Submitted by Sarah Nicholls on the 2019 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences…
As my study abroad experience in Athens, Greece concludes its first week, I am still in shock about how much I have learned about this culture, my new friends, and about myself. Going into this experience, I really did not know what to expect. I knew that we would be shadowing doctors five days a week in Attikon General Hospital. But before we left, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Will I make new friends? What will the hospital be like? What if I can’t find my way around the city?”. After just one week here, I am so excited that I have enjoyed every second. Shadowing in the hospital has been so exciting. So far, I have been able to observe a Cesarean section, a nephrectomy, and a total hip replacement, just to name a few surgeries. I also shadowed doctors and medical students as they did rounds on their patients who were staying in the hospital. After my experience here with the doctors and the surgeries, I feel even more confident that the medical profession is my true calling. Understanding the human body and being able to help people and save lives is so amazing to me, and I am so excited that my shadowing experiences here have proven that this is still what I want to do.
I have also met so many great people on my program. Being surrounded with students who love the medical field just as much as I do, made it so easy to make friends. I have learned that when you are in a new and unfamiliar country where you don’t speak their native language, good friends are your best survival tool. I love my roommates, and I know that I have made some friendships that will last a lifetime. Each day, we all become more confident as we learn to navigate the city and the public transportation on our own. While the metro seemed like a maze of hallways and escalators the first day, now we all know exactly what to do and where to go! Experiencing this all for the first time with my classmates makes the bond between us even stronger.
Looking back on week one of my Athens adventure, I have already seen myself grow. I’ve made new friends, learned the ways of the city, and confirmed that the medical profession is my passion. I can’t wait to see what the next two weeks have in store!
