My Last Journal Entry: "No words can explain my past 6 weeks. I touched a piece of truth and grew into myself. It was a time in my life where I haven't felt as though I was missing something. What am I supposed to do now? How can I fall back into this life after Greece? Everyday was an adventure, everyday was fresh and exciting. It was perfect. I feel so good now- independent, confident, free, beautiful, whole, real. I followed my dreams and I am so proud of this trip. I love Greece and everyone I met in Greece. Thank you so much for changing my life. The world is full of love and so is my heart."
The tears came as the plane from Athens began to taxi to the runway. I had been surprisingly emotionless the entire day up to departure, but when I felt the wheels start turning I knew it was goodbye. I couldn't stop crying until we were high in the air and the cute fifteen year old Greek kid next to me calmed me down haha. Ug I was a complete mess. It was like a physical pain.
Greece was so good to me and Jessica. It was 6 weeks of perfection- doing exactly what I wanted to do and living freely. Backpacking is more than just seeing the sights, it was about meeting people, making connections, sharing stories, helping each other, feeling the culture, learning about yourselves and others, going where the wind blew. Spending less money on things and more on experiences. Pushing yourself to the edge and forcing yourself to grow. If anything, backpacking opens your mind to the world. I met sooo many people on this trip with completely different lives than anyone I know. It shook me out of my little box and gave me a larger perspective of the world. And that is worth all the money I have.
Above all, on this trip the one thing I learned the most is how much love is in the world. How much love is in people's hearts. We wouldn't have gotten far if it wasn't for the help of others and the pure kindness of the people we met. I am forever in debt to those who helped us, showed us how they lived, treated us so well, and became our close friends. This trip would not be nearly as wonderful if we hadn't met such special people.
So thank you.
Thank you first of all to Natalie Di' Giuseppe. If she hadn't cancelled on us, we would have not had so many wonderful adventures. We wouldn't have been shaken up and forced to plan last minute, figure stuff out, and live as real backpackers. We wouldn't have been at the Sunshine House, or met the Bourtzi boys, or visited the paradise of Crete.
Thank you to all the people we met at the Sunshine House. Your lives are so interesting and we learned so much from you. Ricky and Nasim- you kept us sane.
Thank you to Athens Backpackers. Our home on the road.
Thank you to Crete. A piece of perfection in this chaotic world.
Thank you to all of our fellow backpackers. Instant friends. Everyone we met was great. If we shared an adventure together, a day, or a week- it was the best. I only wish I had longer to be with these people I loved.
Thank you to the BOYS IN BOURTZI. Thank you to FOOD BREAK. You guys really, really have a special place in our hearts. You showed us real Greece and let us share a bit of your life. It was wonderful. I have never met nicer people, honest friends, genuine love. We are coming back in the future!!! Promise. I love everyone in Bourtzi sooo much. You guys deserve the best.
Thank you to my parents!! Thank you for letting me go on this trip, letting me figure it out on my own, letting me stretch my wings and see what I could handle. Letting me follow my dreams!!!! Giving me support and love. And being there when it was hard. I loooove you.
AND ABOVE ALL! THANK YOU TO JESSICA KUTZ!!!!! You are the best traveling partner I could ever ask for. Thank you for sharing this trip with me, being exactly on the same page as me, laughing with me, getting into shenanigans with me, growing with me, being there for me when I was down, and being the greatest frienddddddddddd!! There is no one else in the world I could have imagined going to Greece with. I'm so glad that for years to come we will have these memories to reminise on, laugh about, and shake our heads and say "wow we were crazy". No one will ever understand what Greece means to me except you. No one will ever understand what I mean when I say "the Sunshine House" (haha except maybe Brian). No one will ever understand the love in Bourtzi except you. No one will ever understand Exarhia, Plakias, the Donkey Ride, the Seabiscuit helmet, Horace, Freddoccinos, the Samaria Gorge, Signomee Tombazi?!?, the Abercrombie boys, our half a storage shed, crepes, Efcharisto/Parakalo, fighting about apples, Athens Backpackers, Giannis haha, Food Break... except you! I'm so excited for next year in Boulder and all of our trips to come (Australia, New Zealand, Bali.. 2011?!). I am sooo lucky to have met you!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART.
And so thats how it ends. With a happy heart :)
"O open road! I say back, I am not afraid to leave you—yet I love you;
You express me better than I can express myself;
You shall be more to me than my poem."
-Song of the Open Road
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What a beautifully written farewell to Greece and all that you found there including a better understanding of yourself and your strengths. And there are many strengths. You are very blessed and very open to discover so much at such a young age and in such a short period of time. It shows that you were aware and present. That is a gift and a talent.
ReplyDeleteWell done, you. I loved the journey I took with you. Thank you for sharing it.