My first week in Israel...

... and I hope it wasn't my last.

I'm in Greece now, though. Corinth, to be exact. I'm feeling like my "honey-moon" stage of this project is over. I've gotten to know all of the people pretty well, have learned a lot, gotten lots of traveling in, slept in at least eight different hotels, experienced culture food, all of that jazz.

I've been gone for only two weeks, and [shhhh] I'm kind of getting burnt out. It's mostly just because of the tight routine, I think. One week left!

And I'm excited to flush my toilet paper again.
And stop swelling.
And hang out with mom. and dad.
Because once I get home, I know that I only have ten days with my family before I leave for Washington state. (which is kind of sad to me, but it's okay).

Some honesty on missions...
I realized a couple of weeks ago that I wasn't sure if my motive for missions was pure. I was thinking that I might be in it for the wrong reason. For travel, or culture, or something else equally Hellenistic and self-serving. A couple of days into this trip, though, God showed me my heart (thanks, God!). Basically, I would have been happy going home two days into this trip. I was hurt that we were spending so much time learning about the great commission, without really doing it. Obviously, I know that our intent in this trip is to learn. But still, something just irks me. Especially when passing through the poor, desolate cities of Jordan. I'm all like, "just drop me off here, please!". (But really).

Essentially, while I'm spending three weeks in Israel, Greece, and Rome, staying in mostly 5-star hotels, I know that I would be more satisfied serving people for any amount of time in Haiti. Or Africa. Or Honduras. Or Holland, MI.

So while I've been irked, this realization is exciting.

Yes, I realize that this trip could be a missionary trip for me. I can bring peoples' luggage inside, give someone my last bit of water, or keep smiling as much as I can. That just doesn't cut it, though. I mean, it could, but it doesn't. And I guess, somehow, this is mission work. I'm just serving in a way that seems foreign to me.

Apart from being such a downer, I really am having a great time. I'm loving the people here, learning more about security in my faith walk, rooming with an incredible woman of God, getting a daily workout, and eating at a buffet for breakfast and dinner for three weeks straight (yup, hips and thighs are still in tact). And I'm eager to come back to Israel for a "real" RVL trip sometime, God-willing. But I'm beginning to empathize with celebrities who have paparazzi issues. That's all.

Anywho, I'm sure I'll post later about some neat things I have learned, but right now my head is getting filled with hookah smoke. We're at one of the not-5-star hotels tonight, and I guess hookah is their thing.
And alcohol.
And dirty plates.
[embracing the culture, gracefully].
[but really, I like it.]

Sincerely,
Kelsey Lynne