Author: Micaelakey

SHE SAID

I have been known to have the taste buds of a Kindergartener, so this trip of new dishes and ingredients is something of an adventure. I told myself that I would try everything offered to me at least once, which is a big step for me.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have tried several new dishes. For starters, I didn’t realize feta cheese went with some many things. Some have been delicious, and some…well…not so much. The burgers here are not the typical burgers that I am use to. When you order a burger, all you are ordering is the meat patty. No worries guys, they have ketchup though! I have actually found a love for the burger patties with lemon juice squeezed over it. Their homemade French fries are some of the best ones I have ever had. A new love that Michael and I have found is a love for Paprika Pringle chips. They sound gross, but they are actually quite good.

The portion size is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. They are huge!! Michael is in heaven because he could eat for days! I do my best to eat as much as I can, but it is a lot of food.

Some tips for the picky eater like myself:

1. Pasta is always a safe options. Maybe not for your waist line though.

2. Burgers and homemade fries are delicious.

3. Homemade bread will be served with most meals, so when in doubt, just eat the bread.

4. A mixed salad is so delicious with all the fresh fruits and vegetables. I don’t like some of the vegetables, so make sure you are with someone who will eat those for you!

5. There are orange trees everywhere, so you can always just those.

6. When going out, have everyone order something different and then share. This way, you won’t feel bad when you do not like what you ordered. Options, options, options is key!!

SHE SAID

A trip of a lifetime, full of excitement, new firsts, and adventures, and I get to spend it with my husband. That’s what we were offered back in November and everything seemed to just fall into place. With the opportunity to not only instill a love of learning in a young boy, we have the opportunity to share the Gospel and to help make game changers for His kingdom. How could we turn that down? So to start off 2019, we left to begin our new journey.

On January 1, I was filled with such mixed emotions as I was embarking on an adventure with the love of my life, but at the same time I was leaving my family, church community, and my incredible job. With tears flowing from my eyes, I hugged my siblings and my mom goodbye and then grabbed my luggage to leave. With these mixed emotions of overwhelming sadness and excitement, I boarded a flight to leave the country for the first time.

When we finally landed in Greece, we had the incredible opportunity to fly in a helicopter over the breathtaking country of Greece. As I sat next to Michael, I was in awe of the beauty around me from the sea, the mountains, the incredible history, and the architecture. In those moments I was overcome with awe that the same incredible God that created every detail of this landscape created and cares for me. The same God that carefully crafted the seas and mountains is with me, holding me close as I miss my family so deeply and as I get to experience this opportunity of a lifetime.

Once we landed and got settled, the reality did not really set in until that night. Very quickly I realized I was not really prepared for how fast I would be homesick or the guilt that accompanied the sadness. I felt selfish and ungrateful that I was so sad when God had blessed me beyond measure with this opportunity to travel the world all expenses paid, to teach what love, and to be with the love of my life in cities we could have only dreamed of visiting. Thankfully the Lord, my mom, and Michael quickly spoke into this lie. The Lord daily has had to remind me even in my sadness of the joy it is to have a family and community like mine. Not everyone is blessed with such a wonderful family that even in a place like Greece I can miss them so deeply. So over the next few months, I will be holding fast to that truth, and I will be experiencing adventures that I can share with my family and friends. Most importantly though, I want to be fully present in order for the Lord to use me for His glory and His good. I cannot wait to be used for His glory and to see what His has planned.

Over this past week, we have begun to overcome the jet lag and to start to explore this new place we get to call home. Though the weather hasn’t permitted us to do much yet, I’m excited to see what adventures we will have over the next several months! So stay tuned!!