EC EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PROGRAMS: Farewell Greece

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Farewell Greece

All good things must come to an end and I’m also pretty sure I’m the last one in the country. I didn’t realize just how much I loved Greece until I spent this past month immersed in the culture (and the food). I’m gonna try and keep this quick but I wanted to thank everyone for making this study abroad program so memorable and life changing. Having the opportunity to learn about geopolitics, democracy, and energy from an international perspective in a case study state has been a highlight of my academic career. Devin had mentioned the “Vamvakas effect” previously: having the ability to experience a once in a lifetime experience multiple times. Between this program and Thucydides I’ve had to the opportunity to learn about both Ancient and Modern Greece. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible in Boston, Athens, Alikianos, and Nicosia. Goodbye for now Greece.

Matt

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EC Eastern Security Studies Program

In the summer of 2011, as the "Arab Spring" was unfolding and the "Eurozone Crisis" was entering its second year, the Emmanuel College Eastern Mediterranean Security Studies Program was established in Crete, as a way to make the location the classroom. Beyond the grand theoretical, historical and political understanding that can be achieved through reading and classroom discussion and exchange, a more immediate, intimate and truer appreciation of the complexities can only achieved by experiencing the cultures, languages of personal interaction.

Since 2012 students have been able to combine an intensive curricular study, with the experience of immersion and living in a local setting. The geopolitical and geoeconomic forces that have acted in the region for centuries, can be identified in the classroom, but they can only be understood by being there. This year's EC EMSS Program will add a fourth week of study, experience and exploration and will also travel to the islands of Rhodes, and Cyprus. In Rhodes we will be partnering with the Prefecture of Southern Aegean and the Aegean University, while in Cyprus we will be hosted by the University of Nicosia.