Travel Agent Jokes

Palace of Versailles

Home Again

I'm happy to be back in Calgary. Everything is so green here...I love the street by my house with all the big trees...so beautiful! My flights home went well. Our team left Athens late Sunday night and arrive in London about 3am. I stayed with the team at the hotel for about 4 hours, then Susannah and I went to the airport to catch our flights home. On both flights I had quite a bad earache which made things unpleasant, but I managed to get some sleep.

I wasn't planning on anybody picking me up in Calgary...I was just going to catch the bus home. I came out of security and was walking to go out the door when James showed up!! He and my mom and dad came to meet me at the airport and it was a BIG, GREAT surprise. They took me out for something to eat, Krista came over and we had a good evening visiting. I wasn't that tired thankfully and this morning I woke up feeling really rested and full of energy.

I was happy to drive again...I missed that. I was also so happy to see my roommates and sleep in my bed. I guess one good thing about travelling is it's nice to be away, and then it's so nice to come back home too.

Thank you for all who commented and sent me e-mails while I was away. I hope you enjoyed my blog and reading about our adventures in Europe. I'll have to keep this up with my goings-on in Calgary.

Wild and Crazy Athens

Things are going well in Greece. We're winding down our time in Athens (which has gone by fast). This morning we finished a kids camp at the refugee centre. There were 30 + kids and their moms. It was crazy, but fun. Tonight we have English classes and a Bible teaching time. I've been learning alot and feeling very blessed to have been given this opportunity to be here.

Tomorrow night we will fly to London, then I fly home. It's been quite the adventure! Yesterday we packed 11 people plus a guitar into a tiny car. We were at some people's house and it got late so they were going to give us a ride home. It was about a 15 minute drive. Susannah was crammed with 2 other people in the little hatch and I was crammed up in the front. Other people on the road were giving us funny looks and smiling. Another thing...I got to ride a motorbike!! It was really fun, kind of like the dirtbikes we ride at home. It was in our neighborhood, which is quiet and I went around the blocks. (Susannah would like to interject a comment: The guys now call Yvonne "the man" because she does crazy things ...in a very nice, not-manly way of course)

(my camera battery died and I don't have any more so sorry, no more pictures. I will have to put lots on when I get home or show them to you in person!!!)

Things I like about Greece:

-gyros and souvlaki
-ice cream (although nothing compares to Italy)
-kind people at the refugee center
-crazy traffic (yesterday I ran across the road yelling "we're gonna die, we're gonna die")
-fresh donuts at the train station (for breakfast)
-The outdoor market
-Beautiful ocean
-riding the train
-Corinth, the Acropolis, Mars Hill
-walking in the middle of the street or anywhere you want

Things I don't like as much:

-pigeons
-people smoking
-sickly dogs and cats
-grumpy salespeople
-garbage everywhere
-graffiti

Bungy-jumping

Suzie and I

Daniel, Robbie, me, Matt, Mike, and Josh

Fun times in Greece

CorinthCorinth
The ocean!

Today we went to the beach in Greece...it was beautiful! The water is my favorite color (turquoise). It was quite warm too. I also looked for rocks and found some cool ones to bring home.

Yesterday it was raining a bit and I slipped on the sidewalk, my feet flew totally out from under me...and this big old Greek guy totally caught me. It was so funny...and embarassing! I said "signome" in my best greek (excuse me) and ran back to the centre with a red face!

Yesterday we had the craziest experience on the train going home from the refugee centre. The UEFA Champions league game was being held here in Athens. It was Liverpool vs. Milan. There were SO many fans...we were packed onto the train with a bunch of Liverpool fans, being crammed into the train by the crowds. Somebody stepped on my sandal and broke it! (but I fixed it so I didn't have to walk home barefoot). Where we get off is near the football stadium so it was BUSY. The stations had riot police and tons of security. Everybody on train was wearing red and drinking and singing and going crazy. I've had those chants stuck in my head ever since. It was a pretty fun experience all in all, besides feeling like being in a sauna for an hour on the train! I always wanted to experience a European football game, I think this counts, even if I wasn't at the actual game.

We had butter garlic shrimp for supper yesterday...yum! Robbie and I cut and de-veined shrimp for about an hour...it was a pretty gross/messy job. I don't think I ever want to work at a shrimp factory. I like it when they come as a shrimp ring!!

Athens

Athens is such an interesting city...
We've been taking the metro and buses everyday. Everywhere is busy and crowded and dirty and covered with grafitti. Our group is staying about an hour away from the centre where we work with refugees. Our days have been full and long, but good and so rewarding.

Susannah and I are enjoying making breakfast everyday for the team...this morning we made french toast. Susannah is such a good detail person (she even thinks to pick flowers from the yard to put on the table).

I enjoy playing the piano at the place we are staying (it's like a big missionary guest house with over 100 beds--bunk beds).

At the refugee centre we took care of kids today, had english lessons, there was a men's shower ministry (where men can come and get clean). While that was on, us ladies went to the port where big ships come in. The missionaries here want to start a floating church because there are many refugees working on cargo ships that can't leave the ships--because they don't have any papers and would be sent back to their country or detained. So they want to have a church that will go out to the ships.

I haven't been run over yet...crossing the road here is quite the experience. You get used to dodging in and out of traffic though.

Tonight we saw the Acropolis and Parthenon all lit up at night. It is so amazing...I could hardly believe it was real. In a few days we will walk to Mars Hill, where Paul preached in the book of Acts.

It's been hot here and I've been having headaches...please pray that I'll have enough energy to give all I have to help these people. Our team is fun and we are enjoying being together...we have laughed a lot!

See some of you soon...next week!