This was an unexpected playlist title that came in handy the next two weeks. I started this playlist after my first quarantine after Milan. I was in quite a funk, but decided to listen to new music, find smaller artists, listen to as many uplifting songs as possible….here’s the product.

I will continue to add to this playlist as I am in isolation for the second time.

Green Tea and Honey by Dane Amar and Jereena Montemayor

This is one of those songs to wake up to. It’s a sweet love song meant for sweethearts in this time of crisis. It sounds like “Put Your Records On” by Connie Bailey Rae.

Simmer by BAYNK, Hablot Brown

I’ve been really into electronic music lately. It’s been a smooth introduction to summer hits. The upbeat energy reminds me not to lay in bed all day, but to dance it out and have fun. It’s no time for bad energy. Smile and things will get better.

Does It Make You Feel Good? by Confidence Man

What a freaking title, eh? I heard this song in Greece while I was shopping in Stradivarius (Greece HM but cuter). It got me in such a good mood. I think it’s catchy, no doubt makes you feel good instantly. A good shower song. Almost disco/electronic/pop fusion.

F.E.A.R by Joywave

New album alert!!!!!! Joywave’s album is a vibe and quite funky (the only word to sufficiently describe music I like ha.)

Lift Up Your Voices By Sunday Service Choir

We need some spiritual inspiration in times of crisis. Lift up your voices. Listen to the Sia version on Youtube.

Some other artists:

Rex Orange County

HONNE

DPR

Bad Bunny

Pretty Boy Aaron

The Midnight Club

Flume

Heart Bones

Anyway,

Wash your hands, journal, clean, be nice, FaceTime, read a book you’ve been meaning to, and listen to some good music.

Happy Listening,

JLee

March 13th, 2020

I came home last night at around 5pm MST and immediately went into self quarantine. It is advised that people traveling from Europe do this to limit the spread of the virus. My mom had a room set up for me, one with a shower, toilet, desk, and a TV. She was going to bring the food to my room, but I was not going to leave this room.

It may seem dramatic, but I have a younger sister, and my mom has had prior surgeries, I didn’t want to risk ANYTHING. I could complain about it after two weeks.

I showered, ate, and started disinfecting many of my possessions, my mom beginning washing a lot of the clothes that I had brought. I was starting to feel bad because my family was starting to go out of their way and inconveniencing themselves for me. My sister’s school district extended their spring break for a week, so she was going to be stuck at home with me.

Both my parents need to work, so we would be stuck at home. She would be responsible for bringing food to me and I could tell it was going to be very stressful for all of us.

I slept for about 12 hours after I came back. I woke up a few times, but I think I broke the jetlag pretty well by not sleeping on the plane at all. Today started with me waking up to snow and just being so shocked at the changes I was experiencing. I waited for my sister to wake up, got some food and decided to write. Here I am writing at this desk and just wondering at what just happened.

The world is in chaos.

I am so thankful for this study abroad experience for teaching me to not be a user of people and a taker of things, but to listen to the waves crashing AND to care deeply for those around you. I learned to be thankful for the walk up to see the view as much as I am for the view itself. I am thankful for the time spent with others, but valuing the unbearable nature of being by yourself. To feel lost is the start of being free. Feeling empty is a stepping stone to finding what makes you full.

“teaching me to not be a user of people and a taker of things”

I can’t help but feel helpless. Pastor Eric Simmons of Redeemer Church of Arlington posted this update for his church:

“I like order and I like peace. I don’t like entropy. 

And yet, this virus reminds me that not everything is as it should be in this world. Reality is rude that way. It reminds me I am created, not creator. If I am honest, I don’t like that. If I am honest, I also don’t like (at first blush) the answers I receive to comfort me.  

I was meditating on Lamentations 3:54-57 this morning.

“Water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’ I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea…You came near me when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not Fear!’”

It could be I am not just weak, but also sinful and don’t like being told what to do – especially when I’m afraid. But I am not helped by being told what not to do: “don’t fear.”

Yet, here is what I have found – my shoulders could never carry sovereignty, and my hands can’t lift the weight of tomorrow’s problems, diseases, and suffering.”

Could you imagine if we, as humans, were in control? The Lord tells us to not fear and yet we panic as things not looking the ways that we plan them. We create chaos when our hopes seem far. God is not far, and He is never wrong. Do not doubt the strength of our Lord. He will carry us through the waters. I may feel powerless, but it is simply because I do not have power…and that’s okay.

Nahum 1:7 says “The Lord is good.” and indeed He was, is, and will continue to be.

Pray for our world. Pray for the homeless. Pray for the world economy. Pray for people who cannot afford to complain. Pray for those who do not have food. Pray for those who are scared. Pray for those abroad trying to get home. Pray for those who cannot go home. Pray for exhausted public health officials. Pray for our president and world leaders. Pray for those who are sick. Pray for those with children. Pray for schools. Pray for the powerful. Pray for the weak. Pray for the people at airports and pilots flying people full of panic. Pray for those covering these events in news and media. Pray for those with small businesses. Just pray.

I know many people are starting or in the middle of their self quarantines and limiting their contact with other people. These are some of the thoughts that I have been having in the midst of this virus.

I had just gotten back from Milan when Northern Italy was shut down. I saw firsthand what it was like to see a country go from safety to no one walking around. I went into quarantine once I got back. I wasn’t tested in Greece because it would have put at me at risk if I wasn’t already showing symptoms. I was fine after getting out of quarantine and from there it truly just got out of hand.

I had cancelled all trips outside of Greece for the remainder of my study abroad trip. I went to the Meteroa Monasteries in Greece on March 7th. Things were starting to get errie when we got back. After hearing that AU Madrid student were going home on March 10th, I emailed my AU Abroad Advisor on March 10th at around 5pm (GMT+2). She replied not an hour later saying at this time, there are no cases at American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) and that for the time being I was going to stay in Greece.

I called my mom and we started getting a little worried. Maybe two hours after I sent that email, we get news that Greece is going to be shutting down schools for two weeks start March 11th. There was no news from ACT, just an article saying that the Greek Ministry of Health has put this into place.

I start calling my parents and saying I will most likely have to go to online classes and I will most likely come home. Do I want to? No. My friends aren’t really looking at going home into an option. There are still kids in the program that think they can travel because tickets are so cheap. I know that whatever they do I will probably be home within a week.

We get an email on April 11th at 4am saying, AU will be pulling students from Greece and that we need to be home by March 16th. Other schools have not pulled their kids, we are one of the first students to think about going home. AU then decides to extend their spring break and move their classes online. It is all getting very overwhelming. There are students still acting like this is a joke and saying even if they get it, they won’t die.

I felt obligated to tell them that we didn’t have health insurance in Greece. If AU was pulling us out, I knew that meant if we didn’t leave by the 16th, we would probably not be getting the emergency health insurance for abroad students. If we got the virus, we would still be sick. We don’t suddenly get immune, because we are young. The fact of the matter is, we should be getting home before we can’t anymore.

I spent the day debating which flight to get and getting some of my last memories in Greece. It really don’t feel real. The week before I was starting to feel really homesick and asking God to send me home and oh boy did he listen.

I wake up on March 12th with pounding on my door with my friend saying “Trump will be closing the borders, we need to go home.” It is 3:30am in Greece. It becomes very chaotic. I don’t even think about anything except getting a hold of my parents and getting on a plane home immediately. AU sent us an email stating we needed to be home as soon as possible.

I was so lucky to get on a flight thanks to a family friend who works for United who was on the phone as soon as she heard the announcement because she knew I was in Greece. She waited in line, got a hold of someone and got me a ticket for 8:15 am to Munich then straight to Denver. The United website had crashed, many of my friends were preparing to pay over $1,000 to go home and I had to finish packing.

I got to the airport after seeing my last sunrise in Greece, I didn’t even properly say goodbye to a lot of my friends. I was supposed to get on a flight to Munich with my friend Owen, when they said his reservation was cancelled. He was not able to purchase a ticket to Munich and was stuck in Thessaloniki for another day. Panic was setting in for many students who couldn’t get a hold of their parents, who are financially independent, or were supposed to stay for the second semester in Greece.

It is true that it was for 30 days and that US citizens were able to get back into the country, but with airlines cancelling flights, it’s no surprise that it was going to be more and more difficult to get home. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were no flights going to the US from Europe. At that point, your citizenship status would not have mattered.

My flight to Munich was turbulent and I didn’t get any sleep. I had been awake for 6 hours and it all felt like a dream. I wasn’t able to eat, and was very dehydrated.

As I am getting off the plane in Munich, there is a man who had been staring at me for awhile. As he gets off the plane, he spits in my direction and mutters “coronavirus” under his breath. I start to have a panic attack and wonder if I will be safe during my two hour layover in Germany.

I get off the plane and tell airport personnel but there is only so much they can do for me. I try to find the nearest bathroom, and get lost in the huge international airport. I’m sweating, near tears, and simply wishing to be home. I find a bathroom and just cry. I know I need to get food because I’m shaking and I need water.

It takes me 20 minutes to find my gate, food, and some water. I sit finally and just zone out at how crazy the last 24 hours have been. I woke up thinking I was going to take advantage of my last day in Greece. Was ready to get my last bougatsa from Andy’s and yet here I am in front of gate H18 in the Munich Airport, getting ready to board a 10 hour flight back home.

I get on the flight, I sleep very little. You can feel the stress in the air. I heard people talking about their own experiences. There was a man who had just gotten laid off and came to Germany for his mental health. As he landed, he found out about the news and got the first flight home. He spent over $2,000 trying to get home. There was a group of filmmakers who had intended on staying in Europe to document the homeless population in Greece. There were many study abroad students who were heartbroken at this once in a lifetime opportunity getting cut short. There were a lot of emotions, not many people slept. Many were concerned about money, about connecting flights, and just simply the crazy situation that we were all sharing together.

I get off of the plane, make my way through customs and I look at the customs officer and he says, “Oh honey…”

“Hello officer, how are you doing today?”

“I’m doing okay. Were you studying abroad?”

“Yes sir. I was in Greece and got on the first flight possible.”

“Well, welcome back to the States. Welcome home. Glad you’re back safe.”

I start crying as he hands me my passport and I say, “Thank you officer. Stay healthy.”

I reunite with my mom, give her a quick hug. We disinfect my luggage, I change my clothes and we make our way home.

It was overwhelming. I didn’t sleep much. I came home and ate a meal that I had originally anticipated eating in a month. I was scared that I was going to get my family sick. I was nervous for my friends. I was feeling everything and nothing all at the same time. I feel better and will be documenting my quarantine, but it’s been a wild 48 hours to say the least. I am home. I am healthy. I am thankful.

“아빠, are you a feminist?” 

“No, why would I be a feminist? I don’t believe in that.”

This was the start of one of the hardest but very liberating conversations I had with my father after dinner one night. 

I will preface this post by saying I love my dad, I think he’s the best. These conversations are particularly hard for me because my dad and I argue in the same manner so without my sister or mom there to proctor the debate, we could both end up in passionate tears and fury when in reality we are arguing for the same thing.

What can I say? I got it from my daddy. 

When I was growing up, sports were huge in our family. My uncle loves soccer and fitted me in  Manchester United jerseys every growth spurt, making me the coolest 5 year old during Sports Day at school. Some of my fondest memories from middle school, amid my pubescent angst, was watching the Denver Broncos with my dad Sunday nights with hot dogs and queso ready on the table (yes, that is the extent of his cooking skills). 

I dabbled in ballet, golf, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and I swam for a really big portion of my life until high school. Being active was a part of my lifestyle, going to practice was a norm, and my dad watching my games and annoyingly telling me to kick faster during swim meets was something I was all too familiar with. 

I knew my dad loved sports, so why would his daughter not like them too? Why is it that whenever a male classmate would come into class on Monday and talk to his friends about the Broncos game, I was never invited into the conversation? Or when I did say something, they ask me if I actually watched the whole game or just watched the highlights? Or when I wore an Clevland Indians hat to church one week, I was asked “Do you even know what team that is? You probably only know the Dodgers, huh?” And that when I gave the right answer, he was shocked and wildly impressed …all because I knew the name of the team. 

I wanted to tell this guy, I bought this hat with my dad earlier that day and told me all about the players on this team because somehow he predicted that some guy would question me about this, but wanted me to give an answer confidently. My dad taught me because he knew some little punk kid was going to doubt his daughter’s knowledge about an article of clothing. 

Why is it that when I told people I wanted to be in the military, they looked at me with wide eyes and ask me why or how I got the motivation to do that, but when my male friend says the same thing, they pat him on the back and affirm him that it is a career path that fits him? Why is it that when I raise my hand in class I wait for my professor to call on 5 other students before he calls on me even though I’ve had my hand up the longest? And of course cuts me off anyway. Why is it that when I tell people I don’t want to have kids, they dismiss me and tell me I will regret it later in life or that I am too young to know? Why is it that I have to run with one earbud in because I am scared to run with both in? Why is it that when I say something in meetings I am bossy and not a boss? Why is it that when I wear a skirt to my internship I need to be cognizant of how I look in front of my older Korean bosses? 

I asked my dad all these questions. I asked him not expecting that many questions to come out of my mouth. The more I asked, the more his eyes widened and the less words were coming out of his mouth. 

He sat there for a minute and just looked at me, my sister, and my mom. 3 women in his life that look at him and ask, “Why is this happening to us?” He was at a loss of words, and let me just say that, doesn’t happen often. 

I calmly said, “아빠, I hate to break it to you, but you are a feminist and as much as you might not like that, it is the truth. When I had a speech or presentation to give, you always made me practice and you would listen to it, tell me what to fix, and tell me what sucked. You were honest, not to hurt my feelings, but to make me the best. That would not have changed if I was a son.”

“You taught me to be ready for anything, to always be prepared and come with my best. You told me I needed to learn how to throw a football, so you practiced with me while all the other boys laughed at me until I was throwing better than them. You told me to be the freaking president. You taught me everybody on this planet needs to know all the songs on Prince’s Purple Rain album, how to politely talk to waiters when your food is messed up, how to pick the best fruit at the market, to listen more than you talk, to always put family first, and that Saturday mornings are for brunch, always. You didn’t love me any less because I was a daughter.”

And I believe that he would’ve taught me those same things, even if I was a boy. I know my dad is proud to have daughters and he would do anything to protect us, but he always raised us knowing that we could also protect ourselves too. So, Dad, if you’re reading this, I hope you’re proud of raising daughters who know that their gender is not a limitation but an asset. I am proud to advocate for myself and dream big because of you. Here’s to the strong women who raised us, but the men who let us thrive.

I will not lie, I was feeling VERY unmotivated to write. Sorry Mom. I had been traveling to a lot of really cool places, I just wanted some time to digest all the feelings I was having. I was feeling if I just wrote everything I wasn’t going to have anything profound to write about. In retrospect, I wish I had just written everything for the simple idea of consistency, but what are we going to do about it now?

I was really blessed during February to get to travel to Vienna, Budapest, Athens, and Milan. I fostered some really amazing friendships. I am learning more about myself as I am traveling with others. I am recognizing a lot of the tendencies from my parents that I am carrying out on these trips. I am appreciating alone time a lot more than I thought I would.

The first big thing that has really been on my heart is that I can just see how good God is. In the little details to His grand plan, I can see His beauty more in Greece and while I’ve been traveling to different cities. He is good not just in my life, but everywhere, always.

I find a lot of beauty in sunsets but being able to see the sunset reflect off the water is something I never really got growing up in Colorado, and it’s one thing that I will miss dearly about this country. The colors, timing, the vastness of everything has been overwhelming.

Obviously with the Coronavirus spreading to Europe, there were a lot of things I was worried about. I was worried about being sent home early and cutting my trip in Europe short. As I was returning from Milan, we saw how bad it was getting in Italy then I got nervous that I wasn’t going to be able to go home even if I wanted to because that would be putting myself at more risk for getting the virus.

My friends and I were asked to go into quarantine Wednesday afternoon because of our recent trip to Milan, just in case we had contracted the virus and started showing symptoms. We weren’t thrilled by the idea, but I knew if we were healthy that it would just be time to be safe and know for sure.

I knew that my friends were willing to get food for us and I am so thankful that they were willing to do that for me. Being stuck in a room was going to be tough, but I tried to keep an open mind about it. I tried to stick to a relative schedule so I didn’t go crazy. I definitely caught up on my sleep because since we got back from Milan on a red eye, I had been really exhausted. I caught up on the journaling I was behind on and did a lot of thinking.

SOME BIG TAKEAWAYS:

-It’s our job as consumers to know news outlets are making money, there is truth to what they are reporting, but every word they use can change the story in their favor. You need to be smart enough to know when they are just trying to scare you or when they are presenting a fair argument.

-Just like any other diseases, this virus doesn’t care if you’re black, old, Jewish, skinny, or whatever. You can contract this thing whoever and wherever you are. I think people were justifying being irresponsible for the fact that the virus was killing the elderly, but if you have it and it was in your lungs, who is to say you would be healthy enough to fight it off?

-Rules are put in for a reason. If you want to fight it, then present a logical alternative solution. Instead of just sitting there pouting and not even asking the right people, your complaints bring nothing productive to the table. There are plenty of other things that you could be doing other than complain.

-Alone time isn’t always bad. You need to know how to be by yourself. There’s a beauty in silence and knowing that you can get lost in your thoughts. We live in a society where every little second needs to be filled in order to feel fulfilled, and I think that’s really toxic. Learn to be independent and be okay with just sitting there, because honestly, life is just too short.

-You are in charge of one body. Your thoughts, your actions, your words are all your responsibility. You can’t change how other people will react. Don’t waste your breath on something you can’t take responsibility for. If you can’t, then don’t do it.

-Some films are best left in their native languages. Subbed>Dubbed. Studio Ghibli films on Netflix, I’m speaking directly to you.

Overall, it has been quite the experience, I got some alone time, I was able to appreciate the little things and I got to do things that I had been leaving off for a while. I am glad I got to experience it. It seemed overly cautious, but I am glad that the school took these kinds of precautions for the sake of other students. It seems extra because we ended up being healthy, but if something were to happen, I’m glad we had a plan in place.

I am extremely grateful to the kind messages I was receiving from my friends, family, and members of my home church. I was really reflecting on my relationship to the church and my recent participation level in the church. These are questions that I was asking myself:

When you are complaining about how your church or how you feel like your pastor cares very little for you, how many times did you pray for the safety of your congregation?  When are you feel like your pastor isn’t giving you enough attention or not taking your issues seriously, did you think that maybe there are people with more pressing life threatening prayer requests and your pastor might be struggling to prioritize those requests? When you feel abandoned by your ministry, did you pray for your pastor’s spiritual battles and his relationship with his family? Did you bring your emotions to the church, or are you just gossiping?

I was very bitter towards my home church in many different ways. I was feeling unsatisfied with the amount of care I was receiving, it wasn’t until I was quarantined that I realized that maybe I wasn’t a person in the ministry that they saw as lost. They could’ve seen the other people who were struggling to believe God was REAL that my little complaints about not getting enough attention was really immature. It’s my job as a member of the church to voice when I am feeling neglected, but also to come and receive those blessings and provide a community to others, even when I don’t feel particularly fond of it. 

I was amazed by the number of people at church so messaged me privately asking for personal prayer requests and sending me encouragements. Community isn’t always fun, it is beautiful, but it is also hard. I am so thankful to have grown up at my home church and even though I have had a hard time in the last couple years, I think that’s part of the struggle of being a Christian and belonging to a body of sinners. Christ is constantly working for us and for His ministry. 

Next time you want to complain, pray for another person in your ministry first. Pray for you pastor. Pray for his wife. Pray for his children. Pray for the elders. Pray for the praise team. Pray for the welcoming team. Pray for those who recently joined your congregation. Pray for those who haven’t been to service in a while. Pray. Pray. Pray first and pray always. 

I don’t think I will ever have a more eventful February ever again in my life. It was such a whirlwind, but will be a lasting memory I am sure. I am not going to be traveling outside of Greece until the end of my trip. I will be seeing what my plans are going to be after my program gets out. I was originally supposed to stay in Europe for quite a bit, but now I am considering just flying home to be closer to my family and wait for another time for a trip to Europe. This was a long awaited update, but I was finally able to put my thoughts into words.

Thank you.

JLee

Let me put you on this month. We got new music from different artists, I started reviewing albums again for WVAU so I’ve got a lot for you this month. I’m also really proud I got this out early, even got an extra day to double check everything. Happy leap year?

A Fool Already Knows by Peabo Bryson

Don’t know where I’ve been but this song is something else. It’s so catchy, has all the groovy disco vibes you could ask for. Heard this one in an airport in Vienna….you’re welcome. It’ll hit your soul.

Intentions by Justin Bieber ft. Quavo

All hail the King. JBiebs released his new album earlier this month and HE DID NOT FAIL. This one, in particular, is my favorite because of this lyrics “you’re my rock, my Colorado”. I have a few others that I’ve been playing on repeat, but this one doesn’t fail to put me in a good mood.

Dove Sei? by Mifra

When I was traveling in Milan, my friends and I were recommended to go to Pomet, a pizzeria of some sorts. Towards the end of our meal, this song started playing and all the waiters started singing along. We couldn’t find anything on Shazam, so I just asked one of them to write down the title for us. The rest is history.

Bruises by Lewis Capaldi

I don’t know where I’ve been either, but I’m finally riding the Lewis Capaldi train. His level of sarcasm is unmatched and that energy is what we all need this month. I just thought his songs were covers from Grey’s Anatomy. I love his voice, this song is perfect for cloudy rainy days in Thessaloniki.

I Like Your Way by Heart Bones

If I still had my radio show at school, it would be a lot of Heart Bones. They have such a funny unique feel to them and it’s perfect for those days in Colorado after it’s been snowing terribly and you get those spring days where you can just wear a light jacket out. This is the start of spring.

Yellow is the Color of Her Eyes by Soccer Mommy

From another album I reviewed for WVAU, one of those song you could read to all day. Perfect for those walks down the street where you want to feel your teenage angst again.

I hit a bit of a music slump there for a minute, but it felt good to listen to new albums again. I’m excited for the Bad Bunny album, Weeknd album, the Alicia Keys album, and Sufjan Stevens album. Good music is coming.

Happy Listening,

JLee

What a month for music! I branched out to get some music from other countries, so we got some French music, some Greek, and of course some German music!

Yo Love by Vince Staples, 6LACK, and Merba

This song was from the Queen and Slim soundtrack, I didn’t get a chance to watch the movie, but I will be as soon as possible. This has been my go to bus track. It’s just dramatic enough to make me feel like I’m in a 90’s RnB music video.

Colorado by Kota the Friend

This literally got on the list because of the title and I had to, but it ended up being the song that I get ready to in the morning. It reminds me of some old Childish Gambino. The lyrics aren’t that great, but it is a good alarm.

Hand me Downs by Mac Miller

I actually wasn’t the biggest Mac Miller fan, but I have two songs from his newest album. I think it hits different knowing he’s passed. It’s a beautiful album with his signature vocals.

Slow by Katherine Dunska

I heard this song in the TOMS cafe in Thessaloniki, Greece. I heard the remix version (which I will link), but it’s not on Spotify. Honestly SUCH A JAM!!! Talk about a good cafe jam while studying!

Vienna by Ben Platt

This is his rendition of Billy Joel’s masterpiece and I was skeptical but I was headed to Vienna this weekend and remembered hearing it off “The Politician’s” soundtrack in October. I have been listening to it since. If you don’t know Ben Platt…..you’re wrong.

This month was a good month for music. I’m excited for new music and discovering more European artists. It’s been harder to listen to music, even with all the traveling I’m doing, but new music to come!

Happy Listening,

JLee

Sofia, let’s talk. 

A group of 5 of us, we took a 4.5 hour bus to Sofia, Bulgaria. I really didn’t know what to expect from this trip, all I knew was that it was going to be cheap and that I was going to get an experience that not many have gotten before. The bus ride there was pretty scenic and honestly reminded me a lot of the Colorado mountains. It was giving me flashbacks of the ride up to Blackhawk, CO. We were in the valleys of the mountains and there was a small river running alongside the road. We were able to watch about 2 movies while we were on the bus. In between movies (roughly), we were able to pass through the Bulgarian Greek border. Our bus was barely full so it took maybe 20 minutes to get through, get our stamps, and stop for a bathroom break. The rest of the way was pitch black and we weren’t able to see much.

Getting off the bus, we were greeted with a cold air and the smell of Bulgarian cigarettes. We had to walk to the front of the bus in order to find a place to exchange our euros to levs and get our taxi. Our taxi driver(s) told us before getting in the car that it was going to be 13 lev. We were okay with price seeing as how we had to split our group up and we were supposedly going to a nicer neighborhood. We drove and were seeing a bit of the city although we were on the outskirts of downtown. We were very keen to the scent of the city, it just smelled like it was burning. Nevertheless, we arrived on the street of our Airbnb and all of a sudden this burly man is asking us for 30 levs. We corrected him saying 13, and he insisted that we paid 30. My friend was pulling out her money to pay him, and he switched the bills and proceeded to take 30 levs from her hands. At this point, it was late, the street was dark and we were in a foreign country. We left paying 60 levs for 2 taxis and a grim first impression of Bulgaria. We found our way to the Airbnb and we were able to rest in a nice quaint house that was sufficient for what we needed. 

We then went out to eat because we were all getting pretty hangry. We just went to a place that was nearby since it was late and we weren’t sure if anything was open. The streets were so dark that we weren’t sure if Bulgaria had a lively nightlife. We found our way to a small restaurant that was highly rated on Trip advisor (RIP no Yelp here), but we had some pretty bad service. It took forever for all of our meals to come out and when we tried to pay, it was difficult for us to get the attention of our waiter to pay for our mediocre food. Our group then split up and some of us went to this candlelit bar that was recommended to us from friends from our program that went last week. This place was in such a suspicious alley and it was an experience in itself to get there. The bar was really interesting, the entire place was lit only by candles and the interior was all wood with the entire bar smelling like incense and smoke. We met some of our friends that were also in Bulgaria that weekend. We didn’t stay long because we were quite tired. 

The next day was filled with a disappointing shopping spree to Zara and HM, but a successful photoshoot at Sofia’s one major landmark. Saint Alexander’s Cathedral was a beautiful building that you aren’t allowed to take pictures, but it was really beautiful inside and out. We got a good amount of walking in and were able to see a lot of Sofia in just one day. The one product that was everywhere was rose. There are plenty of places that have rose scented souvenirs. There is rose oil, lotion, soaps, and other perfumes with the signature Bulgarian rose scent. There are a couple places to buy these products, but Refran had the best prices and the most recommended products from what I saw. There are two Refans, one in the Center and one in the Mall of Sofia. We had a good time, good food, and it was a nice cheap get away from the bustle of Thessaloniki. 

I wish we could’ve gone to this brunch spot while there but Sofia was short and sweet. I feel like we got some food diversity, even if it wasn’t that different. I am thankful for this great first weekend trip. 

I am starting my service learning this week and another weekend trip coming up.

Until next week,

JLee

BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 3:

-Going to another country and always comparing it to America or a culture that you are more familiar with and saying that the customs in that country is offensive and disrespectful. 

-I didn’t realize how racist Europe was going to be. It has been the first time where I feel really different from other people and that when someone says “oriental” in my class, everyone looks at me. Although it isn’t meant to be hurtful, I can understand how hard it can be. 

-Everyone spends money on different things but my roommate and I have been able to recognize what we like spending money on and it has been really beneficial to our friendship. 

-I am learning on to be petty with money and other people have been quick to cover the bill, but I think I get really scared, but this is something that I want to work on while I am here. I want to be less calculative and more generous, but genuinely. I want to give without seeing the price tag (obviously mom with good reason). 

-Old grandpas seem to be the same universally seeing as they want the best for you, but they don’t know how to communicate. My phone was falling out of my jacket pocket while in the boardwalk and this grandpa passed by me, tutting at me and telling me to put it in my bag. I said thank you as he walked away and he just grunts and raises his hand as he left. It reminded me of something my dad or grandpa would do.

Alrighty folks, I’m trying to squeeze this in before I go to sleep. 

This week was particularly interesting because I am getting over the fact that I feel like I have just been here for a long vacation and I am trying to adjust to life here for 3 weeks. Everyday I wake up and think I am going to go home soon, but I REALLY am just here for 3 months. It’s true that Thessaloniki feels like a big village or a small city. There’s plenty to do, but it’s small enough that I have done most of the “touristy” things in the first couple of weeks. 

Classes officially began on Monday and while the content is easy, it’s been a weird week of finding my crowd, becoming more comfortable with being around other people all the time and confidently travelling around by myself. 

I was able to introduce myself to my professors and get a taste of the sunsets on the bus ride home. The campus is really really small and coming from AU I think I have a monopoly on small campuses. The building where all of our classes are is two stories and the other building I spend a lot of time is the Bissell Library, a short flight of stairs gets you to the upper part of campus which houses the high school and a tiny gym. I was only mildly impressed by the campus until I saw on Thursday morning, the fog that covers the city of Thessaloniki. From our campus, you can see the clouds since we’re on a hill. Wow, the closest I’ve seen something like that was when I hiked Old Rag Mountain my freshman year. 

I am getting slightly sick of Greek food. There really isn’t much variety here. I am slowly starting to crave Korean food more than I thought. This week I was able to cook a meal with my roommate, Vicky, and try different things as much as possible. I have a few more trips planned, so I am excited to update you on my experience in different European countries! 

On a sadder note, I can really see the economic strain that Greece has been through. A lot of the stores had been shut down, there are people working low wages, and the maintenance of historic sites can no longer be funded by the Greek government so they are often covered with graffiti. This is when I noticed that for the people I saw studying abroad in the past their pictures may have depicted beautiful sites, it could have actually been a rigid environment and not as beautiful as I could have imagined. I realized I need to unlearn a lot of the things I view as normal and take a step back and see that I am seeing many things through an American lens.

Here I am catching up on journaling in the TOMS Flagship cafe here in Thessaloniki. Thanks for reading until here.

Until next week,

JLee

BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 2:

-The more cultured you are, the more understanding you become of the world. This may seem obvious, but I am seeing it firsthand with people who are politically incorrect, not because they are bigots, but they don’t know any better. It doesn’t make it justifiable though. 

-You set your own standards.

-You don’t HAVE to do everything. I think I wanted to achieve everything on my list so urgently, that I got overwhelmed. Once I gave myself time to just take everything in and not a price tag to how much 24 hours would cost me, I was able to breathe and just fall into a more comfortable routine. 

-Greeks stare….a lot. Oddly enough, it reminds me of old Korean people who stare not to be rude but because they are curious. 

Currently listening to the Harry Styles album and writing this on my phone because wifi is too spotty. 

Hello.

I have made it to Thessaloniki. My first flight was cancelled and I missed a day in Greece, but ultimately made it to Frankfurt, Germany. I had a 5 hour layover and then met up with my roommate, Vicky! We made it to SKG and got a taxi to our dorms. We unloaded everything and went out into the city center to familiarize ourselves with the area. Honestly it still hasn’t hit me at that point that I was in Greece. 

The rest of the week was followed by doing a lot of touristy things, touring the school, and lots of Greek food. We went to the old tombs of Vergina. It was definitely a different change of pace in the countryside of Greece, but a cool experience in itself. I am actually sick and just aggressively trying to rest as much as possible before classes start. On Sunday, I stayed in most of the day. Classes started today and maybe it will start to feel like I’m actually a student as opposed to just feeling like I am on vacation? I really did need an adjustment period, so I’m happy about this weekend to have some time to chill and adjust some more.

I will be making some time to go shopping, even if my suitcase doesn’t permit it.

I am feeling a little out of place, trying to find what I want out of this experience but truly just so thankful that I am even here. At orientation, our advisor said to go into this experience with no expectations. It’s true that expectations are safe, but also really limited. You are putting a cap on how much you can gain from something. I really came to Greece not knowing what to expect. I wanted to wash away everything that I ever thought about Greece aka my fantasy with Mamma Mia ish islands and TikTok worthy shots of Santorini. I wanted something new. I didn’t know what, but I really was ready to figure that out for myself. That’s the reason I chose Greece. Everyone I knew went to Spain, London, or Asia. I wanted to make an experience that was personal and struggle through things that I would only know for myself. I’m still scared and wondering what kind of experience I want to make out of this, but for once I’m excited about not having my entire life planned out for me.

Here’s to a new semester of unplanned adventures and no expectations.

So to that I say yamas (cheers). See you next week!

Much love, 

JLee

BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 1:

-Small minded people will only get small rewards

-Things may be DIFFERENT in other parts of the world, but not WRONG 

-The world is freaking huge. 

-There are nice people all over the world

-I need to stop comparing Thessaloniki to things in DC (the Waterfront)