Submitted by Alexis Garhart on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures…
I met a new friend, a cat, in front of the iconic Parthenon. This photo embodies a lot of culture shock that came along with making my new feline friend as well as seeing the Parthenon under a lot of construction. It has made me sad seeing all of the friendly animals that are strays here in Greece. It has made my transition into the culture much more difficult because I always want to help them when I see them wandering around. In addition, when learning about the Acropolis and its structures before the program, I regularly thought about the picturesque views that are preserved from the ancient world. However, I realized on my visit that it is mostly unrealistic to think that everything is exactly the same. After thousands of years, the structures have required a lot of work to preserve them. The construction is necessary to maintain or enhance the level of preservation and give us the experience it does today. It was surprising to me that a place with such a rich history could be the same as my hometown in something such as construction and maintenance. Regardless, aside from encountering strays and construction, the Parthenon was certainly a site to see.