Looking back at my posts so far, it’s hard to believe I’ve been here for a week already. I’m definitely not ready to go, and am not at all mentally prepared to return to school again, so that’ll be its own journey!
Today was spent at the office again with Cecilia and the girls. I had most of the morning to work on my bag, and while I feel like I’m going at a turtle’s pace, I’m pretty proud of my progress keeping in mind that it’s my first bag 🙂 The day was a little different than normal, as we sent the girls home early to host some visitors from the States in the workroom towards the end of the day. Cecilia did a quick interview with a journalism student from California, and then a group of students from Liberty University stopped in to check out the workroom after spending the day doing outreach rounds in the city. Several members of the group also purchased bags and accessories, an answer to the staff’s prayers, as it seems like it’ll be enough to cover the overdue rent for the month of February!
After returning home after work for a light lunch, I ventured out for a walk with the youngest after the two youngest were picked up from school. I’ve been so curious about the surrounding neighborhood, and really enjoyed getting to see a little more of it with my little companion!
We explored the downtown area first, wandering down the main street, where we stopped at a corner store for gum and in a florist shop just to look around.
I’ve been so impressed with the kids’ Greek skills, as they’re all fluent in Greek at this point. It was so cute to watch him interact with the shop owners in Greek, and I even persuaded him to translate for me a couple times! I think I amused him with my attempts to use the few words I’ve picked up on though, and he was quick to point out how funny I sound speaking Greek with my American accent 😑 I did get a compliment from him when it came to my navigating skills (which is really just recognizing landmarks), and he told me that I “knew my way around [here] better than he did!”, so I’m settling for that!
Since most of the shops downtown were closed for the afternoon, we decided to head to the sea, and for his peace of mind, we walked back by the house first (since he only knew how to get to the sea from his house). The extra walk was well-rewarded with several great views when we reached the sea though, and I’m so glad we took the long way around!
The entrance to the beach was marked by a large stage used for concerts during peak season, and what seemed to be an outdoor gym place that doubled as a playground for my little sidekick. We spent a few minutes trying everything out and testing our strength before moving on.
Nearby the beachfront was a picturesque little pool (?) that housed a few small boats. I’m not quite sure what it was that made it so charming, but I really could’ve just sat there for hours.
Finally, we headed back towards the water, where to my little friend’s surprise I proceeded to shed socks and shoes and dip my feet in. Even though it’s relatively warm here compared to the states, there’s not a single person to be found on the beach until later on in the year. Personally though, I couldn’t imagine coming all the way here, seeing the sea, and not at least dipping my feet in the water! Even cold and empty, the water was still beautiful, and I can’t wait to come back and experience it in the summer.
When we got back from our long walk, we relaxed for a bit before dinner, which included a homemade salad and roasted vegetables accompanied by an amazing selection of meats from a local grill shop. I really can’t get over how flavorful and succulent the meats are here, and am determined to try replicating some of the flavors once I get back!
After dinner, with the end of my short trip here staring me in the face, I took advantage of my host family’s expertise in fundraising and enlisted their help to create a budget for my potential return trip in the summer. Their help has been really valuable so far, and with their assistance, I was able to map out a clear budget for fundraising that will help me as I consider the decision to return!
Twenty-One Travels 