Petals and Thorns

On Wednesday nights our team meets together for dinner, a time of processing what's going on, and some prayer time. We went around and shared our highs/lows from the day/week, except we titled them petals and thorns.  I have been here about two weeks now so I thought I would share with you some petals and thorns from the time I've had here so far, mostly petals, but I would be lying if there weren't a few thorns.  Everyone here has been incredibly welcoming and kind, but adjusting to a new culture and even a new language takes time! 

Petals

• I'm living in a wonderful apartment with sweet roommates, they have made the transition so much easier!
• There is public transportation, and I can walk or take the bus/metro anywhere- I love this!
• The fruits and veggies here are so yummy, they are much fresher than at home
• We have a neighborhood farmer's market on Monday mornings, and it's wonderful
• All the girls  that we have met on campus/coffee shops have been so friendly and welcoming
• People enjoying spending time with one another, and no one ever seems like they are in a rush, people value each other.
• Everyone here drinks hot tea, I even got it at the concession stand at the movie theater.
• Although I am in a city, life here is simpler in a lot of ways. I love simplicity.
• We had a valentine's party for some of our friends last week and it ended in a Beyonce dance party. So great.
• There are more coffee shops than I could count.
• I have been able to Skype with lots of people- very encouraging!
• I met with a girl on Monday who is a believer and it was so sweet to be able to talk to her as a sister. 
• Walking weekly where Paul walked and did ministry
• Having to rely on the Lord in a physical way almost daily
• Reading a Severe Mercy- go read it now if you haven't! 
• Getting lost yesterday while adventuring and finding a Starbucks with a cute patio- you can take the girl out of America....

Thorns

• The language barrier, feeling helpless at times
• Twinges of homesickness
• Miss Fellowship Bible and being able to worship in English.
• Hot showers! We have hot water for about 6 minutes...and then boom- finish your shower super quick!
•  No central Heat- it's not that  cold here, but our apartment can be pretty cold at night. Praise Him for Patagonia fleeces and smartwool socks- not just for camping. 

Like I said, mostly petals, and the thorns aren't too thorny. 

Thankful for gratitude, which turns everything we have into enough. 

Traveling Mercies and Elizabeth Bennett

I have now been in Greece for about 4 days! It is hard to believe that this time last week I was getting ready to leave Arkansas and spending lots of time with friends and family! 

I left home bright and early Tuesday morning to head to the Memphis airport.  Mom and I were excited about getting Chick-fil-a breakfast (we love chicken minis) on our way, but once we were finally on the road we decided we didn't have enough time to stop and still be on good track to make my flight from Memphis...little did we know....

Once we made it to the airport I went through security and my mom's exact words were "fly little birdy fly!" as she told me goodbye. She's a gem.

As I sit in the Memphis airport and enjoy my last American latte- I hear that our plane has a mechanical problem and a mechanic would be arriving shortly to repair it. We were assured it would be a 30 or 45 minute delay, and that of course I could still make my 4pm flight to Chicago! Our flight finally left Memphis at 2pm, instead of 10:40 am, so I missed my connecting flight to Frankfurt and wasn't able to travel to Germany with the rest of my team.  Thankfully, there was another flight leaving Chicago at 6pm, and I was able to make that flight! 

The night before leaving I was listening to my favorite soundtrack (I'm such a girl) to help calm my nerves and fall asleep.  If I  could choose to have one soundtrack to live my life to, it would definitely be the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, as it has gotten me through many hours of studying for exams, and many sleepless nights.  As I laid in my bed, trying not to cry from the the sheer overwhelming feeling of knowing I would be leaving my family and all things familiar to travel to another country, I had a pull it together moment.  I am so excited to be here, and grateful for the chance to be here, but it's hard to deal with transition sometimes! As I laid there- I thought "Elizabeth Bennett would not be crying right now! She would be excited and ready to take on whatever the day held!" So thank you Jane Austen, and Elizabeth Bennett for instilling confidence in me.  This Elizabeth Bennett inspired determination and my own excitement and desire for adventure helped me as I figured out how to get to Greece without my teammates.  

The flight to Germany was through the night, and I got to watch Sleepless in Seattle, so that was fun. 

My flight from Germany to Athens was supposed to leave at the time that my rescheduled Chicago flight landed in Germany.  At this point I realized that my best bet would be to make it to the closest United gate and ask them what I should do, and when the next flight to Athens was leaving.  As I landed in snowy Frankfurt, Germany I had to go through security again, and also through customs.  Funny story, don't fill your nalgene/water bottle in an airport and forget about it.  I had a grumpy German TSA agent look at me and tell me to drink my almost full water bottle in front of her, because you couldn't have liquids.  I think I made her day, because she was laughing at me. I've never drank a bottle of water so quickly.  

Once I made it through all of that, I saw on a sign that my original Athens flight that my teammates were on had been delayed an hour!! I could make the flight!! I ran to my gate and met my team, and felt so overwhelmed by seeing God's provision in such a visible way.

They almost didn't let me on the flight to Athens, because apparently the woman in Memphis helping me change my flights had cancelled this flight because she thought there was no way I could make it.  A few minutes and the best sad puppy face I could muster- she printed me a boarding pass and I ran and got on the plane.  She assured me that there was no way my suitcase would make it, but I could get it in a few days.

Fast forward, we made it to Athens and as my teammates and I went to get their luggage, what do I see?! My suitcase is the first one coming off the plane! It is such a sweet thing to have a God who delights in details, I had been praying that there might be some way I could get my suitcase so I didn't have to come back to the airport to get it. So. awesome. 

I have been settling in to my new apartment, and I am loving each new experience so far!

I'm just happy to be here, and have my suitcase! :) 

Traveling boots.