Submitted by Olivia Malinowski on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
As my last week is coming to a close, I have been reflecting on the experiences I’ve had here, both good and bad. I began to think of the beginning of my program versus the end of the program and what has progressed or changed. Over three weeks, I have had to get used to a time change, a new language, new people, and a new place. Out of all these things, I think that the language barrier can be most frustrating. Even though most Greek people speak fairly good English, I ran into many situations where there was a huge language barrier. At times, the language barrier was confusing and stressful. However, this gave me the motivation to learn staple Greek words so I could communicate in situations like ordering food and riding in taxis. Luckily, a Modern Greek language class was provided by our hosts, the Athens Centre. Even though there was still a language barrier, knowing how to communicate gave me a sense of confidence and the ability to be more independent while in a new country. I also felt more respectful when I was able to say things like thank you in their first language and I could tell they appreciated my attempt at communicating with them.
