Day 22 The Power of Living & My Dash Project

Today was Day 1 of Education Week on the beautiful island of Crete. I was excited to refocus and get in the right mindset for the learning portion of our trip. Our lecture this morning was given by Garrett who spoke about the Power of Living. First we split into community groups to discuss what it really means to live. My group had so many great ideas and I enjoyed listening to each person’s opinion about what was important to them. Afterwards we read a powerful article about a man named James Shepherd whose horrible surfing accident and tough recovery inspired him to open The Shepherd Center, a catastrophic care hospital in Atlanta. One of the takeaway points of the story was persistence even in difficult situations and it helped illustrate a theory that Garrett presented: it either takes an incident or a tragedy to truly live life; sometimes called tragic optimism which leads to reevaluating one’s life. Robbie gave us three things that he strives for in travel and life in general: be intentional, be aware, be grateful. After sharing personal stories about this topic, we watched the film Darius Goes West. Even though I have seen it multiple times it still makes me laugh and cry every time. After the movie, we walked to a local cemetery. It really was one of the most beautiful cemeteries I’ve ever seen. It was small and surrounded an adorable little church. I loved how it was set up. All the graves were above ground and made of white marble. Each one was different and most of them were decorated with flowers, pictures, and letters. Some had glass keepsake boxes with various personal things inside. This is where we ended the lecture with an activity call the Dash Project. Basically this was a way to examine our lives by writing about what we plan to do with “the Dash in the Middle” which represents our live from birth to death. Visually it is the – between the two dates on our tombstone. It was a powerful activity that really made us think hard about what matters most in life. Today was very emotional and I believe everyone was a little shaken by the reflection, atmosphere, and location within the cemetery. This kind of activity is very thought-provoking and deep, many people were in tears. But its good to stop and think about these things. I really enjoyed writing and reading mine out loud.

My Dash Project: No Dotted Lines

I hope and pray that the Dash in the Middle of my life is a long and healthy one. I expect a few spikes and dips along the way- life isn’t perfect. But I do want my dash to have purpose and meaning. I’m promised that I’m on this earth for a reason. I want everyday to be a journey and pursuit of that goal. I want to love despite the fact that I’ve had my heart broken before. I want to travel and learn about myself, I want to be somewhat independent but I also want to be taken care of and have someone to depend on. I want to look people in the eye. I want to be real and transparent and vulnerable. I want people to see a difference in my life because of my faith. I want to hold babies and cry at funerals, no because of a loss but because of joy and hope for the future. I want to be a good friend. I want to laugh until I cry. I want to find my passion and live and work it every day. I want to always be touched by a story and to never grow cold or hard-hearted. I want to fall in love and get married. I want to have a family and love and give like money isn’t an issue. I want to be happy and joyful with/in my career. I want to point people to Christ. I want to motivate others towards their goals. I want to do one thing every day that makes me smile. I want to look at everything I have and all that surrounds me and always be thankful. I want to be content but never settle. I want to say cheesy things and think profound thoughts. I want people to like me for me and if not, I never want to change myself for anyone. I want to eat too much. I want to learn how to cook. I want to maintain old friendships and nurture new ones I want to have deep conversation. I want to use the whole dash- no dotted lines. I want my life to be made up of moments and memories that I’ll never forget until the day that my Dash in the Middle comes to an end.

xoxo,

Jenna

Day 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21: Off Week

I hope I haven't completely lost my audience. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in over a week. Last week was a little crazy and all over the place! We had Off-Week so we were open to plan our own side trips. It was nice to get out of Glyfada for a few days. Part of the time I didn't have my computer and the other half we were traveling. So this will be a catch-all blog entry for last week. Enjoy and thanks for still reading!

Day 15: Monday was basically just packing and doing laundry by hand in our hotel room sink. There aren't really any places to do laundry at all in Glyfada and the hotel charges 1€ per item which is ridiculous. This was an interesting experience.

Day 16: Tuesday a group of about 16 girls & 1 (out of 2) guy traveled by bus and by ferry to the island of Andros. We woke up extremely early and took a taxi to the port. When we got to the island we got off the ferry and realized we didn't have everyone. We tried to stop the men from raising the platform but the boat took off with 3 of our girls still on it. It was going to Mykonos and wouldn't be back for hours. We stood there in disbelief. "Did that really just happen?" We were shocked but couldn't help but laugh!

The blue and white villa we stayed in was so adorable and had an amazing view of the bay and the charming little town of Batsi! We went out to explore and find the best places to eat and lay out. A few of us found this area of rocks that was sort of secluded. I really liked this spot more than the beach and it became my favorite place on the whole island. We laid out on the rocks and played in the water. It was so peaceful and the water was so clear and blue! That night we went to dinner as a group and watched the sunset behind us from our rooftop restaurant. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. I had an amazing piece of swordfish which was a treat because (oddly) a menu with fish isn't common in Greece and is usually very expensive. Then of course, I had gelato for dessert! I think this was the day that I began to really fall in love with Greece!

Day 17: Wednesday we just laid out, played on the rocks, had PB&J for lunch, swam in the cold water, and then for dinner had pizza and one of the best caesar salads I have ever had! It was so nice just to relax, hang out with the girls, and reflect on Service Week!

Day 18: Thursday was our last day on Andros. We bought some goggles and snorkeled in the water around our rocks. We saw a few fish but the water was too cold to really dive down or go out any further. Then we ate lunch at the same place as last night's dinner. That salad was just too good so I had to have it one last time. We took a ferry back to Athens and this time we made sure we had everyone!

Day 19: Friday was the tour of Ancient Corinth and Bungee Jumping into the Corinth Canal! It was an emotional day. I tried to stay calm and keep my mind off my fear. I made a special "relax" playlist on my iPod and tried to sleep on the bus ride there. Despite the fact that we had a crazy tour guide lady, I really enjoyed Corinth. It was cool to see the agora where Paul walked thousands of years ago. We saw the place where he was accused of subversive teaching against the Mosaic law and brought to the Bema by the elders of the synagogue. It wasn't exactly the best planning to have the tour of the ruins before jumping because most people were so nervous that they couldn't really enjoy Ancient Corinth. To be honest I wasn't really that nervous. I expected my stomach to be in knots all morning and to be worried about the jump. When we got to the bridge, it wasn't a high as I had imagined. I was really excited while I was getting my gear on. We had to pay first and tell them if we wanted a video of our jump. Then we got out on the bridge- all 24 of us that were planning to jump. I have to admit I was a little teary when the first girl jumped. It looked fun but the falling part scared me. I don't ride roller coasters and free-fall is just not my thing. But I calmed myself down and tried to stay focused. The only problem was that I had to stand there for almost two hours watching everyone in front of me go.

When it was my turn, I started freaking out. My legs were shaking and I couldn't stop crying. I wanted to jump soooo badly! And not for anyone else, I wanted to jump for me. I knew that it would have been an adrenaline rush. But standing there with my toes hanging over the edge, I panicked! I could feel the weight bag tugging on my foot and I leaned back, fighting the pull. It wasn't the height, that part didn't really scare me. And I knew it was perfectly safe, so I wasn't worried about getting hurt. Everyone said the hardest part was the actual jumping off of the platform. I just couldn't make myself jump. I was so afraid of falling. I couldn't let go of the guy's arm. I didn't even make it to the count down (everyone yells your name and counts down from 5 before you jump). Everyone was so supportive and encouraging, saying "you can do it" and "you got this". I covered my face and just cried. The bungee staff realized I was too far gone. I was thinking too hard and there wasn't anything I could do to get my focus back. So I didn't jump. I wasn't embarrassed or upset that I couldn't get my 60 euro back. I was mad at myself for letting my fear control me. But I just couldn't do it. The bungee staff were so sweet and helpful. They weren't rude and didn't pressure me at all. It felt like I was standing there forever. They finally unhooked me and all I could do was cry. Robbie, who was standing near, was so supportive and gave each person a pep talk before. But I was the first person not to jump. I hugged him and soaked his t-shirt with my tears. I kept saying "I wanted to jump so bad. But I couldn't. I'm so mad at myself." I wasn't worried about disappointing anyone but myself. I was relieved that I didn't jump and I know I can live with the decision not to. I would like to say that if given the opportunity again I would try, but I'm not sure if I could. I hate that my fear has such power over me and I hope that one day I will overcome and crush it. It was still an amazing experience in which I learned a lot about myself. One of the lady bungee staff talked to me after and told me it was okay and that it was a good learning experience. I still had tons of fun watching 23 amazing Global LEADers jump off a crazy bridge into the Corinth Canal! It was totally worth it!

After bungee, we took a boat ride down the canal. It was cool looking up at the bridge and seeing it from a different perspective. The boat dropped us off for lunch in a little town. Then it was back to Glyfada.

Day 20: Saturday we spent the day relaxing and packing for Crete. On the way to dinner, Dustin (one of the other CGLs) challenged me to turn off my BlackBerry for 72 hours. I was a little hesitant but I knew it would be good for me. So I handed it over to him until Tuesday after class. I was excited to see what it would be like without my phone. We had ate with our community groups and discussed our feelings about the trip so far. It was great to get to know the girls in my group a little better. Then we checked out of our hotel in Glyfada and took our bus to a port in Athens. Our ferry ride to Crete was 8 hours long overnight. It was amazing to see all the Athens lights at night from the top deck of the boat.

Day 21: Sunday we arrived in Crete at 6:00am. On our bus ride to the hotel, we got to see our first sunrise on the island! It was gorgeous bright orange and red. The villas we are staying in are so adorable and we have an amazing view of the ocean from our balcony! But it was so early and we didn't really get much sleep so as soon as I got everything moved into our villa, I went right back to sleep. I woke up to eat breakfast and then went right back to sleep. For lunch, I split a margarita pizza from the hotel with Rachel. It was so delicious! One of my bucket list goals for the trip is to write in my journal every day from now on (because I've been slacking). The last time I wrote in my journal was Day 3 which is sad. But at least my blog has been almost like a journal. Tonight we had a group dinner on a rooftop of a restaurant. I sat with one of our professors Craig and his wife Abby. It was great to get to know them a little better since they have to leave in a few days. I'm excited to be in Crete and for a change of scenery. I'm also ready to get down to business and start class tomorrow. Only 3 weeks left and I want to make the most of every minute!

Day 14 Cape Sounion

Today my alarm went off at 6:00am. "Wake up & write my paper? Or sleep, miss out on the Cape Sounion day trip, and stay at the hotel to finish the paper?" I fought the urge to keep sleeping and decided I wasn't gonna procrastinate any longer. Then I feel back asleep. "No Jenna, wake up and just write the essay! You can't miss the Temple of Poseidon and the beach!" Finally around 8:00 after fighting with my alarm and myself for 2 hours, I sat up and opened my laptop. I had to remind myself this isn't just a cool vacation- this is school and all the fun also requires some homework. Tummy growled right around the time the roomies woke up so off to breakfast we went, paper still unfinished. Estimated time of departure was 10am and there was still the tasks of getting ready & packing a bag with swim suit, towel, camera, snacks. Time to go. Well good thing I have a BlackBerry with Word To Go and email access. Proud to say I finished my essay waiting at a bus stop before even leaving Glyfada. Only the editing process was left to complete on the ride there. Standing room only. Smelly men. Twisting roads. Scary cliffs. Car sickness. Beautiful views of the clear blue water hitting the continuous walls of rocks. And a finished paper! Yay!

The Temple of Poseidon was awesome! But I totally missed the story about Lord Byron's etch in the column. Glad other people got pics of that. Afraid of falling off the side of the mountain while taking pics. Was such a mother telling everybody to "be careful! don't get too close to the edge sweetie!" Amazing views. Got some awesome photos. Climbed down the mountain to the beach. Layed out. Forgot iPod and book. Got more freckles. Sunglasses tan line. Cheap 2€ Coca-Cola. Great view of the big rock island, boats, and gorgeous blue water. Thigh-deep in the cold water. Fish that scared Kelsey. Nice little nap. Hitch-hiking. "BUNS" graffiti. Waiting for a bus we wern't sure was actually coming. Sacrificing someone to flag down the Sunset-colored-rainbow-stripped bus. Sharing iPod headphones. Good music. More great views.

Back in Home Sweet Glyfada. Out of €. Oops! Everybody's hungry. New Deli aka "Waffle House" for an early dinner- toasted wheat turkey & cheese sandwich and another white chocolate & strawberry crepe (my 3rd one on the trip). Roomie Kesley tried a waffle w/ milk chocolate & strawberries. Stop at the ATM on the way back to the hotel for more €. Back at the hotel- another wedding! Hot & Cold shower (my new favorite). Then watched wedding activities from balcony- creeper. Resting and trying to find some movies to watch tonight! Going to bed early- so sleepy! Fun and tiring day at Cape Sounion!

Poseidon's Temple

gorgeous

beautiful

roomies

interesting choice of colors for a bus

sunset-rainbow

Day 13 Athens Adventure Alone

Don't worry! I didn't venture out all by myself into Athens, Greece. But 8 of us girls did travel from Glyfada to the city without the assistance of Robbie, Beth Ann, or a tour guide. Ok so RR and BA did help us out a little by telling us how to take the tram and making sure we had a map. But we did a great job getting there, finding the Hard Rock cafe, not getting lost in the Plaka, and making it back safely.

I planned to get all my shopping done today. I even had a list. But I only bought a few postcards and maybe two or three other gifts. I realized how much I dislike shopping. I mean I love to give people presents but I'm terrible at finding something that I think they would like or use. And I'm not so great at bargaining either. At the end of the day while we were waiting for the tram, I made a comment about my awful shopping skills- this is great news for my future husband! I hate to shop, I'm bad at it, just buy me food & dessert and I'm a happy wife.

Today was a fun adventure! I'm glad we didn't get ourselves lost. And most everyone was successful in shopping. I really enjoyed exploring Athens and walking around the Plaka one last time. It was a long and tiring day- you could tell on the way back to Glyfada because everyone was very quiet and some people actually slept on the bumpy tram ride.

When we got back to Glyfada, me and the roomies watched How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (we borrowed a DVD from Meredith)! We also attempted to hand-wash some of our dirty clothes in the sink. It was an interesting experience...

I love Athens and Glyfada but I'm so excited for Off-Week and our trip to Andros!

Thanks for reading yall!

xoxo,

Jenna

Here are some pictures from today:


Jordan, Rachel, Katie, Amrutha

Kaitlin, Hannah, Meredith, & Me

the only bottle of Heinz Ketchup in Greece

chicken fingers & french fries

painting of Hadrian's Gate

graffiti

My "Life in 3 Words" for LEAD Greece blog

Day 12 Painting and Pizza Party

This morning (Friday) I woke up early, excited for today's Service project! We would be painting the apartments that Praksis provides for refugees and their families. I was just ready to do something really hands-on. When we finally made it to the houses after stopping for paint, I was glad to get to work. I was so excited to learn the other two groups were working at Peter’s house and our two groups would be painting at Samira’s apartment. I asked Maria (one of the Praksis workers) how to say "you are beautiful" in Greek. I probably murdered the pronunciation and I have no idea how much Greek she actually knows, but I wanted so badly to tell Samira how special she is. She looked up at me and just smiled. I hope she understood.

Her family's apartment was bigger than I expected with a living room, one bedroom, one bathroom, and good size kitchen. But it wasn't in the best shape- there was mold on some of the walls and other things that we couldn't fix. This made our job difficult because we aren't professionals, just volunteers who were eager to help. But we did what we could. I was in the bedroom. First we had to strip the walls of the old paint. Oh did I mention our limited tool selection? We had almost nothing to work with but our hand. Thankfully the man of the house found a scraper that we used to chip and peel the paint off. But that was only 1 tool to go around a room of about 8 workers. So I just used my finger nails. Then I realized I could use the other paint chips to push up underneath the paint on the walls to lift it up so I could peel it off. We got through this step pretty quickly by passing around the tool for the hard-to-reach places. Then we started to mix the paint. This was definitely a trial-and-error process until we found the best consistency. I started at the bottom and just worked my way around one and a half walls. People have commented several times at the lack of height on this trip- we are pretty much all short. And the wall were pretty high. So we improvised since we didn't have ladders and put people on top of other people's shoulders. It was actually fun since I got to be one of the ones painting from up on Kaitlin's shoulders! But the painting itself was actually very difficult. Some of the old paint wasn't completely off. So every now and then, old paint would come off onto the paintbrush while putting new paint on the walls. It was frustrating but not as bad as the situation in the kitchen where mold was all over one wall, ceiling paint was chipping and falling, new paint was peeling and falling off the walls. It was a disaster. The other two groups were at an apartment down the street. They finished a couple hours before us. One of our problems was too little and too tight a space as well as too many people. All the furniture was in the middle of the room, so we had to maneuver around each other and all the stuff in the room. I tried to stay positive but everyone's attitude slowly turned to frustrated and helpless. We felt like we had just made everything worse. I'm sure the family was just happy to have a fresh coat of paint but it looked awful in our eyes. Everyone was just defeated. Everyone was covered in paint and dust. We tried our best to get to a stopping point so we could clean up our mess. The other group had been waiting a long while for us to finish. By the time we were done, everyone was exhausted and upset with ourselves. The pizza party wasn't much of a party. The other group had gone ahead and eaten because they didn't want the pizza to get cold. So when we got there, our group just ate in silence, reflected on our work at the apartment.

I did my best not to complain or feel defeated. I know the family was thankful for our help. We just wished there was more we could do. The best part of the day though was seeing little Samira one last time as we were leaving. She was on the first floor balcony of another apartment. So I reached up and grabbed her little hand. I was sad knowing that this time was actually the last time I would get to see her because it was our last day working with Praksis. But surprisingly I didn't cry. I just smiled and said goodbye. While walking away, I kept turning around waving and blowing her kisses. All of the frustration with painting didn't even matter to me any more. I tried to remember what Maria had taught me to say. But all I could do was smile. I think, at least I hope, that was enough.

Although it was a long, hard day it was a good conclusion to Service Week. It is so important to reflect on everything we have learned and experienced this week from lectures, discussions, and field work. I haven't been keeping up with my journal like I wanted to, but my blog is helping me remember everything. We have our first journal essay due on Sunday. This will be a great way to gather all my thoughts and feelings.

Me & Kaitlin make a good team

Earlier this week during the our Power of Giving lecture, we made our Bucket List. One of the things I listed was "jump". At that time I didn't know what this applied to because I had already put myself down as a NO for bungee jumping. But I guessed it would maybe apply to other things like cliff jumping or even a metaphor for something else. Today on the ride to Athens, Robbie went around the bus with the final list for the Corinth Canal bungee jump. Twice he passed me and I gave him my same answer- NO! Every time the subject came up in conversation I would get a sick feeling in my stomach and I would start sweating. I watched a YouTube video on my phone- bad idea. Almost everyone else was signed up and excited and nervous to go. I thought to myself, "I can totally live with myself knowing I didn't do it. I don't even like roller coasters. Free falling scares me. I will be fun to just watch." Robbie came by me one last time. Kaitlin could see the internal struggle and uncertainty in my face. She yelled "Jenna wants to jump! Sign her up!" Robbie looked at me and told me this was my last chance to put my name down. I couldn't believe it, but I said okay. A few people around me clapped and cheered. I felt sick to my stomach. Tears were welling up in my eyes. "What have I gotten myself into?" On Friday May 28th, 2010 I will be throwing myself off a bridge 260 feet tall into a canal! Talk about stepping outside (or off) of my comfort zone. Ahhhh!

AHHHHHHHHH!

Day 11 Greek Economic Lecture & Discussion

Today (Thursday) we had to stay in Glyfada because of a demonstration in Athens. Sadly our Service Week activities were affected and we were not able to work with Praksis today. So instead we had a (mostly) free day. We went to the market and walked around shopping and laughing at all the crazy stuff we saw. They had tons of underwear, clothes, fake designer purses, costume jewelry, toilet seat covers, kitchen supplies, fresh vegetables & fruits, fish & meats, candy, toys, and pet animals like fish, turtles and bunnies, and much more! Then we walked across the street to flocafé for ice-cream and free internet to research and make plans for Off-Week which starts on Saturday. We decided to go to a little island called Andros for a few days with a couple other girls and Beth Ann. It will be nice to get away from the city and spend time in a little village and on the beach. We are super excited!

Around 4:00 we had two speakers- Alec Mally and Stephanos Costopoulos- come to talk about the current financial and economic situation in Greece. It was such an interesting lecture! I took notes and made connections with information and lectures we have already discussed. After taking my first and only required Econ class in college (ECON 2200- History of US Economics) this past semester, I understood the terminology pretty well and could follow along. I feel like I now know more about Greece and the issues the country is facing.

After the lecture and discussion, a group of us went out to eat at La Pasteria (again). This time I got a plate of fettuccine alfredo and split a caesar salad. It was so yummy!

Day 10 Playtime at Praksis

Today (Wednesday) we had a party at Praksis for the children of the refugees. Before we left Georgia, we were asked to bring a few toys or activities with us to share with the kids. My favorite thing I brought was party packs of play-dough minis and the children seemed to enjoy it as well! I love kids so much and was so excited to spend the day just playing and interacting with them despite language and cultural barriers. But when we first got there, I was really emotional. I didn't immediately jump into playing like I expected I would. I wanted to make a special connection with one child so badly that I think I was either afraid that I wouldn't or that I would and then have a hard time leaving him/her. So I think I was hesitant and instead I sat back and just observed for the first hour or so. It brought me so much joy to see the smiles on the kids faces and watch as they colored or played with balloons.

Finally, the cutest Sudanese boy named Peter walked through the door. I thought to myself "this is my kid"! But I soon realized that sweet little 3 year old Peter was very attached to his daddy. I reached out to hold his hand in order to lead him into party, but he pulled away and clung to his father. I understood and stepped back. It took at least an hour for Peter to let his father go farther than 1 foot away from him. He loved to play with toy cars and was content with just pushing them back and forth. At one point, he found a pack of Hot-Wheels and I was the first person he asked to open them for him. He was so happy to hold all 5 cars at once but didn't show too much excitement on his face. I tried to help him move out of the walk way so he wouldn't get stepped on but he didn't understand, thinking I was trying to take the toys away. He almost hit me with his car. It just made him even more cute in my eyes.

Later while coloring, I met Samira! She is a beautiful 8 year old from Afghanistan with pretty long brown hair, big brown eyes, teeth slightly too big for her mouth (reminded me of myself when I was younger), gold earrings, a blue and silver cross necklace, and a timid but sweet spirit. She didn't speak any English or really much of anything. She was very quiet but her face, especially her eyes, lit up whenever something made her happy. I shared my bubbles with her and showed her how to blow bigger or smaller ones as well as how to hold the wand up to get more bubbles to go farther and stay up longer. She loved the bubbles, maybe as much as I did. We tried to talk a little. I asked how old she was, how to spell her name, and what her favorite color was. She held up 8 fingers & I wrote the number 8 on the coloring paper to confirm. She pointed to the orange marker for her's and I showed her the pink one to tell her which color was my favorite. I really enjoyed watching her play and draw and blow bubbles.

When we were leaving Praksis to load the bus, I held back from the group to walk with Samira. Unsure of whether I would see her again, I told her that I had fun (which she might or might not have understood), smiled a big smile, and asked for a hug with outstretched arms. With the toys she was allowed to take home in her hands, she threw her little arms around me for a goodbye hug. It made my day! At the crosswalk, I stood next to Peter and his dad, who told me that the cute little boy with gorgeous eyelashes really liked our tour bus that was waiting for me across the street. His father joked that Peter would totally go with me if he could. I laughed and somewhat seriously considered taking him home with me because he was so adorable. I joked that I would take him with me right then. Before I could even ask for a hug, Peter threw his arms open and around me, willing to go. I was almost crying and laughing at the same time as I picked him up and twirled him around, secretly wishing I could take this little cutie with me for real. I can't even imagine some of the horrible things that these two innocent and beautiful children may have seen or experienced in their journeys from Afghanistan and Sudan to Greece. My heart was absolutely broken for their families and the hardships they must face as refugees. I pray for their safety and that they will find hope and love even in the middle of difficult situations. I hope that even in the simple smile or hug, I made an impact- a special connection- and that they will understand that they are valued and cherished.

I was so worried about getting too attached or not getting the opportunity to build a friendship at all. I loved spending time with all of the children- playing, laughing, coloring, and communicating without words! I wish we could stay longer and build stronger relationships with the kids. I want to know and understand more about the country and situation that they came from, the experiences and challenges they face here in Greece, and how they go about daily life. Today really has been one of the most amazing days in Greece!

xoxo,

Jenna

Day 9 "Want Some Drugs?"

Today (Tuesday) was our first opportunity to "get our hands dirty" (mostly just dusty). Praksis has a huge need for medications in order to care for the people they help. Everything is donated from other people or hospitals. When we opened the storage room for all prescriptions, there were piles of trash bags full of meds. We had to go through every box or bottle and check the expiration dates. Then we separated everything into alphabetical order by name and even further into piles by date (year). There is very limited shelf space so everything from 2010 needed to be sorted through and re-stocked. The remaining piles were just put back in the room in what could be called an "organized mess" which is better than just a mess. We had a radio with some English music so it was even kind of fun. Although we weren't able to see the actual people that would be affected and helped, the work we did helped Praksis out for the next few months. It is hard not to see the ultimate impact, but I have to remind myself that someone, some day will immigrate to Greece, need medicine, and will have access to it because the students here at Global LEAD were able to tackle a mountain of drugs and to put them away on shelves that the doctors at Praksis would be able to pick from easily in order to give them the medical care they need. I just really wish there was more that we can do to assist Praksis in their efforts.

We had our group dinner tonight at this really cute restaurant (not sure what it was called). And I don't know how to describe what kind of food they serve. We had bread and a couple rounds of appetizers that I don't know the names of either. But I had chicken with parmesan crust and potatoes on the side for my meal. It was very good! And I had a great slice cheesecake for dessert! We sat outside- it was so chilly but the restaurant had nice little blankets that we all draped over our laps or arms.

I didn't take any pictures today. We aren't allowed to have our cameras or phones out at Praksis. And I forgot to take pictures at dinner. Sorry that this blog entry is kind of boring yall!

Thanks for (still) reading!

xoxo,

Jenna

Day 8 First Day of Service Week

Today (Monday) was the first day of Service Week! We got to tour the Praksis office and learn how their system works. They explained to us what they do when a new immigrant or person in need comes in for the first time. We learned how and what information they enter into their computer database. They explain the legal steps in the process of gaining asylum in Greece. This can get difficult because people come from many different countries and speak various languages. Hopefully they bring an interpreter with them or someone at Praksis can explain everything to them. We also learned that they receive a Praksis identification number and are then filed into the system. I was able to return someone's file to its location. I couldn't believe how many files there were. It was easy just to find my number and slip the folder in its place, but I couldn't help but think about how each number represents a person, a life. Praksis helps hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people here. Although we didn't have much hands-on work and most of us just felt in the way all day, I was inspired by the work they do and the peoples' lives they have an impact on. Some girls were lucky and got to see the actual doctor's office/"operating room". Just being in the office and understanding how Praksis is organized was very interesting.

After observing at Praksis, we broke into our community groups and went to a park where we had a great discussion about "Walking in Abdul's Shoes". I really enjoy hearing what each person in my group has to say. I am really thankful for the opportunity to be a CGL! I'm learning so much about leadership and about myself. Our discussion was really engaging and thought provoking. Looking forward to our next CG activity. Afterwards, we had lunch at "Pita Pan" (lol) in Victoria Square, a place where many immigrants hang out. It was interesting to watch them interact and respond to our presence there. Then one of our girls was standing under a tree and got pooped on by a pigeon! Gross! It was bound to happen eventually- there are so many of those darn birds everywhere!

This was the only picture I took today (because we aren't allowed to take pictures at Praksis):

Me and the roomies ate at this place called "La Pasteria". We split this huge Caesar salad and a Margarita pizza- it was delicious!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Jenna

Day 7 Scavenger Hunt, Pasta, & Dessert Crepes

[Sorry I'm a few days behind on my blog yall! The internet has been down and we've been really busy. I'm going to try to write less and just put up a few pictures to make it easier for me and quicker- since internet is expensive. Thanks for reading everybody!]

Today (Sunday) we went on a scavenger hunt in Athens through the Plaka. It was really involved and detailed. We had tons of fun and learned a lot. But it was definitely a challenge. Our community group (Team Aphrodite) came in 3rd (out of 4- haha) but we were just excited to play the game.

After the scavenger hunt, we came back to the hotel. I wanted to lay out by the pool just to read and relax. It was a beautiful day. I realized it was Sunday and thought about how weird it was that I wasn't in church, listening to Andy or the Athens Church band. I miss worship and having sermons but also know that you don't have to be in a church building for either. I'm reading Francis Chan's "crazy love" and boy am I being convicted! Its good teaching/preaching and is very much a call or challenge to evaluate my life. I feel that I will need to re-read the book again just to catch it all and attempt to apply it. And even though the music from the pool speakers wasn't worship songs (some music from Grease and some MJ along w/ some Greek music), I was able to praise him along with all the other sounds around me- the running water from the pool waterfall, the birds chirping, cars passing, flip flops on the sidewalk... I must admit it isn't a good band but having "church" by the pool was pretty awesome. I do really miss fellowship with other believers though. I am so thankful for the sweet words and prayers of encouragement from yall!

the winning team from today's scavenger hunt in the Plaka

Me and my roomies made pasta for dinner instead of eating out. We had fun cooking in our little kitchenette! And we had fun eating it for sure!

we decided to cook dinner tonight

bowtie

we can't read Greek but we made it work

my pasta plate

pasta by the pool

we totally devoured our pasta

After dinner, we wanted dessert so we headed to what I call our Greek "Waffle House" (actually called "New Deli") because they have waffles and crepes and hamburgers and much more... We plan to go back for a waffle (which they mostly eat as a dessert), but we got crepes. Mine was soooo delicious! Next time I'll know to split one with someone because the crepes are gigantic!

my massive Strawberry and White Chocolate Crepe

(warm empty crepe with whipped cream, strawberries, and white chocolate)

huge

(sugar shock!)

Kelsey and her Nutella & Banana Crepe

me and my crepe

xoxo,
Jenna

Day 6 rain, relaxing, flocafé, wedding, & reception

Today we were able to sleep in a little to catch up on our rest. We planned to spend the whole day at the beach but when we woke up for breakfast, it was raining. So me and my roomies Rachel and Kelsey decided to be lazy all day instead. It was really relaxing but also made us more tired than if we had been busy all day. We ate lunch at the hotel with some of the groceries we bought. Then around 4:00 we went out to walk around Glyfada. We found some stores that we plan to go back another time for a whole shopping day. The have a few American stores and some cute Greek shops too. For dinner we had Old Baker's again. I got the same sandwich but next time I'm going to try something different. Then we went to get free internet (again) at flocafe. This time I got one scoop of cookies&cream ice cream! It was so good!

While walking back to our hotel, we always pass the church (which is kind of like our reference point in town if we get lost). There were a lot of people dressed up standing outside the church waiting. We realized it was a wedding and were so excited to get a little peak into this cultural experience. As cars passed by, they honked their horns like crazy. Instead of the bride walking through the church for everyone to see her for the 1st time, they were all waiting outside- the groom, wedding party, and family on the church steps- and then the bride arrived in a nice car decorated with flowers. Her dress was so elaborate and pretty (probably very a European style). We felt like stalkers just watching all this from the street, but even Greeks were doing it too. I felt like a paparazzi hiding behind a tree to get pictures. No one noticed us and we were even able to get really close to one of the doors after everyone had followed the bride and groom into the church. We could hear the service beginning (in Greek of course). We peaked in to see a beautiful traditional church. I tried to get some good pictures but I didn't want to be rude. The three of us were so excited that we had just witnessed this. We were in awe and so giddy about seeing a wedding. "I love weddings!" we all said in dreamy voices! Haha we're such girls! We talked about weddings the entire walk back.

Afterwards we just chilled at the hotel. We sat at the pool for a little while and just read our books. It was pretty cold. I had on a light cardigan and a blanket on my legs. It gets chilly when the sun goes down. Then we noticed a group of people starting to arrive and gather out around the pool. They looked like they were dressed for a wedding and we wondered if it was the same wedding we had just witnessed. Finally the bride and groom showed up and it was a totally different wedding. This bride's dress was also very gorgeous! She seemed so happy and her husband was sweet to help her carry her train while they took pictures around the pool and waterfall. She would throw up her hands and smile- I could tell she was ready to dance! We felt so awkward sitting by the pool while this was all happening but we were told it was okay. Then the bride and groom entered the reception room for the first dance. It was hilarious (although we didn't really see any of it) and was to some cheesy 70s disco song. We listened for a little while more and heard some other great songs in English like Eric Clapton and Nat King Cole's "L- is for the way you look at me". It was a great day for a wedding. By the time we left the hotel around 4:00 the weather had cleared up and the sun was shining! I guess it's just as popular to have your wedding on a Saturday in May in Greece as it is in US! Finally we went to our rooms and ended up just talking, reading magazines, and laughing until we were tired. It was tons of fun! I really like my roommates- they are sweet girls!

Here are some pictures from today:

love flocafe!

Rachel, Kelsey, & Me

the church

the bride!

all the people following the bride and groom into the church

the decorated car

a random apartment entrance we pass everyday on our way back from town

I really love this tree/flowers that grows EVERYWHERE! It is so beautiful the way it grows up houses on the islands and on gates and doorways like this one.

So pretty! And pink (of course)!

xoxo,

Jenna