Top Ten Funniest Moments at the Last Dinner

10. "Hello. How ‘bout that ride in?" The beginning to Rachel’s speech had everyone in stiches.

9. “We probably picked up some Greek…or Dutch” Got to love Brittany. It was completely deadpanned and perfectly delivered.

8. Listening to Hill ramble on and on after he claimed it would be a short speech. He can’t help he got off topic.

7. Hearing that Martin’s name was misspelled twice…in two different ways.

6. Most Likely To Be Dancing: Deanna. Best Dance Moves: Courtney F. We like our dancing here in Greece.

5. Everyone agreeing that Jillian will be the next Mrs. Bieber.

4. “He’s 6’5” and probably the only black guy in the Greece airport” B.A.’s description of Jason was dead accurate.

3. Bailey ripping up her 'Worst Roomie' certificate: immediately after she got it.

2. Watching Hill jokingly attempt to make out with Jake. Not only hilarious, but also scarring.

1. Listening to Martin and Deanna sing their two prepared songs: the Lead Jingle and The Twelve Days of Greece-mas.

Our last dinner here in Greece was not only hilariously funny, it was also saddening. I’m so happy to be going home but I’m depressed I’ll be leaving all these great people. But it won’t be the last time I see them, because LEAD Greece will be having reunions. We’ve already got planners. I’ve decided to leave it at the funny otherwise I’ll be in tears, but I hope everyone remembers what a great time we had here and everything we’ve learned. LEAD Greece 2011 is the best group anyone can ask for.

-Miranda McGarity

Our Power of WOW!

The other day, Jason gave us a lecture on “the power of WOW”. This was by far one of my favorite lectures of the entire trip, kudos Jason. Since we are nearing the end of our trip, I felt it was fitting to reflect how we have exemplified the power of WOW here in Greece.

1) Care more than others think is wise.

This study abroad is focused on leadership and service learning. Obviously, we participated in service, helping the Somali and Middle Eastern communities. Most people here in Greece and many probably even in America would wonder why in the world we would go out of our way to help these people. They’re just immigrants right? Well we, as the Global LEAD Greece team, felt the beneficial effects of caring more than others think is wise. Though we made an impact on the lives of these immigrants and asylum seekers, I think most people here would agree that those experiences and people had just as much or more of an affect on us.

2) Risk more than others think is safe.

One of the main aspects of this program is adventure. Whether it was bungee jumping, rock climbing, an 8 mile hike through Europe’s longest gorge, or holding 60 pound snakes, every one of us here participated in something that others may see as irrational or crazy. Though our parents may not see the thrill of free falling off of a bridge, I think it’s safe to say that we don’t regret any second of it and probably wouldn’t take back any of these experiences that we’ve had. Some of us may have even become adrenaline junkies, or maybe that’s just me… sorry mom and dad.

3) Dream more than others think is practical.

We had a lecture recently on creating a vision statement for life. Our visions for life have been affected and shaped from what we’ve learned here in Greece. I think that it’s been shown to us that dreams can become reality, and that our visions, no matter how “outrageous” they are, are attainable. We can take a little advice from Alexander the Great: “Fortes fortuna adiuva, Fortune favors the bold”.

4) Expect more than others think is possible.

We also discussed the other day taking back what we’ve learned and challenging ourselves to stick true to at least three of the concepts. Personally, I challenge myself to make an impact in service in my community in regards to sex trafficking. This is a challenging issue to tackle, some may even say impossible. Being here in Greece has shown us, though, that every little bit of help contributes to a greater society. It’s obvious to me that if we all honor our personal challenge when we get home, that our small, 42 person Global LEAD family can greatly impact our societies.

Though I’m sad to say goodbye to Greece and Global LEAD, I’m excited to take what I’ve learned back with me. This experience is one that I wish others could have, so I hope that we can all show our friends and families the true impact it’s had on our lives. We’ve gained great friends, unforgettable memories, and new outlooks on life. I don’t think I could’ve asked for more.

- McKenzi Raines

A Rhyme of Remembrance

As we are moving towards the final day,

It feels like only yesterday was the fifteenth of May.

Having expectations of what we would see,

We created an image of how Greece would be.

In Glyfada, we formed an appetite for gyros,

Then washed it down with a refreshing Mythos.

Athens was never a city I pictured as cruel,

Our eyes were opened on the issues of Somalis with the help of Abdul.

Adventures like bungee jumping helped tackle our fears,

3-2-1 the Global LEAD group powerfully cheers.

Crete was like a city and island combined,

Sports Café is where we conveniently dined.

BA and Jason taught many lectures on how

We can become leaders and experience the power of wow.

Excitement, nervousness, and laughter too

Is what we felt riding the donkeys in a city of white and blue.

Making friends along the way,

It will be hard to not see them every day.

It’s so difficult to put into writing,

The beauty, the people, and the places we have been sighting.

Even though our trip has come to an end,

A love has developed between the bonds of 42 new friends.

On behalf of the of the LEAD Greece crew,

BA, Jason, Brian, and Scott, we would like to say Thank You!

-Annie Saucier

Cultural Vineyard Tour

Today we visited three different wineries in Santorini, Greece. The first winery was actually a wine museum and they had a cellar-like tunnel that we got to go in, to see how wine was produced years ago. It took them 21 years to make the museum. After walking through the cellar, we got to try three of their most popular wines. The first was a dry white wine, the second was a famous red wine, and the third was a dessert wine. We all liked the first two wines that we tried but the last one was not very popular among the group.

After finishing up at the museum, we got back on the bus and went to the next winery. It was here that they explained how wine is made now. We got to see the cellar underneath the building and they explained how it was a dark area for the success of making wine.

The last winery we visited was by far the best of the three. Not only was it the biggest winery in Santorini, but it is sitting on the cliff looking over the other islands. They had some amazing traditional Greek food prepared for us. We got to visit their gift shop and several people purchased the wines and other products.

Today was an amazing experience. We were so glad to get to see and taste the best wines produced right here in Greece. That is an opportunity that only very few people get to do and we were lucky enough to do it.

After the tours of the wineries, we all came back to the hotel for a relaxing day before traveling back to Glyfada tomorrow. Today has been great and we can’t wait to enjoy the last 4 days we have in Greece before we have to go home!

-Maria Pearson & Shannon Twilley

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Global LEADers

Saturday was an off day for everyone and seven lovely ladies of Global LEAD

thought what better way to spend a free day in the beautiful Santorini than to visit

the city of Oia (pronounce ee-ah)—recognized as the city with the picturesque

Greek domes.

The night prior, in order to prepare for the day off, a few friends and I watched

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the movie. In case you didn’t know, parts of the

movie were filmed in Oia, Santorini. Like little schoolgirls, we squealed at the parts

where the main characters fell in love, road mopeds, and played on the docks. And

we made mental notes and maps in order to find the places of the movie in the

actual city the next day.

The fated off day arrived and the ladies and I took a short bus ride over to the most

beautiful city in the world. This is not an overstatement. When we all imagined what

our Greece study abroad would look like, this was the place of our dreams. Blue

domes. White homes. Pink flowers. Green oceans. The senses were overwhelmed

as we shopped, ate, and played in the most gorgeous place, hands down, we’d ever

seen. I think my cheeks still hurt from smiling at the beauty of it all day.

And needless to say we thought every other home we passed was the one filmed

from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Who can tell what building was more

beautiful than the next, or if one winding alleyway was the twin of the one in the

movie. But we had an adventure trying to find the sets from the film—I’m pretty

sure we found the correct dock though, which was shamelessly exciting for all us

girls.

In addition to our sisterhood thrills, the rest of our day went as follows:

Cliff jumping—Check

Impromptu photo shoots—Check

Donkey riding—Check

Jewelry shopping—Check

Sunset watching—Check

It was literally the perfect day. From the sites, to the friends, to the shopping (oh

my!), Oia could have been better. As the seven of us, all happily exhausted, rode the

bus home that night, I distinctly remember being in awe of the amount of happiness

I was feeling. My mantra this trip has been “Is this real life?” because I find myself

saying it in my head again and again in amazement of all the incredible stuff we’ve

been up to through Global LEAD. This was just one of those many times that I

thought life was too good to be true.

But this is real. We’re living the dream.

-Alyson Farzad & Sydney Anderson

Don't Wanna Go...So Why Not LEAD!

These past four weeks have been a life changing experience for all 42 of us here on Global L.E.A.D. It’s going to be difficult for us to return and acclimate back into the American culture. Here are our top 10 reasons why we don’t want to leave Greece.

Top 10 Reasons Why We Don’t Want To Leave Greece:

10. Learning outside of the classroom. From lectures by the pool to the beaches of Santorini, who would ever want to go back to learning in a regular classroom?

9. Returning to the real world. Everyone enjoys being able to escape the pressures of everyday life back home and it will be a difficult transition when returning home into the “real world” after becoming accustomed to Greek culture for over one month.

8. The island lifestyle. The island culture is very laidback and very welcoming to outsiders. We all have become accustomed to the easygoing ways and customs of the Greek island life and will be very hard to part.

7. Wine. Santorini’s #1 export is wine and is famous for their white wine vineyards. Being able to go on a cultural vineyard tour and learn about the process of winemaking is something that we are all looking forward to on Wednesday afternoon.

6. Greek culture. The cultural experiences of learning the history and societal norms of another country is a very valuable experience that not many people are fortunate enough to experience.

5. Greek cuisine. From Greek salads to chicken or pork gyros, lamb, Greek food has its own distinct flavor that we have all learned to enjoy in some way. Going back to traditional American food just won’t be the same.

4. Beautiful scenery. From the view from our villas in Crete to the sunset in Oia, Greece is one of the most beautiful places in the world. People travel all around the world to capture the essence of Greece and we are lucky enough to have the opportunity to live here for 5 weeks.

3. Adventure. Greece offers many opportunities for adventure and excitement. We got the chance to go bungee jumping in the Corinth Canal, cliff jumping in Kamari Beach in Santorini, donkey riding up the mountainside of Oia, and hiking the Samaria Gorge.

2. Plane ride on the way back. After all the obstacles on the group flight to Athens, many of us are skeptical about the potential problems facing us on our nine-hour return flight. Although a layover in Greece would be much better than a layover in Atlanta.

1. The lifelong friendships. Living and learning together with 42 people has made us become close very quickly. Most of us attend school in the same region and we are already finding ways to stay in close contact with each other whether it’s planning a trip to see our rival football teams play or just a road trip together.

-Courtney Foret and Jake VanAusdall

When in Oia

Todays day was filled with experiences that cannot be expressed through words or photographs. From hiking the active volcano to riding donkeys on the island of Oia the laughter and feeling of pure excitement could not escape my mind. Oia was the most breathtaking towns in the long list of interesting places in which we have been able to stay and explore. At the end of our day today we sailed to the town of Oia and from the port were taken by donkey ride up to the top of the cliff were the town began. The sites filled my head with beauty so surreal I thought it was something only from movies. Blue domed churches and multicolored buildings etched into the walls of the cliff over looking the sea of the Aegean. I felt as if I had stepped into a picture book walking along the cobble stoned paved walk aways. After treating ourselves to some traditional greek deserts while taking in the gorgeous view of the caldera it was soon time to enjoy the most anticipated sunset we have come across thus far. Travelers from all over gathered on the edges of the cliff, trying to find the perfect seat to watch as the marvelous spectacle took place. The sky changed from yellow to marvelous pinks and oranges filling the sky with delight, illuminating that which was thought to only be a sunset. God’s glorious creation overwhelmed the crowd and once it dipped into the deep blue ocean everyone rejoiced, clapping in unison to the splendor of the world. It was an adventurous day with a speculator close that I will cherish for many many years to come.

-Catherine Crawford

Best Day Ever!

Today was our off day in Santorini, and eleven of us were lucky enough to go on a sailing adventure! DeAnna, Allie, Emma, Ashley, Cassie, Bailey, Courtney F, Jillian, Emily, McCauley, and I ventured by boat to the island of Anafi, which is about fifteen kilometers from Santorini. We departed from Santorini around 10 am and returned around 9 pm after watching a breathtaking sunset from the boat. Everyone agrees that this was one of our best days thus far, and we’ve managed to narrow down our favorite parts of the day!

Top Ten Higlights from Our Santorini Sailing Adventure:

10. Our boat, The Blue Lagoon- a gorgeous 41 foot catamaran

9. The amazing Captain Jimmy and his crew (We loved Courtney, a fellow American college student!)

8. Arriving at a private beach where we got to swim explore

7. Taking underwater pictures with Cassie’s camera and jumping pictures from the boat J

6. A delicious lunch prepared by the crew, all organic (none of the food was over two days old) and consisting of lamb chops, chicken, pork, sausage, calamari, shrimp, Greek salad, pasta salad, homemade bread & tzatsiki, and mixed vegetables.

5. Snorkeling around the boat and beach-the water was so clear!

4. Amazing views of the ocean, Santorini, and Anafi

3. Laying out all day and perfecting our tans (or burns)

2. Listening to sweet jamz on our Ipods (I’m on a Boat anyone?)

1. Watching the best sunset in the world over the ocean- the perfect end to a perfect day!

This was an amazing experience that will definitely be a highlight of the trip for all of us! Its so hard to believe we only have one more week left, and I’m so glad I got to spend my off day with the best new friends anyone could ask for!

-Mia Nassios

A Life Less Ordinary

We started off our day with a thought provoking lesson involving the visions of our lives. "It is direction not intention that determines destination." We listened to the inspiring speeches of Martin Luther King junior and Mandela and then had the opportunity to write our own visions. We all took the time to reflect and really think about where we want our lives to go, how we are going to get there, and how we want to be remembered. What better place to dream than the most beautiful island in the world, Santorini. Some of us want to be known for the way we love and serve others, some want to be known for living a life less ordinary but we all seemed to have the common theme of wanting to make an impact on the world in our own unique way. We hope to take everything we have learned on this trip and put it into action as soon as we return. We spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach and working on our homework. The brave ones even decided to cliff jump. We bonded even more by counting down as our friends prepared to jump. Just like every other day we have had, it will be one we will all remember for a lifetime.

- Courtney Dunnigan

Life’s Lucky Charms

2 villages and 612 hours later, the Global LEADers arrive on the breath-taking island of Santorini. Not only is it covered with white buildings with blue domes like we see in movies, but it also has many grape plants for wine, cute restaurants lining the roads, and black, red, AND white beaches something most of us have never seen before. Over the past couple weeks, we have been living life to the fullest: bungee-jumping, hiking through the Samaria Gorge, and in my case, going to Ios for our weekend off. I don’t think life could get much better sitting writing this blog overlooking the ocean, the pool, and the vibrant flowers. All of these things most people will never have the opportunity to do in their lifetime let alone in a span of 5 weeks. BA reminded us when we got here to take a few steps back and appreciate all of our lucky charms in life because not everyone has the same ones. Sometimes I take for granted why I am here and all the people that helped me to get where I am today. So, thank you everyone so much!

-Brooke Duncan

A Cretan Goodbye

O- Over the top fun!

L- Losing doesn’t exist

Y- Yelling for our teammates to win!

M- Mia’s extreme competitiveness

P- Playing trivia and charades

I- I got third place!

C- Cookout with traditional Greek food by George

S- Synchronized swimming in the pool to Justin Bieber

Tonight was a great night for the Global LEAD team. We got to end our amazing Crete trip with a cookout from our favorite, George! We had traditional greek food and played games amongst our community groups such as charades and trivia. (Of course Martin came up with the Nickelodeon questions) And we competed in Olympic games such as Dizzy Izzy, potato sack races, swimming relays, and even a synchronized swimming competition! It was a great way to end our Crete chapter on an amazing note before heading off to Santorini early in the morning, which we are all very excited about! Throughout our experience here we learned a great deal about ourselves, leadership, as well as what we can do to help people in our own communities. Ultimately, I think we can all agree that this week was relaxing, academically stimulating, and super fun!

"Hey Dad, guess what I did today..."

It may come as a shock to most but I am a huge animal lover, so today when we learned we were venturing to an aquarium I was ecstatic. They told us it was a smaller aquarium than the official Crete Aquarium which was disappointing at first, but once we got there I realized size really didn’t matter. The aquarium was much more intimate than most because of the close quarters. We were able to see a live octopus feeding and learned that they are much smarter than they look. The octopus was able to open a jar and grab its food all by itself! Then, we watched a live feeding of a blind sea turtle who was taken in by the aquarium to be cared for. After looking at all the fish we were led outside to the reptile garden where iguanas and turtles roamed around freely! Previously, I had thought turtles were boring and slow but we met a turtle named Blondie who never stopped moving the whole time we were there and had a great personality. I wanted to take him home as a pet! The fantastic aquarium owner first let us hold smaller snakes which was terrifying but not as bad as expected. Then, he let us hold a 60 lb boa constrictor! The smaller snakes were a great warm up to the boa because you already knew what to do and what not to do. It was interesting to see how snakes were different compared to our previous notions. I had thought the snakes would be slimy and constrict around me until I choked but I was so wrong. In reality, they’re not slimy at all and they would constrict around you only because they needed something to hold on to. The owner of the aquarium and his wife were such great, memorable people and they were so passionate about what they do. I hope to someday visit again! I think the best part about today was being able to e-mail my dad the pictures of me holding the snakes. Snakes are his worst fear!

-Sydney Anderson

Last Off Day

Most Global leaders can attest that we are constantly busy. This study abroad gets you up early can keeps you going all day. Luckily we have transitioned to island time and had an amazing 4 day break from waking up early, struggling to find time to eat, and always being on the move. For those of us who stayed in Crete for the weekend we took full advantage of the amazing beach less than a mile beneath our villas. Days filled sunbathing, parasailing, and foam parties became routine but the most memorable beach activity would have to be our banana boating experience. Taking a seat up front probably wasn’t the best idea when your driver is intent on throwing at least one person of the boat. He made sure our first ride out was difficult and when we all managed to stay on with tremendous effort he decided we needed another try because apparently banana boating isn’t fun unless you’re scared for your life. After rolling over, losing control of my handle, and having the person behind me grab my ankle to stay on the boat one large wave had me midair before I landed in the middle of the ocean and it was at this point and time that I wish I had listened beforehand when the driver told us to tighten our bathing suits because once you’re in the water it is very likely getting back on you’ll lose your bottoms. Reaching the shore most of us finally felt safe again but the morning after didn’t go without soreness and pulled muscles for some global leaders. I assume our driver wanted to make sure we got our money’s worth for that ride.

-Lauren Hutchinson

An Update From Our Academic Staff

It might be a bit difficult to believe, in light of all the idyllic pictures that our students have been posting, that we are working as well as playing here in Greece. But it's true - since I last posted to the blog, we've done a lot in terms of curriculum.

Our second week in Athens focused primarily on service "in the field," and as you know by now, it was an often inspiring, sometimes sobering, and occasionally exhausting experience for all of us. It was here, too, that our classroom work interfaced with the real world. We'd heard and read a lot about Greece's economic and social problems in the days previous to service, but now we encountered them firsthand, sometimes in some uncomfortably tangible ways, particularly in the dire poverty and desperation of the Somali and Afghani refugee communities and the suspicion and hostility focused on them by some native Greeks. We also saw great examples of leadership in action in folks like Abdul of the Somali center, the directors of "the center," and Maria from Praxis. Meanwhile, we analyzed the results of the Gallup/UCLA StrengthsQuest test, which was great fun as well as deeply illuminating (I, for one, was amazed at its accuracy). Finally, work on the "Big Blue Book" increased in quality in week two; the first week, grades were not where Scott and I would have liked, and so we brought the grading hammer down a bit, and we were pleased with the resulting jump ("transactional leadership" in action...)!

During week three - the first in Crete - we focused in detail on leadership, drawing on Peter Northouse's seminal book (Scott has a master's degree in leadership and has taught Northouse before, which has been very useful). We took particular pains to link leadership to the StrengthsQuest results. Strengths might be inherent, we argued, but leadership is learned, and so we focused on the idea of matching personal strengths to an appropriate leadership style as outlined in Northouse. We talked as well about ethics, always important in leadership and especially appropriate here in Greece, where discussion of proper human behavior was a prime concern of philosophers like Plato, Aristotle et al. Beth Ann continued the theme with a lecture on core values, and the Samaria Gorge gave us a great natural venue to consider the importance of all these Big Ideas. I was also fortunate enough, meanwhile, to give a brief lecture on the Venetian occupation of Crete in front of the famous "Koules" fortress in Heraklion, adding a third great venue to my list!

Now, after a few days off for travel and fun, it's away to Santorini on Thursday, where students will write the first of their papers on leadership as well as doing more work in the Big Blue Book. I look forward to grading their work in front of the greatest sunset on earth!

Best,

Brian Allen Drake
Lecturer
Department of History
University of Georgia

Another Day In Paradise

So after being here several days, I have concluded that Crete is paradise. The views that I have seen since I arrived here are just incredible. The mountainous terrain coupled with the deep blue water is just picturesque in my opinion. I feel that I am walking in a postcard whenever I look around and see everything. The landscape is just so diverse that it makes for a truly amazing sight.

Today was an off day so everyone got to be able to walk around and explore the town, or if people were feeling adventurous, they could go and do many of the exciting things Crete has to offer. Some people went mountain biking and others, like myself, went to the capital of Crete, Heraklion. The city is not huge, but is home to more than half of Crete’s population. It is right on the ocean, and we were able to shop around and eat right on the waters edge.

Even though today is was an off day, several people including myself started on our leadership papers that are due on Thursday. I had never really thought of how to make myself a better leader going into this trip. I guess I considered myself a leader to others, but not a great leader. Reading and listening to lectures about leadership the past couple of day though, has taught me that there are ton of different ways I can improve on my leadership skills and help others by being role models to them. Being a great leader will be a vital asset in trying to help make this world we all live in a better place and Global L.E.A.D is helping me to achieve this.

-Cody McCollum

A Little Southern Hospitality…Grecian Style

Being thousands of miles from home for five weeks, in a foreign country with people you’ve just met are conditions that will make anyone homesick…even if some of us will not admit it. Since coming to Greece I think we all have been looking for some familiarity to make us feel a little more comfortable in our new setting. Whether that is the occasional Starbucks, Fridays, or even the Hard Rock Café there is something comforting it them all.

Here in Crete we have been introduced to an entirely different culture and way of life than we experienced in Athens. And it is here in the beautiful island of Crete (the largest island in Greece) where we have found ourselves experiencing a little southern hospitality Grecian Style.

Next to our villas is a quaint little restaurant that looks no different than the others around it, but inside we found something we did not expect. A beautiful woman named Katie and her husband Kostas who welcomed us to their restaurant with open arms. After only minutes we all felt as if we’ve known Katie our entire lives. As she proceeded to bring us free appetizers and suggesting her favorite items on the menu, she attempted to learn all of our names at the table. Four nights later we returned to the restaurant to visit our new friend who hugged and kissed each of us like we were her own children saying, “Can you tell I miss my daughter?! I wish she could be here to meet all of you too!” Katie insisted that before we all leave we must exchange contact information so we can stay in touch in case we ever want to come back to Crete.

Katie is just one of the many incredible people we have been so lucky to meet since coming to the island of Crete and the stunning country of Greece. The hospitality we have received since coming here is no different than that of the good ole’ Southern United States. It is this friendliness and kindness that makes us all feel like we are much closer to home than we really are. The personable people such as Katie and the stories and experiences she is providing us with are helping to make our stay in Crete one of the most pleasurable experiences of my life.

-Siobhan Heichemer

Update from the Program Director

Students are taking full advantage of their "off" weekend with trips to Chania, Ios, and many adventure activities! I joined a small group for an incredible 27 km bike ride through the Lissithi Plateau yesterday- it was both relaxing and adventurous! If you've tried to Skype with your child since we've arrived, then you are probably familiar with the weak internet connection. I think we have trouble because so many people are trying to sign on. So in order to avoid losing connection during our weekly parent call, I am going to schedule it for a time when I can almost guarantee that I will not have any competition for internet. ;) I will be on uStream.tv at 10 pm EST on Sunday.

Today, we learned about overcoming obstacles in our lives. Yesterday, we’d say we overcame a pretty big obstacle by hiking 13 kilometers down the Samarian Gorge. We had no idea what to expect as the bus pulled up to the top of the Gorge. As we started out, it was quite evident that this was going to be a difficult task as people were slipping on the rocks pretty quickly. But, it was well worth it because it was some of the most amazing scenery we have ever seen. With mountains all around us and streams flowing, it was an incredible experience. About halfway through our hike, we stopped for a snack and listened to Jason give us a great talk about striving for greatness in our lives. We each took a few moments to create our own “bucket lists,” where we wrote down all the things we wanted to do and accomplish before we died. Some of these things included owning your own restaurant, going to the World Cup, skydiving, visiting all 7 continents, and running a marathon. It was a humbling experience realizing we have the ability to accomplish so much in our lives if we just put in the effort. As we continued the hike and our feet and legs started hurting from the blisters and sore muscles, we reached the end feeling like we had accomplished something great. We spent a couple of hours at restaurants on the beach talking about the different highs and lows of the hike (nice pun). We overcame many obstacles, such as getting up at 4:30 in order to get on the bus, but it was all worth it. It was an experience we will all never forget.

-Emily Emshoff & Martin Shepard

Top Five WEIRDEST Differences between the US & Greece

Monday we visited the Venetian Fortress in Herakalon, then explored the town itself! This morning we had a lecture about leadership and core values.

I am in love with Crete, it is absolutely gorgeous. I know this “Top Ten” list is a little off the beaten path, but I have been compiling this list in my head throughout my travels here. As an American in another country, its unavoidable to run into some minor (but very humorous) complications. So without further ado, I bring you:

Top Five WEIRDEST Differences between the US & Greece:

1. Cats. Cats. Cats. There are cats everywhere. They are running amuck and about seven hundred new kittens are born every second. Its to the point where you can play Where’s Waldo in all the postcards because there is most likely a cat hidden somewhere in every landscape picture.
2. The “Black Market” of Greece. Like New York, many people are situated on the street trying to sell their goodies. It’s especially hilarious when they all start slamming their suitcases and screaming “POLICIA POLICIA!” and flailing away when the police come near. But what’s especially strange is how they all walk IN restaurants and come up to you at your table and the restaurant owners do not care at all! The first time I experienced this when I was eating, one man walked up to me with a stack of ripped DVDs to sell. I looked around frantically expecting an old woman in her babooshka and broom in hand to come screaming Greek curses out of the kitchen after them. Nope.
3. MOPEDS. Like cats, these bad boys are everywhere. Other than the extremely aggressive euro-men trying to play Hit The Tourists, I think it is such a great idea because mopeds are so much more sustainable than cars.
4. Asking if you can pay for something with a credit or debit card is the equivalent of asking someone to drop and give you fifty, run ten miles, find a cure for all incurable diseases, and then proceed to solve world peace. So if you ever go to Greece, book it to your nearest ATM and take out cash cash cash!
5. Trees. Some of the trees here look like they are straight out of a Doctor Suess book. Most of them have strange looking fruit on them. Even the one I am sitting under now looks like its about to drop a massive green-pepper-meets-green-bean’s offspring on my head. But they are all SO beautiful, I wish I could plant them on my porch at Auburn! There are gorgeous red flower vines that creep up the sides of our villas here in Crete, I can honestly say I might try to wear one back as a boa to get it through customs.

-Channing Broderick

The Leader-Ship: Setting Sail to Crete

Athens was sweet,

but now we’re in Crete

Villas with George

are hard to beat.

Tossing each other into the pool;

Thankful we’re not in normal school.

Sleeping onboard

After the discothèque

Waking up feeling

like a shipwreck.

But learning leadership now we’re ashore

leaves us wondering if maybe there’s more.

Are we living our values?

Does path-goal apply?

What about ethics?

Which one am I?

Is everyone a leader, or is it a gift?

Is our generation in a shift or a drift?

We’re staying connected

I’m blogging right now

But its use in trafficking

Is something I can’t allow.

Living in paradise, it’s easy to forget

We’re here to serve, not just to sit.

The ocean is gorgeous

The stucco’s bright white

But so are the hearts

of those people in plight.

We’ll hike Samaria and test our strengths

Stretching our stamina to great lengths.

And that’s why we’re here,

To learn first-hand

How can we lead

And soak up sun and sand?

Chilling by day and going out at night

Balances with learning about our inner light.

It’s a wonderful place

And a wonderful thought

We can all use

Every talent we’ve got.

We weren’t born perfect

And some not to lead

but after these weeks,

We’ll have all we need.

We just need confidence in what we can do

Supporting each other and sunbathing too.

I’m thankful for differences

and for this time

I’m truly amazed

I’ve made this all rhyme.

But five a.m. comes early, for a hike nonetheless,

But there’s one more point I’d just like to stress.

The first weeks were trials,

Lessons to heed.

Back then we just went,

But now we’ve learned to L.E.A.D.

-Brittany Myers

5 Musts Do's While in Crete

1. Go to the beaches

2. Attend a foam party

3. Try the local fish dishes

4. Go seakyacking around the ancient fortress

5. Enjoy the beautiful weather

Crete has a much different pace than Glyfada. Arriving at the villas we were immeadiately welcomed with friendly faces and open arms. Our villas are situated on top of a large hill, but for those of us who are lazier than others, we are surrounded by all of your basic necessistes. Right next door is an authentic Greek restaurant. The menu contains anything from classic Greek appetizers to fresh fish dishes. The hospitable atmosphere and delicious food made for the perfect first meal in Crete.

-Ellie Greer