Welcome to Poros!

ANTICIPATING POROS

Perfect. Head on pillow. The alarm is set and ready for the morning. I’m replaying the schedule for tomorrow in my head. 7:45am - set! Wait, is it 7:45am or 7:15am? I shut my eyes and go to bed without any worry because I’m fully confident Dr. Lawson will wake all of us up 30 minutes before. “Good morning SEU, Good morning. We have 30 minutes before breakfast time”. Hahaha, he always makes my morning with his daily alarms.

Today at breakfast I wasn’t hungry because I was full of excitement. I chewed up the sweetest orange and got my carry-on and backpack onto the bus! 

We're on the way and before heading to Poros, we stopped at the Corinth Canale at 10am for a quick bite, look at souvenirs, and restroom break as the total drive time was about 3 hours. 

Mathew 11:28-30. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

I have been on the journey of understanding where I am in the area of rest. I understand that everything is spiritual and I want to be able to understand myself when it comes to recharging and bettering myself so that I can be a healthy helper. Having two days of class, listening to my peer's stories of their testimonies, victories, and struggles was an honor, but I also felt a heavy weight over my heart for them. I got to share my own story with my class as well which I haven't spoken about in years and although I felt great afterwards, it definitely stirred up many emotions. 

Poros came at the best time, a three-day stay where we could have the opportunity to rest but also explore what activities help us to properly heal and recover. I have learned that facing distressing situations, without proper management can lead to burnout. Taking time to recharge helps prevent the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion associated with burnout. 

ON THE FERRY

Such a beautiful ride to our hotel! I love the feeling of the fresh wind and sea breeze blowing on my skin! I have always seen sights like these in movies or in pictures and I'm so glad I have a first-hand opportunity to this scenery.

LANDED. LET'S BREAK BREAD.

We had a long morning of travel and it was time to get some lunch! We had a feast of all the Greek fixings. Some of my favorites were fried cheese with pear, calamari, and seafood linguine! 

FIRST SWIM

After an enjoyable time of lunch breaking bread with all my friends, there was no time to waste as it was a must to get in the water! We rushed into our swimsuits and headed down to get our first dip. I could not believe my eyes. The sight of bright blue water, so clear you can see the fish swimming next to you, coupled with the sight of the mountains was absolutely breathtaking. 

PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA

There has not been a time when I don't swim in the ocean and NOT get hungry. It was pizza time! We tried many different styles of pizza such as Greek, BBQ chicken, vegetable, Mamma Mia, prosciutto, and more! The salads were unreal too! Full of flavor!

After dinner, we stopped by the ATV store to grab one but unfortunately, they closed shop and said they would open tomorrow at 9am. We got to see Nyjah on the ATV, riding in style!

As we walked back to the hotel to have a movie night, we hung out with Dr, Lawson and had the funniest conversation! We spoke about wanting to stroll into the city to go get ice cream, but we all thought the shops would be closed. We didn't want to walk 30 minutes to then be disappointed so Dr. Lawson went for us and what do you know.....

Dr. Lawson proved us wrong! The island is open till 12 at midnight so that's good news for us because we will be partying with our ice cream tomorrow night.

I am so expectant about our time here in Poros. It was the most perfect day today, and I can't wait for the other days to come as we embark on our journey of self-discovery and learning the beauty of recharging. I am so grateful for this opportunity to study abroad and I am blessed to have Dr. Jones and Dr. Lawson who not only are the most supportive professors who pour into me daily but have made this trip what it is. They constructed the perfect itinerary where the class can be challenged with our practical counseling moments but also teach us how to relax, and get to know ourselves. This trip has taught me that this will be real life soon. Giving of myself without leading to burnout.

Cheers to Greece!

- Priscilla Roopchand