It's a sad day. The end has come and we leave at 6:10am (or something ridiculous like that) tomorrow morning. But it's impossible not to be happy too. I'm going home! It's an end of adventure/start of new adventure type thing and I wouldn't trade it for the world! I bet people are wondering if I'll be different when I come home, or maybe wondering how different I'll be when I come home. Well, I'm wondering the same thing. I know I'll be different, but if it's an easy change then I might not even be able to tell in what ways or how much I've changed. Oh well, that'll worry about itself.
A lot has happened since I posted last. I've been to the Vatican multiple times and seen the Sistine Chapel and been in Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Basilica. I went to St. Paul's Basilica and Santa Maria Maggoire and San Giovanni and San Pietro in Vincoli and tons of other churchs. I've stayed in 2 hotels and almost stayed in another and will stay in one more. I've wandered a bit in a maze of catacombs and gone to a mausoleum. I've mastered the metro system and many of the streets. I was a photographer for an "Angels and Demons" adventure. I watched as AS Roma blew a lead against Livorno. I saw the Roman Legion amass around me at the Circus Maximus. I walked in the footsteps of Paul down the oldest Roman road, the Appian Way. I've eaten at plenty of great Italiano restaurants and had my fill (almost) of gelato. I've seen the Colloseum at night lit up with a full moon floating nearby. I've done worksheets and taken my final exam. Yeah, I've pretty well done Rome.
I could write tons about all of those things but home is so close and I feel like I'll be telling these stories over and over very soon. For those of you that want me to type up some more descriptions I will for anything you ask. I'll just wait until the internet is free back in the USA.
I guess then I don't have all that much left to say. Well, except for random things. Like, if anyone comes to Rome they have to go to Giovanni Fassi's gelato restaurant. Or, don't put too big a bill into the automatic metro ticket machines. Or, don't cheer for the away team at a soccer match or in any way be unbiased. "Time Takes its Toll on Us" has been stuck in my head for a few days. I'm going to teach Briscola to whoever wants to learn. My journal is not quite full, but will be soon. And chapel is going to be pretty sweet on Wednesday.
Now I'm done, but just because the trip is over that doesn't mean I'll stop posting. My posts may not be filled with thrilling adventures like they have been, but I still hope to put up some stuff from time to time. Now I say goodbye to Rome and goodbye to this ridiculously amazing semester. I say thanks to God for seeing my through it all and for doing what has been done in my life. And I prepare to say hello to those at home who have been waiting all this time.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
When in Rome
I know that is an incredibly cliché phrase, but it actually works pretty well here. Suddenly nothing needs solid logic anymore. We don't need as much planning or preparation. We can be spontaneous and make random decisions. All you need to do is throw on "when in Rome" and suddenly everything is ok.
So yeah, I'm in Rome. Our last day in Athens was spent doing whatever we wanted. Turns out all 30 of us wanted to do the exact same thing! We all went to Agina, an island south of Athens, by ferry. It was gorgeous! Pretty much all of Greece is gorgeous, but this island was stunning! We hung out on the beach and walked the streets. Some people rented scooters and cruised around the island. No one died, luckily. That evening we had dinner at this little place in the Plaka and as we left started talking to this random group of English speakers. And what do you know! They were Mennonite! It was a group of Canadian Mennonites from Ontario. We enjoyed talking with them and sharing our travels for a while. Small world. Small, small world.
The next day, the 13th, we hopped on a bus to go to Corinth. I was pretty impressed at how well maintained the ancient city was. We read Acts 18 (I think that's the right one) and could see where it all would have happened. Then after luch we had a short worship service in the theater there. It wasn't much, but it was nice closure to Greece.
From there we rode on the bus for a little way to catch our floating city to Bari, Italy. It was a "SuperFast Ferry." I'm not quite sure what to say about this leg of the journey. The whole trip took 14 hours and was spent in luxory. The boat had a casino and arcade and disco and could room 1500 people! Our group had a private lounge to meet in for another meeting about Paul and for chapel planning. (Everyone had better go to chapel on the 23rd at 10:00!) The one piece of sad news is that the trusted Rook deck has called it quits. It has seen hundreds of games this semester, but without a 1 and 13 and only extremely obvious 2s, 3s, and 4s to replace them, the deck had to be retired.
At Bari we were met by Virginia Mennonite Missions workers. They gave us a short presentation and packed us lunches and sent us on our way. After 6 hours we arrived in Rome and the Mariono Hotel. Today has consisted of the Roman Forum, Constantine's Arch, the Circus Maximus, the Collesium, Olympic Stadium, the Spanish Stairs, and some sweet fountain. The food has been incredible! I'm glad to spend 8 days here so that I can try as much Italian food as possible! Tomorrow will bring many more sites!
Life is great and I am out of time unless I want to pay another euro, which I don't.
So yeah, I'm in Rome. Our last day in Athens was spent doing whatever we wanted. Turns out all 30 of us wanted to do the exact same thing! We all went to Agina, an island south of Athens, by ferry. It was gorgeous! Pretty much all of Greece is gorgeous, but this island was stunning! We hung out on the beach and walked the streets. Some people rented scooters and cruised around the island. No one died, luckily. That evening we had dinner at this little place in the Plaka and as we left started talking to this random group of English speakers. And what do you know! They were Mennonite! It was a group of Canadian Mennonites from Ontario. We enjoyed talking with them and sharing our travels for a while. Small world. Small, small world.
The next day, the 13th, we hopped on a bus to go to Corinth. I was pretty impressed at how well maintained the ancient city was. We read Acts 18 (I think that's the right one) and could see where it all would have happened. Then after luch we had a short worship service in the theater there. It wasn't much, but it was nice closure to Greece.
From there we rode on the bus for a little way to catch our floating city to Bari, Italy. It was a "SuperFast Ferry." I'm not quite sure what to say about this leg of the journey. The whole trip took 14 hours and was spent in luxory. The boat had a casino and arcade and disco and could room 1500 people! Our group had a private lounge to meet in for another meeting about Paul and for chapel planning. (Everyone had better go to chapel on the 23rd at 10:00!) The one piece of sad news is that the trusted Rook deck has called it quits. It has seen hundreds of games this semester, but without a 1 and 13 and only extremely obvious 2s, 3s, and 4s to replace them, the deck had to be retired.
At Bari we were met by Virginia Mennonite Missions workers. They gave us a short presentation and packed us lunches and sent us on our way. After 6 hours we arrived in Rome and the Mariono Hotel. Today has consisted of the Roman Forum, Constantine's Arch, the Circus Maximus, the Collesium, Olympic Stadium, the Spanish Stairs, and some sweet fountain. The food has been incredible! I'm glad to spend 8 days here so that I can try as much Italian food as possible! Tomorrow will bring many more sites!
Life is great and I am out of time unless I want to pay another euro, which I don't.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Athens
Wow it's hard to believe that this trip is nearly over! I thought our excursion to Europe would never come! And now that is has the temptation is to start talking about home and summer and how we all will have to readjust to the US. Those will all work out somehow and right now all of us are trying to stay focused on the present. And as far as presents go, Athens is a pretty sweet one!
We all made it onto the bus at 2:15am to leave Nazareth and get to the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Leaving Israel was a bit of a hassle, but no one was scarred too horribly. (it wasn't really that bad.) Our flight to Athens was short and mostly full of sleep. I loved watching the Mediterranean give way to the landscape of Greece. This truly is a beautiful land!
Our days here are very nice and relaxed and I think we all greatly appreciate that. Both days have been run in similar fashion. We all meet at 8:45 to go to a site (the Aeropogus, the Olympic Stadium) for a lecture from our leader for an hour or so. Those lectures always focus on Paul and the changing church as Paul travels through these lands and are always hilarious because our leader is so enthusiastic! Then we are all given a worksheet to fill out by 6:00. It involves traveling to a bunch of famous sites and reflecting on a scripture passage or some other thoughts. Through this we have all pretty well learned the downtown area of Athens and have seen most of the famous sites. At 6:00 we discuss our findings and share our insights. The evening is then free to eat and do whatever until the process starts again.
I'm pretty sure that everyone's first meal in Athens was adamantly not kosher. I had pork and it was mixed with cheese. None of us have had pork of any kind for 3 months and meat cannot be mixed with cheese. I have had ham or pork or bacon every meal since and it's lovely.
Let's see, the Acropolis. The scaffolding was a bit disappointing, but it is awesome to imagine that hill in its prime! The Parthenon is apparently being reconstructed or something after a piece was removed and replaced. It has reminded all of us of the temples we saw in Egypt, mostly Karnak and Luxor. I wish we all could enjoy these sites for what they are instead of doing constant comparisons, but I suppose that is the nature of a trip like this.
We've seen the ancient Agora and a church dedicated to Paul and the Temple of Hephestus and the Tower of the Winds. We've also discussed how the Christian church was influenced by the Athenian senate and how our democracy was started here in Athens. Basically, we've been amazed at how much those stoics thought about as they stood around trying to perfect life. Unfortunately, life still isn't perfect even in Athens.
This morning was the commencement of the first ever Christian Movement Olympic Games. I'm sure it'll be surprising to hear that the only people who qualified were 30 students from the USA. Needless to say, we swept the podium. It was only one team event involving running across a square to answer questions about stuff we've learned the last week. We actually got a few spectators! Winners got a laurel wreath and my team was far from winning. Too much fun!
Well, my time is about up. I have to go share my insight of today with the rest of the group. First though, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, APRIL!!! I'm sad I can't be there to celebrate with you, but at least I could share port of my day with you. Have a most excellent day today, sister!
Only 11 days left.
We all made it onto the bus at 2:15am to leave Nazareth and get to the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Leaving Israel was a bit of a hassle, but no one was scarred too horribly. (it wasn't really that bad.) Our flight to Athens was short and mostly full of sleep. I loved watching the Mediterranean give way to the landscape of Greece. This truly is a beautiful land!
Our days here are very nice and relaxed and I think we all greatly appreciate that. Both days have been run in similar fashion. We all meet at 8:45 to go to a site (the Aeropogus, the Olympic Stadium) for a lecture from our leader for an hour or so. Those lectures always focus on Paul and the changing church as Paul travels through these lands and are always hilarious because our leader is so enthusiastic! Then we are all given a worksheet to fill out by 6:00. It involves traveling to a bunch of famous sites and reflecting on a scripture passage or some other thoughts. Through this we have all pretty well learned the downtown area of Athens and have seen most of the famous sites. At 6:00 we discuss our findings and share our insights. The evening is then free to eat and do whatever until the process starts again.
I'm pretty sure that everyone's first meal in Athens was adamantly not kosher. I had pork and it was mixed with cheese. None of us have had pork of any kind for 3 months and meat cannot be mixed with cheese. I have had ham or pork or bacon every meal since and it's lovely.
Let's see, the Acropolis. The scaffolding was a bit disappointing, but it is awesome to imagine that hill in its prime! The Parthenon is apparently being reconstructed or something after a piece was removed and replaced. It has reminded all of us of the temples we saw in Egypt, mostly Karnak and Luxor. I wish we all could enjoy these sites for what they are instead of doing constant comparisons, but I suppose that is the nature of a trip like this.
We've seen the ancient Agora and a church dedicated to Paul and the Temple of Hephestus and the Tower of the Winds. We've also discussed how the Christian church was influenced by the Athenian senate and how our democracy was started here in Athens. Basically, we've been amazed at how much those stoics thought about as they stood around trying to perfect life. Unfortunately, life still isn't perfect even in Athens.
This morning was the commencement of the first ever Christian Movement Olympic Games. I'm sure it'll be surprising to hear that the only people who qualified were 30 students from the USA. Needless to say, we swept the podium. It was only one team event involving running across a square to answer questions about stuff we've learned the last week. We actually got a few spectators! Winners got a laurel wreath and my team was far from winning. Too much fun!
Well, my time is about up. I have to go share my insight of today with the rest of the group. First though, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, APRIL!!! I'm sad I can't be there to celebrate with you, but at least I could share port of my day with you. Have a most excellent day today, sister!
Only 11 days left.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Fauzi, Nazareth and other amazingness
It's been a while, but I actually have time to write now! I can't catch up on everything, but I will be able to share a bunch of stories! I am sitting at the one computer in the Fauzi Azar Inn in the old city of Nazareth about 12 minutes walking from Nazareth Village. We have this ridiculous line for this one computer, but I'm not getting off until I'm done.
So we had a few more days on the kibbutz after I last posted. Not too much happened, in relative terms. We finished our interviews and papers and discussion groups. We wrapped up our lectures and Hebrew lessons. Daniel, Aaron and I finished up our time with the dogs cleaning kennels and painting chairs. Overall, I was ready to go. The free time and Jordan River and hammocks and flourish of card game playing was excellent, but if I had to choose my least favorite spot this trip it'd be the kibbutz.
So now we're in Nazareth. Our days are spent mostly at Nazareth Village, a 1st century village in the heart of the modern city of Nazareth. It's really quite random. The church owned this land for many many centuries when someone sold it so they wouldn't have to pay taxes on it. Not too long ago people bought it and started constructing a working 1st century village! It's not a full village, but it's crazy how large it can be in the middle of a city!
When we're there we mostly to manual labor. They are always building and it all takes a tremendous amount to human labor with all hand tools. They are planting trees and getting ready to put a roof on the weavers house. So people strip bark and carry logs and dig trenches and a ritual bath. It's all tough. We love it though! Basically it means you get to hang out with a small group of friends all day!
I like the fact that anyone who works where tourists walk must be in 1st century clothing. So those that do have sandals and robes and everything. I appreciate the strictness even though it means my glasses create a problem. So far I've stayed out of the tourists eyes, but when I can't I'll have to take off my glasses whenever a tour group comes by. I find it quite interesting that of all 30 students I am the only one with glasses. Oh well.
The rest of our time is spent on our final 3 credit class of the semester involving the Christian movement through the Mediterranean. Linford has a masters degree class studying here and they all have to give sizable lectures. So we've learned about the Roman Empire as compared to modern day Israel, travel in the 1st century and the Jesus Trail, the religious elite and their lifestyle, and rebellions and resistance of the 1st century. Tomorrow we learn about food and eating in the 1st century. With that last one we also get a meal, which ought to be unique. I've been enjoying everything!
All I have to say is that Google Earth is amazing! We've had too much fun with it these last few days! The presentation on travel used Google Earth to show the routes in Israel. Before and after the lecture we just took turns fooling around and showing each other where we live. I'm definitely going to use Google Earth the describe all my travels for the last 3 months!
Also as a part of the travel lecture, we walked to Zippori from Nazareth yesterday. We were the first group ever to walk any portion of the Jesus Trail, but soon many groups will be traveling it! It's still a rough path, but tons of fun to hike! That leg took about 2 hours and there was a bus to drive us back to Nazareth after we were done at Zippori, but 5 of us forgo(ed? forwent?) the bus and hiked all the way back. I'm so glad I walked it all! Conversation is so much better walking than taking a bus. It's completely worth the effort!
At the Fauzi we mostly just play card games, laugh an outrageous amount, wait for the shower, and read/write. Rook, Euchre, Up and Down the River, Checkers, Briscola (and Riscola and Ricola and Trinity), Scum, 31, and probably more. There is also a 1500 piece puzzle going together. On top of that we had a paper due at the start of this week and one due on Saturday. It's been so great!
I have way more stories to tell, but I can't tell them all! I'm really looking forward to telling so many stories when I get home! Most days I don't want to go home and I'd rather stay here and live more stories to tell, but occasionally I just want to be home right away to tell all my stories now. 3 weeks is all that's left and I'm afraid it won't be enough.
Random facts that most people don't care about: I'm actually leading our trip's NCAA bracket and if UCLA can pull off the win then I'll get like 15 euros! Sun burns have been a problem and I'll have a pretty fantastic farmers tan when I get home. I've recently had a stretch of days where I kept singing Clay Crosse songs, mostly "I Will Follow Christ." Today the song was "A Place Called Grace." Liberal Arts beat Computer Science in a Euchre series. I keep having Texaco moments like in 4th grade. (Maybe only Darrel will get that one.) Oh, and life is really good!
So we had a few more days on the kibbutz after I last posted. Not too much happened, in relative terms. We finished our interviews and papers and discussion groups. We wrapped up our lectures and Hebrew lessons. Daniel, Aaron and I finished up our time with the dogs cleaning kennels and painting chairs. Overall, I was ready to go. The free time and Jordan River and hammocks and flourish of card game playing was excellent, but if I had to choose my least favorite spot this trip it'd be the kibbutz.
So now we're in Nazareth. Our days are spent mostly at Nazareth Village, a 1st century village in the heart of the modern city of Nazareth. It's really quite random. The church owned this land for many many centuries when someone sold it so they wouldn't have to pay taxes on it. Not too long ago people bought it and started constructing a working 1st century village! It's not a full village, but it's crazy how large it can be in the middle of a city!
When we're there we mostly to manual labor. They are always building and it all takes a tremendous amount to human labor with all hand tools. They are planting trees and getting ready to put a roof on the weavers house. So people strip bark and carry logs and dig trenches and a ritual bath. It's all tough. We love it though! Basically it means you get to hang out with a small group of friends all day!
I like the fact that anyone who works where tourists walk must be in 1st century clothing. So those that do have sandals and robes and everything. I appreciate the strictness even though it means my glasses create a problem. So far I've stayed out of the tourists eyes, but when I can't I'll have to take off my glasses whenever a tour group comes by. I find it quite interesting that of all 30 students I am the only one with glasses. Oh well.
The rest of our time is spent on our final 3 credit class of the semester involving the Christian movement through the Mediterranean. Linford has a masters degree class studying here and they all have to give sizable lectures. So we've learned about the Roman Empire as compared to modern day Israel, travel in the 1st century and the Jesus Trail, the religious elite and their lifestyle, and rebellions and resistance of the 1st century. Tomorrow we learn about food and eating in the 1st century. With that last one we also get a meal, which ought to be unique. I've been enjoying everything!
All I have to say is that Google Earth is amazing! We've had too much fun with it these last few days! The presentation on travel used Google Earth to show the routes in Israel. Before and after the lecture we just took turns fooling around and showing each other where we live. I'm definitely going to use Google Earth the describe all my travels for the last 3 months!
Also as a part of the travel lecture, we walked to Zippori from Nazareth yesterday. We were the first group ever to walk any portion of the Jesus Trail, but soon many groups will be traveling it! It's still a rough path, but tons of fun to hike! That leg took about 2 hours and there was a bus to drive us back to Nazareth after we were done at Zippori, but 5 of us forgo(ed? forwent?) the bus and hiked all the way back. I'm so glad I walked it all! Conversation is so much better walking than taking a bus. It's completely worth the effort!
At the Fauzi we mostly just play card games, laugh an outrageous amount, wait for the shower, and read/write. Rook, Euchre, Up and Down the River, Checkers, Briscola (and Riscola and Ricola and Trinity), Scum, 31, and probably more. There is also a 1500 piece puzzle going together. On top of that we had a paper due at the start of this week and one due on Saturday. It's been so great!
I have way more stories to tell, but I can't tell them all! I'm really looking forward to telling so many stories when I get home! Most days I don't want to go home and I'd rather stay here and live more stories to tell, but occasionally I just want to be home right away to tell all my stories now. 3 weeks is all that's left and I'm afraid it won't be enough.
Random facts that most people don't care about: I'm actually leading our trip's NCAA bracket and if UCLA can pull off the win then I'll get like 15 euros! Sun burns have been a problem and I'll have a pretty fantastic farmers tan when I get home. I've recently had a stretch of days where I kept singing Clay Crosse songs, mostly "I Will Follow Christ." Today the song was "A Place Called Grace." Liberal Arts beat Computer Science in a Euchre series. I keep having Texaco moments like in 4th grade. (Maybe only Darrel will get that one.) Oh, and life is really good!