I know you wanna see some Greece pictures...

Finally, I have a few of my pictures online. I hope you enjoy.

Funny stories

So, here's a few real life experiences from the past couple of days:
My friend and I decided to go see "The Lake House". We were sitting at the mall, waiting for the movie theatre to open. My friend saw someone and commented, "Oh wow, look at her. She's such a pretty girl. I wonder why she dresses like that." Sure enough, a long, blonde ponytail, a fair, thin figure,...and really loose, grungy clothes. I was about to agree with my friend when grunge girl turned around. "Oh my God!" said my friend, "She's a MAN!" Yes, it was a man, but you really had to do a double take. Such laughter.
Then we tried to decide what kind of toy we each were.

Michon is a squeaky toy.













Dave is a wind-up robot.








Now, what do you think I was called?

Dave said trampoline. WHAT? NO WAY!
I refuse. Michon laughed so hard she couldn't think of anything else to say. Trampoline....that just sounds awful. Absolutely awful. I can't think of any positive way to spin that one.

Maybe I'm an action figure? Especially with that crazy new haircut after a windy day on the beach.

You just wake up one morning

Sometimes you just get lost in all that's going on and the people all around you that you don't have a moment for self-reflection; no chance to think about what you are learning and what all the experiences and people are teaching you about life and yourself. But this morning, I woke up early for no apparent reason. I stepped outside and thought for a moment. I invite you, listen to my ramblings.
My mother didn't recognize my voice on the phone yesterday. I did cut my hair. I've realized how hard it will be to go home. Have I really changed? Will I have reverse culture shock? Have I changed for the better? Wait, wait, let me think. What have I learned here? First, I've learned how much I need friendship. I've not had people I genuinely want to hang out with every waking moment of every day around me for a very long time...until now. I'm just as self-reliant, and I still enjoy my time alone, but now I actually enjoy the company of others. I've learned to be honest. I don't want to hide as much now. Other people actually do want to know me. I don't have to stay in my shell. I'll be hilarious sometimes, and it's alright. I can leave the tight-laced big sister role I feel I'm expected to be. I can be who I was made to be. I've learned I'm not as invincible as I thought. I've learned to be humble. It's easy to fall, to be less than I could be. But there's One who always picks me back up. I've realized it's all in Him and through Him and for Him anyway. I've learned that I really do have a heart. I shut myself off so often, but the first tall, dark and handsome man to come along and actually straight-out say, "I want to take you on a date" just leaves me speechless. I've learned people really do miss me when I'm gone, and that I miss them, too. I learned people are proud of me and have faith in me. I still don't know why, but it's those people who keep me going sometimes. I've learned my "differences" my "strange" way of speaking, acting, and living actually makes some ask questions. I've learned I can answer, and that they actually respect me for it. Most of all, I think I learned I am grown up. I don't know when it happened, if it was here, back home, or the first time my mom actually squeaked out the fact she had a grown-up kid and wasn't referring to my brother. I can hold my own, I can keep my values close, and I think I can come home now and actually do what I'm meant to do, and be who I am meant to be.

It's too hard to keep up with myself

Who would have thought I would have lived 3 weeks in Greece and only posted 3 times? I'm having too much fun living the experience to write about it. I'm trying to keep a journal, but even that gets difficult. There's either homework or travelling around or something to do. Last weekend I was in Crete, which has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Yes, i really took that picture. I was there. How full of joy and thankfulness I am. I would try to say more about my trip, how great the beach is, how much fun I had, but since a picture says a thousand words, I'll let that suffice for the moment.

Of Mice and Men

Why can't American men be more like these Greek ones? Here in Greece, the men just ask. I haven't been asked out for months in America, but three times in the past week here. Here's today's experience. I was standing at a crosswalk today, when a man came up and spoke to me and my friend in Greek. I said (in Greek) "Sorry, I don't understand. English?" And sure enough, he did, but not perfectly. We chatted for a while, then he said, "So, would you maybe like to go and get coffee, or a drink, whichever you like better?" How flattering. "Oh, no I can't, we have to get back to the hotel. But thank you, that is quite a complement." "No, thank you." He said as he bowed, then turned around and walked away. Amazing. Why can't that happen back home? Let me clarify this one. I'm not saying I think every man on the street should ask me out, or even that I'd want to go with every guy. But the men take incentive here, and they're not ashamed of it.

But on another note.... This trip has been great. I have learned how to wash my clothes in a European economy-size sink, how to speak a little Greek, picked up on customs, and learned how to dance Greek style(That's one of the other times I was asked out, and I said yes that time). But it's really hot here, and I'm really hating my hair at the moment. should I cut it again? Maybe so.