you get out feeling like there is an inch on your body. But still it was wonderful and I definitely plan on going back.
Dinner was interesting. There were a lot of Greek foods tonight. My favorite was a pita with some kind of sauce and chicken and tomatoes. Another favorite was a stew like thing of calamari and a marina sauce. WONDERFUL! A not so great food was a greek grape leaf that had some type of steamed rice inside, not too great. haha but that could have been a texture thing. Today at the grocery store I found Nutri-grain bars, Pringles, and after many many stops and searches Cranberry juice. Cranberry juice is the one thing that is very hard to find here and I miss it dearly haha. So think of me if you drink any while I am gone.
After dinner we had a short devotional on the beach. The singing was wonderful. Class starts at 8:30 in the morning with one of my Bible classes. With all the things to do here it is hard to remember that we have homework and class to attend. Hopefully I'll get in to the swing of things.
Enjoy till the next time.
So we got that all straight and ate an interesting lunch. It was french fries and a giant hotdog with some kind of mustard, mayo, carrot coleslaw spread all across it. I think they were going for an American vibe but it wasnt greatly liked by us Americans. Water is the drink of choice here but I did learn that Greek coffee is AMAZING! Everyone knows about my obsession with coffee and I have found that the coffee here is the best I have ever had.
Today after lunch we went to walk around in town. It was not as easy as I had planned. My converter broke in my bag while we were flying so I am here without anyway to charge my camera battery but Kana and I assumed that we could find one easily in town. WRONG! The group as a whole tried to find a supermarket, anything close to a Best Buy, anything close to a Wal-mart. No luck. haha welcome to a foreign country. It is harder to get around here because the Greek alphabet is not the same as our alphabet so its harder to read signs and stuff. Another problem we had was that we forgot our maps in our hotel room. Needless to say after much much much walking we found a market, a semi Best Buy but no converters (and a very nice Greek man helped us here and gave us his business card with flowers drawn all over it and asked to come to our house in America. This is when Kana and I decided we needed other boys with us), a Starbucks (yay!), and the tram.
By this point we are burning up so the swimsuits were thrown up and we went for a swim in the Agean Sea. It was wonderful!! SOo pretty and the water is sooo clear! It was absolutely freezing though and by the time we got out of the water, I was shaking and my legs were cramping up. It is crazy here how many old women, young women, and girls go topless. Sometimes its very funny but the Greeks have no shame. They are all out there. We havent run in to any sharks, sea urchins, or other dangerous creatures but we have run in to the salt. It is very easy to float here and you barely have to tread water. The salt is very heavy in the water and you get out feeling like there is an inch on your body. But still it was wonderful and I definitely plan on going back.
Dinner was interesting. There were a lot of Greek foods tonight. My favorite was a pita with some kind of sauce and chicken and tomatoes. Another favorite was a stew like thing of calamari and a marina sauce. WONDERFUL! A not so great food was a greek grape leaf that had some type of steamed rice inside, not too great. haha but that could have been a texture thing. Today at the grocery store I found Nutri-grain bars, Pringles, and after many many stops and searches Cranberry juice. Cranberry juice is the one thing that is very hard to find here and I miss it dearly haha. So think of me if you drink any while I am gone.
After dinner we had a short devotional on the beach. The singing was wonderful. Class starts at 8:30 in the morning with one of my Bible classes. With all the things to do here it is hard to remember that we have homework and class to attend. Hopefully I'll get in to the swing of things.
Enjoy till the next time.
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