Final Reflections

I cannot believe that my semester in Greece is complete. It doesn’t seem like long ago when I boarded my flight in San Francisco and said goodbye to mom and dad. I remember the feelings of anxiety and uncertainty I had the week leading up to my departure and the first week I was in Athens. Looking back I have grown and been changed by this experience. It was truly once in a lifetime and I cannot even put into words what this semester has meant to me. The experiences I have had, the places I have traveled to, and the people I met are priceless to me. Studying abroad was one of the most exciting, adventurous, and challenging things I have ever done. Moving to another country for a semester taught me so much about the world, other cultures, and myself. I learned about my own strength and ability to cope in a new situation and flourish in a new place. I learned about the generosity and welcoming nature of the Greek people who from my very first day showed me hospitality. I think back to my first day, when I stood helpless in front of my locked apartment door, and I remember the kindness showed to me by my neighbors, complete strangers at the time. That day, they welcomed me into their home and throughout the semester, Greeks welcomed me into theirs. Greece was the best place I could have gone because it challenged me in so many ways. Not speaking the language was humbling and made me realize the frustration and humor that can result from confused conversations and misunderstandings. It forced me to be present, take in my surroundings and pay attention. Greece certainly had its quirks (no flushing toilet paper, everything closed on Sundays, random strikes and protests, and a laidback attitude towards almost everything, except driving and the Acropolis), but for me, these were some of the little things that made it Greece. I didn't decide to study abroad to go somewhere like America. I went to explore, experience, and learn about a new place.

Athens as a city is not the most aesthetic. Certainly the Acropolis and other archeological sites are breathtaking, but the city itself does not look like other Western European cities. I discovered the character of Athens and loved it for what it was. The longer I lived there, the deeper I loved it. The city is interesting, vibrant, and filled with noise and commotion. There are people everywhere and the city is alive well into the night. The history of Greece has been a hard one, and the people reflect all that the country has overcome. Athens struggles to this day to unify their classical image with their modern reality, a fact that is evident everywhere, even the subway stations that were dug around archeological sites. Greece was different from the United States in many ways, sometimes refreshing and sometimes frustrating. After four months I still don’t understand when people work. Businesses were rarely open when I left for school in the morning, closed during afternoon siesta, and not open most nights. It was uncommon to see people exercising outdoors and flip flops were a sign of poverty. I am still amazed by the women who were able to traverse the rocky ground of the Acropolis in their giant high heels, a sight that I doubt would be replicated in America. The relaxed attitude about life that most Greeks have was a breath of fresh air. Eating was an event, which is an idea I had no problem embracing. Food, company, and wine should be enjoyed for many hours and at tavernas you are never rushed away from your table. The importance of family in Greece has made me appreciate even more the special relationship and closeness that I have with my own family. This experience has awakened my desire to travel and see more of the world. Truly, I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. I will forever look back on this semester and think of it as a very special time in my life of growth, learning, and experience.

A Weekend in Santorini: My Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Dream Realized

Santorini was perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. My roommate, Anna, and I spent a weekend there in the beginning of May before getting caught up in the busyness of finals. What is incredible about living in Athens is that I can go to a Greek island for the weekend and make it back for my 8:30 am class on Monday morning. On the first day, she and I sat on the black sand beaches and enjoyed amazing weather. The sun was bright and I couldn't resist spending the day on the beach. I guess I should have paid more heed to my Greek friend who told me that I was very white and I would get red. . .I got very red (ooops! Sorry mom!) We had the beach almost to ourselves since it was not yet tourist season. The island was covered with boys just riding around on their mopeds and motorcycles all day. I guess this is why Lena in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was able to find Kostas so easily. Anna and I met a few Greek boys ourselves, although they didn't speak a word of English and Anna and I speak very little Greek. The communication barrier was frustrating, challenging, and funny. Eventually we resorted to drawing pictures (pictionary style to communicate) and realized that our new friendships weren't going to last. The next day we toured the island and explored Fira and Oia. Oia was my favorite and the quintessential image of Greece: white houses with bright blue doors and shutters, deep blue water in the background. Oia overlooks the caldera giving you a breathtaking view from the top. We watched the sunet over the water and enjoyed a delicious taverna dinner. The people I met in Santorini were so nice. Out hotel was run by Stavros, the nicest man who made us coffee and cookies each morning for breakfast. The weekend was a dream come true and an amazing experience. I can't wait to go back!

My adopted Greek grandfather

Today the weather in Athens was beautiful, sunshine and 70s. I went for a run and when I got back to my apartment I decided to sit outside on the steps for a bit and enjoy the day. Shorts in Greece are not common until the middle of the summer and most people will only exercise in gyms. So the fact that I was sitting outside of my apartment building wearing workout shorts and running gear, made me curious to the people passing by. This nice, grandfatherly Greek man came up to me and asked if I was "trying to get brown". I smiled and said, "yes I am trying to get tan." To which he replied, "You are very white. You should not sit in the sun for long, you will get red because you are very white, you see?" He told me that I was not used to the sun (I guess he couldn't tell that I was from California) and that I needed to get sun lotion. He recommended that I go to the islands to enjoy the sun, "but only if you get sun lotion first". I wanted to give him a hug. His concern about me, a total stranger, was heartwarming and reminded me of family at home.

The Devany's Take on Europe

At the beginning of April Mom, Dad, Maggie, and Carrie (honorary Devany) came to visit me in Greece. It was so wonderful to see them and get to share this part of my life with them. On the first day they were here I showed them around my neighborhood and took them on a "death march" up Lykavattus Hill. Granted it was all uphill and eventually it got so steep it turned into stairs, but from the top there is a beautiful view of the entire city. Right Mom, wasn't it worth it? For dinner that night we went to a taverna that was in the neighborhood down by my school. We had a delicious selection of Greek food including my favorite, tzatziki! And dad got his lamb. We were even treated to live Greek music.

The next day we went to the Acropolis, the Agora, Syntagma Square, the stadium, the flee market, Plaka, Monastraki, and the Parliament. It was a full day of seeing the sights. Mom, Dad, and Maggie then headed off for some Greek islands while I stayed behind to go to class, I know, it's a hard life :)

On Friday I left for Rome to visit Kathleen and experience Easter in Rome. What an incredible weekend! I toured the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Sistene Chapel with other Notre Dame students studying abroad. It was nice to see familiar faces and be back together with people from Notre Dame. Kathleen and I went to the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope said the mass and although it was mostly in Latin and Italian it was a beautiful and very spiritual experience. We had to wait in a very long line to get into the basilica and I don't think I have ever seen so many Catholics so excited to go to mass before. Literally thousands of people lined St. Peter's Square. When they started letting people in it was crazy! Priests were pushing me, nuns were being scolded by the police and told to slow down, and older ladies were running with their walking canes in hand. Since it was the vigil mass, the liturgy started with spreading the light from the Easter candle around the church. It was beautiful to see St. Peter's lit by candlelight.

On Monday I met up with Mom, Dad, and Maggie and we headed off for adventures in Assisi, Florence, and Sienna (with a little wine tasting in Tuscany mixed in). What a wonderful week! I absolutely loved Florence. We climbed to the top of the Duomo (463 stairs up!) for an amazing view of the city. I also ate the most delicious food there- you know me and my love of food. Pasta, bread, gelato, wine, tiramasu :) I was a happy girl. There were mopeds, churches, and gelaterias everywhere. The city had so much to see, but it was easily walkable (not so easy to drive in as we quickly found out the first day when we tried to return the rental car). In Florence we also saw the Ponte Vechio, the Ufizzi Museum, and Piazza Michaelangelo. On our way to Sienna we stopped at an old castle to do some wine tasting and culture outselves about chianti classico. A truly memorable spring break!

"Buy one get me free!" My Weekend in Istanbul

This past weekend I took a trip to Istanbul. Monday was a holiday in Greece (Clean Monday), which marks the beginning of Orthodox lent. My friends and I took advantage of this extended weekend and headed to Turkey for an adventure. The flight to Istanbul is only about an hour and we got in early Friday morning. At the airport we had to purchase a visa just to visit. Our first stop was the Grand Bazaar. It is a huge, indoor bazaar with thousands of different little shops and vendors selling all types of scarfs, rugs, dishes, lamps, and even bellydancing outfits (although I did a fair amount of shopping here, I didn't buy a belly dancing outfit. . .tempting, but simply not practical). Going to the Bazaar was an experience in itself. It's all about negotiating a price and they often give women a better price than they give men. The store owners try to get you to buy things from them by shouting ridiculous complements at you. Some of my favorites included: "Buy one, get me free!", "The sight of your beautiful face has changed my life, come spend your money here", one man even offered to buy me dinner if I bought something from his store (I passed). Later that day at a restaurant, someone offered to buy my friend for 35 chickens and three cows, she also declined.

On the second day we visited the Haghia Sophia, which was built in 532. It was originally a basilica, but was later converted to a mosque. The Turkish population is 99 percent Muslim. The inside is beautiful, although many of its mosaics were either destroyed or looted for their gold. Our tour guide told us that it was built in five years, which is incredible because of the building's size and complexity. They are now restoring the dome, a project which has taken 17 years and is still in process. We also went to the Blue Mosque, the Archeological Museum, and the Hippodrome. The day before we left we went to a traditional Turkish Bath, which was quite a cultural and relaxing experience. The room is similar to a giant suana and there is a large warm marble stone that you lay on. Finally, on the last day we took a ferry over to the side of Istanbul that is in Asia. Most of Turkey is actually a part of Asia, although most of the sites of Istanbul are in Europe. My trip was wonderful, but also exhausting!

Athens has lots of stray dogs and cats that roam around the city. They are taken care of by Athenians and most of the dogs are overweight from being fed all day by passersby. These dogs have their own territory in the city and I will see the same ones in the same places everyday. One particular dog is around the academic center day and night, watching students come and go. These dogs take on human characteristics and I have seen them cross the street only after the pedestrian signal turns green. On a class fieldtrip, two dogs joined our class and walked around Athens with us. Last night, walking back from cooking class, my roommates and I had a dog follow us back, barking if other people came close to us. I've actually heard that it is common for the dogs here to take on a protective role, especially for women.

This past weekend I went to Aegina, an island right off the mainland coast. It was about an hour and a half ferry ride from the port city of Piraeus. The ferry boat was huge and mostly empty. But I can imagine that during the busy season it is packed with visitors. It was nice to get out of the city, away from the noise and people. Aegina was beautiful. The day was clear and the water was brilliant. In contrast to the giant ferry boats, there were small fishing boats lining the port (which of course reminded me of the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants). We visited the Temple of Apollo and ate lunch in a taverna right on the water. Our lunch was unlike any other dining experience I have ever had. The view was spectacular. From where we were sitting, you could see the Mediterranean Sea and several other islands in the distance. The restaurant had a pretty extensive menu, but we soon learned that they didn't have most of the items because they hadn't gotten the supplies from the mainland yet. I was also reminded of how nice it would be to speak greek, as I thought I ordered shrimp but got calamari instead. I can't wait to visit more of the islands!

Athenian Days

Last Saturday I went on a hike up Mount Pendeli, which is about an hour outside of Athens. The city of Athens is surrounded by mountains (very different from South Bend, IN) and it was fun to see some of the suburbs of the city as we drove away from the busy city center. The view from the top of the mountain was spectacular! It overlooks an outlying suburb of Athens, and area which is known to have been a part of the route of the first marathon (during the Battle of Marathon). Behind the city you can see the Mediterranean Sea and one of Greece’s larger islands. I sat there on the top of the mountain eating the most delicious Greek pastry, soaking up God’s beautiful creation; it was unreal. The water was just as blue as the pictures I have seen and the landscape of Greece is so varied. The Acropolis is about a ten minute walk from my school. This week, a group of friends and I took a walk down to Plaka, which is the neighborhood right around the Acropolis. It is a really charming area, with narrow streets, cool architecture, and lots of little shops. Every so often, you come across columns or some type of ruins that has been exposed. The Acropolis towers over the neighborhood below and for the first time I was really able to get a sense for how big the Acropolis really is. We climbed a nearby hill that offered an amazing view of Athens. In one direction you could see the port, with the boats and the ferries in the Mediterranean. Looking the other way you could see the Acropolis, surrounded by the sprawling urban city. Again I was struck by the diversity of the city as I walked through the different neighborhoods. On this particular day there was a group of people protesting the working hours. Protests are common in Athens and are for the most part, extremely peaceful. Demonstrating is simply a part of everyday culture for Athenians and it is learned at a very young age (elementary school students are allowed to demonstrate if they don’t like their teacher). Police were closely following the protest as the people headed towards Syntagma Square and closing the streets for the protestors to allow them to pass. As I walked through other parts of the city I saw the guards that march in front of the presidential palace, doing a highly stylized and symbolic march to commemorate Greek independence from Ottoman rule. Each part of their unique dress is symbolic of something. For instance they wear clogs that make a particular sound when they march to recreate the sound of horses walking.I also took Greek dance lessons this week at my school. . . OPA!

My First Week of Class(ics)

The city of Athens is unlike any other place I have seen. It is filled with large, multiple story, concrete apartment buildings, that for the most part look the same. They were built quickly in response to difficult economic times for the country and it is common for many generations of family members to live in the same building. My professors tell me that it is customary for children to live with their parents well into their 30's (don't worry dad, this isn't my life plan). In contrast to these concrete buildings there is the Acropolis, which stands high above the city. It is meant to be the highest point in Athens and so buildings are purposely built only up to a certain height. The city is divided into many neighborhoods, each with their own unique feel. I live in Kolonaki, which I have been told is the wealthiest neighborhood in Athens. The buildings here look very similar to those in other parts of the city, but the shops and stores give the area its charm. It is about a 20 minute walk from my school and is situated on a hill. Bakeries line the sidewalk down the hill and fill the street with sweet smells of pastries and cheese pies. Every Friday there is a farmers market held on the street right below mine. Many Athenians rely on these markets to buy all of their produce for the week. The market has every type of fruit and vegetables (including artichokes, avocados, strawberries, and some I didn’t recognize). It also had fresh fish and octopus (often times salted and left with the head still attached). 

I passed on those. As you reach the end of the street you can find people selling household items like paper towels, and clothing on the very edge of the market. I walked up and down the street taking in the sights and sounds of the market. The stand owners were yelling in Greek about the produce they were selling while the customers were engaging in intense negotiations to lower the given price. I noticed that the younger men at the stands would try to use their charm to induce the younger women to buy their produce from them. I bought some vegetables from a couple of different stands that had some of the better prices as I knew I wouldn’t be able to do much negotiating in Greek.
I am also learning about cultural and lifestyle differences in Greece. The weather here has for the most part been beautiful (upper 60s and 70s). However, it seems that all of the Athenians that I see and talk to think it is freezing. They navigate the streets wearing their boots and large down jackets, while I wear jeans and a short sleeve top. My professor explained that Greeks dress for the season and since it is winter they dress in warm clothing.   I guess the past two winters in South Bend have given me a different interpretation 

of cold weather and perspective of winter. 70 degrees in January in South Bend is unheard of. In fact double digits at Notre Dame is usually considered a nice day in January and February. On one of the warmer days I made the mistake of wearing flip flops while walking to class. Apparently this is a very American thing to do and people really do stare at your feet on the street if you dare to wear these out in public. Gender relations are also much different in Greece. If you smile and say hello to someone you don’t know very well, you are considered to be very forward and flirtatious. Before my professor told me this I was trying to practice the few Greek words that I knew, including ‘hello’. As I was walking through the national gardens, an old man passed me and I said hello to him in Greek. He looked at me strangely, mumbled something under his breath and continued walking. Now I know why. 

Day One

After 3 flights and about 30 hours, I arrived in Athens on Monday afternoon. Although exhausted, I was ready to start this new, exciting, and somewhat overwhelming adventure. My first experience in Athens was the cab ride that I took from the airport to my apartment. My driver was very nice and luckily spoke English. My two giant suitcases were literally strapped to the back of the cab with two giant rubber bands because they were too large to fit in the small trunk of the car. I admit that I was skeptical that I would ever see my suitcases again. We drove into the heart of the city and I realized why the cars are so small. The narrow streets make it hard to maneuver and our cab came within inches of parked cars (many times). I also learned the very helpful lesson that pedestrians do not have the right of way. . .ever. I find myself checking and double checking before I cross a street to ensure that a moped or smart car isn't speeding towards me. When we pulled up to the front of my apartment building I saw that I would have to climb two rather steep flights of stairs. My cab driver also noticed this, looked at me, and then looked at my luggage strapped to his car and decided to try to find the other side of the building so I didn't have to climb the stairs (after all he lifted my suitcases onto the car, so he knew they were heavy).
I was finally standing in front of my apartment door. After so many hours of traveling and two nights spent on a plane I was ready to go inside and relax. By some miracle my luggage survived three flights and a cab ride and I couldn't wait to not have to worry about carrying it around. I put my key in the door, releaved that the hard part of the day was over. Now all I had to do was open a door. I put the key in and turned the key (rather I tried to turn the key). Hmmmm, I must be doing this wrong, there must be a "Greek" way to unlock a door. I tried again and again, nothing. So there I stood with my all my luggage in front of my door. I decided to ask for help. I admit this was was a bit intimidating since I knew absolutely no one in this building and I didn't know exactly what to say, "Uh, hi I can't open my door" didn't exactly make me sound like the confident traveler I hoped to be. Eventually I knocked on the door across the hall. Although my neighbors didn't speak English and I couldn't speak a word of Greek they tried so hard to help. Eventually it was determined that the lock was broken and they called my school and asked to have someone sent over and fix my door. Their kindness to me was incredible and they stayed with me until my door was unlocked. Although we couldn't understand each other's language, they understood that I needed help and made me feel welcome in this new place. I have been in Athens for only a few days now, but I have seen this welcoming spirit again and again in the Greek people. My trip has been an adventure from the very beginning and I look forward to discovering more about this beautiful country and culture.