Submitted by Sydney Shuster on the 2019 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences…
My final days in Greece have made this program absolutely wonderful, and I am so sad to have to leave. The people that I have met on this program have been so nice and helpful. My classmates and I have been able to bond, and I have connected with people I do not think I would have met otherwise. Working with Atlantis, the program that runs the fellowship we were in, was a great experience, as the staff was invested in all of us getting the most out of our hospital shadowing experience. I have gained such an appreciation for Greek culture, as being a part of it for these past three weeks has given me a better perspective of what it is like here. Greece is an amazing country with a rich history that touches several parts of our own culture in America (the aspects of democracy and mythology are a few of these). This experience is definitely one that I will miss!
Our last weekend was spent in Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon is located. The Temple overlooks a beautiful sea with several islands around it. I was amazed that such a place could exist. The view was spectacular and the entire area was so peaceful and gorgeous. I have thought about how the Temple must have been constructed and how difficult it must have been. The hill on which the Temple sits is very steep, as I found when I climbed back up to get the shuttle home. The stones that are part of the Temple’s construction could not have been easy to carry. It shows how dedicated the people of ancient Greece were to their beliefs. I feel so honored to have spent my study abroad time here in a country with so many great people and values!