Submitted by Christine Zeszut on the 2016 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
In the morning, we visited the Acropolis museum. The most interesting part was that the floors were glass and you could actually see excavated archaeological sites beneath the building. My friend and I stopped at a small gyro shop on our way back to our apartment and had the best gyros. The afternoon consisted of sun bathing with new friends. Our evening was spent in class, two hours of English, as well as a two hour session learning Greek.
Friday began with a morning class period. Next, we met up with one of our guides, Keti, and she took us on a typical Athenian’s day. We stopped for coffee at this incredible chocolate bar, called chocolata, where I ordered a cold cappuccino. After walking around and shopping, we stopped at a small gyro shop, a little hole in the wall. We also went to a small leather workshop. The guy showed us how to make leather products, and as a class we made a bracelet. In the evening, my friend and I decided to go to Hard Rock Cafe. I felt as if I were back in the States. All the foods were American, like burgers and fries! I actually got a salad and it was phenomenal! It had arugula, cranberries, feta and pecans. On the way home, Athens was buzzing! So many people in the streets just enjoying the scenery. We watched three different groups of street performers: one rap group, one break dance group and another group dancing with fire.
After an early morning class period, we went with one of our archaeologists, Iris, to ancient Agora. There, we visited the ruins and imagined the bustling area it would’ve been in the 5th century BC. There’s one particular spot in the Agora where a house once stood that Socrates often frequented. SOCRATES. How incredible! Additionally, the court house where Socrates was put on trial and eventually sentenced to death was definitely in the Agora, although the exact location of the court house is unclear.
Early Sunday morning, we hopped on the bus to travel to Delphi in the mountains. On the way, we stopped at Hosios Loukas monastery in the mountains. Wow. I’ve never been somewhere so beautiful and so peaceful. It’s set in the mountains, pretty isolated from any town. The silence was so soothing.
We stopped for lunch in a small village built on the side of a mountain. The small village is a popular place to stay for skiing. The restaurant, Kaplanis, served food made from local ingredients, including meats and cheeses. I tried the local cheese and the local pasta, both of which were phenomenal!
Monday began with breakfast at the hotel. The spread included juices, scrambled eggs with peppers, and an array of pastries. Then we visited Delphi, it’s ruinsand the museum. It was freezing and it snowed while we were exploring the ruins.
We had a lunch break at Epikounos, complete with a breathtaking view of the mountains. I ordered grilled feta, which was one of the most amazing things I’d ever tasted. And I also ordered spaghetti napolitana (spaghetti with tomato sauce). Before making the two hour drive back to Athens, we stopped quickly at the lower ruins of Delphi.
Tuesday was our first free day! A group of us decided to hike up Mount Lycabettus to a monastery. The view was even more breathtaking than that of the Acropolis. In the evening, I went to a CrossFit gym! I had contacted the gym prior to leaving the States and they were excited to have me! Although CrossFit is the same everywhere, as in the movements are universal, it was slightly odd dealing with the language barrier. But the CrossFit gym felt like home to me. At the end of the workout, we were stretching as a group, and the coach was saying that my nickname is Chrissy. One of the members was saying back that Chrissy in Greek means crisis…. Oh great!
Wednesday, I was not feeling well so I did not participate in any of the day’s activities. I had been sick for almost a week, but it finally took its toll on my body. Although, I did muster up enough strength to make it to class in the evening.
On Thursday, we visited an old Greek Orthodox Church. The architecture was very similar to that of the monastery in the mountains. Inside, the church was so ornate and decorative. We met with a priest, who talked about the Orthodox faith, and we were able to ask questions. It was interesting to hear about the faith and compare it to my own.
