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Blog #10: The Next Chapter of My Life

Life has been a crazy journey so far. There have been a lot of ups and a lot of downs, all of which have led me to where I am today. The memories I have of my childhood seem like a whole other lifetime. Even middle and high school seem like a different lifetime. It’s just that so many things change and happen year to year that, before you know it, your life is completely different than it used to be. Needless to say, I have been in the current chapter of the book of my life for the past 5 years and I am so ready to be finished with it and on to the next chapter.

Right now, I am about 4 months away from being done with school. Now I said I’ve been in this chapter for the past 5 years, but realistically I have been in this chapter of school for as long as I can remember. As far back into my childhood as my memory permits, I have been in school. That’s all life has consisted of along with other things like sports and social life. To think back on my whole life and realize that I am 4 months away from being done with school forever is one of the greatest feelings ever.

This next half a year to a year will be one of craziest seasons of my life. I am going to Greece, I am graduating college and I am starting my career. This trip to Greece will be one of the greatest experiences and adventures of my entire life. I can’t wait to get out and see the world. It is also great because I get to knock out two class credits I need to graduate, leaving me with just one capstone class over summer. By the end of July, I will officially be a college graduate.

I am beginning the job hunt now because I want to get ahead of the curve and not wait until I graduate to find a job. I went to the career fair and there are some potential internships and jobs I am looking into for summer and after graduation. I am hesitant to commit to one of those options though because I would ideally like to work for Lockheed Martin. I love space and this company would be a great place to start. They are near the Kennesaw area which is where I want to live and also I have some potential to getting a job there. My friend’s dad works for Lockheed and I am working on meeting him so I could get some help getting plugged in. They are apparently hiring right now and have open entry level positions, so this is the time for me to put in work to make this dream come true. Also 3 generations of my family have worked for Lockheed Martin, so I have a desire to continue the legacy.

Overall, the next chapter of my life is going to be a hectic one, but I am excited to see where God takes me. No matter what happens, the most important thing is that I continue to grow in my faith and trust in Jesus. This is truly what life is all about and I wish more people knew that. This next season is going to definitely require me to lean into God more than ever and trust in Him. By growing in the word of God and in my relationship with Him, I am confident He will use me in whatever ways I am uniquely gifted to serve Him and bring glory to the name of Jesus, in this season and the remainder of my days, now and forevermore.

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Blog #9: Love/Dislike for Technology

Technology is not only a marvel of the human capability but is also paradoxically one of the best and worst things to happen to mankind. Now with that being said, I believe the good far outweigh the bad but from a personal opinion, sometimes I wish we didn’t have some technology. In this blog I will briefly go over some of the things I love about technology and some of the things I dislike about it.

Love

To start it off I will talk about what I love about technology. I think technology is wonderful. Because of advancements in technology, we have today more than any generation ever did before us. We have every type of food or drink we could ever think of readily available year-round and no more than a short drive away. We have advanced medicine and machines that help doctors save the lives of billions across the globe, allowing us to live longer and healthier than ever. We are able to communicate with just about anyone anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. The world has never been more connected because of technology and the list could go on and on with examples of ways technology has improved our lives.

I am personally thankful for it due to the fact that I can literally see or at least contact my family and friends whenever I feel like it. This is something that everyone up until my generation didn’t have the ability to do. I also really like the internet and all it has to offer as far as information, entertainment and literally everything else you could ever want or need. It has made this world and all of its operations drastically better than they have been for centuries leading up to the internet. With that being said, it is now time to detail what I don’t like.

Dislike

My list of dislikes of modern technology are shorter than likes but the list still carries weight to me. The primary thing that I always talk to people about not liking about technology is what it has done to our ability to socialize. Now in many ways you could say it has made socializing easier and I would agree, but I am talking about how people are constantly on their phones. I am guilty of this as well but at the same time, I am the guy who prefers to not be on his phone and actually talk with people.

Nowadays when you go out to dinner or basically anywhere else with friends, you can look around the table or room and you will see that everyone is consumed by their phones. Everyone is constantly so engulfed in their phones and what they are watching or who they are texting or which social media platform they’re scrolling through that people don’t know how to socialize like they did before. On the first day of school people would go sit down and meet people around them and talk but now you walk into a classroom and everyone is sitting in silence on their phones because apparently it would be awkward to talk to other humans. I find this bizarre and it is so bothersome to me.

That is easily the main thing about technology that I dislike but other than that it would have to be the fact that technology has corrupted people. From global political problems to personal corruption of morals, technology has brought many problems to the world. We now have weaponry that could eliminate our human race as well as do significant damage and death to people. We have people in political power all over the world causing problems and using the internet as a medium to fight back and forth. The internet has everything you could want or need which can be good, but also means there’s a lot of bad stuff as well. The amount of garbage that is pumped into the minds of young and old people these days is astonishing. People are being misled by information on the internet and don’t even know it. They are being exposed to evil, sinful, morally wrong ideas, information, pictures, videos and more while being told that it is ok or good.

I’ve had enough of the filth and evil that is going on in the world these days and no longer even want to turn on my tv or want to read news and articles. I deleted my social media because I was tired of the things I was seeing and the things people were posting. I don’t trust much on tv and in the media anymore. All in all, I am very thankful for the good that technology has done for the world but am beginning to see the bad overtake the good and am hoping it doesn’t get too far gone.

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Blog #8: Top 5 Places I’ve Been

I’ve been to many different towns, cities and states so this list was hard to narrow down, but these are what I would consider the top 5 places I’ve been in my life up until this point. Unfortunately, I haven’t left the country yet, but I will be going to Greece in two months and plan to travel the world throughout my life. Of course, Greece would be at the top of this list but unfortunately I can’t classify it as a place I’ve been yet which is what this list strictly is about. This list is in no particular order, so let’s get into it.

San Francisco, California

My trip to the bay area came about 7 years ago and was a great trip. I went with my family and it was just a fun vacation but also a trip to see where part of my family was from. My dad was from the bay area and my mom lived out there for some time, which is how they met. I was actually born in Mountain View, California which is near San Jose. This trip was the first time I’d been back to the west coast and to where I was born since we moved from there to Georgia. The weather was beautiful every day, the city and its architecture were stunning and the number of sites to see made it easy to never be bored. Seeing the golden gate bridge in person was breathtaking. Pictures don’t do it justice, you have to see it in person. Alcatraz was super cool even though we could only look at it from across the bay because you have to book months in advance to visit it. We also went to Monterey, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz and other locations which were all super cool to finally see in person after hearing about them. On top of this, we also saw the hospital my brother and I were born in and other locations like our old house as well as family. It was a great trip and I hope to return one day.

Florida Keys, Florida

Our trip to Miami and the Keys was such a fun trip because it was the classic beach vacation that also included new cities and islands that I had never been to. We stayed near Miami for a couple days then made our way to the Keys. The weather and scenery were beautiful which made the 3-5 hour drive through all the Keys much more enjoyable. We stopped at Key Largo and spent a day snorkeling and eating at cool restaurants. After this we continued to Key West which was really cool because of the small Caribbean island feel. It is such a cool town with small shops, restaurants, beaches and historical landmarks. I was able to stand at the southernmost tip which was the closest to Cuba at only 90 miles. That among other fun activities and events made this such a memorable trip.

Washington D.C.

Our trip to Washington D.C. was definitely one of my favorite trips because I am such a big history fan. This along with being able to see all these cool sites and museums with significant importance made this a super cool week. Seeing the white house, the capital and all the museums along with things like Ford’s theater and Arlington cemetery were my favorite things about the trip. Just to stand in the exact spots that so much history and news happens at is a feeling that is hard to replicate. We also got to eat at some cool restaurants and overall had a really great experience.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Nantucket was one of the most beautiful and picture-perfect places I have ever been. This whole trip was amazing because we went to Boston and spent the majority of the trip seeing historical sites due to all the historical events, places and people in that area. So not only was that amazing, but Cape Cod was super cool and the typical New England fishing town. We took a ferry 45 minutes out to the island of Nantucket and I fell in love with the place. It is so beautiful and just an iconic New England fishing town that seems like it is frozen in time. We walked around the town and went into all the local shops as well as ate at a cool restaurant. We also visited a local brewery/winery on the island located a few miles from the main town. I wish I could live in some of the beautiful houses on in the town, but I know they probably cost more money than I could ever afford. I’ll never forget our trip there and the memories we made.

Silverton/Telluride/Ouray, Colorado

This was another trip that was part of a bigger trip. My family road-tripped out to Colorado to spend time with our relatives we have out there. We passed through Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City and on the way home went through Santa Fe, Dallas and other states. This was awesome because we got to see so much of our country. After spending some days in Colorado Springs and seeing some places near there, we all went out to this breathtaking town of Ouray which was situated out in the middle of nowhere beneath majestic mountains. The town was unlike anything I’ve ever seen and we just ate at cool restaurants and walked around the town and hiking trails. After this we went to the ski town of Telluride which was also breathtaking. Just the iconic ski village straight out of a movie. We saw Ralph Lauren’s house on our way out there which was beautiful as well as spent the day in the town site seeing. We ended the last couple days of our trip by staying in the town of Durango and taking the historic train from Durango to Silverton. This was an experience I will never forget. The train took us through mountains and valleys with the most beautiful scenery imaginable. We arrived in this picturesque town just like the other towns where we spent our day eating and soaking in the town.

This concludes my list of the top 5 places I have been. There are so many more places I have been that I wish I could have included in this list but it would be a book worth of information. I can’t wait to see what other adventures God takes me on in my life!

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Blog #7: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

It was a beautiful August day in the year 2017 and I had been preparing for it for some time now. I had a few of my friends with me and we were ready to witness an event that some will go a lifetime without seeing. If you have never had the opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse, I highly recommend you find out when the next one is and make arrangements to go see it. It is one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had and made for one of the best days and memories of my life.

We loaded up into my car early in the morning and began our journey up to Cleveland, GA. The eclipse was scheduled to take place around 2pm in the afternoon and we knew there was going to be a lot of traffic headed up to the north Georgia area we had in mind. Cleveland was just inside the path of totality and was about an hour and a half from Kennesaw. We left around 10am to make sure we got there in enough time. My dad and two brothers were meeting me and my friends up there. The drive was beautiful as always when you head up into the mountains and was nice having good music and friends to make the journey with.

We got to Cleveland around 12:30-1pm and met up with my family who had just arrived as well. We decided to grab a bite to eat at Zaxby’s before heading to the town square where we planned to witness the event. After eating, we headed up a block or two to the square to find what seemed like the whole town setting up camp to see the eclipse. There were people everywhere with food, drinks, lawn chairs and gear for the event. To witness the event, you needed solar glasses that are specially designed so you can look at the sun without harming your eyes. We spent the next hour waiting for the two-minute window of total eclipse.

Gradually as we got closer to the time of totality, we watched as the moon slowly crept in front of the sun. It was really fascinating to see this cosmic event unfold before our eyes. Finally, the time had come for the total eclipse. It was broad daylight in the afternoon and it slowly began to get darker outside. The temperature dropped as day turned into night and then it became totally eclipsed. It was almost like nighttime outside and for two minutes, the moon totally blocked out the sun. This was the fastest two minutes of my life. It felt like 30 seconds and in the blink of an eye the sun started coming back out again. In those two minutes, you could look at the sun without the solar glasses and it looked like an eerie halo or ring in the sky. It was the most bizarre and beautiful thing my eyes have ever seen.

I wish more than anything I could relive that day. I had my family and friends with me and got to experience a cosmic phenomenon that is something that words simply cannot do it justice. I will never forget that day for the rest of my life and hope one day I will have the opportunity to see one again.

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Blog #6: My Love of Space

Galaxies. Stars. Planets. Moons. Nebula. The list goes on and on. Space is one of the most fascinating things about life as we know it. I have become more and more interested in space over the past 4-5 years and am realizing that the space industry is where I am feeling led to pursue a career.

It all started 5+ years ago back in early high school when I would often find myself outside at night looking up at the stars and just being in awe at the vastness and scale of what I was looking at. People really take space for granted these days and don’t truly appreciate the incredible complexity and size of the heavens that God has created to reveal his greatness. I began to develop a curiosity and fascination with space that led to a desire to understand it more. I began to study space and educate myself on different aspects of space as we know it.

I began with our solar system. Our very own cosmic neighborhood if you will. Now all of us have been taught about the solar system in school and science class but it goes far beyond anything they teach us in school when you really dive deep into what makes our planet and solar system unique, nonetheless the universe as a whole. To think about just how small our little rock is, floating in the vastness of space, and how all the conditions are just perfect to be able to have a habitable planet to live on is mind blowing. Any further away and it would be too cold, any closer to the sun and it would be too hot. Our atmosphere is there and works in a way that would only be possible in our current environmental conditions in our solar system. Even the precise angle of a 23.5-degree tilt on our planet’s axis, which is kept in its position by the moon, is important in making our planet a safe place to live because a more exaggerated tilt would cause more extreme seasons. There are so many aspects to space and its properties that no human could ever fully understand it.

This is just a fraction of a glimpse into space and all it has to offer as well as why it interests me. I would really love to work for NASA or SpaceX one day but as we prepare to enter into the next space age, there will be many options of space companies to potentially work for. The thought of getting to be a part of taking the human race to Mars in the near future is a dream that fuels me daily. Plain and simple, I just really love space!

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Blog # 5: My Job Experiences

I have worked a variety of jobs in my lifetime. None of which have truly excited me, but all have taught me something valuable. No matter what job you are in, there is something that can be learned from it. Life is about experience and you have to try a lot of different things out to learn what you like and don’t like, also what you’re good at and what you’re not good at. In this blog I am going to discuss my different jobs and what I liked, disliked and learned from them.

Papa John’s

My first job ever was at Papa John’s. I was in high school and wanted to start making money. A kid at my school worked there and said it was a good job. He recommended that I check them out, so I applied and got the job. There’s no way to sugar-coat it, but I hated the job. It was awful. I was in charge of answering the phones and taking orders with customers that came into the shop. The computer system was super complex and outdated, people were difficult to deal with and I just dreaded going into work there. I eventually got the hang of it but was not happy with the job. The only good things about the job were getting free pizza regularly and the general experience of working my first job. I got customer service skills and insight into how a pizza business operates.

Parson’s Gifts

My second job I worked was with a small boutique shop in Cumming, GA called Parson’s. I got this job because my mom worked there seasonally at Christmas and recommended we try to get a job there. I actually really enjoyed this job. I worked there with my older brother over the summer before going off to college and we both learned a lot at this job. We did various things like price inventory, help with customers on the sales floor and travel to and from the store warehouse to do inventory work. It was great hands on work and also taught me a lot about the logistics behind a business and how it works.

Executive Car Wash

After leaving Parson’s to go off to college at Georgia Southern, I spent my first year there without a job to focus on school and my college experience. After my freshman year I came home for the summer and worked at the car wash by my neighborhood. This job was nice because I was outside and had hands on work cleaning cars. It was great because when there weren’t any cars we just got paid to sit there and talk or listen to music. It was a good summer job and taught me about different aspects of cars and how to clean and maintain them.

Jimmy Johns

After going back to school for my sophomore year, I decided to get a job in Statesboro to make a little extra money. I met a manager at Jimmy Johns at a bonfire and he got me a job there. I actually really enjoyed my job at Jimmy Johns because I was a delivery driver and I just got to drive around town listening to music and delivering sandwiches. Only problem was that my only shift was Saturday night from 10pm-3am and if I missed a shift I was fired. I only stayed at this job for about a month because I couldn’t do anything on weekends or leave to visit my family, so I quit. I learned how to handle cash and how a sandwich shop and delivery system worked.

AutoShine Car Wash

The following summer I was staying down there to do summer classes so I got a job at the main car wash in the town so I could make some money. I already had experience working at a car wash so this was a good option for me. I worked at this car wash for a whole year through my junior year until leaving Statesboro the following summer to transfer to KSU. This car wash gave me new experience because the process was different and also showed me what it was like to work outside in the south Georgia elements with the heat and bugs.

TJMaxx/HomeGoods

After transferring to KSU in fall of 2017, I got a job at TJMaxx/HomeGoods in Marietta. My friend worked there and helped me get a job. The job payed more than most part time jobs and was flexible with my school schedule. I currently still work here and have learned a lot at this job as well as made many new friends. I have learned a lot about the retail industry and how it works. I deal with customers, helping them with moving furniture and things on the sales floor, I do returns and recovery as well as work the cash register.

With all these different backgrounds and experiences, I have learned a lot of different skills including computer systems, customer service, management, logistics, inventory and more. I am very ready to move on from simple part time jobs and start my career by moving into more professional jobs and fields. All of these jobs have taught me something in their own way, giving me a unique set of skills to take into my career and future.

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Blog #4: My Hockey Career

Hockey. The greatest sport ever created. I had the pleasure and blessing to be introduced to the game when I was 7 years old. I was hooked immediately. It all started out in the street when my neighbor who played hockey was out there one morning playing. Everyone always met out in the court to play and hangout so naturally we all ended up out there. I had never heard about hockey or seen it in action so after a while of learning the basics and rules, I along with all my friends on the street bought some gear and started play. A lot. Like I’m talking every day. We didn’t even need to call each other or plan it out, everyone just knew when and where to meet up. Within a year or two I was already signed up and in a league. I had two different variations of hockey I played in my life and below I will break down each one.

Roller Hockey

I began my hockey career playing roller hockey. This is a big popular movement around our country because so many people love hockey but don’t have the cold weather and ice rinks to play. Here opens the door for roller hockey. It is hockey in almost every way except it is played on rollerblades rather than ice skates. Roller hockey is just so much fun to play because its more recreational and less intense. It’s like playing a pick-up game with your friends, except a little more competitive. I played in roller leagues for a couple years and began to realize I had great potential and skill in this sport. After a while, one of my coaches asked me if I would be interested in joining his ice hockey team, and of course I was. This is where one of the best seasons of my life began.

Ice Hockey

I joined my coach’s rec league ice team halfway through the season and it was one of the best things to happen to me. It was different from roller in multiple ways. The ice skating was the biggest change, there was more gear, and it also allowed physical contact. These big changes made me love the game even more. I was very skilled and ended up bringing the team to the championship and winning in my first season ever. From there I started playing more competitive club hockey for a variety of different teams and organizations all the way up to the AAA level. These are some of the best memories and times of my life. There is nothing like being at the rink, preparing for games and tournaments, bonding with teammates and playing the game we love. We had practice 2-3 times a week, and games or tournaments almost every weekend. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Some of my best friends and relationships have come from my years of hockey and they are bonds unlike any other. I have travelled all over the southeast to local states for tournaments and also many places up north like Chicago, Boston, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Ohio and more. Playing at a competitive level in ice hockey is some of the most fun anyone could ever have playing a sport.

Overall, my hockey career has been some of the most rewarding and life changing times of my entire life and will certainly remain that way forever. I am beyond grateful for the time and money my parents put into supporting my desire to play hockey. I got to travel the country and spend quality time with my father, mother, brothers and friends that resulted in some of the best memories I will ever cherish. Since going off to college I haven’t really played much hockey. I miss it more than anything and wish I could go back in time to those days. I hope to continue to play hockey for fun for as long as I can because it is truly one of my favorite things to do.

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Blog #3: My College Experience

My college experience has been a rollercoaster of experiences and adventures. There have been many highs and many lows, all which have molded me into the man I am today. I started my college journey at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. I spent three years there before transferring to Kennesaw State University where I have been for the past year and a half to finish up my degree. In this blog I will go over each chapter of my college experience, GSU vs. KSU, and briefly talk about what I did and learned.

Georgia Southern University

When I graduated high school, I was ready to get out of the life I had always known and taste freedom. I decided to go to Georgia Southern because I knew a lot of people going there and thought it sounded fun (it was also a big party school so at the time this appealed to me). Come fall 2014, I was moving into my dorm, ready to start my freshman year. This was a very exciting time in my life, like going to college is for most everyone. I was living on my own in a new town and could do whatever I wanted! The town of Statesboro is a small rural town in south Georgia in the middle of nowhere. If it weren’t for the university being there, there would be nothing in that town. Moving there was great at first because it was new and different. It was a nice change of pace going from the bustling suburban area I grew up in to a small quiet farm town. There was barely any traffic and the beautiful countryside and small town feel was easy to fall in love with. The downside is that there is really nothing to do there except go to school and party. This was great at first because that’s all I wanted to do as a young reckless freshman. I spent the next three years of my life making tons of new friends and memories. From school and campus events to football games and parties almost every night, this was a time I will never forget. But after three years in that town doing the same things day in and day out, I knew that I needed to get out of there and make some changes in my life. That decision led me to transferring to KSU.

Kennesaw State University

There were many reasons for my decision to transfer to KSU. Getting out of the toxic environment at GSU was a big one but other reasons include being closer to home, getting some fresh change in my life, and the desire to not be in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. At KSU there is so much more around to do. We are near the city and have many more options near here for entertainment and fun. Since being at KSU, I have really grown and matured as a man. I have been more focused on my schooling and am getting better grades as well as started preparing for my future and what I want to do with my life. I have also grown in my faith and relationship with God and made the decision to commit my life to My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I love being in the Kennesaw area and see myself living here after college.

Conclusion

Overall, my experiences have been both good and bad in both places, but mostly good. I have learned a lot about myself and of life because of these different chapters in my life and they have led me to where I am now. With that being said I am on the verge of finishing school which has been my whole life up till now. A new chapter of life starts this fall as I finish school and begin my career. I am excited to see where God leads me and what I have in store for me in the future. These times in college will always be cherished and remembered for the rest of my life.

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Blog #2: Super Bowl Blog

Ahh the super bowl. What a fun time of year this event is. It usually consists of good food and drinks, friends and family, the best new commercials of the year, and oh yeah, a good football game. Well this year’s super bowl only hit about two of those categories unfortunately. In this blog I will dive deeper into each category to illustrate my takeaways from super bowl 2019.

Let’s start with the bad, that way we can end on a good note.

The Super Bowl Game Itself

I am not going to sugar coat this at all so here it goes… The super bowl this year sucked. There is the summary in a nutshell. I really don’t keep up with sports at all so going into this game I really didn’t have an opinion on who I wanted to win. I actually had reasons that supported either team winning. Starting with the Patriots, I basically just assumed they were going to win. They are the best team in the league every year and are always in the super bowl. I attribute this to them having the best quarterback of all-time leading their team. The rest of their team is solid too, but Tom Brady is legendary and cannot be stopped when it comes to winning football games. I wanted them to win because they are in a history setting dynasty right now and I want them to set as many records as possible because in a few years I believe the Patriots will not even be on the radar. On the contrary, I wanted the Rams to win because they were the underdog and it would be nice to see someone other than the Patriots win the super bowl. Todd Gurley is also on the Rams and because he was a Georgia Bulldog, I had to support him. Sony Michel, the Patriots running back, was also a Bulldog so it was a tough one this year. As far as the game, it was just super slow and boring. Nobody was making plays, nobody was scoring, and there was just no excitement. It was an entirely defensive game because offense clearly couldn’t do anything. The Patriots winning was no surprise but also felt like even they and their fans weren’t pumped because the game overall was not eventful.

The Commercials

In my opinion, the commercials are a better reason to watch the super bowl than the actual game. Every year, companies and their marketing/advertising teams put their best effort and greatest work into their super bowl commercials because it is the biggest opportunity all year to reach their audience. That is sad to say considering how bad this year’s commercials were. I can’t even remember any that were remotely memorable. The content was bland, the ideas were not creative, the visuals didn’t stick, and the humor and message just left everyone disappointed. With such high expectations I understand the pressure to deliver, but this year nobody did. The best commercials in my opinion this year were the Bud Light medieval commercials because they are always usually pretty funny.

Now into the upside of this year’s super bowl.

Family, Friends, Good Food and Good Drinks

I am just going to lump all of these together because they are compliments of each other. The best part about the super bowl this year (and pretty much every year) was the quality time I spent with Friends. Every super bowl I am surrounded by friends and/or family, and this year it was my friends. I got to go over to my closest friends’ apartment where we all gathered to enjoy the super bowl. It was my first super bowl I was with these people because I’ve only just recently met them through my church. We had a great time talking, laughing and enjoying good food and drinks. There was an assortment of good appetizers and foods including tacos, dips, buffalo chicken grilled cheese and more. Some good craft beer tied it all together to make for a wonderful night.

In conclusion, this year’s super bowl was a mixture of good and bad depending on which aspects you focus on. It was one of the worst super bowls ever as far as the game and commercials, but one of the best I’ve ever had as far as friends, food, fun and memories. Fortunately, the aspects that matter the most were the ones that made it an overall great super bowl!

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Blog #1: Greece Study Abroad

I’ve never written a blog in my life, so what better way to start things off than with a blog about one of the biggest life experiences I may ever have! That’s right, as you may have inferred from the title of this blog, I will be going to Greece this May for a study abroad program. It still doesn’t feel real to me because the thought of going to Greece has only ever been a dream that I thought MAYBE would happen someday. I am genuinely so excited about this opportunity!

I have always wanted to travel the world but it is just so expensive and difficult to do, especially at this point in my life. My top two dream destinations (among oh so many) have always been Greece and Italy. Seeing pictures of these countries and hearing about all their incredible history and beauty has put them at the top of my travel bucket list. Just like I have never written a blog before, I also have never left the country (wow I need to start living), so this is a big experience and adventure for me. The thought of being farther away from home and family than I have ever been is a little nerve wracking, but I am ready to get out there and see the world!

Our trip will take place between May 10 and May 23 so we will have roughly two weeks to take in as much as we can of Greece. This was a God given opportunity when I heard the professor come into one of my classes the first week of this school year to talk about it. I knew immediately I had to take advantage of this opportunity. I have always wanted to study abroad but it was always too expensive and I just didn’t think it would work out, but when I heard about this trip, I didn’t hesitate to commit. Everything seemed just right about this opportunity. The location was the main selling point, the two week time span was just enough to make it long enough to see Greece but short enough to not be gone too long, also since it was a shorter program the cost was a lot less, and lastly it was a program within the business school which means I will get two course credits I still need to graduate this summer.

Now a quick overview of the trip!

Athens, Greece

We begin our trip by flying from Atlanta to Athens, more than likely with a lay-over either up in New York or over in Europe (which is awesome because then I can say I have been to whatever country it is!). I am really not looking forward to this flight, but it’ll be worth it when we get there! I am super excited about seeing Athens because there is so much history there and I am a huge history fanatic. We will be there for the longest part of our trip (about 6 days or so). Seeing all the ancient ruins and architecture is going to be epic. I am most excited to see the Acropolis because of its iconic nature but I am also excited to see all the other historical sites like the ancient market as well as the modern-day city, the harbors and soak in the culture. I absolutely love food and specifically am a huge fan of Greek food. I cannot wait to eat a real true Greek gyro and spanakopita, among many other new foods from the authentic Greek markets and restaurants. On this leg of the trip I believe we will also be traveling to Delphi to see the ancient ruins there which will be super cool!

Crete, Greece

After Athens, we will depart for the island of Crete where we will spend 3 days. I don’t really know much about Crete or its history, but I am really excited to see what it has to offer! I heard of this island from an old Greek mythology story, either The Iliad or The Odyssey which are among my favorite books ever, so it should be a great experience. I believe on this leg of the trip we will be visiting local wineries and businesses to learn about small business and culture. There are definitely some historical sites to see there including one my dad told me about which is the Palace of Knossos.

Santorini, Greece

Our final destination of the trip will be Santorini where we will spend the last 3 days before heading back to Athens then home! I am probably most excited to see Santorini because it is the place I have always seen in pictures that inspired my desire to visit Greece. It is so breathtakingly beautiful and is known for its bucket list worthy sunrises and sunsets. It looks like such a cool town and the views will be some that will make me think I am dreaming.

I still cannot believe that in 3 and a half months I will be in Greece. I am so excited for this trip and want to make sure I see everything there is to see while I am there because realistically, I may never return there ever again. All I know is that this trip to Greece is going to be legendary and an experience full of memories that I will never forget for the rest of my life!