My studies and interests are now a reality, what do I make of it?

Only ever doing a cruise to some resort island in the Bahamas, I have never gotten to extensively travel. To be honest I have not even crossed the Mississippi ! Travel was always relegated for the most part for a few day affair within the Northeast. I have always loved reading about history and taking language courses. Since starting at Emmanuel I have studied International Relations and have encountered so many different nationalities and world views. Getting to do the Crete program and doing some traveling to see a friend in Mumbai has been my chance to really get to have these experiences. What can I make of it so far? For one thing it was not intimidating as I thought it would be. Even in Mumbai, people speak a good deal of English, they are very hospitable, and a lot of infrastructural things like airports and railways are good about having English. In regards to the content of the program and my trip in general is I am really seeing how societies are under threat and suffering and prospering from globalization. Whether it was the streets of Athens or the shopfronts in Mumbai, there were minions, Hip-Hop, McDonalds, the mediocre looking Bay Watch reboot and Fidget Spinners. Talking with my friend's mom in Mumbai and her perspective was interesting along with the rest of his family. They essentially argued that American individualism and consumerism was having the ill affect. Students they said who went to the States to study came back having complexes of superiority and having little desire to see social customs through. Even here in Greece I can see how such a laid back and personal society is under threat of neoliberalism with its necessary imposition of efficient structures to deliver results like with the cafe where we were given complimentary food and how that business model cannot function under the EU's push for more structure and rules. Overall so far I have had a really fun time seeing the old buildings, learning Greek dance and baking bread in a little local bakery. I hope to experience more of this old and beautiful culture.

From the Steps of Thucydides....

 From the steps of the Acropolis on a windy day in March, to the foot of the Temple of Apollo, to the archaeological ruins of Mantineia from ancient Arcadia, my experience in Greece has already granted me the opportunity to walk through history in its rawest, most honest form. Yesterday, we came together for a morning of eager discussion on the works of Huntington, Fukayama and Barber, slowly unpacking the different stages of civilization and identifying the crucial elements of society that make great Empires rise and fall.  This afternoon we became engulfed in a debate on the truth of human nature and the limits of morality in regards to decision making in the international community - particularly in regards to human rights and the limitations of globalization. I wonder where we go from here...

Winery Experience

After touring the vineyard, I have taken away two things: Hard work and Perseverance. Learning about the owner of the vineyard, it was evident that he did not have an easy life. His mom, wanting him to have a good life, sent him to America for a better opportunity, with almost nothing of value. Having the opportunity at a better life, is a big chance to make something of yourself but at the same time, it is also hard, as you are in an unfamiliar place, unaware of your surrounding, the people and culture of where you are. However, he persevered and went on to study business, and ultimately came back to his birthplace. He wanted to make something of his home place and give a draw for people to appreciate and experience Crete if they are not able to make the journey, and he did that through wine making. Starting a winery is no easy task, however he persevered and found out important information about his vineyard (that he was at a disadvantage of the chosen place for his vineyard due to heavy rainfall that can be bad for the plant) by asking the top winery owners on the island. Slowly he has been able to build his wine empire, and is now a very successful business owner that produces very high, organic quality wine for people to enjoy. What this has taught me is that even though you may be at a disadvantage or be unaware of your surroundings, you can always persevere and if you work at something, the hard work that you put in will pay off. That is what I would like to apply to my time here in Crete. I would like to apply it to my studies, but also to the Greek language. I want to put my all into learning the Greek language, so that by the time that I leave here, I will be able to communicate well with those who speak Greek naturally. 

Arrival to Crete 

When I arrived, Crete was nothing that I expected. My flight landed late at night with Nathan, Bailey, Megan, and Sophia. It was dark and it was hard to see the landscape, houses, or where we were going. Arriving at the institute late at night, it was a hustle to get food and wanting to go to bed because of jetlag and traveling/walking around Athens all day. My main priority was to eat and go to sleep. After waking up and looking around Crete, it was something that I did not expect. I often thought that Crete was just filled with beaches and was a rocky outcrop, a paradise filled with sun and an older generation. I also thought that this would just be a place where I would come and study and nothing more. However, after experiencing Crete for 2 days, I have already found that I was wrong. The landscape has surprised me, it has been filled with beaches, trees, tropical plants, luscious fruit, and a place just to escape. The beauty and the landscape add to the atmosphere when you are here. Feeling the breeze run through your hair and the warmth of the sunshine, make it easy to feel relaxed here. In a more relaxed state I have felt that I am more engaged in wanting to learn about Greek and its culture. What I thought that I could look over, such as the older generation, are people you should indulge. They have such an offering to give, such as love, compassion, and taking pride in their culture. They want to teach those who do not know anything about Greece, in a sense a little bit out of every aspect such as the language and cuisine. Only being here a short time I have become exposed to a lot of Greek culture, such as cuisine, the language, and landscape. I have found that I am enjoying this time, and I want to learn more. I want to be able to immerse myself in Greek culture so that I may communicate and understand better with the people who have lived and appreciated this country for most or all of their life. 

Day #4

I've now been in Greece for a week and it has been one of the best experiences I've had. Crete and Athens are both great and have their differences. The personal society is more visible in Crete, as everyone in the village knows us and knows each other. The amount of vegetation here surprised me. I was also not expecting the landscape to be so mountainous. I am looking forward to getting to explore the island more.

(Red) White and Blue

Prior to my departure my dad had warned me about Greece, reflecting on his time in the country 40 years prior during which he said he had never felt farther from home. Since the moment I stepped off the plane, every aspect of this trip has been an adventure: from navigating a metro in a foreign country with a different tongue to exploring the different village streets and trying to understand the cultural exchanges and social cues. I was prepared for a complete culture shock and to feel like a fish out of water. What I was not prepared for was to be struck with a particular sense of familiarity and nostalgia. What I mean by this is the drive to cater to the American taste and pallet. Although Greece has a different language and alphabet than the one I grew up with in the States, everything from the street graffiti to café menus was translated not only into an English alphabet but also into English words and phrases. And of course, it is impossible to escape the ever present American brands and companies for it appears that the Greeks have just as strong a taste for McDonald’s and Forever 21 as Americans do. Even in the Cretan countryside it is impossible to escape from resorts, tours, and activities that try to appeal to Americans.

Of course I was expecting to some extent to be confronted with American safeguards and aspects in Greece, but I was not expecting it to be as accepted in the culture as it is. On my second day in Crete, my fellow classmates and I were confronted with a protest against NATO and the US specifically in the historic Old Venetian Harbor. Here we could see just how much Americanization and forced American interests had affected the culture. Here was a group of people that were actively fighting for a removal of American presence in the region, who felt as though they were being directly harmed and affected by the presence.

The dichotomy between the two rhetorics was astounding, and it has gotten me thinking about globalization and statecraft in general. Growing up, I have been socialized to believe that the rest of the world wants to be American and that every US mission to bring democratization or stability (re: US model and characteristics) to a country or region was positive. But is it really fair? Who are we to force our presence anywhere in the world, especially in a place where we are not wanted? Do the gains really justify the means? And who exactly is benefiting? The US and NATO presence in Greece certainly does not seem to be an equal or reciprocal relationship, especially considering the fact that Greece is one of the few countries whose soldiers outnumber its teachers. It is clear that being part of NATO and US protection in general has greatly altered the country’s social dynamic, and at a detrimental cost. The gains, if anything, seem minimal. And it seems as though the Greek identity seems to be floundering a little bit; the country has lost some of its pride and dignity and is now grasping at straws at anything that seems familiar to it at all-even if what it is grasping at is not something that is sincere or genuine to the Greek identity at its core nature.  

But then again, who am I to say anything? Who am I to make any assumptions as an outsider who is intruding into this enchanted place for a month? Maybe what I am seeing and my musings are completely misguided and I am merely sensationalizing a nonexistent condition. I guess only time will tell, and with a whole month left ahead of me still there is still ample amount of time left for me to make further observations and more concrete conclusions down the road.

Entry #1 5/30

Yesterday was our first day of classes. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect for them, but I've actually sparked an interest and developed an affinity towards them. I've also found the people of the the institute to be incredibly homely. I have felt warm and welcomed and as a part of the culture in only a few days.  I have been trying to use Greek in most of my conversations and have no complaints about the food. The beach was beautiful and it was so great to have swimmable water in the month of June, unlike Massachusetts. Many excursions and experiences await, so until next time,

Teddy Miele

Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

Now let me tell you a thing. The first few days in Crete have been amazing, and I'm drawing quite a few parallels to Ghana in terms of hospitality and treatment of guests, etc. I'm really loving it here.

Speaking of which, one of the things that stuck out to me from my time in Athens was the sheer amount of grafitti and how powerful and underlying how historical it is.

Check it out y'all:

72 hours later

We are on our third day here and already the cultural experience has been incredible. The locals of this country have a deep sense of respect and familiarity to it. Talking to those at the institute has given me such a great respect and admiration for this country and its people. Later today we are going wine tasting and I am looking forward to the new experience.

xoxo

Edward 

Ready to Start the EC East Med Security Studies 5.0

With a great deal of excitement we are readying to EC EMSS 5.0. 

This site will serve as a vortex of information for the program and as a online board of exchanging ideas, thoughts and sentiments as we will be studying and traveling throughout June 2017. In the meantime you can start by reading the following  articles and stories dealing with Greece and the countries in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Crete: A Walk Through History; What Democracies Can Learn From Greece's Failed Populist Experiment; Erdogan Is Dividing Turkey Against Itself; The Mediterranean Migrant Crisis: Risking Everything of a Chance at a Better Life