Great news. As we’ve spent a few more days in Porto Rafti, we’ve learned a few more words other than “hello” and “thank you” and moved on to “good morning” and “how are you” and how to specify what kind of vegetables you don’t want in a gyro. But more importantly, we’ve learned a little more about the culture and been able to have a little more interaction with the locals.
Since my last post, I’ve had the opportunity to go help at a soup kitchen in Athens through a local organization and been able to attend the local market in Markopoulo. (Which is pronounced “Mark-OH-polo”—so if you happen to be blind-folded in a swimming pool, then you can practice the correct pronunciation and impress all your friends.)
The soup kitchen was a really cool experience—not just to be doing something tangible in which you can see immediate good being done, but also because it was really the first exposure to a large group of locals—a breach to the Harding bubble, if you will. These folks weren’t really considered locals as most of them are refugees from surrounding countries, but it was still an introduction to their life here and representation of a past very different from my own.
Many of them asked where I was from (I’m blonde and therefore clearly look Greek, so I’m not sure what all the confusion was,) and answered that I was from Colorado. Then after one man in particular asked where I was from, the conversation followed like this:
Me: And where are you from?
Man: Texas.
Me: Um…no.
He then laughed at himself and informed me that he was from Afghanistan, and we then proceeded to laugh and bond over soup. I’ve been told the hardest part of learning another language is the translation of humor. Agree to disagree. There are some things that really are universal. It’s easy to see all the differences in language and lifestyles and to view them as barriers, and I think it’s important to appreciate these differences, but also to appreciate the commonalities.
So many things are universal—humor, laughter, smiles, courtesy, politeness, and most fascinating of all, worship.
It also makes the fact that we have an omniscient God that much more amazing. The more you see the world, the more you see Him as a universal God.
Another favorite encounter outside of our HUG bubble was a short visit to the local market. The market was really just survival of the loudest. You’d be amazed at the little old ladies who can yell “potato” like it’s Mel Gibson marching into battle at the end of “Braveheart.”
A few of us have tried our hand at haggling (bargaining), and there’s definitely a strategy. Apparently, mentioning your sick grandmother in the hospital is not out of the question—all is fair in love and war, and also haggling.
But anyway, we’re off to Israel later today — excitement is in the air, head scarves are in our suitcases and cool places are on our itinerary.
