A postcard home: recapping the events of March 12th

Postcard #1

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today was a very fun day. I woke up at 7:30 and I was very tired. I had some cereal, croissants, and ham for breakfast. We then went on a bus where I fell asleep. Our destination was Humanity Greece, a NGO that provides items to the needy. My friend Duncan and I spent an exhaustingly long time organizing shampoo and conditioner, I finally managed to get everything organized and on the shelves before lunch. Lunch was delicious and my favorite so far we had lunch at Avli tou Petrou. There, we had bread, salad, delicious pork, and fries. The pork was very tender and delicious. Afterwards, we went to the Shelter for Unaccompanied Minors. We dug trenches and tilled the land, then played basketball with everyone. I managed to dunk on my friend Ethan, but unfortunately hurt myself in the process, though it was worth it for the experience.  I learned that maybe I am not as bad at basketball than I thought I was.

-Philip Held

Postcard #2

Today proved to be an engaging day as our group embarked on a meaningful journey with Humanity Greece, assisting in organizing essential goods for refugees. Our lunch at "Avili tou petro" provided a delightful break before returning to the shelter for our second day of activities. Amidst painting murals and playing basketball with the children, we were humbled by the stark realities faced by refugees, reminding us of their shared humanity despite differing circumstances. Witnessing the resilience of individuals like Ali, a former refugee turned inspiration within our team, instills hope for brighter futures among these children. May they draw inspiration from Ali's perseverance and strive towards a future filled with opportunity and independence.

-Bryan Keane

     Postcard #3

- Porter Frist

Work at the NGO

                                                               Lunch

                                                            

Focusing on Three of Our Five Senses Used Today

Ben Poster: Yesterday we visited Giannis’ neighborhood and played basketball at his home court.  Being able to see where he grew up and play at his basketball court was an amazing experience.  After we left the courts, we ate a great meal in that neighborhood, consisting of chicken, different kinds of kabobs, and other great food.  Finally, visited the shelter for unaccompanied minors for the first time and had the opportunity to help paint their rooms.  I got to paint two tiles, one of which was a stencil and the other was a free draw piece.

Nathan Sinclair:  Today we went to the shelter to garden with the kids staying there.  The three main senses I experienced were sound, touch, and taste.  The rhythm of the basketballs hitting the concrete at Giannis’s court made the experience more engrained in my brain.  Being able to watch my friends play and experience the game at Giannis’s own beginnings was super interesting to experience.  Touch was not a pleasant sense today.  While gardening I happened to touch a stinging nettle.  If you do not know, when in contact with ones skin, bristles inject acid and cause a burning sensation.  That pain will always tie me to that gardening with some of my closest friends.  Finally, taste was the most pleasant sense today.  We all went to a restaurant and sat at one big table.  As the waiters went around bringing food to all our starving bodies, we all began to eat, laugh, and create memories that will definitely last a lifetime.  Even though today was somewhat long and tiring. I think we all began to bond and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Roc Bueno: Throughout the day my senses were used a lot to get used to the new experiences of the day.  When we were gardening at the refugee shelter, the most significant use of my senses was smelling the fresh dirt as we were aerating the dirt for planting.  When we went to the Giannis basketball courts I used my sight when we saw the beautiful mural of Giannis on the basketball court.  The painting stretched the whole court, and we got to play on it for a while.  I also used my sense of hearing to try to communicate with the refugees, which was very hard because they barely spoke English.  

George Ma:  The day we went to Giannis’s neighborhood and the first time we visited the shelter and clinic was full of vibrant sensory experiences.  First, were the sights.  Being able to see the court that Giannis built and the mural of him was awesome.  Also, it was surreal to see children the same age as us in the shelter and also how different their life is to mine.  Secondly, the craftsmanship and the sense of touch involved.  During the service at the shelter, I was moved to the group that painted murals on the wall.  Using my hands to paint the wall for the refugees and then having Mamoun adjust the painting was both fun and worthwhile.  Lastly, the food tasted great.  Another round of gyros with tzatsiki sauce never disappoints.  Also, having the restaurant open just for us was a very kind gesture by the restaurant owners.

What Caught My Attention, March 10, 2024

Daniel Garcia: Something that caught my attention today was when our guide was talking about the bronze trophies and statues that were inside the Parthenon.  At first I thought it was cool that the Greeks had some bronze trophies that maybe we were going to see, but when our guide said that the Greeks later reused the same bronze for weapons, that made me realize something.  What once was a hall or place full of trophies became just an empty space.  With this, what I am trying to say, is that not everything is forever, that everything has an end, but the memories remain.  I feel like it is a good idea to keep the memories alive forever by sharing them with other people.  These memories for me could be trips or new experiences I have had throughout my life, and I still share with new people I meet.  

Cade Redmond: Yesterday we toured the Acropolis and the Parthenon.  That was very fun, but what I enjoyed the most was walking around the neighborhood and immersing myself in the Greek culture around me and meeting new people with different backgrounds and ideas.  Another highlight would have to be eating authentic Greek gyros for lunch.  These were very good and definitely one of the highlights of my day, but the thing I enjoyed most yesterday was walking around and meeting new people. - Cade Redmond

Trip Morgan: One thing I noticed yesterday was how expansive the city of Athens really was. Since Acropolis is the highest point in all of Athens, we were really able to get a full 360° view of the city. The city homes seemed to stretch for miles on end and since Athens doesn’t have many large buildings or skyscrapers this made Athens seem much larger than it already was. I really appreciate the city as a whole for its uniqueness adds a sense of serenity instead of the glooming effect of large and industrial sized buildings.

Dylan Drake: Today I really enjoyed the views that we earned after the walk up to the Parthenon. Seeing the big city below made me realize that it is not as big as I thought because I could see each end. But being in the village it was a whole different experience and you felt very small because of the amount of people. Even looking up and seeing the Parthenon is a symbol of freedom for these people because it stands out in the highest part of the city. The architecture also amazes me by the fact that these buildings still stand strong after thousands of years and will continue to thrive for millions more to see.

So many activities, so little time to blog!

The Greece Team has been ON THE GO!  Travel, good food, a Greek Isles tour, the Acropolis, the Plaka, shopping, an early morning run, reflection and so much more!  Tonight we are preparing for our work tomorrow at the Red Cross Shelter by learning a bit more about the refugee crisis in Europe and in Greece specifically.  Tomorrow the boys will start posting.  Until then, check out our Instagram account @mbaserviceclub.

A Long Journey Back to Johannesburg by Christian Robinson (June 23, 2023)

The travel day was a long, hard adventure to Johannesburg.  It started off with us taking a stop to the Bourke’s Luck Potholes carved into the rock by water.  During the drive to the potholes, the view was beautiful. There were many rocky mountains with towns and people.  

When we arrived at Bourke’s Luck we saw many interesting potholes that were huge.  We climbed on rocks next to waterfalls, and it was a beautiful adventure.

After that the bus ride was straight to Johannesburg.  We had a few stops at gas stations, but we decided to stop going to them and drive without stops.

During the drive we say many towns.  We saw some houses that look similar to some in the United States.

When we arrived the city looked different but also similar in some ways to some in the United States.  It was warmer than the other places we went to during the trip.  

Overall the travel day on the bus was long and boring.  The potholes were cool, and Johannesburg is too.

Timbavati Bush Walk by Sam Hall, Michael Ikejiani and Owen Willers (June 22, 2023)

On Thursday, June 22nd, the guys work up and went on a bush walk in the morning around the lodging area.  We learned about the significance and roles of several native trees in different African cultures.  Afterwards, we learned how to analyze different animal tracks on the path and tell what animals they belonged to and which direction they were traveling.  After the walk, we enjoyed lasagna at the lodge.

After lunch, we transported to an animal rehabilitation center nearby.  At Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre we saw native eagles, vultures, and several other species of birds, and we were even able to go into some of the enclosures with the birds.  Then we saw several types of lions and we all cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and little badgers.  Through this experience we learned about how organizations like this one we visited helped fight the poaching crises in South Africa.

A Short Flight, A Long Drive, and a New Part of South Africa by Michael Dattilo (June 20, 2023)

The Boys

KG, Our Guide

While this travel day was not very eventful, we said goodbye to Cape Town and the amazing Chartfield Guesthouse. With the 4 am wake-up, the guys were extremely tired on the bus ride to the airport, and we slugged around until we found our gate and boarded the plane. 

Personally, I do not remember the flight as I was asleep the entire time, but the short flight was not too bad. Next, the bus ride to Kruger National Park was really dreaded and a tad bit brutal. With some untimely stops for bathrooms and snacks, the ride ended up taking about 7.5 hours instead of the discussed 5 hours. 

While the drive was long and we were all grumpy, we finally arrived at our lodge right next to the park. Immediately we were briefed on the danger of some of the animals that were known to come into the property. We got to our rooms and had some downtime before dinner. With the ceremonial drums and voice call of one of the workers at the lodge, a great steak dinner was served. 

Although we were exhausted and groggy from the trip, we entered a completely new part of South Africa. We were excited for a new culture and a great day on safari the next day.