Ben's Blog

ευχαριστώ (Ef-Harry-Stow) - Thank you

Growing up in the Deep South, there are three things in life that are mandatory: sweet tea, church attendance, and manners. Though water makes up 90% of my diet now and I’ll have the occasional urge to skip my 9:00 am alarm on a Sunday, I still hold fast and true to being able to show my respect and appreciation to anyone I encounter. ‘ευχαριστώ’, or ‘thank you’ in English, was more than a foreign Greek word for me over the past few days. It was a way for me to express how I felt to everyone around me. To the man serving me baklava, for being generous and patient to a man who can barely speak English, let alone Greek. To the friends and leaders around me on this trip, for making my time away from home more enjoyable than I could have imagined. To my family at home, for getting me through college and encouraging me to take this opportunity and ‘live life’ a little. And, of course, to the Close Scholar Foundation, for giving this undeserving college student the blessing of a lifetime, experiencing a whole new world that has opened his eyes to unique food, never before seen culture, and a first hand look at the divine landscape created thousands of years before me. One of the highlighting pieces of this trip was visiting the Acropolis. Although my bad knees would beg to differ, climbing to the peak and overlooking a city consumed with a sunset created a new found perspective in my mind, realizing there’s so much more out there to be thankful for. Or, in other words, make you say, ‘ευχαριστώ’. This eye candy of a sight draws a craving inside to explore more and immerse myself in cultures and areas different from my own. Though I may not enjoy every aspect of an unfamiliar society, I can still find things to be thankful for, from culinary creations and desirable drinks to traditions and customs to, of course, the sights and visuals. I’m excited to see what area of the world I explore next (as long as it’s 50 degrees or warmer there) and find which aspect I can find a new appreciation in. And, if you read until the end of this blog, ευχαριστώ Thank you.