Submitted by Jill Hynson on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
My initial expectation of Greece is definitely different than what my initial impression of the city is. The classic images that come to my mind when most people think of Greece are white houses surrounding water. Obviously, this is not at all what the city of Athens looks like. While I was told beforehand Athens is a “dirty” city, I did not have a very clear idea in my head of what that exactly meant. While I now understand what people meant when they say it is a dirty city, I really don’t find it that much dirtier than other places. On the initial bus ride over in the dark, my first impression was not the best. While the sun setting behind the mountains was beautiful, the buildings were not all that eye catching. Once we entered the city itself, I really could not see all that much considering it was dark out. There are many buildings in the city that look very old, worn-down, or even abandoned. However, right around the corner there is most likely a plethora of very nice restaurants, shops, or hotels. Athens is definitely a blend of old and new, fancy and plain.
One of my highest expectations of Greece was probably about the food as I know many people who have raved over Greek food. Fortunately, I am now also one of those people. All of our meals so far have been very good. I love that we also got appetizers and desserts along with the main course. Along with the food, the restaurants themselves have all been very cute with great ambiance. The Athens Centre is beautiful and super accommodating. Even though I expected everyone at the Athens Centre to be super nice, they really welcomed us with open arms. Along with the Athens Centre, I really enjoyed seeing the main square in Athens and also the flea market. Overall, I have been having a very good time Athens! The city surpassed all my expectations by far.
