Author: Trish

A Week in Greece #23: Still Barely Holding On, but A New Girl in HD!

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I met our newest participant in HD on Sunday.  As (I think) I mentioned before, she is literally right off the streets, and agggghhhh I want to tell her story so badly, but I won’t.  Because it’s her story to tell or not tell, and I won’t violate her privacy so publicly.  Even though I am a selfish person who wants to very badly.

Anyway, she only speaks Romanian, but she painted my nails on Sunday and it was nice.

Then I met up with Natasha, and we hung out downtown for a few hours, eating souvlaki, having coffee with Irini, and buying Greek sandals.  I actually took some pictures, which is why the header is actually unique again this week!

Aaaaand, that was the last time I was social!

I’m dying.   Continue reading →

A Brazilian/Cypriote Wedding in Greece

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The story of my first wedding in Greece starts with me getting hit by a car.

I was dressed in my prettiest dress, feeling unstoppable and confident that the car at the intersection would stop for the pedestrian so obviously striding across the street.  That confidence was misplaced, however, and the car darted in front of me, rolling over my left foot and coming so close that my elbow slammed into the windshield as it passed me by.  I stood in the middle of the road for a moment, gaping at the taillights shrinking in the distance, then continued on.  I had partying to attend to!  Continue reading →

God’s Perfect Timing

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A new woman joined us at HD, and although change always makes us freak out a little, I am overwhelmed by just how good God has been at bringing us new participants at just the right time (for them and for us).

“A” joined us first, and she was the perfect first participant for a bunch of women who desperately wanted to help sexually exploited women but weren’t sure if they were cut out to do so.  “A” escaped from her trafficker years ago, and she joined us out of a hope that she will someday help other women like her.  This means she’s already grown a lot and developed a really healthy sense of self-awareness, so classes went smoothly and our confidence grew in our abilities.

“D” joined us next Continue reading →

#womenaremorethan | LINDSAY

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Screen Shot 2016-06-13 at 1.27.08 PMIs it cheating to write about my best friend?  Well, no, I don’t think so!  I wouldn’t be best friends with anyone other than someone who deserves the label #womenaremorethan!

Lindsay is one of those people who have so many talents, you’d want to punch them in the face if they weren’t so darn NICE, too.  She currently runs two small businesses (Mary Kay and Country Feed and Supplies) while also volunteering at her church AND mothering two small children.  She loves to travel, she’s passionate about sharing her life authentically (check out her blog, which covers everything from devastating emotional losses to choosing cute clothes), and she is insanely creative.

A quick story to demonstrate how amazing Lindsay is, both as a human being and as a friend.  When I was fundraising to move to Greece, she got on board 100%.  Her family didn’t have a lot of money to donate, but she has more to offer the world (and me) than money.  She organized an amazing event: she got a local coffee shop to host us, got a friend to set up her clothing store with a percentage of proceedings going to me, arranged book donations so that we could sell them, AND put together a raffle of baskets and luxury items.  At the end of the night, she had raised $700 for me…which was EXACTLY what I needed to meet my goal and officially buy tickets to move to Greece.

She’s a superhero, basically.  She loves deeply, and from that love she serves with everything she has.  Ah!  And she’s a really talented graphic designer, too!  She has so many talents I’m forgetting some!  Lindsay is so much #morethan, and I’m so grateful to have her in my life as my encourager and inspiration.

Sunday Summary #31: What’s on the Internet

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1|  Somebody finally wrote the “I Kissed Dating Goodbye Ruined My Life” piece I’ve always wanted!

It’s fostered the sort of shame that follows me into my relationship now, and it makes me angry at how dating or relationships without marriage as a pre-determined point, let alone sex or any kind of physical affection, were robbed of any joy for me. It’s like a low level noise of distrust and anxiety that some would probably call the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I once called it that, but no more.

2|  Jeff Goldblum describes his excitement about being in the new Thor movie and continues to make my heart scream, “WHY am I so attracted to this man!?”

“Not only Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins… jeez, that’s gonna be fun.”

3|  There’s going to be a new Final Fantasy game!  Chibi versions of old characters all together in a new world doing…something!  I don’t care, I’m here for it.

A Week in Greece #22: SA Visit Leaves Me Proud But Overwhelmed

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I need a vacation!  I’m running on a tank that is constantly on the edge of empty…not that work is so hard, necessarily, but I’m realizing that it’s very difficult to start a new organization while simultaneously adjusting to living in a new city in a new country with new friends.  I’m tiiiiiired of living abroad, is what I’m complaining.

(Also, it’s summer, and every summer I am not in Peoria makes me extremely homesick, because all the trips! and events! and random parties! ugh)

Not in the sort of way where I’m going to change any of my plans, but in the sort of “life is not easy” way.  Just.  For anyone who is worried/hopeful that this means I will be returning  to the States.  I’m just complaining, nothing more!

Complaining, but honestly?  This week was pretty okay!  It’s just overwhelming (oh man, this post is going to be so one-note emotional, I apologize if that is not your jam).  Continue reading →

One Night Visiting the Streets

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Last week, I went downtown to an area where “hotel” is code for “brothel,” and policemen watch men solicit women on the street without caring.

HD partners with an organization that works in two particular blocks – an organization that is mostly one woman.  Olivia (not her real name) has been working and praying in these streets for two and a half years.  She offers daily programs to prostitutes and gives away baby formula, diapers, and food.  She takes women to the hospital when they have been beaten severely or contracted an STD.  She knows and is known by all the prostitutes, pimps, and madams in the area.  She has been trained by Scotland Yard, and she continually impressed me by confidently going wherever she wanted, cooing, “Oh, I just love the girls and I want to help them however I can!” in a sing-songy helpless little girl voice before getting in the car and growling to us, “I wanted to punch him in the face!”

Why was I experiencing this?

Dina has started going downtown with Olivia weekly so that she can get to know the women on the street.  She told the rest of our staff that we would each join her at least once so that we could see where our participants are coming from.  The first to participate, I can whole-heartedly affirm that this was a wonderful idea.  Although nothing unexpected happened, it was still such a shock to my system to realize that this was REAL LIFE to these men and women.  Their everyday experience was walking the streets, propositioning and being propositioned, wondering if someone was going to bash your head against the wall, and dodging the woman with the stick.   Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About…HOT MEN THROUGHOUT THE DECADES (1960s-2010s)

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Yesterday Elizabeth enlightened me on the hottest men from 1910-1950.  Since I have very little knowledge of the hottest men of yesteryear, she got very little pushback.  Today…I have some opinions!  

[Click HERE to read our earlier conversation and what led to Elizabeth saying…]

Elizabeth: Just to splash some cold water on you

1960s.gif

Elizabeth:  For the 1960s I have again chosen Cary Grant, because his perfection cannot be contained by one decade.

Tricia:  HAHAHA

Elizabeth:  I realize this is cheating, and I don’t care.

Tricia:  I approve of your cheating.
Truly Hot Men are Always Hot Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About…HOT MEN THROUGHOUT THE DECADES (1910s-1950s)

Trish10 Comments

The most important thing we have ever contributed to the Internet.

Elizabeth:  OKAY.
I am prepared to submit my Definitive Dudes of the Decades Report, complete with illustrative gifs, whenever it is convenient for you.
Please advise.

Tricia:  I’m ready!  Hit me with some hot men!

Elizabeth:  Okay, so here’s the situation:
I know we usually do jokey discussions for the blog, but this is a very important topic that is close to my heart.
What happened, just to recap, is that yesterday you confessed to me that you didn’t know many crush-worthy movie stars from the decades prior to 1980.  And this is sad!

Tricia:  It is sad.
I am eager to be educated about hot men from all times.
I will not joke at all.

Elizabeth:  Let us begin.
1910s

Tricia:  wait wait

Elizabeth:  what?

Tricia:  What is my role?  How am I supposed to respond?

Elizabeth:  I mean, how does your heart want to respond to these gifs?

Tricia:  Ah, okay, I can listen to my heart and then immediately verbalize it without forethought.   Continue reading →