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Bring your own cushion! One of the perks of living in southeastern Europe is the opportunity to easily visit a number of interesting places. This past weekend I traveled with some friends to Greece for a couple of days. While we stayed at a seaside hotel in Thessaloniki, we spent our first day tromping around the ancient city of Philippi. I decided to recount my experience for my readers. T o day is part one of a two-part post. Today I’m sharing the pictures of Philippi. You’ll remember the apostle Paul preached the gospel in Philippi. He visited the city several times.  The city is an active archeological site. Our first glimpse of the dig was a large stone wall. Past the wall is the theater. There was a school group on a field trip there the day we visited. I doubt they appreciated the ruins as much as I did. Before we walked the alleyways and explored the city, four of us took on the challenge to climb the mountain to the fortress looming above. The vie...

Here in Kosovo we are experiencing what we call in Ohio an “Indian Summer.” The days are filled with sunshine as if shining brighter could push autumn back a few weeks. Last Sunday I took the bus into Prishtina for church. I’ve had the privilege to meet with some wonderful people there.  As the day was so beautiful and I had no agenda, I headed out after our gathering for a stroll along Mother Teresa Boulevard. Many of the locals refer to this as “the walking street.” It is named after the Albanian nun who served the world by serving people in India. Mother Teresa was born in Skopja. The city, once part of the Kosovo province, is now the capitol of Macedonia, a few kilometers away. The boulevard is lined with outdoor cafés, street vendors, bookshops, and storefronts. A few five star hotels call the street their home as well. I enjoyed an ice cream cone (in honor of my mother) and found myself tempted by the chestnuts roasting at stands along the way.  The a...

if you look in the distance you'll see the mountains bordering Montenegro. This is taken from the drive in front of my apartment building. People have a wide range of ideas about what it is like to live in a small country like Kosovo. Actually, I’m quite sure most of the people I know in the States haven’t even heard of this European country. The few who have ask me, “Is that the place where there was a war or something?” Uh…yeah. That was in the late 1990’s. Others wonder about my safety or if I’ll starve to death or have to eat strange foods. I’ve had people ask my mother and kids why in the world I would risk everything to go to such a place. Risk everything? I don’t see my journey as a risk. I view it as an opportunity. Here are a few opportunities I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy that I never would have experienced in the States: v Two days at the US Embassy in a training session with other teachers was fun…especially when we were treated to Oreo cook...

  One of my hesitations about moving overseas was the fact I have a problem with my right knee. I have to get a cortisone shot in it every three months. I was assured I could get the shot in Kosovo. Or, if I wanted a little side trip, the shot is also available in Greece. I considered Greece. It sounded like fun. However, as the date approached, the logistics wouldn’t work out. I had a short time frame to get that much needed shot. I decided to stay in town. Caleb, a colleague from school made the appointment for me for Saturday morning. What would I do without my sweet friend, Arijeta? My sweet friend, Arijeta, a truly gifted art teacher at Prishtina High School, offered to drive me to the orthopedic center. Here’s how our day went: We arrive on time at the hospital to meet the orthopedic doctor. The facility is clean and nice and the people at the reception are friendly. It is what we in the States would think of as a medical center but I’m told it i...