21 Things I Observed When Traveling Overseas

1. Some airlines check your passport 7 times before letting you board. This is no    exaggeration.

2.    Some airports have men standing throughout with machine guns.

3.    Getting stamps in your passport is a new ink addiction that I didn't know existed.

4.     Some Grecian men like curves.

5.    People are friendly. These people are no longer "over there". These people are created in His image just like me. These people have the same emotions I do. I know this may seem like a "duh" moment, but it was a very real and sobering time for me. Too often I get caught up in this world here that I forget there's a big world out there full of people just like me. 

6.    Big bills and no change--The ATM only gives you big bills. But the merchants only want small bills. It's very confusing and frustrating. Spending money that looks like this is fun for some reason. 

7.    Ice is a delicacy in drinks. I have never been so excited over two ice cubes in a glass.  

8.    Bread should be made every day and without preservatives.

9.    Hot tea is my new favorite.

10. Another new favorite is siesta time. I think I have a European living inside of me.

11. I don't like olives. But the olives in Greece I love. What are these fake things we eat?!?

12. Feta Cheese! Theirs is creamy and soft and so good. It will change your life on fried potatoes!

13. I will never understand how some women travel and look like they just stepped off the runway. I inevitably look like this when I travel....

14. I love having moments with Him regardless of where I am. I got to see some more of His wonders that still left my soul in awe of Him.

15. People don't know where Louisiana is unless you follow the sentence up with "it's by Texas." And then they have a geographic understanding.

16. Europeans love to whisper and be super close. So, we were the loud obnoxious Americans a lot of the time. Those cities will never be the same.

17. There's an order to exit a plane and 85% of people don't follow it.

18. If I'm going to get “crunk” with someone it's not going to be the people working immigration and border control.

19. Upon returning to the land of the English language, it took me a while to process that I could understand what was being said around me. I'm not sure if it was because I was so tired or what. But my language processing was delayed for a while.

20. Every country has a Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. In Greece, they encourage you to take a picture with the guards. I cannot explain to you the restraint that I had to not touch him knowing that he couldn't respond to me.

21. Lesson planning post this trip is hard because I want to throw out the curriculum and teach them about this whole new world!

     This was truly a trip of a lifetime. This was a trip that I will treasure forever. I had moments to myself and moments with people who are dear to me. So, for my 2 readers, I will leave you with this for it sums up this trip perfectly:

    "I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world." 

                                                                                                     --Mary Anne Radmacher

Until Next Time, Dearies!