its coming to the end...

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 :-)

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.