So...I know its been FOREVER since my last post. I would blame it on being too busy but that isn't quite the case. When I first started this blog, a few months after my arrival in Greece, everything was so new and different. Now, I feel like I'm so used to my life here and the Greek way of life that nothing stands out anymore. I'm still very much enjoying my time here although the time for its end is quickly approaching.
I left off with my excitement for my trip back to the states and I can say that I wasn't in the least bit disappointed with my time there, other than it was too short. I spent 2.5 wonderful weeks with friends and family staying busy the entire time! First with one of my best friends weddings, which was an amazing time! It was so beautiful and I'm so happy I was able to be a part of it :) I saw friends that I hadn't seen in YEARS! I spent the next week playing with my nephews, and hanging out with friends. I was also able to go to a Twins game which I have been looking forward too since the new field opened in 2010. The next weekend my other three best friends came into town. One flew in from Portland, one from Tampa and the other from North Dakota. We spent most of the weekend out on the boat at a lake near by. I was able to show my friends around my home town and the beauty of a Minnesota summer. We had perfect weather and overall a great 4th of July weekend! The time may have been short but it was SO GREAT! I then went to northern Minnesota to a town called Nisswa where my mother was staying for a few weeks. We went out on the lake, went for golf lessons and toured the local lake restaurants. I haven't had a few days with just my mother in I don't know how long so this time spent together was such a treat! Time flew by and before I knew it it was time to head back to Greece.
The trip back was smooth and uneventful unlike the trip there...which was a disaster! My original itinerary was to fly from Athens to Madrid and then to Miami before eventually landing in Minneapolis. This, however, was now how it all went down. The trip from Athens to Madrid went as planned and upon my arrival in Madrid my next flight was scheduled to leave on time. After boarding the plane we waiting in line about 45 minutes behind the other planes...not a big deal. BUT then as we started to take off, as in speeding up about to lift the wheels off the ground, the plane stopped. They made an announcement over the intercom that one of the doors had not been shut properly and that after they shut it we needed to get back in line to take off. We were all a little disturbed by this but realized it was better they caught it before we took off than after. We waiting in line another hour before it was our turn, at this point another message came over the intercom, "The temperature outside is now too hot and we are too heavy to take off". Everyone was upset, to say the least...They didn't know when we would be able to take off so they just told us they would keep us updated. We ended up sitting in the plane for 3 more hours! Totaling 5 hours before our eventual take off. We FINALLY took off and headed for Miami, which is a 9 hour flight...I took some tylenol pm and tried to sleep most of the time. When we reached Miami we had all missed our connections, of course, so they told us all to go to the booking desk where we would receive our new tickets and flight times. Since our flight came in late our baggage ended up taking FOREVER to get to the carousel...I waited an hour for my bag and proceeded to the booking desk. As I stated before, I was supposed to fly straight from Miami to Minneapolis...since there is only one straight through flight per day (which was in the evening, my original time) they ended up giving me a ticket to Chicago and then Minneapolis. They put me up in a hotel where I slept for maybe 4 hours before having to return to the airport for a 7 am flight...not a happy camper at this point but I just kept my eye on the prize and looked forward to getting home. I finally got to Minneapolis after over 40 hours of traveling! I was tired, hungry, and anxious to get out of the airport! I really hoped this experience wouldn't repeat itself on my trip back to Greece...luckily it didn't.
When returning to Greece, Van and Nicolas picked me up from the airport. I had missed Nicolas so much and I could tell he missed me too! Van had parked the car to load my luggage and took Nicolas out of the car to see me, he immediately ran into my arms! It was the best welcome back gift ever! :) :) :)
Nicolas is now done with school for 5 weeks. Which means he is home with me all day Monday-Friday. I was a little intimidated by the idea of this cause he really takes a lot of energy but so far everything has been great! He is learning English so much faster now that we spend so much more time together and he amazes me everyday with different things he can say. We spend our days going to the beach, going to the park, playing with the millions of toys he has and watching Sesame Street. I've also put together a youtube playlist for him with all of the children's nursery rhymes, songs, and poems. He loves it! Everyday now he says to me, "Breeynn, I want music!". He sings along and dances around the house, it's so cute! I don't know how I'm going to survive without him when I leave!!!
I left off with my excitement for my trip back to the states and I can say that I wasn't in the least bit disappointed with my time there, other than it was too short. I spent 2.5 wonderful weeks with friends and family staying busy the entire time! First with one of my best friends weddings, which was an amazing time! It was so beautiful and I'm so happy I was able to be a part of it :) I saw friends that I hadn't seen in YEARS! I spent the next week playing with my nephews, and hanging out with friends. I was also able to go to a Twins game which I have been looking forward too since the new field opened in 2010. The next weekend my other three best friends came into town. One flew in from Portland, one from Tampa and the other from North Dakota. We spent most of the weekend out on the boat at a lake near by. I was able to show my friends around my home town and the beauty of a Minnesota summer. We had perfect weather and overall a great 4th of July weekend! The time may have been short but it was SO GREAT! I then went to northern Minnesota to a town called Nisswa where my mother was staying for a few weeks. We went out on the lake, went for golf lessons and toured the local lake restaurants. I haven't had a few days with just my mother in I don't know how long so this time spent together was such a treat! Time flew by and before I knew it it was time to head back to Greece.
The trip back was smooth and uneventful unlike the trip there...which was a disaster! My original itinerary was to fly from Athens to Madrid and then to Miami before eventually landing in Minneapolis. This, however, was now how it all went down. The trip from Athens to Madrid went as planned and upon my arrival in Madrid my next flight was scheduled to leave on time. After boarding the plane we waiting in line about 45 minutes behind the other planes...not a big deal. BUT then as we started to take off, as in speeding up about to lift the wheels off the ground, the plane stopped. They made an announcement over the intercom that one of the doors had not been shut properly and that after they shut it we needed to get back in line to take off. We were all a little disturbed by this but realized it was better they caught it before we took off than after. We waiting in line another hour before it was our turn, at this point another message came over the intercom, "The temperature outside is now too hot and we are too heavy to take off". Everyone was upset, to say the least...They didn't know when we would be able to take off so they just told us they would keep us updated. We ended up sitting in the plane for 3 more hours! Totaling 5 hours before our eventual take off. We FINALLY took off and headed for Miami, which is a 9 hour flight...I took some tylenol pm and tried to sleep most of the time. When we reached Miami we had all missed our connections, of course, so they told us all to go to the booking desk where we would receive our new tickets and flight times. Since our flight came in late our baggage ended up taking FOREVER to get to the carousel...I waited an hour for my bag and proceeded to the booking desk. As I stated before, I was supposed to fly straight from Miami to Minneapolis...since there is only one straight through flight per day (which was in the evening, my original time) they ended up giving me a ticket to Chicago and then Minneapolis. They put me up in a hotel where I slept for maybe 4 hours before having to return to the airport for a 7 am flight...not a happy camper at this point but I just kept my eye on the prize and looked forward to getting home. I finally got to Minneapolis after over 40 hours of traveling! I was tired, hungry, and anxious to get out of the airport! I really hoped this experience wouldn't repeat itself on my trip back to Greece...luckily it didn't.
When returning to Greece, Van and Nicolas picked me up from the airport. I had missed Nicolas so much and I could tell he missed me too! Van had parked the car to load my luggage and took Nicolas out of the car to see me, he immediately ran into my arms! It was the best welcome back gift ever! :) :) :)
Nicolas is now done with school for 5 weeks. Which means he is home with me all day Monday-Friday. I was a little intimidated by the idea of this cause he really takes a lot of energy but so far everything has been great! He is learning English so much faster now that we spend so much more time together and he amazes me everyday with different things he can say. We spend our days going to the beach, going to the park, playing with the millions of toys he has and watching Sesame Street. I've also put together a youtube playlist for him with all of the children's nursery rhymes, songs, and poems. He loves it! Everyday now he says to me, "Breeynn, I want music!". He sings along and dances around the house, it's so cute! I don't know how I'm going to survive without him when I leave!!!
such cute babies
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