A Day in The Life at The Artemis

- This post has been sitting in my drafts for months. I forgot that I wrote it. Take me back.

The first thing I do when I wake up is pull the curtains back to reveal Porto Rafti.

I get ready for the day, picking clothes out of my makeshift closet and sharing a tiny bathroom with three other (wonderful) girls.

Breakfast is continental style, something I show up to on occasion. Usually it’s Master Crumble or Fitness Yogurt, the two best cereals in creation. Or sometimes, a pastry and juice.

Classes vary by day—even or odd—and on the even, I only have one.

Then it’s our family style chapel in the den, where we snuggle under fleece blankets, sing, hear a devotional, and lift up prayer requests or praises.

Lunch is served at 1:30 and then our afternoons are free. Whatever we want, whenever we want! Today we jumped on the metro bound for Athens. The Plaka was our ultimate destination, with Poet sandals in mind.

The Artemis is loud. It’s pulsating with an energy that cannot be tamed. We’re excited all the time; excited for the short adventures of the day, whether it was trying gyros at a new restaurant, walking to The Point, or hiking HUG mountain; we’re excited to have one another, someone to talk to at all times, to laugh with, to pray with.

We’re a family of sorts. Hanging out in the den together is a favorite. Steven on his laptop, Tori singing, Jason playing the guitar, Zach dominating Mario on the Wii. Some people are reading for class, others are playing card games. It’s cozy and it’s comfortable.

When someone jumps up and says, “Let’s explore!” eight other people jump up, too. No one cares where or what. Ice cream? Sure. A second dinner at Demitris? Athens? Yes, yes, let’s do it all! That’s the attitude.

Living in The Artemis is half the fun of HUG. This is where we bond. This is where we live, laugh, eat, sleep, learn. This is where our hearts open up to one another in devotionals, singing, praying, or simply talking.

This is where we become family.