Submitted by Emily Luck on the 2016 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
Perspective: Little Feet Among Huge History
When I first arrived in Athens, Greece, I had no idea what to expect. How much English would the citizens speak? Would the buildings be as tall and intimidating as those in New York City? How large of a part would the ancient history play in the architecture of the modern buildings? My first night there was overwhelming. Suddenly, I was thrust into a completely unknown culture, where the streets and buildings were small and the personalities were huge. Our group would walk through those tiny streets, our loudness disrupting the somehow silent Athens, and I felt unwelcome, like we were barging into this city we knew nothing about. It took me a few days to adjust to the idea of actually living here for a few weeks. It wasn’t until Wednesday morning, after we had spent four hours at the Acropolis, that I felt like I could belong here. I sat in the audience of the Theatre of Dionysius, simply staring at the breathtaking ruins before me. Millions of people visit those ruins every year; my being there was no different. But there was just something about being there, about sitting where so many have sat before me, that made me truly feel connected to the city. I’m just a tiny and maybe insignificant piece of this world, but so were the common Ancient Greeks, and look what they were able to do.
A RUINed Day: Morning at the Acropolis
I’ve always dreamed about going to the ruins, but I never thought I would have the opportunity; this program offered me that opportunity. Our group went to visit the Acropolis and spent four hours there. The view of the city of Athens from the top of the mountain was intoxicating, and the ruins themselves were just as impressive. I’m sure I had an awe-struck look on my face the entire time, but I can’t begin to complain about that. It was incredible to be among so many historical artifacts and structures. And to think that people had actually worshiped their gods and goddesses there! There are no words to explain how beautiful everything was. I truly believe that each person should be given the opportunity to travel, especially to a country that contains the majority of the world’s history.