Exploring Athens in Class. This semester, students at College Year in Athens have gone on some amazing field-trips: from Delphi, to the Peloponnese, all the way to Crete. We’ve enjoyed tours through amazing archaeological sites and wandered through sunny beaches, rainy mountainsides and a plethora of monasteries and museums. While these overnight trips are incredible, I think one of the neatest aspects of this semester is the ability to field trip throughout Athens as well. It’s usually a normal Monday or Tuesday; everyone is on campus. We don’t have to pack a bag or make a big deal. We just hop on the metro with a professor or two and go. We don’t hold class on campus; we get to have class outside of a room. The city of Athens is packed with ruins, remnants and reconstructions, and I very much appreciate touring some of these sites with our knowledgeable professors!

The fully reconstructed Athenian trireme Olympias.

1. Olympias 2: Trireme Reconstruction. Location: Hellenic Naval Harbor. Class: Ancient Science & Technology: Definitely at the top of my “wow” list is our class lecture on board the Olympias 2. The Olympias 2 is the only successful reconstruction of the ancient trireme (meaning, “three”), a naval warship that basically marked Athenian Naval supremacy during the 5th and 4th Our class was the first at CYA to bus down to the harbor, and we were the first group ever granted access to explore below deck! It’s a huge deal for nautical archaeology, and was an incredibly exciting morning for me.

Dr. Papadopoulos on the lower deck with students sitting at the oars. Trireme Olympias

2.  Ancient Agora: Ancient Marketplace/City Center. Location: Monastiraki Class: Ancient Science & Technology

One day, we met our professor at the Monastiraki metro station and walked over to the Agora, where we were sent on a scavenger hunt to find the ancient structures that so heavily influenced daily life in ancient Greek. Some groups set off to find treasuries or stoas; my team and I headed for the Temple of Hephaestus, the only really intact structure left at the Agora. After discussing this area for years in class, all of the maps I’ve studied suddenly came to life, while standing under the Athenian sunshine.

The Ancient Agora

CYA Students in class at the National Archaeological Museum Athens

3. National Archaeological Museum. Location: Exarcheia. Classes: Ancient Greek Sculpture, Ancient Science & Technology

The assigned classroom for Ancient Greek Sculpture Class is located on the second floor of the “Classroom Building” at CYA. However, our actual classroom for the majority of the semester was at the National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Most classes, we meet on the steps outside the entrance, obtain our free student tickets, and spend the next hour or so discussing everything from kouroi to marbles to bronzes. When we have presentations, we don’t make Power points and stand at the front of the room; instead, we get to talk about the pieces while standing/sitting right next to them (I’m giving a presentation on the Artemision Bronze Horse & Jockey next week). It makes researching and learning so much more interesting when you can look the statue in the eye.

On-site Class from inside the Parthenon. A rare opportunity for CYA students

4. The Akropolis (& Museum). Location: Acropolis. Classes: Ancient Greek Sculpture, Ancient Science & Technology.

When you think of Athens, the Akropolis should come to mind. What you may not think of, however, is a professor taking you through the Propylea, then obtaining a permit to go behind the ropes and into the Parthenon itself. Imagine standing in the middle, hearing about the construction methods of such a marvelous feat and thinking about its vital importance. The Parthenon housed the chryselephantine statue of Athena, was the site of the Panathenaic festival, and its existence all but defined Athens itself. The ability to walk around such monuments, or walk through the museum and see artifacts, compare pediments/statues/metopes, and analyze building techniques really brings antiquity back to life when we’re standing there, living in

Before arriving in Greece, I had definite preconceived notions of what the terrain would look like. Those picturesque deep blue waters, some cliffs (it is rocky, after all), but mostly beaches. I had no idea what variety of landscape existed here until I found myself crossing the country with my classes. So here’s an appreciation post for all the beautiful landscape Greece has to offer:

1. Mainland coastlines: First and foremost, Greece has stunning beaches and views of the water, all over. Greece has a reported 13,676km of coastlines and is ranked #13 in the world as having the most coastlines, by country. Any random Saturday, or any other day of the week, for that matter, is a splendid time to hop on the metro or take an Uber down to the water. From sand beaches, to ports, to rocky waterlines and even dinner with a view of the horizon, mainland Greece is nothing short of coastal feels.

2. Islands: The Grecian islands offer a bit more of an exotic/vacation-type atmosphere. They’re nothing more than a few-hour ferry ride away and are exactly what they look like in media. Gorgeous views almost everywhere you turn, insanely busy in the tourist season, and relaxed (and cheaper!) in the off-season.

3. Monumental Mountains: From Mount Olympus to Metsovo, Greece is home to a plethora of mountain terrain. While Athens’s city streets do slope up and down on the regular, that walk to the Supermarket is nothing compared to the heights we could be climbing. The hike on Mount Olympus stands as one of my favorite experiences this semester, but even that type of mountain varies significantly from the mountain towns we visited in northern Greece. Nestled in northern Greece is a string of towns called Metsovo, Ioannina and Meteora. Meteora is best known for its cliff-side monasteries: truly awe-inspiring works of architecture and Greek Orthodoxy. On the other hand, Metsovo and Ioannina are cozy towns, nestled into massive rock forms, and best known for their delicious meats and cheeses. Something about chilly mountain air and somewhat foreboding surroundings that remind me of how small I am, and how much of the world is left to explore.

4. Cities, Quaint & Crowded: Athens is the most populated city in Greece, and Thessaloniki follows second behind. People live in close proximity to one another, and city centers are crowded from as early as 10am to the wee hours of 4am (I may or may not know this first hand).  The commotion is both interesting to watch and key in learning about the culture. People are always moving, and while “Greek time” has a bit of an agenda of its own, life doesn’t ever stop. That’s a concept people understand very well here, and it’s fascinating to see in action. On the flip side, our school has visited a number of small towns, such as Nafplio (in the picture below), the original Greek capital, with a singular town square, delicious gelato shops and quiet side streets around every turn.

5. Ruins, Everywhere: Maybe it’s because I’m a classicist, but I think one of the most captivating things is the juxtaposition between antiquity and modernity. Ancient ruins permeate the vast majority of Greece, and are often situated directly next to modern buildings and businesses. Metro lines have ancient aqueducts and artifacts on display; the new Akropolis Museum has glass floors to allow visitors to see the original architecture below. While some ancient sites (ex: Cape Sounio) are a bit removed from everything, so much of the history is maintained in the city, in the heart of modern life; it’s a pretty rad sight to see.

Greece is complex, diverse, and has so much to offer. Its diversity in terrain reflects the multitude of historical, cultural and social impacts that have molded Greece into the country it is today.   

Pause. When I think about all the things I’ve done this semester, it’s feels unrealistically real, honestly. Time is moving, but rarely does it feel like it’s going that fast. We only have 4 weeks left and I am finally starting to understand my place here in Greece. It’s happening. After a long hiatus from writing, I’d like to update you on where I’ve been and how all such experiences have impacted me more than I thought it would.  

Metsovo. A quiet little town with strong historical ties to the Ottoman Empire, the place prides itself on rich detail, a strong presence and delicious meat. Mountainous views and red roofs that remind me of fall, which is so unlike Greece, surround Metsovo. Fall isn’t really a thing here, at least in Athens, that is. You see the resemblance when looking around at the colorful leaves lining the streets, when your breath fogs up your glasses and the jittery shivers of cold become present. This village was unlike anything I’ve experienced in Greece and I plan on coming back.

Meteora. There is a reason why monasteries were built on these giant rocks protruding the Earth, because seeing something like this only makes me want to believe in something more. Faith is like that. Believing in something you wouldn’t think exists because physical proof seems almost impossible. Though this not a talk about what I believe in, I hope you get the idea. In lieu of the astonishing sights, I probably took about 50 photographs of the same thing, just because I wanted to remind myself of how incredible the sight was.

Nafplio. A city that used to be the capital of Greece, Nafplio is known for its old and original lifestyle. The city has the BEST gelato with the BEST whipped cream I’ve ever had. Hands down. I asked for the almond and dark chocolate flavors, with of course, extra whipped cream. I think I would personally sacrifice myself to the Gods just to get one more chance at that beautiful gelato again. Nafplio also has beautiful imagery everywhere you look. There is a path along the water with a perfect view of beautiful and bright stars (I have a thing for stars, in case you wanted to know). Along with this, I ended up seeing a local pottery man 3 times in 2 days of being there. Unfortunately, I cannot spell his name and if I tried, I would seriously butcher it. I don’t want to feel like a disgrace so I am leaving his name alone. He told me all about his business: how long he’s been running it, his long hours of glazing, his experience with his work and the ins and outs of perfecting pottery. So, I decided to come back, and then again a third time. If you ever go to Nafplio, be sure to stop by his shop. He sells beautiful evil eyes with colorful glazes that make the clay piece look out of this world. I bought 4.

Olympia. A blur of sorts. Not just because I had a terrible stye on my eye, but also because I only spent one day here. I had the chance to see Epidaurus: the crazy, huge and best acoustic theatre there ever was. I stood in the middle of the platform and my friends up at the top said they actually could hear me talking. I promise I was not yelling.

Our British professor Pitt also helped us navigate through the very restored ruins. He described it as such, “about 5% of this structure is ruins, the rest is just feta cheese.” Thank you Pitt, for your very thoughtful appreciation of ruins and restoration. I will take that with me until the end of my day.

Sparta. We didn’t do much here, mostly because the whole town has nothing left of the actual ruins of the Spartans. However, I fell in love with the view of Sparta. My group hiked up to the site of Menelaion and I can’t even put into words how wonderful it was to feel the wind against my face and an actual moment of serenity. You know, I’ve had my fair share of traumatizing moments here in Greece, but this was not one of them. I felt so completely content and that’s what makes it all worth it, right? A moment that gives you a “yes, I am here for a reason and this is it” attitude.

For dinner, a group of students and myself drove up to a taverna on the hill. Lately, I haven’t really been feeling the taverna style dinners, just because I’m craving some Chinese, but opa!!!!!! It was the best Greek food ever. I devoured the Greek salad with feta cheese, the grilled cheese, the sausage and lamb chops and the bread full of tzatziki. For drinks, we filled up pitchers of spring water that poured from various fountains outside of the restaurant. The water was so refreshing and if I could somehow described that water, I’d say full of goodness. It was truly, a unique experience.

Delphi. A short 2-hour drive from Athens, Delphi was beyond words and I am certain now why it was a place to worship and sacrifice to the Gods. It was pouring rain the whole 2 days we were there, but despite this, how could I not be content? I was at the center of the world. I could speak more on it, but I could never do it more justice than this photograph right here.

Athens. The place that’s become my home for the past three months. I find myself learning something new everyday about this city. On Sunday, I volunteered for the Athens Authentic Marathon, where I helped pick up water bottles from runners. I watched spectators cheering for their partner, parent, friend, etc. I saw a man from American suffer an awful cramp to the thigh and an old lady walked over to help him out. I watched a little boy become so excited to help out with the water bottle station that he grabbed an unopened water bottle out of a trash can. This type of enthusiasm was something that I was not expecting and it made me love Athens more than ever.

Later that night, I attended my first Greek soccer game. I have been a soccer player my whole life making this opportunity a blessing of sorts. I became so invested in the game that I ended up feeling like a Greek. I would cheer when they would cheer. I used hand gestures non-stop and I screamed loudly when they tied the game in less than 30 seconds to go. The atmosphere of this soccer game was something I will forever cherish.

***

Here’s the thing. This reflection is ultimately here, to remind myself of the experiences I’ve already forgotten about. Not because I don’t want to remember them, but because studying abroad feels like a blur of time with countless experiences that could never be fully reflected on. When I’m asked what it was like when I get home in a month, I hope to show them this.

Greece has given me so many moments I couldn’t even imagine I’d have before I came on this trip. This country has slowly and surely woven its way into my heart, because there is so much I already know, but am still excited to learn more about. Right now, I am paused in my journey to reflect and share my story, but am ready to hit play again. You see, I only have four more weeks left. So, ready, set, go.

By Alyssa Tayrien

Opa" best translates to "oops" in English, which definitely describes my latest adventure. This story is a bit longer than my normal posts, but I think it’s funny and describes one of my favorite trips, ever.

So last week, all CYA students were exempt from classes due to a Forum that took place on campus. Naturally, many of us made plans to explore Europe outside of Greece.

While most students booked flights to Italy or Hungary, my roommate and I decided we were going to be different: we wanted to see the terrain by train.

After checking schedules online, we set out to catch a train from Athens to Thessaloniki (northern Greece), where we would have dinner, then hop on another train (overnight) and wake up for breakfast in Belgrade, Serbia. From Belgrade, it was only a few more hours on the rail system to our destination of Budapest!

As most unexpected stories begin, the first leg of our trip went swimmingly. We arrived early for the train, had time for breakfast, and even purchased our tickets with the “young people’s” discount – perks of being under 25 in Greece! It wasn’t until we arrived in Thessaloniki and the lady looked at me like I spoke gibberish (despite the slight language barrier) when I asked the international ticket office for a one-way to Belgrade:

Teller: “No, nothing goes to Belgrade. No, we do not go to Hungary either.”

Me: “Well, how close to Budapest can we get?”

Teller: “You cannot go to Budapest. You can take a train to Sofia.”

Me: “What time does it leave?”

Teller: “It left at 6:50am.”

Current time: 5:15pm.

…Well this is awkward.

The thing is, my roommate and I had to find a way to Budapest, because we already bought our plane tickets home on Sunday evening. So, we find a hostel in Thessaloniki, with a bit of confusion but nonetheless a smile because, after all, there are worse places to be stranded.

Thursday morning, we arrive back at the train station to check the next departure to Sofia, which is (of course) unavailable, and subsequently search across town until we find an international bus that travels straight from Thessaloniki to Budapest every* Thursday – YAY! *Except, by “every Thursday,” the bus company actually meant every Thursday EXCEPT the day that Katie and I were trying to go to Budapest.

After a train of emails to our Hostel in Budapest, notifying them of our reservation alterations, we purchase bus tickets to Belgrade, our originally planned second stop.

What would an international bus-ride be, however, if we didn’t almost miss its departure because our taxi driver couldn’t find the bus stop and didn’t speak English? And really, the rest of the bus ride would have been utterly boring if we had slept and hadn’t been stopped by the Serbian police for over 30 minutes after crossing the border in the middle of the night.

There we stood, in the cold – wearing leggings and light sweaters – as they scrupulously checked all areas of the bus. Eventually, we rolled into Belgrade around 7:00 Friday morning. Locating the nearest train station, we crossed the street and asked every person until we found the international ticketer how best we could get to Hungary.

“One train for Budapest leaves at 7:20,” she said. We checked our phones – the time read 7:15.

“We’ll take two!” we exclaimed, in our biggest moment of eureka and ran to platform #2. The thing is, we saw very little activity on platform #2. Fun facts: the country of Serbia is one hour behind Greece. Because we hadn’t had wifi, our phones failed to update and we thought we were late. Instead, we leisurely settled near some coffee.

Finally, we climbed into our train car, to find out it had a broken heater. Thankfully, the attendants let us move to a cozier car, where we blissfully napped for the next 7 hours and excitedly awoke in Hungary.

Hungary is beautiful, chilly and a great vacation spot! It is a place with astounding architecture, and a lovely atmosphere. We partook in a pub run, tasted Hungarian beer at a rad ruin pub (Szimpla Kert), walked in front of the steps of St. Stephen’s Basilica, sipped mulled wine as we strolled down the Fisherman’s Bastion, had dinner in the middle of Buda and Pest at the park on Margaret (Margitsziget) Island, awed at views from the Buda Castle, and made friends from across the world: Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and Scotland.

Now, after our struggle in traveling to Budapest, you can’t imagine we would return home without any difficulty: cue the Grecian air strike.

Because we’d already bought our plane tickets home, we once again found ourselves stranded – but this time, we were pros. After spending a few hours in a café situated under a pond, planning our next adventure of return to Athens, we come to a decision but hold off on buying our travel tickets until the morning. Naturally, this time, the air strike is called off and we are able to use the airport just as planned.

Plans rarely work out. When we do our best to abide by our plans, they go haywire. When we abandon them, they work out perfectly. What we are tasked with, then, is discovering alternative routes and tackling the adventure.

So, what is life? Life is sitting on the banks of the Danube River, eating a dinner of bread, cheese and cheap wine. It’s embracing the hiccups of life with a dear friend and a smile. It’s laughing out loud at every moment possible and taking adversity in stride. It’s listening to George Ezra and John Mayer in the park, then getting caught in the rain. It’s plans that literally get derailed, but choosing to make the most of such opportunities that present crazy situations. It’s singing outside of your hostel at 3am with newly made friends. It’s ordering the local coffee and running up the hill of the Buda Castle – simply because stairs are boring.

So take a train, a bus, and a plane. Grab a map and go. Learn firsthand of the amazing moments, created by complexities that may seem cumbersome in the moment, but later join together to create other, more momentous moments than originally imagined. Hop off track, deepen your appreciation of the world, of ourselves, and of the life God has blessed us with.

Seek not the adventure of a lifetime, but a lifetime of adventure.

By Maddi Brenner

Would you look at that. I’ve officially survived two months in Europe, which definitely deserves a fist pump to the sky because holy crap, this is my first time alone abroad for this long of a time. Props to me. Actually no, props to every single student at CYA. We are currently in midterms week and we are getting through it- happily, successfully and chaotically. So here we are. Me writing this piece because I need a little break from all the studying and writing. Side note: yes, we do get work here.

While we’re on this discussion of classes, there is one program of study in particular that I’ve absolutely fallen in love with. That is, my Crisis and Change in Greece and Europe course. It’s proven to be the most insightful, helpful and exciting influence on my time here abroad. Here’s why:

1. I knew absolutely nothing about Greece or its economic state when I came here in September and obviously that’s very sad because I should have read up on my current events… but who am I BUT a struggling college student that watches too much Netflix. Besides the point, I didn’t know much. So when I entered this class on the very first day, I was stoked because I was getting the chance to know hands-on information while living here. The cool and awful thing about studying such modern concepts is that I get to see what I’m learning on the streets while I walk, in the markets when I shop and around the neighborhood of Greece. I start noticing the problems and it eventually becomes real. In that awful sense, you can’t believe it’s happening. You see the suffering and the struggle from the Greeks that literally have to survive off very little money everyday. It’s a contradiction in of itself… and I struggle to admit, the coolest and worst thing I get to experience.

2. The Greece economy crisis is bad. The refugee crisis is even worse. Terrorism and extremism continues to rise. Europe is in ruins. When we discuss these topics in class, we see the parallels between why and how Greece remains stuck in a corner from the rest of Europe. They are the perfect transit country for incoming refugees and they are the least perfect country to actually accommodate for these growing rates. In truth, Greece can’t manage and the EU struggles to help after all that’s happened in the last 10 years. It’s in this sense, I begin to acknowledge Greece as a whole. I see the struggle and their want for help. I recognize the in-between uncertainties. I realize the mess of their situation because these ideas are reality and this reality causes problems for the youth, the elderly and for all Greeks. Learning these horrendous implications makes me care for all those involved.

3. It’s exciting. No, not the actual part where we discuss what’s legit happening, but the exposure to culture shocks, to successes, to a camaraderie among the Greeks. It’s seeing this country that I’m living in as home- and that means all its parts. It’s an excited sympathy and the beginning of a promising and caring relationship between Greece and I. It’s a place I can somehow, someway call home.

Taking this class has opened my eyes to reality, to a level of knowledge I didn’t know I had and of course, respect. Greece has its flaws (major ones), but it’s bigger than that, really. Greece thrives on humanity. They spend hours at the cafe. They are strong-minded and passionate about politics. They love a good conversation about opinionated topics. Whatever state of being Greece is in, the most important lesson I’ve learned from class and beyond is that the Greeks are proud of their country. And maybe that will be my takeaway when I go back to America. I will look back when I’m home and respect what I have, not focus on all the flaws and accept all things just as they are, in the end.