Friday, September 18, 2009

How to Get a Hold of Me...and a few last thoughts before departure

Of course, I'll be on facebook, so feel free to hit me up there...I'm sure I'll be checking it.

However, here are a few other ways to get in touch...
Mailing Address:
Ryan Hibbard
City University-Athens Site
1, Karitsi and Kolokotroni Str.
105 61 Athens GREECE

Skype me @: ryanhibbard

Email: rh1262@messiah.edu


All the bags are (mostly) packed, so I'm getting pretty excited. There are several trips to really cool places such as Meteora, Peloponnesus, some islands, and to sites such as Sparta and the Oracle of Delphi. Those are only a few of the things that I'll be doing (or places I'll be going) in the first 2.5 WEEKS! I'll be sure to keep up on this and share what we did on those trips and how life is going in Athens...For pictures, you may wanna just check out facebook, though.

Anyway, I leave in 3 days and still feel like this isn't really happening. It's weird to think about something for 6 months and when it finally starts to arrive, it feels unreal. Thanks for following on here...I'm sure mail will be awesome, but if you don't feel like spending the 500 bucks to mail an envelope be sure to keep in touch on facebook, email, whatever. However, the best thing you can do for me is pray...Pray that I will continue to follow hard after God even when I'm in a foreign country and having the time of my life....Pray that I don't lose sight of the fact that I wouldn't be seeing these awesome things and having this great time if not for God's provision and grace (along with my parent's provision and blessing :)) Pray that God gives me the opportunity to reach out to others, and to be a great example of how someone models their life after Christ. Pray that He gives me wisdom and discernment in decisions I have to make. Even pray for my parents...this won't be easy on them! But most of all, pray for me however God leads you. Thanks again for all the support from the states.

I'm confident that God will bless me in my time abroad, as He has my whole life no matter what the circumstance. I'm incredibly less stressed about this trip than I was even going to college last year, and that is due to learning over the past 12 months that God always provides and takes care of you (even in ways you don't originally think of). I'm really trying to take these next three months and enjoy them to the fullest...In fact, I think Paul said it best in his letter to the church in Thessalonica (That's in GREECE!): "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thes. 5:16-18)."

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

First Post...

I'm a week out from going and I was urged by a few people to create a blog to capture my experiences overseas. Since you're reading this, I'll assume you know where and why I am going next week, but if we haven't talked in the past 6 months, I'll fill you in...
I'm studying abroad in Athens, Greece from September 21 to December 19...It's with a program called BCA Abroad and they are putting all of us up in an apartment complex in downtown Athens. It will definitely be a big change of scenery and way different than anything I've done or anywhere I've gone before...From what I hear, though, Greece is a beautiful country with alot to offer, so hopefully I keep on this blog (along with facebook, of course) and keep you all updated and informed as to what I'll be up to.
I don't anticipate writing on here again until I get to Greece (or at least until I am 12 hours into the flight over there and need something to do) so, my next post will be from the other side of the world.
Till next time,
Ryan