9/26/2019 - 10/06/2019
“This heart of mine was made to travel this world.”
I’ve always loved traveling, whether it were for family vacations, cattle shows, little road trips with my friends, or moving across the globe for school. There’s so many things you can learn by getting out into the world and seeing what else is out there. I feel very fortunate as with this trip I have the opportunity to not only learn in the classroom but also through experience, new friends, and submersing myself into a completely different culture.
The culture and accustoms here are much different than those seen in the United States. Greeks are very social, kind people, with very little sense of personal space. For example, it’s not uncommon to be in line at the grocery store and have someone standing right up against you, even if there is ample space. Greeks also don’t mind giving a slight nudge to those in their way, whether it be on the sidewalk or while looking at something in a store. It’s taking a bit to get used to since Americans seem to try to avoid making contact with strangers in public.
One big difference I have seen between the two cultures is that Americans are much, much more vocal and overall loud. For example, here, on the bus people generally speak very softly or not at all whereas in the states people talk very freely. It’s pretty easy to spot fellow Americans just by how much more vocal they are in public. This will definitely take some getting used to as I love to talk, maybe too much, and sometimes a little too loud.
Besides becoming acquainted with the culture and accustoms, things here have been fantastic! We had the opportunity to visit the Alexander the Great Beach Hotel, which was absolutely stunning, hike Mount Olympus, and plan many future weekend trips across Europe. Classes have also gone well so far and I am so excited to learn more!