Live Free, Die Hard

Today I wore green pants. Why? Because I could. Now that I've been immersed in Greek culture and thrived, I decided to spice things up a bit. On one rainy afternoon, following a delightful latte with friends, Christine and I decided to explore and found an H&M. Some of you may be wondering why I went shopping in a store that I can find in any mall? The answer is simple; in Greece everything is better. Here, I found a pair of green pants. For some reason they called to me, and I bought them. I refuse to leave this country with regrets.

One of the many things this trip has taught me is to cherish the moment. Every second that goes by is another one lost; it can never be relived. In class today, we discussed Josephus, and read "For whatever the soul touches lives and blossoms, whatever it deserts withers and dies; so abundant is her immortality." Josephus believes that a soul is life; as long as you are alive, your surroundings are alive. After reading this quote, it encouraged me to question if I am truly alive.

In Greece, I flourish. I'm climbing mountains, exploring side-streets, running on the beach, talking to locals, making long-lasting friends and getting no sleep. This is easy to do when you're taking a class in another country, but what happens when I come back to Parkland? When I'm in class, d I value my education? When I practice, do I enjoy what I'm doing? When I'm working, do I appreciate the learning experience? Unfortunately, the answer isn't always yes, and it needs to change.

This semester is my last semester before student teaching. I only have four months left with the professors and colleges that positively impact my life. Reading in Josephus illuminated how I need to change my viewpoint on life. Yes, I am alive, but is my soul alive? Is it lighting up the world around me? When I return home, this will be my goal. I will think of life as more than a routine or chore and value every minute. By doing so, I will finish my undergrad with a happy heart and prosperous soul.
Life is a choice; live free, die hard. Wear green pants.

Body and Soul

“Now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know. My weakness I feel I must finally show”

This line from, Awake my Soul by Mumford and Sons, constantly rings in my head. There are many times where my emotions push me to a point of weakness. Sometimes this is not a bad thing, but there are some circumstances where I wish I had more control over my emotions.

Yesterday in class, we read 4^th Maccabees and discussed this very topic. Here, the author believes that reason is the master of emotions and supported his thesis by telling stories of people who survive unfathomable pain to stain true to their religion. How did the Jewish people bear the torture without giving in to Antiochus IV? These people had reason, a choice of life and wisdom, which gave them the knowledge of the divine.

I chose to apply this concept to running. Currently I am training for the Tacoma Half Marathon and it is physically and mentally painful. The longest race I've competed in has been a 5K and jumping from 3.1 miles to 13.5 is incredibly daunting. In order to succeed, I need to master my emotions by knowing the reason behind my running. For me, running is not a way to keep the calories down, it is a form of therapy and provides an outlet for me to escape from a stressful world. I am only young once, and I want to push my body to be the best it can be. This will only happen if I overcome the pain and focus on my goal.

After class, I was so inspired that I went on long run on the boardwalk. There were several times when I wanted to stop, but I overcame my screaming muscles and aching lungs by trumping my emotions. Yesterdays class provided a tool to ignore my body's physical pain and focus on the reason running helps my soul.

Choose Wisdom

When I came to Greece, I was a lost and dazed tourist. For the first week my eyes were wide and full of shock as I tried to comprehend where I was and what I was doing. After gaining experiential wisdom by trying new things and getting a feel for the culture I began searching for something more; a different type of wisdom.

In class we've been reading The Wisdom of Solomon and identifying how people view spiritual wisdom. This type of wisdom comes from God directly. In order to receive it, you have to search for it, and once you do, you will fall in love with it. While in Greece, I have been pursing this wisdom in order to have a romantic relationship with the country. Each day, my love for Greece has continued to grow because I stopped looking through a camera lens and started appreciating its natural beauty.
While in pursuit of this wisdom, your soul is eternal; the sea is more than the sea, the mountain is more than the mountain. It allows me to think outside the box and attempt to know the world in deeper, more meaningful way. Conquering my shocked and confused tourist stage has illustrated Greece's natural artistry and spiritually charged my soul. Now that I have been exposed to this wisdom, I will continue chase it and thrive.

Greece is no longer a tourist stop. The impact its made on my life has been monumental to my development as a human being. I search for more than the obvious and value what has been created before me. The next time you watch a sunset or climb a mountain, look for more than the perfect photograph; seek the wisdom behind it.

Katie the Greek

Before I came on this trip I didn’t know anyone, and they didn’t know me. For all they knew, I could be an angry person with a Russian accent. This fresh start gave me the opportunity to find out who I am without my Parkland bubble. As a result, I have learned a lot about myself.

I’ve learned that I love making small talk with every person I meet. Whenever I go to the store or restaurant, I’ll ask the waiter or clerk what their favorite is and purchase that item. At home, I’m usually very indecisive and stare at the menu for hours, trying to figure out what I want. In Greece, I’ve learned to solve that problem by talking to locals and asking what I should buy.

With my mom and Kylie being half way around the world, I’ve learned that I’m pretty adventurous. Whenever a mountain needs to be climbed or a trail that needs to be explored, I’m always up for it. Yes, there is a faint voice in my head telling me that this probably isn’t the smartest thing to do, but I’m only in Greece once and I want to experience everything.

Fun fact; I’m afraid of stairs. Not completely petrified, but I’ve fallen down enough of them to be cautious. In Greece, the only way around is by climbing stairs. If I want to get around anywhere, or keep up with the group, I need to face my fear. I am happy to say that my fear has been conquered.

I have also learned that I’m very outgoing. I think being surrounded by music majors for the last four years has made me feel like I have a pretty mellow personality. Wrong. In this group, my personality stands out. I had no idea how loud and crazy I really am. I guess that’s good to know.

Not only has Greece been a great academic learning experience, but it has helped me find out who I am, without my American influences. Watch out, America. Katie the Greek is here to stay.

The Good Life

On Sunday, our first full day in Rhodes, we went to visit the small island of Symi. The only way to get there was by a ferry known for being extremely rocky. For some of our class, this was the deciding factor not to go, but I have ridden ferries many times before, and I knew I wouldn't have a problem. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

It was a particularly windy day in Rhodes. You could see more white caps than blue ocean, but we already had our tickets and decided there was no turning back. Once we were settled safely in our seats and made it out of the harbor the captain stepped on the gas; thats when the fun began. The first five minutes of our trip was quite exhilarating. Our boat would get four seconds of air time before it crashed back in the water. Up and down, up and down our bodies were swaying or sometimes even jolting. After ten minutes, I wanted to get off of this Tony Hawk simulator. I decided to close my eyes and try to calm down. This worked for about five minutes, but then I had to rest my head on my knees. From that position I had to start humming 'Let it Be' by John Lennon in attempt of focus on something else, but nothing seemed to help. I was in a downward spiral into uncontrollable dizziness.

I never thought a boat ride could make me feel so helpless. My body was too heavy to move and I was completely disoriented. No matter how hard I tried, my hearty, hotel breakfast was going to make an appearance. Because I had no strength to walk to the bathroom, I knew I was going to throw-up in front of all of my friends. I slowly reached for the 'feel better' bag in the seat pocket, pleading with my body to be composed. The last words I heard were Austin telling me, "Don't worry, Katie. You got this" but it was too late. Seconds later the deed was done. My dignity gone. Markelle walked me to the bathroom and I decided to stay there for the rest of the ride.

I decided to share my story under this title because the boat ride showed me how lucky really I am. Even though I was completely embarrassed, my friends first concern was how I was feeling. After seeing their reactions, I quickly got over my pride and was able to enjoy the rest of the day. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by caring and compassionate people.

On the ride home I decided to stay on the top deck so I could breathe the fresh air and avoid getting sick. My friends bundled me up with coats and gloves, gave me ginger, stocked my purse with 'feel better' bags and frequently climbed the stairs to check on me. Austin was even nice enough to stay in the cold and keep me company the entire trip back. These people are the reason why I have a good life. Without their help, my horrible ferry ride would have defined my trip. Instead, I explored the beautiful island of Symi with kindhearted and strong-stomached friends.

I can see Turkey from my window!

Hello from Rhodes! Christine and I are currently sitting in our hotel room listening to the waves crash against the sand. How did we get from busy Athens streets, to a calm paradise? I’ll tell you.

This morning was bittersweet. Saying goodbye to the apartment wasn’t easy. Today we left the city I feel the most comfortable in. Because of all our walks and adventures, I know how to get around Athens much better than I do Seattle or Portland, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to leave something I’d become so attached to. I quickly got over my sadness when I realized that we were spending a week in a five star hotel on island. Bummer.

After a short plane ride we landed in Rhodes, and as expected, it is very quiet and peaceful be. I haven’t heard one car horn since we’ve been here! Because it’s January, half of the businesses and restaurants closed for the off-season and there are only two hotels open. After a delightful lunch, I took the opportunity to get to know the island and its beauty by going on a run.

Running on the boardwalk, parallel to the Aegean is something everyone should put on their bucket list. Today I ran on a golden gravel trail that wound through giant boulders with waves crashing up against them. On one side of the trail was lush moss and wildflowers that covered each boulder while the other brought the fresh air of invigorating saltwater. Every person I saw smiled and greeted me on my path, and it made me feel very welcome. Out of all of the runs I have been on, this is the one I have enjoyed the most. I felt like I was connecting to the natural beauty around me and appreciating the vast blue sea.

My run only ended because my body was tired. If I had my choice, I would still be running. Thankfully, I have time to go on many more throughout our visit. Oh yeah, did I mention that I can see Turkey out my window? You can't really see it in this picture, but I promise there will be more to come!
P.S. Hi mom... sorry its been a few days. I've been busy the past few days.

This is SPARTA!

Today was an average day in Greece. Dr. Finitsis lead us on another long excursion up and down the breathtaking (literally and figuratively) hills of Mystras. After we finished exploring, we went and had lunch in Sparta. Yes, Sparta. It was incredibly disappointing. For lunch we were greeted by two kind shop owners who made us a delicious meal. Then we sat down and ate with forks, knives and napkins. Wait, in Sparta? To make matters worse, we went and got gelato and daintily ate it with cute, tiny spoons. Sparta, what happened?!! Where are your shields, your armor and spears? Currently, the most violent thing in Sparta is a toddler running through pigeons... No.


Fear not 300 fans. Passion for glory and honor still lives in Greece today, but instead of Sparta, in the Olympic Stadium. Last night six of us went to a European football game to cheer on Panathinaikos, Athens' team. That game is a testament that Leonidas is not dead;he lives in the heart of every Greek football fan.
I've been to plenty of sporting events in my lifetime, but this was the most enthusiastic stadium I had been a part of. Like other soccer games, singing and drumming go on for the full ninety minutes. To add excitement, Greeks also throw water bottles at security, light flares and small explosions. Let me inform you that winning this game had no impact on either team, the stadium was almost empty, and it was a Wednesday.

The game itself was a rowdy one. Several players were hurt, nobody liked the refs and Athens' was not dominating a team they were predicted to destroy. In the 88th minute, tension was high; both teams had yet to score. All of a sudden, Athens' made a goal out of nowhere and the crowd explodes. Full grown men started leaping over seats, running to get as close to the field as possible. Booms from explosions started echoing throughout the stadium, fire filled the air and the roar was deafening. I have never been involved in something so epic. If my words do not convince you, follow this link to watch the video Z took right before and after the game determining goal. You need to see it to believe it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB1qEFKp8R0&feature=youtu.be

Even though the spirit of Sparta is no longer is Sparta, stop by and enjoy the gelato. Afterwards, make sure you see a football game, you'll find the warriors there.