Submitted by Ashley Steele on the 2022 winter session program in Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
We’re finally in Greece! It’s crazy to think that we all got accepted into this program back in September and to see how things have changed drastically Covid-wise since then. There were a lot of times where I was afraid this program would get canceled, but here we are! It’s been pretty rainy here so far, but that hasn’t stopped Professor Satran from taking us on multiple walking tours around Athens! Greeks are so incredibly friendly – their faces absolutely light up when you speak Greek to them in stores and on the street. I made sure to brush up on a few basic phrases like thank you and excuse me before coming here, just to be respectful! We have the awesome opportunity to be taking a couple of Greek language classes here so we can learn the basics of the language and learn the dos and don’ts of Greek culture (like not throwing your toilet paper in the toilet and not needing to tip at restaurants unless in large groups)! Stray cats rule the streets here – you can find them around every corner and in the front of countless shops, just hanging out and enjoying the bustling cobblestone streets.
On our first full day, we stopped as a group at an adorable bakery where I grabbed a galaktoboureko, or a milk pie, which is a phyllo pastry filled with custard and topped with syrup and powdered sugar, and a cappuccino before our orientation at the Athens Center where we’ll be taking our Biblical and Classical Literature course! The jetlag has already been hitting and I’m really looking forward to fully adjusting to the seven hour time difference over here. We then went to a great kabob and gyro (pronounced yee-roh, this is one of the most famous if not the most famous Greek food – usually made with lamb/beef/pork and tzatziki sauce wrapped in a delicious fluffy pita) place for lunch and I have to say, my stomach is not loving me right now after all I’ve eaten today. It’s the most uncomfortable my stomach has felt in a long time, so I’m going to have to watch what I eat in these next couple of weeks so I’m not in so much uncomfortable pain for classes!