Student Interview: Cole (Greece)

Cole's Bio: a Second Year History and Philosophy Double Major interested in doing a Summer Abroad for an educational international experience and to fill a requirement for the International Affairs Certificate

What goals did you initially have for your Summer Abroad Program, and did you achieve any of them (personal, academic, professional, etc.)?

Going into the Greece summer abroad program, I wanted both a stimulating educational experience and the fun and lasting memories that visiting a new country can bring. I hoped to meet new people, broaden my understanding of Greece, and have an enjoyable experience that a regular classroom couldn't offer. The program managed to exceed all of my expectations. The educational aspect was unparalleled, offering a hands-on experience and connection to the course material that a classroom could not compare to. The people I met were dedicated and kind, allowing everyone to explore and learn together in an unfamiliar country. I met every goal I had set for this program and surpassed them.

How did you get settled into your program location? What are some steps you took to get comfortable being in a new place?

I lived in an apartment shared between four people, with two bedrooms. I had to choose my own roommate and then coordinate toiletries, cooking supplies, and more with three people I had never met before. The apartment was in the heart of Athens. To make the transition easier, my roommates and I explored the city together. Doing everyday errands like grocery shopping or finding somewhere for lunch helped the city become somewhere familiar rather than a collection of ominous buildings. By the end of the first day, I already felt comfortable in Athens with my new roommates.

What did you learn about the culture of your location?

The Greek summer abroad course is dedicated to understanding modern Greek culture. Throughout, we learned about Greek music, the significance of different foods, how Greeks view themselves on the world stage, and much more. Beyond the coursework, small cultural differences became apparent quickly. The coffee is different from what I was used to with merchants focusing on foamy iced coffee and restaurants only fill up after 8pm, reflecting the Greek tradition of eating late. In bigger ways, too, political life in Athens is impossible to miss: the streets are filled with graffiti for one cause or another.

How did you manage your time between attending classes, working on assignments, socializing, and still being able to immerse yourself in the culture?

Managing my time was very easy. Outside of classes and field trips, students were largely left on their own, which gave plenty of time to explore Athens, have fun, and still keep up with coursework. It was also easy to combine the two: for example, I went to a beautiful rooftop café with friends that had a view of the Parthenon and did my course readings there over a cappuccino. Even when it was coursework, the environment made it feel like part of the fun.

How did you find the course content to be relevant to your field trips? Is there anything you were surprised to learn during one of your field trips?

The field trips were a great help in bringing the course content to life. Take the Caryatids as an example. These are a collection of ancient statues, one of which was taken in the 1800s to the British Museum. The course readings described the significance of this loss within Greek culture, but that only becomes truly clear when you visit the Acropolis in person. There, the museum has deliberately arranged the remaining Caryatids with a gap where the missing figure once stood. Only by seeing this firsthand could you appreciate the weight that the Greek government and its people place on this stolen cultural artifact.