HOME!
I am home in Pella. I am still trying to adjust to the time change, but it's not working out so well. My first night I got about 2 hours of sleep, and last night I went to bed at 9pm and slept the whole night. Pictures are coming, but I haven't had time nor energy to organize them.
Yesterday one of my dear friends from high school Amanda Wetter, now Herder, got married in Pella. It was such a beautiful wedding, and I am extremely exicted for both of them. I was her personal attendent, which was fun and a huge learning experience. I know that I can't get married for a long time because I don't think I could orchestrate everyone and everything.
It is coming to an end...
I fly out tomorrow morning from Zurich...I cannot believe that the trip is so close to being over. So many things have happened, and I feel like I have grown a lot too. I arrive into Chicago around 4pm, and I am going to stay with my friend Sarah Franken. Then I will drive home in the morning to Pella hopefully in time for my friend's wedding rehersal dinner. Amanda Wetter is getting married on Saturday; crazy how those things happen. Also another great friend Tara is getting married, and my cousin just got engaged recently too. It is crazy, but really good. I promise to post pictures when I get home, and do a better job of emailing and catching up. If you are in Pella for the month of June and early to mid July send me an email at matherlysarah@yahoo.com. I will definately need an excuse to take a break from Hebrew. See you soon. (I cannot find the exclamation mark on this Swiss-German computer.)
Still alive!
Sorry to make this short, but French keyboards are quite different from US ones. I enjoyed seeing the city of Paris although I did not realise that the French Open was going on. So I did not get to get to see the grounds. Right now I am in Strasburg, France and heading to Gevena, Switerland which is a Reformed mecca. One of my very good friends from Calvin is studying in Geneva, so I will get to visit him and it will be nice to see a familar face again. I cannot believe that my trip is almost over. I fly out in 3 days! I am definately going to miss Europe, okay I will stop getting so sappy!
In Paris!
Yesterday, I was trying to decide to go to Paris or Amsterdam. I chose Paris...the fact that I'm in Paris is still sinking in. On the way to Paris from Germany, I met a German guy who gave me advice to see and what not to-which was extremely helpful. Since I changed my plans, I didn't have a place to stay, but I thought I could find a cheap hostel...WRONG! All of them were booked that were decent and reasonably priced, but I a finally found a couch surfing host! I met a guy from Michigan that is staying at the same apartment. He's been in Paris for a couple of weeks and is helping me plan out my time in Paris. It's great because it is overwhelming at times, and my Parisian host works 12 hours a day and can't take me around. Last night I saw the Arc de Triomphe and Montrmoatre (the big white onion domed church.) Today...I'm going to see all the museums! Louvre here I come!
Everything seems to work out!
I'm in Thessoloniki, Greece, and finally getting settled in. A day ago, I sent a reminder email to my host that I was coming. He forgot that I was coming and planned a trip of his own. So 20 hours before I was supposed to arrive; I had no place to stay. Luckily the couchsurfing network is really strong in Thessoloiki, and I arranged to stay with another girl Nasta last night-or so I thought...We exchanged emails, but when I arrived at 12:30pm today, I tried calling her number and I couldn't reach her. I just kept getting a message that said the number that I had dail was no longer working! I thought that I had written it down wrong, but later I found out that I had the correct number she just wrote it wrong in her email. Later, I tried emailing, but she never responded to my emails today.
Luckily, I had written down the number of another couchsurfer , Elsavet, before I left Athens. I called her up, but she couldn't meet me until 3 hours later because she had to take an exam. I ended up walking around, and finally sitting down in a cafe to eat lunch, and I even studied Hebrew. Well I called her after her exam, and I found Elsavet-without any problems. I am staying with her, and I even get my own room. Since Elsavet has exams so she can't take me around, but she contacted another friend who is hosting an American to take me around the city. I also contacted another couchsurfer, Lena, and we are hanging out tonight.
If this sounds confusing or strange...it is to me too. I'm learning to just fly by the seat of my pants and roll with the punches. It's working out-so far...(you only can plan so far in advance with these kind of things.) My clothes are being dried at the local laundramat.I have a place to stay with clean sheets, I remember where the apartment is (I already got a little lost trying to remember the number of the apartment after I dropped off my clothes at the laundromat, but I found it in the end.) And I got to take a cool shower. Life is good.
I fly out of Thess. at 8pm and arrive in Dortmound, Germany at 10pm. I've found a hostel to stay at because I didn't want to have to sleep in the airport for a whole night. I tried to do that when I arrived in Athens at 2:30 on the 29th-not fun. I did not get much sleep due to the cold, hard floor and trying to make sure that my bags weren't stolen. After a night in Dortmound, I am going to go back to the Netherlands instead of going to Belguim. I just felt like I didn't get enough time to see the country, and it will be nice to stay somewhere a little familar. (I'm staying the same place as I did with Angie with my friend's brother in Utrecht.) I may even get to go to a My Chemical Romance concert in Amsterdam. I'm pretty excited. Well, I better go.
Moped Diaries
I rented a moped for two days. I love being able to zip around the island and go where I want. At first, I was a little nervous and not at all confident in my skills, but now after a couple of long drives I'm basically a professional. I think if my car in the States ever dies; I might replace it with a moped. Haha! It'll definitely save on gas.
The island is nothing short of amazing. It is beautiful with the rocky coasts and crystal clear blue waters. There are a lot of foothills, and white houses and churches dot the landscape. I wish I could download my pictures now to let you see them all. Sadly, you have to wait...I am so sad that i have to leave today, but I must continue my trip.
