The first week (and a half) is officially
over! So far, our days are filled with three stimulating classes, sunny days at
the beach, and a myriad of different excursions around the island. We take every
opportunity to spend time outside admiring the natural beauty and have grown to
appreciate the surrounding community within the town. My fellow peers and I
talk (ad nauseum) about the wonderful food, people, and culture of Greece and I
could surely write endless pages recapping our adventures. However, I’ll focus
on my main 2 takeaways from the program so far.
First, I’ve noticed the difficulties in
straddling the line between being a tourist and being an active scholar
intent on seeking to better understand not only the positives but also
challenges within the region. The environment is conducive to enjoying oneself,
trust me, yet the challenges (like any country) are present if you look further.
The orange juice is delicious … harvested by underpaid immigrants such as the
Egyptian worker Aleh whom we met on a walk. The hotels are picturesque …. maintained
by overworked hospitality workers who are fighting within unions to be paid
fair wages. Our facilities at the Institute provide great Wi-Fi and clean water
…. which puts a strain on the country’s natural resources and ability to
transport such goods to the locals. The main way to avoid being a temporary
apathetic tourist is making a concerted effort to stay cognizant of such issues
and remind ourselves the reason why we are here, in the Mediterranean, within a
study abroad program. As a group we are trying our best to balance thoroughly enjoying
our time here and also tackling uncomfortable conversations regarding the stark
reality of this beautiful island.
Secondly, specific to this particular
group this year, I highly admire our adaptability and positive attitudes. One example
is with our three arduous hikes through the Samaria Gorge, the Ottoman Ruins,
and our “walk” to the Apostle Paul’s Church. They were difficult and challenging
yet made a lot easier by our optimistic mindset and general camaraderie. We're all funny and light-hearted with unique personalities. Personally, I believe there are a lot of obstacles in life that require gritting
your teeth and pushing through until it is over. However, it’s definitely
easier being with a group that has the ability to do that with a smile on our
faces (especially when there are idyllic beaches waiting at the end!) I’m
looking forward to traveling this weekend and will continue to keep this blog
updated.
All the best,
Mariana (“Mari”) Kordorsky
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