It was really a privilege to be invited to the art show on Wednesday night. The art was really beautiful and unique. The idea of roots and the human body can be related to people having to leave their roots or homes. With the refugee crisis I felt like it reflected the struggle they experience when they are forced to leave their homes. Her color choice really created the dark emotions that the paintings were reflecting. My favorite painting was the five paneled one with the green, teal, and blue colors with the red accents.

July 8th, 2016

Today we got to go to go to a women's cooperative named Penelope Gandhi at the University of the Mountains . Their work there is incredible and the lecture we were given was also very inspiring. The looms that the women make by hand were so incredibly intricate and colorful. What amazed me was that they were all unique because every year the material used to make the rugs and the blankets are all handpicked. We all got to try the loom out, even Prof. Vamvakas! It was a really nice experience and the people that welcomed us there were so incredibly kind to us. I'm very thankful that I was able to have this experience.

Last days in Rhodes

Last night we all ate on the roof and although getting the food was stressful i'm glad we got one last night together before we leave. Today was also interesting because we did the simulation which wrapped up the entire trip on how complex these issues are and how difficult governance really is. I think it was a good experience in working as a team in order to solve issues that are really important today in the world. Lastly I am happy we all got this opportunity to live and study together here. While there was obviously ups and downs the experience was unforgettable and we have all become so much closer (for better or worse) because of it. Thanks for a great month and I cant wait to see you all back at Emmanuel!

July 9th, 2016

Today we have a long ferry ride ahead of us (13 hours to be exact)! I've never been on a ferry ride for that long so I'm excited to see how it goes. I'm also really excited to see what Rhodes is like. Prof. Vamvakas told us we'll only be 2 minutes away from the beach and we'll be staying in a hotel. It's also a bittersweet day because we have to leave Crete and the amazing people we met here. I don't want to say goodbye to any of the women that work here or Kapsomenos because I think I might cry. The way they took us in and treated us as if we were part of their family/children is unbelievable. You can feel the warmth and kindness they put into everything they do. Whenever we would wake up or come back from our excursions there is always food on the table and they always had a smile on their faces. I hope they like the gifts we got them, I wish we had been able to give them so much more. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep in touch with them or even see them again some day and I hope they know how incredibly thankful we are for everything they have done for us.

P.S. Happy Birthday Dan!

Today was ferry day

13 hours on a boat to the island of Rhodes, approximately 11 miles from Turkey. I can literally swim there, might take me awhile but I can do it. The is still so light but here its more green and its merky, not like home though haha. the waves are also strong and the it gets deep really quickly. Its sad to see so much garbage and junk in the water and on the beaches. Its mainly because our hotel is in a super touristy spot. It also upsets me how the signs are only in English or first read in English. I've also realized I'm not a fan of European breakfast. I cant do just cake and OJ, I miss eggs and french toast and strawberries. But I guess I could get eggs anywhere because no restaurant around here sells greek food really


to be continued 

The ferry ride to Rhodes was a long trip but a lot of fun! I felt like that was one of the last nights we were really all together enjoying each others company. Since we got into Rhodes and were all separated in different rooms I’ve felt like I haven’t seen everyone. I’m glad we were able to get that night to have some free time. The view from the ferry at night was stunning. The sunset looked like a picture you would find on the explore page of Instagram. Seeing all of the towns and villages lit up when we stopped at different islands was such a beautiful sight. My favorite sight from that night was the cemetery that was on the mountain side lit up by candles.

It was really sad to leave Crete. I didn’t think I would miss it as much as I do. The hospitality in Alikianos is nothing I’ve experienced before. The women there were nothing less than superheroes. You could ask them for anything and they would get it for you. Kapsomenos is killing it for being 80 years old. I could not believe he was able to dance the way he did on that last night. The music that they played the last two nights was incredible. You cannot hear music like that in the states. Overall, being in Crete is something I will never forget.