Island hopping, mule traveling, cliff jumping, quad riding...just keeps getting better!

Ok, once again, it has been awhile but that is just because we are so busy having SO MUCH FUN AND PURE AMAZINGNESS! Also, the internet here is down more often than it is working so that makes updating this thing a little more difficult so please forgive me. I can will put some pictures up but these aren't even the best ones. I am waiting to steal those from other people but here it goes. Really, I have said many times that pictures and words cannot do this experience justice but this is my best attempt to share some of the beauty with friends and family :)

Last Sunday we went to a traditional Anglican church service because the Greek Orthodox church was under construction, three and a half hours long, and all in Greek.

The Greek orthodox that we were going to go to but as you can see it is under construction.


But the service was cool because even though we came from across the world and different denominations, we could still come together and worship the same God and share in communion so that was pretty cool. The rest of the day we went back to "the Crop", napped in the park, went to dinner in Monastraki with everyone at a cool, hip restaurant that gave us a discount and free dessert for no reason! It was awesome! Then we came back and had a movie night in our room with everyone and watched Talladega Nights even though most people fell asleep. It was still fun all just being together and having a "family" movie night!


On Monday we had class, then we went to the grocery store to buy food for our Progressive dinner. My room was in charge of the Greek salad! After we got groceries, we went to Athens' first cemetery and apparently everyone who is anyone in Greece has been/ is buried there. It was like a museum in itself with tons of marble sculptures and extravagant graves. We actually saw not one, but two funeral processions which made the whole experience a lot more real for us. We sat down, pondered and journaled for awhile before returning to the studios in order to prepare our dinner for everyone. Dinner was tons of fun! We went from room to room for each course and the salad was a hit! In the dessert room, we all played charades and the terms were that the losers had to make the winners dinner of their choice. Unfortunately, the boys won so one of these days were are going to have to make them dinner, but it will be fun :) After charades, Andy Wade busted out his guitar and we had a fun group singalong time with Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and Miley Cyrus of course haha. Then we all kind of dispersed and we came back, ate some BOMB chocolate covered strawberries and me, Jenay, Andy, Garrett and Hilma played cards for awhile before bedtime!

Tuesday: We had class again in the sports bar and then Jenay and I shopped in Plaka for a little bit and got matching dresses just in different colors. After shopping, we met up with our class again to go to the Byzantine and Christian Museum which I was very excited for. It really put a lot in perspective for me. People in the church didn't do anything half way back then. It was all so detailed, ornate, and meaningful They had so much reverence and respect for God and religion. However, I also noticed that Jesus was just about always depicted on the cross and often titled, "Jesus, a man of sorrows." I don't agree with this title but it was interesting to notice that nonetheless.

Art in the Byzantine Musuem, Elijah and the chariot of fire, SO COOL!


More art in the Byzantine museum


After the museum, we got some sushi. Then came back, worked on some homework and got really antsy so we decided to go for a run to Mars Hill. It was awesome to be able to just go on a run to a place where Paul preached. It was beautiful. We could all sit up there and gaze at the beautiful horizon without having to say anything. It was kind of funny (and very American of us) running through the streets of Athens in our group of five and in gym clothes but we couldn't sit still any longer! We came back, showered, and then wanted to explore more. We went to a new area, wandered around and looked for a cool, cafe or restaurant to eat. We ended up eating at around 11:45 pm and didn't even realize it until we looked at the time afterwards and it was 12:30 in the morning. We all joked about how we are assimilating to Greek culture without even trying because so many people eat SO LATE here! Dinner at 11:00 is normal. We have also learned that they are more focused on just being instead of doing all the time. That is something I have really come to appreciate.

Wednesday we met at Starbucks to have class and after we walked around and tried to find Psiri which is supposedly a cool spot where a lot of young people like to hang out. We have tried to find it a few times now and still haven't been able to. So whenever we are looking for something to do, we always have the option of, "hey, we could try to find Psiri again!" haha. We came back to the studios and met with the rest of the group to talk about our Ferry tickets to Santorini. After that was figured out, we got ready to go to dinner as a group and we went to a phenomenal restaurant called Hell's Kitchen. Came back, did homework, and packed for the Islands!

Thursday was quite possibly one of the best days of my entire life! We woke up early to head to the port so we could get on a ferry that would take us to Poros, Hydra, and Aegina all in one day. The ferry was really nice and the people were actually nice to us too which is saying a lot because we are Americans! We were able to go to the top open-air level and to the front of the boat where there were nice reclining charis. It was beautiful and so nice just letting the wind blow over us. We made the first stop at Poros and walked around for a little because we only had 40 minutes .

Just lounging on the top of the ferry boat :)


Me and Jenay in front of the Ferry boat on Poros!


View from our mini hike on Poros


We took some pictures, walked around, then got back on the boat for Hydra.
Hydra was AWESOME! We jumped off some rocks that were about 50 to 60 feet high and it was so invigorating jumping into the beautifully blue Aegean Sea. The water was the PERFECT temperature. We jumped several times but then had to pull ourselves away so that we could ride mules with the time that we had left. Hydra is the only island that has no cars on it. The only traffic is foot traffic or mule traffic, no joke. So of course, we had to ride the mules. We could not stop smiling the entire time as we wound through tiny, narrow, cobblestone streets. It was truly a place where everyone knew each other and waved to each other from opposite shop windows. It was adorable!
Riding the Mules on Hydra!


Mule and the leader


This is on Hydra, the area where we swam and jumped off rocks.


Boats docked on Hydra


More Hydra


Then, we already felt like our day could not get any better. We hopped back on the ferry and headed to Aegina. We had joked a little bit that the only way the day could get better was if we were able to ride vespas on the next island......what a blessing! Right across the street from where we docked, there was a rental place. So of course, we did it! We are a very experience-oriented group which is great. Jenay and I got quads because the guy said they are safer and the guys got vespas. We literally had the BEST time! We cruised all up and down the GORGEOUS coast of the island for an hour. It was one of the most, invigorating hours of my life. I was filled with so much emotion and excitement the entire time.

Riding the quads on Aegina!


After an hour, we returned them and were super hot so we crossed the street and just jumped into the ocean. We were able to go really far out and still stand and surprisingly we were the only ones out there! That is another thing I don't understand! It seems like lots of the places that we go are not crowded at all! Like God prepared the experience just for us! I love it. We frolicked and cooled off in the turquoise water for about a half an hour and then had to head back to the ferry We all felt like we could not stop smiling the entire day. I honestly think we were in shock about how blessed we were to have been experiencing everything that we did. We lounged in the wind the entire ride back to Athens and spoke of how thankful we are. We got back showered, and the boys cooked us dinner of pesto pasta and chicken. We ate together while watching the Office and trying to keep our eyes open. I think it is safe to say we all went to bed exhausted and feeling extremely blessed. By far, one of the best days of my life....


Ok, more has happened but this blog is long enough as it is so I will update you on the rest in a few days hopefully! Thanks for reading, enjoy! Love to everyone!

The Crop, Zeus, and a little soccer and dancing

Hello again,
It seems like it has been forever since I last updated but I had lots of wi-fi technical difficulties and we have been pretty busy enjoying ourselves too! First of all, Greece is amazing! I feel like I have been overusing that word a lot lately but I can't help it! But right now I will do my best to give a brief overview of all that I have been up to.
On Thursday we just kind of hung around the Plaka area and explored and ate gyros for 2 euros. It was described as "the california burrito of Greece," haha. They are so good and it is nice to save money on a cheap lunch every once in a while. Then we were supposed to go on a bus tour of Athens and then to dinner and a show. Unfortunately, there were protests going on where the bus tour was supposed to go so we had to walk to our Traditional Greek Dinner instead. But none of use minded too much. Dinner was SO MUCH FUN! We didn't have to pay, the food was great, and we got to dance with some Greeks! They invited some girls on stage and a group of us went up there to enjoy the experience! It was great, I personally loved it and went up there for a total of three times!

Dancing at our Traditional Greek dinner on Thursday night...So fun!


Jenay and I dancing and laughing...obviously


Saw this painted on a building on the way to our dinner.


Friday I was still trying to adjust to the 10 hour time change but I ended up waking up at 4am...again. But we took our short trek to the Acropolis.



It is crazy how close our studios are to it. It was breathtaking. I love looking at all of the ruins and the surrounding landscapes and imagining that the Greeks have been seeing a lot of the same things since before Jesus. While experiencing the brilliant, phenomenal structures of the Greeks, I felt like I couldn't even take it all in. The time, brilliance, and energy it took to build all those temples is mind boggling.

The Parthenon....SO amazing, completely breathtaking...like, words cannot describe.





Stairs in the Acropolis leading up to the Parthenon


After the Acropolis, we walked down some stairs and pathways to the ancient agora, which used to be a marketplace area. Both Paul and Socrates spent time there and it was surreal walking where they walked.

Looking up inside the 11th Century Byzantine Church of the Apostles in the Ancient Agora.


Just another view in the Agora


The steps to the Areopagus (Marx Hill) where Paul preached in Acts 17...Look it up!







Theatre of Herodus Atticus where theatrical, musical, and dance performances still take place.


Arches over the Herodus Atticus theatre at the Acropolis


Theatre of Dionysus: Dedicated to the god of wine and fertility, patron of drama, and the liberator of man from his everyday worries, it hosted the City Dionysia festival. Amongst those to have competed are all of the renowned dramatists of the classical era, such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes.


After this tour, we got lunch, watched some of the Office, and then met up with the group again to go to the Acropolis Museum. It was full of more artifacts and pieces of the temples.
Ruins under the Acropolis museum

After the museum, me, Jenay, Andy, and Garrett, explored more of the National Gardens park. We took some fun pictures too.

Artsy peace sign flowers picture


We also went to Zeus' temple which is next to the park and that was awesome as well! I was stoked that we decided to go there and was surprised that we were some of the only people there!

Zues' Temple






Later that night, we went to God's restaurant and had a group dinner which was also really fun. The waiters at the restaurant are hilarious, and often a little bit innappropriate...ha. After dinner, we went to the Paris outdoor, rooftop movie theater and watch a Greek movie but it was in English. It was called "Kings of Mykonos" and it was hilarious but the experience of the movie on the rooftop was awesome, we have already made plans to do it again when we get the chance. We all LOVED it!

Saturday, Jenay and I woke up a little early, sat on our balcony and talked and absorbed sunshine, then walked down the way to get some Greek yogurt at a cafe and to journal for a little bit. It was a really nice way to start off the day. Then we went back to the studios and got directions to what has been called "the best farmer's market in Athens." The four of us took the metro to the Monastraki area and find the right street. The market was busy and loud and probably the least tourist-y thing we have done so far. People hardly talked in English with us and many didn't even know English. We all bought some fresh produce for our "family Progressive dinner" on Monday. Jenay and I were in charge of making the Greek salad. One lady asked where we were from and when we answered, "The United States, California," she just laughed and started to walk away. It is eye opening to see how American's are viewed here.
We bought a soccer ball on the way home from the market and then decided to go check out the Olympic Stadium. We paid to get in and each received a headset to listen to as we went through. It was so interesting! Towards the end, we remembered that Andy still had the soccer ball in his backpack, so we figured..."why not play soccer at the olympic stadium right??"

Panathenaic Stadium
A stadium existed on this site from as early as 4th century BC, when it was used for ceremonies in honor of Athen, the patron goddess of the city of Athens. Roman governor Hadrian constructed a stadium at this site where gladiatorial contests were put on for the public. However, we played soccer when we were there for about 20 minutes before we heard them blow the whistle on us. How many people can say that they have played soccer in the original Olympic stadium? It was so great!


Jenay and I just chillin where royalty sat at the stadium


After the stadium, we went back and got ready to go to a Rufus Wainwright concert on Lykebettos Hill which is the highest hill in Athens. First we went to dinner with our whole group at the same place that sells 2 Euro gyros. We made it to Lykebettos Hill and the view was spectacular.

Christina, Jenay and I at the top of Lykebettos Hill right before we saw Rufus Wainwright in concert. The hill is the highest point in Athens and the view was absolutely beautiful. After we saw the concert, we walked a little bit to a church that was up there and saw the most beautiful 360 degree view of Athens. It was amazing!


The concert was really fun and the views were some of the best I will probably ever see in my life!


Alright, well I know that is only an update for a few days, but that is all I can do for you at the moment, it is 2:20 am here right now and I am multitasking doing this, and watching Avatar and I should probably stop doing both and just get some sleep! I will try to add another entry soon, but forgive me if I don't! Thanks for reading! Kali Nihkta! That means "goodnight" in Greek :)

Either the longest day, or shortest two days of my life!

June 1st/2nd Day 1/2

I MADE IT!

I woke up at 6:00 this morning to leave the house by seven. We left at 7:30. My first flight from San Jose to Portland was an easy, smooth transition. My second flight was from Portland to Amsterdam... nine and a half hours! It was kind of brutal but I was able to watch three movies which definitely helped pass the time. I watched the Book of Eli (yay Denzel), Dear John, and Valentine's Day. Book of Eli was pretty good, the other two not so much. I arrived in Amsterdam with less than an hour to make my connecting flight to Athens. Amsterdam airport was MADNESS! Right when I stepped off the plane I was blasted with not only tons of people, but with tons of different foreign languages...I was immediately humbled to feeling like a drop in the ocean. Luckily, I was able to find my gate but I ran pretty much the entire time, dodged people, and probably cut in line a few times. But there was no way i was going to endure a twelve hour layover by myself in Amsterdam with no cell service or computer haha. I made it to the gate and didn't have my boarding pass and I hadn't checked in either. But I had been told that as long as I make it to the gate on time, they can handle the rest. The women at the counter were probably a little bit frustrated with my "American-ness" but I made it on the plane so I was thankful.

After reading for a few hours, then dozing off for another hour, I lifted up the window shade to see the beautiful blue waters surrounding the Greek Islands...I am finally here! I must say it took a few hours for the realization to finally hit me. I was able to get all my stuff pretty seamlessly and I surprised myself with how efficiently I figured out the metro to get to my accommodations. Of course, I did have directions, but it was different trying to sort through the Greek to find the English. After being in Amsterdam, and here for just a few hours, I already REALLY wish I could speak another language! Sheesh, its awesome how everyone can switch in and out.

Right when I stepped out of the metro station, I was met with adorable cobblestone streets and roadside restaurants. There were people on vespas (yea cliche), people on bikes, and some crazy drivers as well. It is SO cute! Then I made it to the actual complex and checked in with my advisor who then took me to my apartment. I am the first one of our apartment here so I unpacked and showered and took a breather for a little.

Here are some picks of the cute apartment I get to live in with Jenay and Hilma for a month!

View from one of our balconies :)

Kitchen

We got the red living room! Cute!


My little section of our bedroom :)

Another view from a balcony. See? Note the guy on vespa haha


Once everyone arrived, we all met to go to dinner. We went to a Noodle Bar that Kathleen and GL had gone to before. It was really good and fairly cheap too! It was a great way for everyone to say hello to each other and get a little bit settled in.



On the way there and back, we passed some really cool sites. It was like I started to worry that I was not going to be able to take everything in! There is so much to see, and so much history to learn about and in a way, to be a part of that I wanted to try and capture as much as possible. I found myself having to try to relax and let the fact that we are going to be here for a month sink in.
Looks like southern Cali still right? haha


oh the boys, you know, workin it basically.

One of my roomies, the beautiful Jenay!

Parliament Building that had crazy guards out front but you can't see them in this picture.

An old church.


We went into a park and saw lots of fun stuff! Some really cool art pieces, an awesome bridge, and a ton of really entertaining birds, goats, and dogs. There were some beautiful peacocks too! Check out the cat in that picture haha. One thing we have noticed is how many dogs just wander around. We are careful not to pet them but we had one buddy who hung out with us while we were at the park. We named him Pez, don't ask me why, but he is pictured below.









Later we went to a rooftop party that overlooked the city. It was hosted by the company that we are staying with. It was pretty cool how it was all travelers from all over the world just hanging and chatting. The Acropolis is absolutely beautiful when it is all lit up at night. This picture doesn't do it justice.



Our group had some good laughs with each other, as well as watching some others dance...ohhh boy. We also decided that we are going to try and learn one Greek word or phrase every day we are here so that we will be able to have some Greek language down in order to appear more "cultured" haha. After an extremely long day/two days...I am ready to head to bed. So far, Greece is amazing. I know it can only get better. I am so thankful and thrilled to be here and hope to enjoy each moment! Until next time... :)