Greece….We Will Miss You
- Posted by on June 7th, 2017 filed in Uncategorized
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We arrived in Athens three weeks ago and here we are, on our last night, in the same hotel, acting like we know all of the streets like the back of our hand. Three weeks ago, Athens was like New York City on steroids. Now, it’s familiar. It’s almost like home… except you know… it’s a ten hour plane ride away and a seven hour time difference. (That time difference has been a killer, y’all). It is bitter-sweet because it has been the trip of a lifetime. It has been packed full of overcoming fears, trying new things, stepping outside of our comfort zones, connecting with people we just met, laughs, music, and memories that will never leave us. But it has also been three weeks of living out of a suitcase, packing wet shampoo bottles into a plastic bag, new hotels very night, occasionally wearing dirty clothes, hiking in the beating sun and the pouring rain and sometimes even missing home so much that it hurts. I am so thankful for this experience but I also cannot wait to eat a bowl of cereal on my couch while I catch up on America’s Got Talent. (Taylor)
Today at Delphi we saw the Temple of Apollo where the Oracle prophesied, the stadium, the theater and the museum. After lunch in the picturesque town seated on the pinnacle of the mountain, we traveled the 3 hours back to Athens by bus. Spending our last night in Greece really brought the trip full circle and reminded us of all the sights and activities of the trip. As such, this blog post will be focused on reflections of the big picture of our time in Greece.
Theology was the main focus of this trip and though I learned much about the Orthodox Greek Church and general theological theories, my biggest take-away was the reverence shown in the Greek Churches.
In the States, I have felt most churches are nice, clean, polished, and well decorated. However, the feel is more modern and simple. The overall color is usually a light grey, tan, beige, or white with an accent color–maybe some potted plants, a cross, a pulpit. Beautiful, but in an unassuming way. The services I attend have been more contemporary with little liturgy. These services are good and true but they are so different from what I have found here in Greek Orthodox churches.
These churches, even the modern ones, are built to imitate the older, elaborate style of construction. The walls are covered in decorative paintings and ornate carvings. Deep reds and blues are painted on icons beside bright blues and greens all set with gold leaf. Sometimes the churches are darker inside and sometimes light is designed to flow in and illuminate the space in a bright light. Liturgical hymns fill the churches and bring peace and respect. These places are reverent in all they are. The beauty they dedicate to the Lord out of their own humility struck me most during these visits and taught me more than the lectures or the tours. (Sharon)
Greece has been a grand ol’ time. We have seen so much that sometimes it is hard to keep it all straight. We have learned a lot about the culture, about the history, about ourselves and about each other. Although Sharon made some great observations about the trip, I am a culture girl. I absolutely l o v e d just walking around, talking to locals, observing locals, walking in and out of shops and getting gelato on my nose.
If you have been following our blog, not only have we done some pretty amazing things but the pictu
res have been breath taking. I will let you in on a secret though. Are you ready? Yes? Okay, here it is.
These pictures are absolutely n o t h i n g like it is in real life. The views I have looked out upon have completely changed my perspective on the things God is capable of. He is an artist like none other. He has given us a world full of beautiful things, He has equipped people with talents to create art that is nothing short of spectacular. Whether it be the beach views, the mountain top views or the street views, it is all too beautiful to be true. So needless to say, it might be worth it to just come visit on your own. 
The best, most memorable few days of this trip took place in Rhodes. We stayed in a medieval bed and breakfasts, which were pretty remarkable. The streets were stone and the people were as kind as can be. I almost got hit by a motorcycle… or moped… or motorbike only a handful of times but it was worth the experience. My friends and I went to the same place to eat every single night because of the incredible hospitality of a restaurant just down the road. (Shout out to Stiv and Rafael) I mean yeah, they wanted our business but they also shared stories of their families, hardships and triumphs. They were cousins so the stories they had were amazing. Rafael’s father started the business decades ago and now he leaves Rafael and Stiv in charge. We were so grateful to learn more about their culture from first hand sources, we asked them questions, talked and laughed. We learned so much just from sitting at a table talking to two 22 year old guys who only spoke broken English.
Whether we are talking about the beaches, the history, the culture, or the food…. Rhodes, you will be missed. (Taylor)
Greece, you will be missed because this experience was something that we will never, ever forget. Until we meet again, thanks for the memories-
Messiah College
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