All blog posts are by University of Michigan students who have participated in a CGIS program. The following blogs are students studying abroad in Greece.
Spring/Summer 2019
Rachael shares story of final night in Athens
There are so many things I could say about my experience and so many stories I could share with you all, but if I were to do that in a letter, you all would be receiving a dissertation-length account of my adventures and encounters in the city of Athens and the rest of Greece. Instead, I will share one experience with you, which I find very significant in wrapping up my semester and summarizing the most valuable things I’ve learned.
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Haleigh shares about volunteering with the HOME Project
On the weekends, my new friends and I took short trips to other areas outside of Athens. These weekend and day trips resulted in some of the best memories from my time abroad because my friends and I were able to plan out our days and take full advantage of all Greece had to offer. The LSA Study Abroad Scholarship also helped me pay for most of these side trips, so I would not have been able to explore outside of Athens if I was not given this generous donation.
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Eniah talks about Greece and being an African American woman abroad
This was one of the most memorable and enlightening experiences of my college career. I bonded with amazing students from universities across the United States and took a challenging travel writing course that taught me how to integrate writing in my daily life. Having the opportunity to immerse myself in a culture completely unlike my own allowed me to appreciate the diversity that exists throughout the world. This experience also showed me the importance of travel and how beneficial it can be to see the world through a new lens.
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Kennedy discusses English-speaking privilege while abroad
This summer has been busy, but incredibly exciting. It’s been about a week since I returned to the U.S. from Greece, where I studied abroad in Athens & the Greek Isles for 8 weeks. I traveled to Athens, Thessaloniki, Corinth, Meteora, Nauplio, Mykonos, Santorini (Oia, Fira & Akrotiri), Crete (Heraklion, Knossos, Malia, Gournia), Delphi, Phillipoi, and Vergina. It has truly been an interesting, liberating, and breathtaking experience!
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Meghan shares her experience of studying in Greece
During my study abroad in Athens, Greece, I was able to visit the Acropolis. As I stood at the Parthenon and looked out at the city, I had the opportunity to feel the weight of history. Just think how many feet have walked those paths, from antiquity to modernity. I was also able to participate in the Athens Festival. For the Athens Festival, historic places like the Odeon Amphitheater are transformed into performance venues. At the Odeon on the Acropolis, I listened to an orchestral concert conducted by Riccardo Muti. The orchestra, which included native Greeks, performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as the sun set. Through the famous arches, I listened to Ode to Joy and had a memorable experience.
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Taylor discusses how experience exposed her to new ideas
I was able to take two different courses, one on economics and one on political science, which has helped me progress towards earning my double major in both of these subjects.Additionally, my time abroad exposed me to so many new identities and opinions. I have truly grown as a person and become more aware of the world around me. This growth stems from meeting people from all over the world in my programs and in the cities that the programs were held in. Stockholm and Athens widened my world view and taught me lessons that I will take with me for the rest of my life.
