Leptokarya

{written Monday, October 14, publishing now due to internet connection problems. bear with me!} 

Location: Leptokarya, Greece. Across the street from the jellyfish-filled Aegean, in the shadow of Mount Olympus. We're staying at a camp. No, don't think cabins with bunk beds- much more like a dorm, three to a room with a bathroom and fridge and a huuuge balcony overlooking the beach. I'm sharing with two friends, Ellen and Emily. It's so pretty here! And the food is so yummy, as a bonus.

Currently: We're almost finished taking Christianity and Western Culture 2, our 5th and final class, which means at the end we will have taken 15 credits in less than 3 months! Adding it up, I'm pretty impressed with us. I'm also pretty ready for a tiny bit of a break... even though I've got two papers to write and another class to take online in before December. I'll take what I can get.

I'm not sick anymore! Yay.

I am currently in disbelief that I won't be in Greece this time next week. We will be on a plane, one week from this moment, from Amsterdam to Chicago. It feels like we just made the opposite journey... was it really almost three months ago? ah.

At the same time, I think I'll be ready to leave. Sad, but ready to go back to Chicago for a week, then a few months in New Hampshire, both places I love dearly. We shall see if I keep it together and don't get too sad about every "last" we experience this week.

Last night my friend and current roommate Ellen asked me what things I have to do before I leave. We are far from any city centers here, so here are the things I came up with to do in this small abandoned vacation town by the sea.

1. get my last Greek cheese pie (my favorite Greek food, to be honest! gyros are good too.) ...or maybe a few cheese pies once I run out of cereal to eat for dinner.
2. get my last slice of Baklava 
3. do my devotionals on the beach early in the morning- no excuses when it's a two minute walk there! 
4. go for a few more walks on the beach- it's not exactly going to be beach weather when I get back to the States
5. enjoy time with my friends here- all 31 of the people I have spent this experience with. whether it's playing cards or eating meals together or studying having deep conversations- I just want to soak in all my moments with them! 
6. dress up and go out to dinner with all the girls 

Photos lately:

(sorry is these aren't the best quality, I had to take them off of Facebook because of very slow internet) 

we found a HUGE jellyfish on the beach where we're staying. this is the reason I have not gone swimming, and don't plan on doing so. 

matching! 

quiet time on the balcony with a sea view is the best

this is the view from our classroom

it's fall! see the leaf? see me sitting by the sea? it's great. 

xoxo
Emily