Two Days To Departure

Normally if I am woken up two hours before my alarm clock becuase of sunlight streaming through the window and into my face I would be thoroughly annoyed, but today was different. Today I woke up knowing that it was going to be amazing; I always feel that way when it is my birthday. I have only personally known one person that I shared my birthday with, and she (Hannah Kendall) just so happened to be in the same country as me on this day!

Fortunately for us we got to sleep in this morning before we headed to the first modern Olympic Stadium that was built in the 1890’s! The journey to the stadium was very interesting: we walked through this GORGEOUS park that smelled like flowers, and past the parliment building where one of those guards who are not allowed to move was standing. The only apparent downside to that adventure was Tanner and Ben taking their shoes off to run with Hannah, Kim, and India around the olympic track, and ending up with burnt and blistered feet. On the walk back we took a swing past the temple of Zeus, which was really cool to see becasue his columns are far more intricate that most of the others we have seen.

Later that afternoon Kim and I went to a shop where I accidentally dropped a small snowglobe souvenir and it promptly shattered on a glass shelf. As punishment I received a mixture of glass and glitter all over my legs. Thankfully the shop owner was very kind and understanding about the whole thing! We concluded the evening with dinner and laughter at Kenn and Lisa’s house, and finally watched the sunset on their roof.

It is almost over; just one more full day before we leave! As much as we all miss home, leaving here is going to prove to be highly difficult challenge.

Always,

Jalyn

GREECE: Day Three

Today could not have been more perfect. Seriously, no sarcasm there! After getting up a little early today, we took a two-hour drive to the Epidavors amphitheatre. It was an amazing experience, aside from getting into trouble for taking pictures of Anastasio (Kimberlee’s rubber duck) in the middle of the stage. After that we drove to the first capital city of Greece, Nafplio, where we had stone oven pizza and Jim Le Shana’s favorite gelato! I can honestly say that we were not disappointed… well, besides India, who felt a little under the weather not long after. :S To conclude our day we drove to a beach in Corinth (the very same beach that Paul was at when he departed for Ephesus) and went swimming. And lets not forget the drive back to Athens, when we ALL enjoyed some lovely car songs, like “99 bottles of Barclay Appropriate soda on The Wall,” as well as a beautiful rendition of “Baby Shark” by Kimberlee and Yours Truly! We laughed, and thankfully no one cried..

I keep trying to think of something that was less exciting than the rest of the day, and the only thing that comes to my mind is the frustration I felt when I saw all of the graffiti on the stone walls in Nafplio. I don’t think I have ever been bothered by graffiti so much in my entire life. It felt like a slap in the face of the beauty of the city. Maybe it’s just me, but it seemed to take away from the sheer magnificence.

However, the thing I’ve been remembering most throughout today is how much history and beauty there is in this country. We literally stood in the same waters that Paul stood in, sat in the same seats that Royalty sat in, and saw the craftsmanship that people thousands of years ago designed. It was all truly amazing. Maybe it’s just me, but this doesn’t feel like an experience that we won’t be changed by.

Always,

Jalyn

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3