When in Greece!

Those of us who have a passion for travel have our reasons. Some of us are looking for something, some are running away, and others still are just bored. But all of us are just a little bit restless. We want to stand where great people and amazing things have happened, hoping a little bit of it will rub off on us and we will somehow magically become inspiring, wise, confident, or at least something more then we are now. We all want a little bit of adventure, we all want to feel like we've done something with our lives, to be proud of, to be interesting, to be exciting....Traveling isn't always easy, in fact it's often incredibly stressful. But I do it because something inside me craves it. Because the farther I go, and the more I test myself, the closer I get to the person I want to be.

Greece was amazing. But what makes a place is your experience you have there, and I was lucky enough to be there with great people, not get anything stolen, and I got home safely. I got to do some amazing things: kayaking, snorkeling, cliff jumping, volcano hiking, mud bathing, dancing all night, donkey riding, relaxing on the beach, a little bit of everything.

When traveling you have all kinds of expectations and sometimes real places are different than you imagined. I guess in ways Greece was different, and in many ways it was exactly what I expected, but either way I wasn't disappointed.

Athens: In Athens we saw all the amazing history that you think of when you think of Greek Mythology. The temples they built for their gods (the acropolis) and the stadium where the 1st Olympics was held. It always amazes me that people built these things. We are so amazing! I can't believe what we are capable of. There was a beautiful library and a university that I didn't get to see too well, but it reminded me, along with Mars rock, how much wisdom has passed through this area and how much I still have to learn.

The Islands: Now this is what you want to see when you think Greece. The beautiful white buildings with blue accents stacked on top of each other over perfectly clear blue water. It was so hot here, so it was really nice that we had a lot of beach days and most of our hotels were equipped with a pool. Each island was similar, but offered a unique experience. I'm so glad I got to see three different ones, and I would be more than willing to go back and see some of the other 200 inhabited islands Greece has to offer.

Food: The food was overall delicious. I actually survived off of not too much money. I did eat the all to famous gyros, had some souvlaki, baklava, moussaka (which I liked surprisingly), and I loved Greek salads, which were different and more simple then I've ever had them here. They do not include lettuce. Then of course there was much gelato and nutella crepes to be had. I miss them considerably! I tried a lot of flavors but my favorite are still coconut and chocolate chocolate chip.

Things that amazed me: Everywhere I looked I saw American products and heard English words. It was so strange to be in another country and not have to adjust much at all. It was so nice don't get me wrong, but it kind of made me sad. I go there to see and experience your culture, not to go see mine some more. I don't want to listen to American music and eat Lays potato chips. lol. It also always amazes me, no matter how different the places are, people are all the same. There are beautiful and rude people everywhere, and we are all just trying to figure out this crazy life. We all fall in love, we all have children, we all eat, sleep, breathe, we all drink, and we all go to the bathroom even though some of us do it in very different conditions. I met lots of interesting people, but no other Americans which was strange. It amazes me how emotions really are the universal language. I had fun watching people and knowing exactly how they felt, or what they were generally talking about just by reading their expressions and their body language. People are silly. We all say ouch when we get hurt, and we all sigh when we are frustrated. It really isn't hard to communicate with anyone if you both have patience. It amazes me how other countries really stress the importance of meal time. They take their time, sit and talk for a long time, and even close their stores for a couple hours for lunch. I would like to adapt that here. We are all in a hurry and keep trying to make food and eating faster and faster. We should slow down and enjoy the food and enjoy each other.

Things I learned about myself: I learned that it is always important to maintain my independence. It surprised me how little I missed life here, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I like knowing that I go home at the end of the day because I want to, and not because I need to. I like being thrown out of my comfort zone, I find it surprisingly...comfortable. Finding my way through another country, and overcoming obstacles was good for my confidence and once again cultivated my patience, which is indeed a virtue. I learned I love making my body ache from working hard, but I have to be forced to do it, which probably means I should work on my self-discipline a bit more. I learned I can live off of a lot less sleep then I've thought in the past. I learned that I need to enjoy being a girl more. I've spent my life being one of the guys. But there are tons of great things about being a girl. Getting dressed up, girl talk, dancing with your friends, dancing period, painting your nails, these are things I need to appreciate more instead of always being sad that I will never be able to throw a football quite as far or run quite as fast as my guy friends.

Things I shall always remember:
The really nice guys who talked to me on the plane and the way they helped me get around. The brownie I had on the plane..seriously. lol. The songs: We No Speak Americano, and Memories. Everyone and their freaking mom watching the beautiful Oia sunset. Mykono's public transportation system which is fungible to me pulling my eyeballs out of my head and eating them! Dancing on the bar. The sparkling sand of Ios, Troy, the little nibbling fish, and all the new people I met.

Traveling brings my world closer together. It helps me grow, lets me experience history, helps me appreciate home, reminds me who I am, where I came from, and where I am capable of going, It makes me more aware of how I come across to others and how to be more understanding of other cultures, customs and beliefs. It gives me confidence and even when it's stressful, I love it!