Today is my last day in Greece, and tomorrow I will be returning to Washington. During my time here, I took many pictures, bought far too many souvenirs and ate lots of gyros. There have been ups and downs, from the few times I felt homesick to the amazing interviews I got to do. Overall, my trip here has been amazing and I made so many incredible memories.
As a college student, I urge all other students to study abroad too. Getting the opportunity to experience a different country allowed me to truly grow as a person. When I came to Greece I expected to learn a lot about the country, but I also learned a lot about myself. I’m definitely infected with a travel bug, and look forward to my next trip abroad. Never did I think I would learn so much about the country of Greece.
After spending a month here, I discovered many different foods. My favorite was certainly the pastitsio, which is basically the Greek version of lasagna. Unfortunately, I was only able to eat it once because it was very difficult to find. I also enjoyed the endless supply of gyros. The thing that surprised me the most was the fact that Greeks put french fries in everything! I even ordered a cheeseburger that had fries in it.
I also enjoyed shopping while I was here. A lot of the clothing is far too over-the-top, but I found some great stores such as Bershka, Oysho and Axel. While I was here, I stocked up on some tops, purses and shoes, but couldn’t go too crazy because everything has to fit into my already-stuffed suitcase. And of course, I had to get enough souvenirs for my loved ones.
While I have many great memories, there are two experiences that stood out the most. The first was our weekend trip to Crete. A group of us stayed in Chania for the weekend and enjoyed the beaches and street shopping. I loved Crete and could have spent an entire week there. My other highlight was interviewing a Syrian refugee. The woman I had the opportunity to interview was a mother with an amazing story to tell. I am looking forward to writing and putting together the news story about her, and will never forget the experience I had talking with her.
Meeting people and seeing how people live here in Greece has made me so fortunate for my own life, and I have developed a new respect both for Greece and for the United States. I know that my experience abroad has made me a better global citizen, and I look forward to spending more time visiting other countries in the future.
Legali Blonde 