Travel Bound

Back in School

2009-07-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

It's the end of the second day of class and the only thing I can say that adequately describes how I feel is ... blissfully exhausted. The days have been incredibly long, but every minute spent is more rewarding than the next. I can truly say for once that I feel as if I'm in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Absolutely nothing seems to be out of place. There are a total of 12 people in my group. Amy, Carly, Andy, Alex, Marissa, Kerry, Julie and I are from the US. Feike (pronounced Fyka) is from the Netherlands. Sara and Victoria are from Canada, and Gemma is from the UK. We are all drastically different, yet strangely similar. The fluidity amongst us seems almost too good to be true.

School has been brilliant! (Accents and language are mingling together it would seem. "Brilliant" is the first word that came to mind and is something Gemma says often.) Each day varies from hour to hour but we maintain an extremely structured schedule. We jumped right in on day one and haven't looked back since.

The first afternoon I was one of six that traveled to Kiato, a village about an hour away. We were set to attend an English lesson for class 'C' students on Monday afternoon. As we waited for someone to unlock the school we watched from a street-side cafe as one car plowed into the back of another. It was nothing more than a fender bender, but you should have seen the the reaction from the Greeks! Everyone in the area stopped what they were doing and meandered toward the scene. They were all speaking incredibly fast Greek discussing back and forth who was at fault and so on and so forth. I turned to Peter, our main instructor, and asked if accidents like this were common. Peter's response was "it happens ALL the time." This accident had merely become afternoon entertainment for the locals. The school was finally unlocked and our 3 participants arrived, Peter, Angela and Stefano, all around the age of 11. We watched Vicki (their instructor) give her 90 minute lesson and I couldn't help but smile the entire way through. I felt so much joy watching those kids find their English words and phrases. As soon as they knew they'd gotten an answer right, their entire face lit up and I could feel the energy radiating from their new found confidence. It was exactly what I needed to see and I was put completely at ease. At some point this month I'll have the opportunity to teach these 3! After watching the lesson we drove back to Corinth and finished out the day in sessions with Cat (our second instructor who is from London.) Our day ended at 8:00 pm and we made the drive back to the house in Vrahati.

Today was my second day of class. Surprisingly I've been completely enthralled with each of our sessions! The days are 12 hours in length, but seem to finish much quicker than that. We leave the house each morning at 8:45 am and don't return until 8:30 pm. Currently it's 1:35 am on Wednesday morning and I'm still very awake. I think there must be something in the air. I'm running on drastically less sleep than I'm accustomed to, I have more energy than I've ever had, and all of a sudden I'm a morning person! I keep hoping this doesn't wear off.

The past couple mornings I've gone for a run down the oceanside street in Vrahati and I've seen so much of the village that way. Today I stopped in a bakery and bought freshly baked bread and bagels for breakfast. The woman behind the counter spoke only Greek so she hollered to the man just outside for help. He came in to translate and helped me find exactly what I wanted.

Tomorrow I have my first English lesson with a 10 year old student. I'll be observed by one of my instructors and 3 of my classmates. It'll be nice to get the first round jitters out of the way! It seems very soon to be instructing an actual student but I really do feel as if they've done an excellent job preparing me over the last two days. I only hope she isn't horribly shy, that makes things 10 times harder. Wish me luck!

I miss you all!

Marissa, Julie, Gemma, me, Amy, Sara, Alex and Feike on our lunch break in front of the Pegasus fountain in Corinth.

The harbor right behind the fountain shown above.

Our beach in Vrahati.

So Far, So Great

2009-07-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

I made it to Greece and all I can say is 'ahhhhhh - mazing.' The trip here went faster than I expected and it was exhilarating the entire way. It's day 2 here in Vrahati and I still can't believe I'm here. I've already learned so much over the past few hours and I can't wait to soak up more and more each day. Here is a list of some of the things I've learned thus far...

1. Fruits and vegetables taste unreal in Greece. We shop at 'green markets' where all the produce is locally grown. Yesterday I bought 3 huge peaches, 2 limes, 3 carrots, two handfuls of cherries, and a kiwi for about 5 euro, which is the equivalent of 6 or so dollars, best deal I've ever gotten.

2. From 3-5 p.m. everyday the people of Vrahati (and I assume just about everywhere else in Greece) stop and take a breath. The stores close and the town goes quiet. I'm hoping I can make that happen when I get back to America.

3. Toilet paper isn't flushed down the toilet, it's thrown into the trash can next to the toilet. My goal is to make it all month without accidently reverting to my normal toilet paper habits.

4. As a general rule, men wear speedos and its totally normal.

5. The Greek language is kicking my butt. I learn a word and forget it two minutes later. There are multiple different words to describe the same thing. I'm trying to remember that its only day 2 and I have all month to get better.

6. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right away. Move over or be run over.

7. If you need to ask your neighbor for a cup of sugar there is no such thing as walking over and knocking on the door. Simply shouting from your house to theirs will suffice.

8. The food is beyond description.

9. Sidewalks are a standard place for parking.

10. Its considered a compliment if someone tells you you look like Michael Jackson.

These are just a few of the things I've picked up so far. I can't wait for more.

Here are a few pictures to leave you with. Enjoy!

I love you all.

All the signs point to....!!

2009-03-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

So as you can imagine, I've been mildly obsessed with internet research on Greece. I've spent hours over the last couple months looking at pictures and reading about the culture and history of the country I will soon be traveling to. Today I stopped by cnn.com to check in on the world and stopped by the travel section as usual. The headline article was none other than...

ANCIENT MARVELS, SUN-SPLASHED ISLANDS OF GREECE

It wasn't so much an article as it was 25 beautiful images taken by people who have traveled to Greece from around the world. Click HERE to check out all 25 shots! You have to look at all of them, each and every one is stunning! I read through all the photo descriptions and with each one my anticipation and excitement grew. 4 months seems like so long to wait!

A few images in-particular stuck out to me. I wasn't able to upload them to my post but here is the description of one photo...

'Shaun Terrill of New York stayed at the Tsitouras Collection Hotel in Santorini, Greece, which came with this breathtaking view from their room's private terrace. Greece "offers everything to everyone: from beautiful beaches to majestic landscapes to great food and warm people." Terrill said.'

The photo accompanying this text is the third in the group. I love his description because it says so much about Greece. I have been so drawn to the county because of the landscapes, food and people as he mentioned. I am so fortunate that I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to this place. God is so good!

Its Officially Official!

2009-03-05T08:46:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was one of the best days I've had in a long time! The reason being that I paid my deposit for an English teaching certificate course I'll be attending in Corinth, Greece this July. I have been waiting for an opportunity like this to come along and now I can safely say it is officially official! My gracious and supportive boss said "Do it!" and approved the time off. I went home and promptly paid the deposit that will hold a spot for me.

GREECE!! The land of jaw-dropping sunsets, glorious beaches, historic landmarks and peaceful islands. Below are a few pictures of Greece. The first is an image of Santorini Island. This island is located 6 hours from Corinth, but you can bet I'll be spending a weekend there. The next two were taken in Corinth by previous TEFL students.

My plan is to take the course this July and get my English teaching certificate. I'll travel back to the states once the course is over and finish out the year in Kansas City. I'm hoping to then move overseas and find a job as an English teacher in Greece. I hope to move around to different countries every year or so and gain as much cross-cultural experience as possible.

My trip is only 4 months away so I have a lot of work to do, including getting myself a passport. This is going to be the experience of a lifetime and I can't wait to get on the plane!

Pretty fall and others...

2008-11-06T17:37:00.000-08:00

Generational Divide

2008-09-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

The vast differences between each generation is something to consider when assessing why we are who we are. Our generation and our grandparents generation are as different as oil and water. The generation sandwiched between us, our parent's generation, is in the most unfortunate position. They were raised by a generation built on devotion and consistency, and are now riding on the waves of a generation full of free-thinking and wandering souls.

Our grandparents seem to have followed a thorough plan, they graduated from high school, went on to college or enlisted in the military, found a mate, and worked the same job until retirement rolled around. Their children (our parents) began living life in much the same way. A great number more went on to college, but most still married young. They started having children (us) and were happy for a time. A career was chosen and there was very little job-hopping. As soon as our generation reached teenage years, a drastic change occurred. Rather than following in the footsteps of our parents and grandparents, we forged our own way. We began rebelling against the tradition of finding a spouse, starting a career, and popping out the next generation. We realized that this formula wasn't necessarily the map to happiness. We became discontent to stay in one place for long and made the decision to explore life as independent individuals. We've given in to our desires and have explored our passions and longings. Whether this freedom has served us well is yet to be determined, more often than not I think we are headed down a dark road. We change careers constantly, give in to our discontentment, and have yet to start saving for retirement. However, we have given ourselves time to discover who we are as individuals, in turn allowing us the ability to eventually build a life that is truly complimentary of who we are.

This new path may have saved us from experiencing what our parents are in the process of experiencing. Having been positioned between polar opposite generations has produced an imbalance in the hearts and minds of our parents. They are no longer content to settle for the life their parents modeled. More and more they are taking on the characteristics of our generation. As they start examining what their lives have become, they realize they aren't necessarily compatible with the path they chose. They were brought up in a generation that was devoted to the straight and narrow, and are now living in the world of self-indulgent independents.

In my opinion, it doesn't appear that one generation is better off than the other. Our grandparents have money in the bank and solid roots. Our parents have secure careers and many years left to explore. My generation has extreme passion and the ability to adapt to any situation. Yet, of the three, not one has managed a clear track record. It is becoming more and more evident that at some point each generation falls flat on their face. I just hope that by the time my generation is ready to settle down we won't have shaped ourselves into a group that is incapable of selflessly giving back to another person.

Break in the Rain

2008-09-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

It has been raining non-stop here in KS for a week straight. It seems that some of the aftermath from the hurricanes surrounding the East and West have made their way to the Midwest. Tonight I was driving around hunting for somewhere to take pictures and as I was cruising down Main St. I looked over to my left. There in the sky was the setting sun, in the most brilliant colors. Beautiful.

Evening Shots

2008-09-11T07:54:00.001-07:00

Last night I went out to get some evening shots. It was the first time I shot in the dark. Not easy. I'm still teaching myself a lot about lighting, and this was definitely a learning experience.

Kansas City

2008-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

This guy and I had the same agenda. The sun was brilliant behind the fountain. If only this photo did the scene justice.
The leaf was holding on for dear life.
The sun leaper.
Today I wondered around town searching for beauty in unexpected places. The quality of color you see in these images is nothing compared to what they looked like in real life, but hopefully you'll get an idea of the photography hobby I've had lately. The photo above was taken in an alley across the street from where I work. As I was driving home, the color of the fence base caught my eye. Vibrant color in unanticipated places is what I love most.

Necessary Reminders...

2008-08-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

There are times when I read, hear, or see something that reminds me of the way I should be living on a day to day basis. They may be quotes, scripture from the bible, a friend's wise words, or a strangers grave circumstance. The way in which the message is delivered plays as big a part in the meaning as do the images or words themselves. Today, my reminder is written below. I don't know who the author of the phrase was, but may their words live on forever. My Mom sent the quote to me in an email. I encourage you all to read these words and take them to heart.

'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

It's a gift we must carefully unwrap...

2008-08-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

The mind is a grand and glorious gift from our Lord. Each of us as individuals are composed of separate and unique creative thoughts. Our minds serve as a fortress for thoughts that will never be revealed unless desired to be. In a world that uncovers and reaches to the farthest depths of it's hidden treasures, the mind is one that will never be decoded in it's entirety. There are no machines that can link together the pieces of art we develop over the years of our life. The mind is a gift and a curse. It's the place that allows dreaming and wisdom, but also where sin and moral filth enter in. Christ gave us the gift of free thinking, but we must reign control over the power it yields. Inside our minds we develop all that we do, all that we say, and all that we are. It's also where destruction festers and grows. We must keep hold over the negative influences entering into our thoughts everyday. We are strong enough to battle this war, and if we do, we'll become a people of honor and integrity.

A brief and eye-opening conversation...

2008-08-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, I was with a friend grabbing coffee at my favorite coffee shop after work. He and I have been friends for years now. We know exactly how to push each other's buttons and get under each other's skin. Yesterday was a classic example of the similar passions we have for opposite things. With all my recent desire to get out in this world, I've been able to talk about nothing more. I was telling him about all the things I hope to do, and he looked at me as he does when he appreciates what I'm saying, but doesn't like the places it's taking me. As I was harping about how badly I need to get out of Kansas City and travel the world, he made the distinction between me and the majority of everyone around me. His statement was this 'I can't stop dreaming about all the things I want to do right here, where I'm at.' And I said, at nearly the same time, 'I can't stop dreaming of everything I'm missing out on because I'm here.' I've always known that I was meant to see this world, but those two statements make one thing perfectly clear. My sense of adventure will vanish if I don't pursue my dreams. If I fall flat on my face, at least I've done something my heart deems worthy.

Over the past few hours...

2008-08-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the past 24 hours, I've seen a vision for what I want my life to be. A friend that knows me better than any other, suggested I check out a website she'd stumbled upon. I googled Ben Horton Photography and was instantly intrigued. Because my friend knows me so well, she knew my heart and mind would set fire after scoring the gloriousness of Ben Horton's career. With every click of the mouse, my admiration grew. Ben Horton is a documenter of this world's true beauty. His mission is to document his explorations so he can enlighten those around him of the what the earth has to offer. His images are stunning and his experience inspiring. He set out on this mission before he graduated from high school and is now 25. In his 25 years, he's seen more of this world than the majority of my generation ever will. I would give anything to be in his shoes. Looking at the images Ben Horton captures reminds me of the way life was intended to be, beautiful and peaceful. Our Lord did not create us to be creatures living for money and the pursuit of social status. He painted us into the Garden of Eden, a place I envision as more beautiful than our minds could grasp. He orchestrated a land that would provide for our every need and allow for few emotions aside from pure joy. I love the freedom God gives us through the art of creation.

Click HERE if you're interested in perusing around Ben Horton's website. I highly recommend it.

Where I breath easy...

2008-08-13T18:52:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful experience to stumble on a song that sweeps me away from the constant rumble of the day. To feel it's harmonic melody dancing around me. My mind drifts and I feel the most euphoric sense of freedom. Nothing else gifts me like the surrounding calm that music provides. The right song makes me feel as if I've found my place, my heart, my soul.

My present blessing...

The Deep - Jacob Prestidge

Here I am...

2008-08-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

I've created this blog so I can use it as an outlet for my writing. Writing is something that has always come easily to me and I enjoy the process it entails. As I unwrap experiences that impact my heart and mind, I suppose you'll be along for the ride. I'll try to keep it interesting.