(Day 17) Home Sweet Home!

 As NSYNC would say....Bye, Bye, Bye...…Bye, Bye!!!!!! Goodbye Greece. 

What a time we had. I would have never imagined the experiences I shared with classmates, professors, the bible college staff, and the Greek culture would have taken place. I came in with expectations of what I would gain and experience on this trip. But "OH BOY" was I taken by surprise. Being immersed into a new culture with not only Greeks, but classmates, professors and staff was more than what I perceived to be a spiritual journey. It was a personal journey. While on this trip, I learned that spirituality is wrapped up in everything we are and everything we do. 

Being apart of this trip provided opportunity to self reflect, opportunity to connect, and most importantly opportunity to learn to love each other well. 

This trip has taught me more about myself in two weeks than I could have ever imagined. It awakened emotions, insecurities, identity, and confidence within me. Much of that came with plenty of smiles, laughter, joy, tears, sadness, and the pain and joys of self reflection. However, the journey was worth every emotion experienced. 

Now we have come to a bittersweet moment. A moment where we say Goodbye to a life changing experience and Hello to home. 

As we load our bus and travel throughout the airports, we are all experiencing the Joy of returning home to our family, friends, pets, ministry, and some even jobs. 

As our journey in Greece comes to an end, it is not a sad moment but merely a moment of Thanksgiving. I am thankful for the opportunity, experience of new culture, relationships built, the healing that occurred within, and most of all the demonstration of love from our professors.

If there was one thing we can take back home, IT'S TO LOVE EACHOTHER WELL! 

Farewell Greece, Hello Home!

Terri Simmons