far as the East is from the West

America is weird. The Middle East is weird. Europe is weird. Culture shock is real. Upon my arrival to the Middle East just a month ago I dived right into their culture. I loved the hospitality that was shown, the people, the history, the language, the food. I loved being amongst people I met 20 minutes ago but who already felt like family. I loved the way we freely talked about religion and talked about dreams in everyday life. I loved being able to learn a new language and share what I’ve learned with the people around me. I quickly fell in love with the Middle East.

In Greece things were more familiar- a little more westernized. I loved being able to meet people from a different country each and every day. I loved learning another new language, the people, the food. I loved the simplicity of life overseas. The last month of outreach I was so focused on going back to America and back to what was familiar. Upon returning back to America I have realized how much I have fallen in love with the Middle East- the people and the simple yet extravagant way of living. The refugees I encountered had very little of anything but what they did have they invited me to join in with them whether it be coffee or a meal. They welcomed me into their culture, always telling me something they enjoyed about their culture and inviting me to enjoy the same things.

Many refugees talked freely about their dreams and religion with me and I was able to pray with them and tell them about my relationship with my Heavenly Father not my religion. I had quickly fallen more in love and sure of who my Heavenly Father was in these moments, not someone I had convince people was real but, someone who was my best friend and walked with my in every aspect of my life.

I loved the unknowns of being overseas, never knowing what you’re actually buying at the grocery store or how to get somewhere but the simple mindedness of the unknown. Not needing 30 options of the same kind of cereal or a brand new car to get me from point A to B. I learned to embrace the unknown of each and every day (Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely struggled with some of the “American” comforts and western mindsets but, I gained a greater appreciation for an eastern mindset and going with the flow of things). Being back in America (for only one day) has already rocked my world. The things I have grown to think of as normal over the past two months are not “normal” in America. The vastness of options at grocery stores (I was overwhelmed at Target yesterday when I went to go pick up a few snacks for what I thought was going to be 5 minutes lasted a little while longer), the hospitality, the toilets, the language, the cars- the basic everyday things!! As I begin to process all that God has really done over the past two months I fall more in love with my Jesus- my best friend, each and every different culture I experienced, learning different languages, the idea of not knowing what’s to come and the people that I’ve encountered.