a weekend in Nafplio!

Last weekend Marta and I decided we were ready to get out of busy city life, and see a different city in Greece. After consulting our travel books, we decided to go to the small city of Nafplio, a 2 hour bus ride from Athens. We woke up early on Saturday, took 2 buses and a metro, bought bus tickets and were on our way!

The city was a quaint and old, with beautiful buildings, tons of shops and cafes, mountains AND the ocean. A couple highlights were eating a picnic lunch by the beach (although old men in speedos were abundant), climbing 1000 steps to "storm the castle" at the top of the hill overlooking the city (we found a few secret passageways and explored for over an hour), eating at a small cafe on the street, and finally ending the night with gelato and people-watching on the square!

Our hotel was less than extraordinary, but was apparently the "best budget option" in the city...let's just say I thought I heard a mouse or animal of some kind under may bed...but an experience non-the-less!

We awoke the next morning to eat the best bougatsa pastry EVER and even made it back in time for church. The trip was wonderful, but increased my desire to travel around Greece and see more than just Athens. Here are some pics of the lovely place...enjoy!Prayer Request:
We have a retreat this weekend with the other campus ministry up in Thessaloníki. Pray for safe travel, and that God would stir in the hearts of the students there to go to the world (or even just to other areas of Greece) with the Gospel!

Thanks!

If there is one thing I've learned...

If there is one thing I have learned about Greeks since I have been here, it's that they don't ever make permanent plans. Sure they may tell you they will meet you somewhere, some day, at some time...but it doesn't mean they will actually be there. Now this is not everyone, but it does happen. This makes it a little difficult when trying to set up meetings with Greek friends. So I thought I would share with you my experience on Friday trying to meet up with 2 girls, Konstantina and Katerina. I hope you find it amusing :)

I had "scheduled" to meet Konstantina at 1pm on Friday and she told me to meet her at the Theology building on campus...I was happy that she actually chose the location, thinking this was a pretty permanent meeting place. Well at 1:05 Catherine and I show up as planned and I give Konstantina a call to tell her we are there...

(on the phone)
Paige: Hi Konstantina, we are at the Theology building, where are you?
K: Can you get in a taxi? (not a good sign...)
P: Ummm...well...where are you...maybe...??
K: giaoiiohdgeiokieshooaihwoe... (aka some place I have never heard of...still not a good sign)
P: umm...is there a bus that goes there?
K: I don't know, can you get in a taxi?
P: [I'm thinking: No, we do NOT want a taxi! We want you to be here!] Well, I'm not sure, can you tell me the name of the cafe and the area of Athens?
K: I will call you back.

So at this point Catherine and I decide to get a sandwich and wait it out...10 minutes later, a text message...

K: I don't know which bus it is, can you ask someone. I can't.
P: What cafe are you at and is it in Zografou? (our neighborhood)
K: Millennium. yes. (this cafe is within walking distance and there is a bus that goes directly there from campus...Catherine and I are now laughing that we were told to take a taxi somewhere thats a 5 min. walk away)
P: I know exactly where that is. We are on our way.

We continue to eat our lunch, then slowly start walking. 15 minutes later we arrive...I get a phone call.

K: Where are you?
P: We are at Millennium, right outside.
K: In Omonia? (Another neighborhood far away...again, not looking great.)
P: [oh no...] No, in Zografou, are you here?
K: Can you come to Millennium?
P: The Millennium in Zografou??
K: Yes.
P: We are AT the Millennium in Zografou, right NOW.
K: I will be there in 10 minutes (of course...)
P: (just to make sure) You will be AT the Millennium Cafe IN Zografou in 10 minutes??
K: yes (and hangs up)

We go inside and easily could have waited another hour, but surprising 10 minutes later they arrive. So we got to drink Frappes, chat, and 3 and a half hours later, I left. The time ended well and I left frantically shaking from my caffeine intake (pretty typical). I think this was my initiation for the year ;)

The time was actually really great and God taught me patience through it all :)

So goodbye to my watch, my planner, and any preconceived notions I ever had about appointments with Greek students...

Prayer Request:
-For patience in times like these and for ease in making appointments and meeting up with students as planned!

Thanks!!

An earthquake and a scooter ride...

Two nights ago I was in bed and had woken up a couple times throughout the night. Around 5:15am I awake to my body swaying from side to side for a couple of seconds. I wait, unmoving for a few more minutes and feel this same sensation a second time. I wasn't sure if my exhaustion and lack of comprehension at that time of night had gotten the best of me, or if the earth was actually moving (I did have visions of my bed shaking and moving across my bedroom floor though). That morning I found out there had in fact been a small tremor! So, my first earthquake experience occurred and unfortunately is only the beginning...

I also got to ride on a scooter for the first time today! I'm happy to say it's not nearly as scary at it looks and there is truly no better place to be than Athens for a scooter ride :) I'll be sure to take a pic next time!

Also, thanks for everyone who prayed after my last post! We had 8 people at "Mythos and Truth" (our tuesday night outreach) this week! We doubled our numbers! We also ran into 2 girls who were met last year and over the summer while walking on campus Tuesday...both of which mentioned they had been thinking about God and what students had talked to them about months before. Today we met 3 new amazing freshman girls and re-met with Christina and Georgia (who I mentioned in a previous post.) God has truly been faithful this week!


I thought I would share a pic of Marta and I eating our favorite dessert at IKEA (of all places). The warm, gooey chocolate brownie with ice cream. 1.30 euros of pure bliss!

Prayer Requests:
-Marta and I have both had trouble sleeping at night for awhile now. Pray for good rest so we can be awake and alert during the day!
-For continued ease following up with students we have met.
-That God would give us direction concerning who to initiate conversations with while on campus.

A Wonderful Week of FIRSTS!

Last week was the busiest week we have had yet and it included a LOT of firsts! Our first language classes, our first time following up summer project contacts, first "Mythos and Truth", first Worldwide day of Prayer, and first party for the students!

The most exciting thing was following up the summer project contacts! The students that came on summer project from May to July handed over a list of about 70 Greek students they had connected with and befriended while they were here. They had the chance to share the gospel with many of them, or at least get into great spiritual conversations. We then had the task of calling and texting all these students to reconnect this year. The response we had was incredible though! So many of them wanted to meet us and were so excited that we called! I am pursuing 4 girls in particular and will hopefully have the chance to meet them this week.

"Mythos and Truth" is our name for a weekly get-together with these students. It is held Tuesday nights at a bistro near our language school. While only 4 students showed up this past week, it was an answer to prayer that anyone showed up at all. These are all people who really didn't know us at all and still took the time to come and spend a couple hours with us. I met a wonderful girl, Afrodite, and her friend Voula. Afrodite is an extremely personable, endearing, energetic girl who seems to truly enjoy life and meeting new people. She was so open with us, and said we could hang out anytime. I really can't wait to get to know her and Voula better.

To end out the week we had a party at our "Steki" (aka our office), which is the word for a "hang-out" in Greek. We invited the SP contacts and had 10 students come. This is great for this being the very beginning of the year and our first event!! The students were great and I loved sitting on the couches and talking to them. Greeks just love to talk. We had a rock climbing wall as well, but no one was brave enough to attempt it...I mean, I totally would have, but didn't want to show off of course ;)

So prayer requests for THIS week:
-For our 2nd "Mythos and Truth" on Tuesday...that more students would come and that we would be able to transition normal conversation into spiritual ones.
-For a chance to get together with the 4 girls met this summer and that they would become great friends for the entire year.
-Language school. enough said.
-For all our appointments this week. That our schedules would align appointments will easily be made. (I am praying to have at least 3 appointments this week, if not more)
-Catherine and I are meeting with 2 girls Wednesday, Iris and Christina. Pray for favor in their eyes and that they would see Christ through us!

Ευχαριστω πολυ! (Thanks so much!)

dear old golden rule days...

Well, yesterday was my first day of Greek class at Hellenic American University...and it was unlike anything I had every experienced! I am in a "beginning" level class with four other people from my team. I told Catherine last week that my biggest fear about this class was that the teacher would walk in and just start speaking Greek....well, guess what? that's exactly what happened. Having lived in Athens a total of 3 weeks I have accumulated a vocabulary of about six words, most of which deal with ordering food...not too helpful in this situation I must say.

The next 3 hours of class consisted of me frantically writing everything she wrote onto a notepad with an occasional smile and nod when she looked my way :) I have officially regressed to kindergarten with homework consisting of copying letters multiple times and sounding out words. Also, for anyone who thinks they know the Greek alphabet, you don't. I was pretty sure my knowledge of Greek letters would put me a step ahead on the first day...but that was not the case. For example, to all my Pi Phi friends, the sorority you pronounce as "Pie Beta Phi" is actually "Pee Veeta Phee". I'm thinking of writing to Panhellenic Council and telling them to properly instruct students on the Greek language...we should really know these things :)

Anyway, I thought this might make you appreciate your A&M classes for those of you still there. I did take a first day of school picture, which is always a must!! (as you an see to the left)

So...if you happen to remember while you are hating work, or struggling in school...it could be worse...so pray for me!!

I have faith that this will be a learning, growing, and humbling experience :) I will be sure to keep you updated on my progress.

Γιασας! (Yassas!)

Thankfulness

Last night I was sitting on my bed and one of my favorite verses came to mind:

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thes. 5:16-18)

This has become one of my life verses and gives such a great picture of how I would like to live. So, I decided to make a list of everything that I am currently thankful for here in Athens. I know I will have some low points during the semester, and thought it would be a great thing to look back on when those moments come. So, I thought I would share these things with you:

What I am thankful for (as of last night...and I added a few more...in no particular order):

-The Greek music being played downstairs
-The door in my room that I can open onto the porch
-Beautiful weather
-Marta
-My wonderful team
- 80 cent frappes
-Clean metros
-Greek students (especially ones that want to hang out with me)
-The paint color in my room
-IKEA
-The brownie and ice cream from IKEA (seriously one of the best desserts in Athens)
-scarves
-God's faithfulness
-Skype
-All my supporters
-The 12 people I know ministering in 5 different continents right now
-Awkward moments on campus
-Public transportation
-The fact that straws here all bend at the top
-The Acropolis
-The book "The Shack"
-Starbucks
-My "Body Milk" lotion that smells like figs
-"Family Time"
-God's wisdom and timing
-Greek food
-Small adventures around the city
-Paul's (in the bible) boldness
-My jar of peanut butter
-Febreze
-Mail on its way to me
-The beauty of Orthadox churches
-People who read my blog
-Supportive and loving parents
-Time with the Lord
-My Austin Stone community group
-Marta's decorating and cooking skills
-Betty-the girl who works at the sewing shop
-The market on Mondays
-The "Goodwill" (aka the free stuff people leave by the dump)
-My iPod
-"It's All Greek to Me" OPI nailpolish
-My Life in Athens :)

Appropriate for the moment

I just finished reading "The Shack" by William P. Young last week. I highly recommend it...but just know it IS fiction...so also form your own opinions about what he says. Anyway, each chapter begins with a different quote, and I just thought this one was appropriate for me:

"You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world, but a world lives in you."
(Frederick Buechner)

Just wanted to share and let everyone reading this know that I think of you often...and I carried you to Athens with me ;) Also, great book...go read it!