Big update

So for everyone wondering where in the world ive been in the last lil while, and wondered why i have not update my blog: this paragraph is for you. We just got back a few days ago from our trip to greece. Its tough to describe everything that i saw, experienced and got to be a part of. Basically we caught a ferry from ancona, italy to patras, greece. From there we drove through a part of athens on our way to the hotel we were staying on-Hotel Kalimaki, on the beach. We got to the hotel late at night, but stills swam in the ocean. The next day we boarded our cruise ship. Yea, we cruised the meditarrean, and would make stops at random places and islands-In tha time we got to visit-mycenae, mykonos, ephesus, corinth, patmos, santorini and other places that i really cant remember. santorini was the only location we did not disembark because the waves and wind made it unsafe. that day was also the day i got introduced to dramamine. After our cruise we spent three days in athens-the acropolis, mars hill, athens achaelogical museum, among other places. After athens we came back, got back on the ferry from patras to ancona then made our way back to citerna. It was easily my favorite trip so far bacause of the biblical history(following the book of acts and seeing where john wrote revelations), the country was barren, rocky, and uninvintingly beautiful, and the food. Every night in athens i ate at this hole in the wall gyro place where you could get a gyro and bottled coke for 3.30 euro. Keep in mind that if i bought a bottles coke by itself outside of a major european monument like the colosseum or acropolis then it would probably be 2.80 euro. But anyway the gyro was incredible. Little things like that hole in the wall are places i wont forget. I also have been keeping a free-lance journal on my labtop-partially because i have to for one of my classes, but also because its one of the best ways to rememeber all this stuff that is going on. I'll share a couple of m entries so that you can get an idea of really what went on in a random day on the greece trip

Friday October 4th-Saturday October 5th- "I modeled in Turkey"

I would love to invite any person that does not believe this trip is worth the cost, or not spiritual enough to come with us over the last couple of days. Where have I been over the last two days? I have stood in the ampitheater where the great riot of ephasus occurred(acts 19). I have walked the streets in Corinth where Paul spent a year and a half of his life preaching and teaching(Acts 18). I have visited the island where John was imprisoned and wrote Revelations(Rev 1:9) Places people can only dream about, I’ve been blessed to visit in 2 days. As I write this im on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, about to go eat a 4 course meal and watch the sunset on the deck. What a life.
Yesterday we got to go to Corinth. It was great, almost breath taking to be in the place where I know paul spent 18 months of his life. He was arrested and released. I saw the place where he stood on trial. I almost got arrested too, when I threw a rock randomly, not hard at all, just to be goofy -it bounced up and hit an inscription-as the security guard happened to walk buy. Luckily, he told our tour guide that he was about to be off shift and did not want to fool with the paper work. But its cool to think about almost getting arrested i the same place Paul was arrested. Not too many people can brag that. The museum at Corinth was pretty cool, and the ancient city was awesome because we were the only ones there. So it felt very personal. We also visited mykanos. It was ok, not too much tho. I stubbed my toe on the rocks in front of the windmills. And there are cats all over the place because euthenasia is illegal in greece.
Today we got to visit Ephasus and Patmos. Ephesus was awesome and in pretty good shape. Visitng the amphitheatre was awesome and to experience Paul like that was impressive. We also got to visit a leather shop. That completely blew me away. I was expecting to see some mom and pop leather shop, but it was an obviously high end place-they even put on a fashion show for us. The lights dimmed, strobe lights and colored lights turned on, loud italian fashion show bass music played and the models slowly paraded out showing off the leather fashions. I felt like i was in Zoolander. At the end of the fashion show one of the models grabbed my hand(and bailey gilreath, another student here as well) led us to the back, threw some leather on us and led us walk out as the lights flashed and the techno music raved. I threw on my shades and walked out on the runway, made my turn on the catwalk amongst cheers and every person in our group taking pictures and videos, 360 spun and walked back to the back. the whole time i kept a straight face, but on the inside i was laughing so hard, just thinking about the fact that i was MODELING IN TURKEY That was so much fun. And we also visited patmos. Patmos has been my favorite island that I have got to visit so far. It was relaxing, good prices on shopping and very pretty. And we got to see the cave where church history beleives john wrote revelations from. I had a blast. Well its about time to go to dinner-I need to shower and tonight is blue/white night on the boat (greece colors). It should be a blast

Tuesday October 7th-"Cherry on top of the Greece Trip"

Some of the funniest things that I see or do on the trip are completely random and spur of the moment. I had one of those moments today. As a group of us had just finished lunch on our ship that was taking us back to Italy, we decided to go on to the ships deck to watch the illegals. Yea that’s right….to watch the illegals. Basically here is the scenario-The whole shipyard is fenced off. Illegal immigrants have torn holes in the fences, to get into the dock area. Once inside they hide from the police and port security that are constantly patrolling, and when they get a shot make a mad dash for an eighteen wheeler. They then hide in the eighteen wheelers cargo area, or underneath the trailer. If this is successfully done, they ride their way secretly onto the boat and into a new country in which they are not suppose to be. On top of the deck, watching this was really great entertainment. Imagine a cat and mouse game, except it’s the authorities and illegals. We could see the hole in the fence, the illegals sneaking around and security racing all over the place. Everyday the police do this, so sometimes they just chase the guys off, and sometimes they arrest them. I saw a group of about 30 men running from the police, and one guy got chased in a circle around a car more than one time by a police officer on a motorcycle(got that on video). The officer did not want to bother with arresting him, so he just chased him off. Its really great fun and a great way to end an incredible trip to Greece.

Im sorry i have not posted any pictures(cause everyone likes pictures) but its really really tough to post pics here because the internet is not too strong. I will try in the future to give yall a couple to whet you appeitite, but most of the picture (and video viewing) will have to occur when i get home. I love everyone and cant wait to get home! Ciao!-matt