Submitted by Sydney Shuster on the 2019 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences…
When I arrived in Greece, I had no idea what an amazing experience I would have in the coming five days. It was a bit scary for me to have to live in a place so unfamiliar even though I had fellow students by my side. As I got more used to living in Athens, I was able to take in more and more of the culture. Athenians have a different meal schedule than Americans have. Lunch begins at 2 p.m. instead of 12 p.m. and dinners are normally at 6 p.m. Group dinners have been interesting as the food is served family-style. This has given me the opportunity to try a variety of foods that I would not have tried on my own, such as Greek salad and spinach pie. My study abroad experience so far has been great, and I would not have had such an impactful cultural experience otherwise.
One of the most stand-out group excursions I have been able to go on was visiting the Acropolis and seeing the Parthenon. The Parthenon is important to Athens because it is the Temple of Athena, the goddess after whom the city is named. Other structures are present on the Acropolis, and a hill on which the Athenian court used to meet is situated near the Acropolis. It was an incredible experience to be so close to the place where democracy started. The hill that looks over all of Athens has great significance because it means so much to history and Greek culture. Many come to visit the site, and it can hold religious importance for some, as I saw when a man was praying in front of the Parthenon. Athens is a beautiful city, and I cannot wait to explore more of its history and culture in the coming weeks!