Our final day in Greece is coming to a close. I am sitting in my hotel room, determined to not go to sleep because we leave at 3:30 in the morning anyway (it’s almost 2 now). We’ve had this planned for quite some time. Most of us are just beasting through the rest of the trip. After all, we only had a short while in Athens today to live it up. Flying in to Athens and then riding the bus into the city, it felt like we were coming home. It wasn’t just like we were going back to a foreign place on our way to home; it was like we had already arrived. I guess that’s what happens when you fall in love with a place and you’ve been able to spend some quality time there.
I ate my last slouvaki. I drank my first and last cappuccino. I had my last glass of wine until I’m 21. I bought my final gifts. Got lost in the Plaka one more time. And I ate my last massive, Greek, meal. Today I have been told that I look Greek by 7 different people, within 6 different occasions. I went from this one moment of my professor telling me that someone thought I looked Greek for sure a couple days ago, to 7 times in one day! I must say, it was a really awesome feeling. Part of it, I know, is because, as a group, we all carry ourselves differently now. We don’t carry ourselves as tourists so much anymore. And the other part is that my Italian roots come shinning through and everyone just assumes that I could possibly be Greek. I love the feeling of independence and comfort this day has brought me, and I am sad to see it go, but am excited at the thought of my arrival at home. How come endings are so bitter sweet?
I’ve been thinking all day as to what I would like to write on my final blog. As I sat at dinner, I became removed from everything around me. You know that feeling where everything seems to slow down, and become a little quieter, though you know the environment around you is still buzzing on like normal? Well, if you don’t this won’t make much sense, but if you do, then I’m glad you understand. I saw everyone laughing and chatting away, enjoying the company of our family and eating a fantastic meal. I thought about how blessed this trip has been. I am surrounded by wonderful people who all came to fully experience Greece. We had no Debbie Downers or Negative Neds, just Positive Pollies. This trip would have been so different if even one person rejected the idea of trying everything. And I really mean everything. Each person on this trip tried plenty of new foods, attempted to use the language as often as possible, and experienced the night life at least once or twice. We connected as a group because we tried to understand and include each other, and when asked if we wanted to do something, most of the time we said yes. I’ve found that this whole trip was full of “Yes’s!” and “Of course! Why not’s?”. It completely made the dynamic of the trip.
I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity. It changed me in many amazing ways, and solidified my identity in many other amazing ways. Again, as I sat at dinner, I realized how different I am from many people on this trip. I am my own person. No one else, on this trip, is exactly like me. Some are similar, but tonight I noticed that I am, and will always, stay solid in who I am at my core. For those of you who really know me well, you know how incredibly awesome this is. You know that I am quite the spitfire, but you also know how long it took me to get there and be comfortable with it. So, this trip was just one more reminder that I will always be that way, and I am oh so proud of that fact. J
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| Some of us and our awesome waiter Anestes! |
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| The beautiful sunny Rhodes this morning |
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