Aegina Island and Church

Yesterday we went on our last study abroad excursion to Aegina Island. We swam, tried to not step on sea urchins, got sunburned, and ate a ton of food. The trip to the island was a strange one. The study abroad coordinator couldn’t be there so he pretty much gave us the tickets for the ferry and sent us on our way. The RA came with to keep track of everyone but this was the weirdest trip we went on.

When we got back that night I was tired and started feeling the sunburn coming on and when we got to our room we had no power!! They fixed the power and I hung out with some of the other study abroad students in their apartment thinking that an hour almost two was plenty of time for my roommates and one boyfriend to shower. No apparently 2 hours is not enough time for 4 people to shower. I was really hoping they would be finished because I needed to do my laundry so I would have something to wear on Sunday and go grocery shopping. I ended up staying up way late to get ready for Sunday and on Sunday morning was not in the mood to go to church.

 I almost convinced myself not to go but I knew I needed to go so I got myself out of bed put on some clothes and headed out to catch the bus. I was running late and knew I would have to hurry to catch it and was praying that it would be late, but no it was early!! I could hear it stop and then take off when I was still around the corner from it. Dang it! Now I had walk to church with a backpack (I owed 3 kids some American candy and scriptures get heavy) and a sunburn. It’s like I forgot everything my parent taught me; put on sunscreen, get your laundry done Saturday morning, plan ahead…..

Not a good way to start off the day. I went to church with a bad attitude but as soon as I walked in the door everyone was so happy and asking everyone how their week was and offering to help with upcoming things that my mood quickly changed. I talked to the primary boys about their week and how their favorite soccer team is doing and even got told by sister Hicks to stop playing on Facebook,-even if it was in between classes- during church(some things are the same in every part of the world). After sacrament meeting sister Frost asked me if I had to take off right after church or if I could stick around for a while she had something for me. I never have anything to do after church so I told her I could stay.

Well after church there was a pot luck!! Man this day was looking up I was so excited to hear that there was food and that I wasn’t going to have to go home and hope I had enough stuff to put together to make up a meal.

But wait this gets even better, sister Frost gave me two grocery bags after the pot luck and this is what was in them.

This is why you should always go to church (ok and all the good stuff like sacrament and learning about Jesus) even when you don’t want to. Finding chips and Old El Paso salsa at the grocery store by my apartment is not going to happen. But the grocery store they go to has a whole American section I guess.

This turned out to be the best day so far. At the beginning of the semester I couldn’t wait to get back home and go to a singles ward and live in a community of other LDS people but now I think I’m really gonna  miss the people here.

At the pot luck dinner brother Frost asked me how I came to study abroad in Greece I told him about how my roommates were annoying me and stuff and how I got offered a scholarship and just felt like I needed to get out of Cedar for a while. He said well this is pretty far away from Cedar how have you liked it? Well that is a loaded question; I hated it then it was bearable and now I kinda like it here, I feel like I belong to the branch and the YSA group always texts me if I don’t show up to something. I answered by saying it’s been a real good learning experience, I’m never going to do it again but now I know more about me and I’ve learned a lot. He thought that was a funny answer and said ya well going from Happy Valley to Greece would be a big change. I said yep a REAL big change and I think I prefer Happy Valley and will stay put. He said now Cedar and annoying roommates is looking real good. Well not real good but at least better, at least in Cedar I know I can knock on almost any apartment door and be met by another YSA LDS member and the priesthood is closer. Everyone at church is always so nice and willing to help you in any way they can I just love going and days like today remind me why.

Pictures of the Island adventure here