Kairos Over Chronos
The Ancient Greeks had two words for time: chronos and kairos. Chronos is sequential, quantitative time used to measure our minutes, hours, days, months, etc. We think about chronos time when we schedule our days, and in the end, we wish we had more time to do everything we wanted to do. Kairos, on the other hand, is qualitative time that can easily fluctuate. It means that some moments present opportunities that are more meaningful than others. Kairos time is not structured; it is spontaneous and free-flowing. It is the name for those moments in life where it is easy to forget about chronos time because the experiences in the present moment simply cannot be measured. It is the moments where we intentionally pause and think, “Wow, God is so good,” and we take in the rich blessings of simply living in God’s grace.
I recognize my chronos of living in Greece is 65 days as of today. I am halfway through my Greek adventure. Just over two months have passed, and it feels like I’ve been here a long time, but it also seems to be going quickly. I think this is because I’ve been living in kairos. Besides attending my classes, submitting my assessments, and catching my flights, trains, or buses at a specific, planned time, chronos time has become less of a focus for me in Greece. Instead, I am more focused on making the most of the opportunities and experiences God has given me here. So far, I feel incredibly blessed and satisfied with how rich and meaningful my study abroad experience has been. I am growing through challenges, expanding my perspectives through many different and new experiences, and forming relationships and connections with many complex and interesting people. Living more in kairos has brought me so much joy and helps me see God’s hand in every aspect of life.
When I reflect on the goals I made before leaving the U.S., I realize there are several parts to each of the two goals I am working towards. Therefore, I cannot pick one of my expansive goals and say I’ve made the most progress on that particular one. I have seen growth in some areas more than others. My self-confidence and independency have definitely increased. Before arriving in Greece and in my first couple weeks here, I felt very inadequate and almost unprepared to take on this experience because I didn’t have confidence in myself and my abilities to find success independently in a new environment. However, since then, I have felt more confident and comfortable connecting with people from all cultural backgrounds. I have immersed myself in opportunities to learn more about Greek culture. I have found success in navigating public transportation, doing daily living activities in my neighborhood, and planning trips to places in Greece and abroad, even when these things started as struggles. One mini goal I have is to do something new every day. So far, there has only been a handful of days where I haven’t. Overall, I am very happy with my growth in these areas.
There are a few improvements I would like to make in the second half of my experience. My first improvement is focusing intentionally on forming concrete habits I can carry on in my life after studying abroad. One of my initial goals was organizing a routine for being in God’s Word and self-care. I feel I started strong in these areas during my first few weeks. However, as time passed, I found myself fitting these things around the travel days, new experiences, and course assessments. I want to focus on daily spending time with God in his Word and prayer in the morning before my classes instead of only listening to a sermon or devotion from home as I commute, run, or do apartment chores. Also, my workout schedule has not been consistent. I’ve started to run on the mountain trails and in the neighborhoods with a friend, but it has been very sporadic. We’ve recently made it our goal to stick to a schedule for running and participating in a yoga class at ACG afterward. My writing in my reflection journal has also been slacking recently. I have started bringing my journal everywhere so I can write during traveling and short downtimes. It’s challenging to find a time to intentionally reflect when all I want to do is experience, experience, experience. Finally, one of my goals is to travel around Greece and Europe alone. I have only done one solo excursion to downtown Athens so far, and that’s the extent of the progress on this goal. As of now, I don’t plan on traveling to other cities in Europe alone because I’ve decided I’d like to spend most of my time in Greece. However, I would like to make more solo day trips to places I have yet to explore in Greece.
The last area I would like to reflect on is adapting to Greek culture. One of the biggest culture shocks for me, initially, was timeliness. It’s uncommon to attend any event before the start time, whether it is class, an activity, or meeting a friend for coffee. From my experience, many Greeks show up 10-15 minutes late, which is normal. This was bizarre and a bit frustrating initially, but I’ve come to accept it. Also, public transportation is not always reliable. Recently, there have been several strikes to protest needed advancements in the Hellenic train system ever since the devastating, fatal tragedy of a passenger train colliding with a cargo train in northern Greece a couple of weeks ago. There have been times when I’ve wanted to take the metro or suburban railway, but an unforeseen strike had started, and I had to find another way. Traveling to downtown Athens from Agia Paraskevi sometimes takes an hour or longer. I have come to understand and expect traveling by public transportation to take a long time. Eating at restaurants or sipping coffee at cafes are also several hours-long events. This part of Greek culture I have really appreciated. It’s about stepping into kairos from chronos and enjoying your company with meaningful conversation and good laughs.
For the second half of my adventure, I plan to keep measuring my time in kairos rather than chronos; in meaningful experiences and connections with others rather than the things on my to-do list; in the moments where I can only pause and say “God is so good” rather than forgetting to thank and praise him for the countless blessings he’s given me. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory!” (Ephesians 3:20-21).
An American Studying at The American College of Greece
Before I left the U.S., I remember telling people about where I would study in Athens: “It’s called the American College of Greece… I know, very ironic.” You would think studying in a foreign country would mean getting away from an American education, but for me, in Greece, this is only partly true. My International Studies Abroad (ISA) program, through whom I am completing this experience, is affiliated with the American College of Greece (ACG). This private school is the oldest and largest U.S.-accredited college in Europe. It was founded by missionaries from Boston, MA, in 1875. The college is proud of its history, as seen by an interactive, technological mini-museum displayed in the library. One fun fact is that the college served as a housing and training center for the U.S. Olympic Team in the Athens 2004 Olympics. I wrote this in a previous blog post, but I think it’s worth mentioning again that I’ve been able to swim in the same Olympic pool as Michael Phelps.
ACG is divided into three schools: Pierce (PK-12), Deree (undergraduate and graduate programs), and Alba (a graduate business school). Pierce and Deree are on the same campus in Agia Paraskevi, while Alba is in downtown Athens. There are about 4,000 Deree undergraduates, including almost 300 study abroad students attending this semester. About 90% of study abroad students are Americans. There are several different programs offered at Deree, the biggest ones being Psychology and Communication. The college is based on an American style of education, and every class is taught in English.
Now that you had a crash course of facts about ACG, let me share what it is like from an American’s perspective. Deree does have similarities to MLC and other American colleges. For example, I have one class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 50 minutes, and I have three classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays that are 75 minutes in duration. Some students also have labs that are about 2 hours. There are 10 minutes in between class periods. This is very comparable to what class schedules are like at MLC. The class sizes are, surprisingly, relatively similar to MLC, as well. The biggest class size I have is 25 people, while the smallest is 9. ACG also has many facilities that are closely connected to each other on one campus, like a cafeteria, two cafes (one being Starbucks!), indoor and outdoor student lounge areas, a gym, fitness center, pool, track, library, chapel, outdoor theater, auditorium, labs, art studios, academic and wellness support centers, and more. They make use of these facilities by offering many opportunities for students to get involved and build community by participating in sports, clubs, volunteering, academic presentations, fun events, etc. Many American colleges highly value these characteristics of their institutions as well.
Despite the similarities, there are some differences that are strongly rooted in European and Greek cultures. Many grades for each class are solely based on the midterm and final exams. There is rarely any daily or weekly homework that is required. Professors expect you to study the notes taken in class during lectures and read the assigned textbooks for additional information. In Europe, many college courses are designed this way. For me, this is a bit stressful because I’m very used to being assessed through homework given after every class period at MLC rather than just two grades for the whole course. Another difference is the class periods themselves at Deree. There is no planned student participation. The role of the student is to listen to the professor lecturing the entire period and take notes. The professors encourage questions and comments if necessary, though. One of the biggest culture shocks I have experienced at Deree is attendance and perception of time. Any student is allowed to miss up to 9 class periods for any Monday/Wednesday/Friday class and 6 for any Tuesday/Thursday class before it affects their completion of the course. It is extremely common for students (or professors) to arrive 5-10 minutes late to class on a consistent basis. I think this very much aligns with Greek culture, but it also accommodates a majority of Greek students who commute to the college from downtown Athens or neighborhoods beyond. Who knows what the traffic or weather will bring? Would you believe me if I told you it snowed 1-2 inches in Athens last week, and I had online classes for two days because the campus was closed?
Overall, I really enjoy my classes. I am taking four courses for 12 credits in total: Human Learning & Memory, Interpersonal Communication, Sociology of Modern Life, and Survey of World Civilizations. I find each course’s content interesting and applicable to my life and future ministry. However, I think the most meaningful knowledge I am gaining is from listening to other people’s perspectives and growing the confidence to share my own. For example, a student in my Interpersonal Communication class is a refugee from Afghanistan. It’s incredible to hear his story and how he perceives his own identity and relationships with other people. My Survey professor is from Germany, and one of our units focused on the Reformation. I talked to him about MLC and New Ulm, which was exciting for both of us. In my Sociology class, we have been learning about education and religion as institutions of society, but we are encouraged to share our own thoughts and experiences, so I’ve started to share my WELS, teacher, and American POVs with the class. I have also become friends with Athina, who sits next to me in Human Learning & Memory. She has lived in Athens her whole life and has many connections with people at Deree. She is extremely knowledgeable in Psychology, and she asks very critical-thinking questions in class. I think my favorite question she asked me was when we first met. After we introduced ourselves and I told her I was from Wisconsin, she asked, “Do you know Giannis Antetokounmpo?” I laughed and said, “Not personally, but I do know him. I’ve seen him play in Milwaukee.”
Living in Agia Paraskevi
I’ve been in Greece for just over three weeks now! I feel a little more knowledgeable about what daily living is like in Athens, or Agia Paraskevi specifically. Agia Paraskevi is a neighborhood, or suburb, northeast of Athens that I live in and go to school at the American College of Greece (ACG). There are at least forty different neighborhoods that surround Athens, and about half of the population of Greece lives in this expansive area. Each neighborhood is said to have its own flair. Agia Paraskevi seems to be relatively quiet compared to downtown Athens. Agiou Ioannou is the main street in Agia Paraskevi that consists of pretty much everything you need: restaurants, bakeries, cafes, supermarkets, pharmacies, parks, phone carriers, the post office, banks, department stores with popular and local brands, bus stops, and what seems like an unreasonable amount of hair and nail salons. It’s just a seven-minute walk to this street from my apartment building. It is also part of one possible route to school, as the main entrance to the college is at the end of this street. I’ve started to feel fairly comfortable and confident in navigating this neighborhood myself.
A day in my life as a study abroad student in Greece!:
- My Apartment: I live in a four-story apartment building that is a fifteen-minute walk from ACG. There are four apartment buildings total in Agia Paraskevi that the college owns. Each building has an RA and staff that are very kind and helpful 24/7. It is very secure, with an entrance gate and doors that require a key to enter. There is also a security guard that stands outside the gate from late night to early morning. Only ACG students, mostly study abroad or international students, live in these apartments. I live with eight American study abroad students. Four of us are in the International Studies Abroad (ISA) program. We are from states all over the country. Our apartment consists of four rooms, with two girls in a room. We share a kitchen and a living room, and we have more balconies (three!) than bathrooms (two). There are several washers and dryers (a rare commodity in Europe, but I’ve found the ones we have are very inefficient; most people hang their clothes on the balconies to dry) in the basement of our building. We also have a lounge room on the first floor and an elevator with a door. Being on the fourth floor, we have a gorgeous view of Agia Paraskevi and other neighborhoods, mountains, and sunrise and sunset.
- Eating: For most of my meals, I have really enjoyed cooking familiar foods in my apartment’s kitchen. At ACG, I bought a small meal plan that allows me to have lunch at the cafeteria two times a week. The food service has various options, from salads to burgers to hot dishes authentic to Greece. The servers are very helpful in describing the Greek dishes that are unknown to me, and those are the ones I tend to go for. I haven’t come across any that I don’t like. It’s exciting to try new restaurants in the area with my roommates! At most restaurants, you seat yourself anywhere you’d like. Many restaurants have a second floor, especially downtown. Once you sit, a server brings a glass of water for everyone or a bottle of water so you can help yourself. When the food you ordered comes, you are sometimes given the bill immediately. This doesn’t mean they want you to hurry through your meal and leave quickly (in fact, it is part of Greek culture to stay at restaurants for hours and enjoy your company). Instead, they are ensuring that you pay because in Greece if you do not get a bill, it is completely acceptable to leave and not pay. Also, it is not common to tip.
- Coffee: I am an avid coffee lover. Fortunately for me, Athens has many cafes to choose from. The most popular drinks are freddo cappuccino, freddo espresso, frappe (all cold drinks with ice), and Greek coffee (hot, strong coffee with thick foam on the surface). I think the freddo cappuccino is my favorite so far. When you order your coffee, the servers ask if you want sugar, medium sugar (half of the full amount), or no sugar. Medium sugar is good for me. Your coffee is usually served with a small cookie and a spoon sweet (any preserved fruit coated in a thick, sweet syrup). I am determined to try every cafe on Agiou Ioannou by the time I leave. They’re all so inviting, with comfortable seating both indoors and outdoors, natural and warm lighting, music, and plants everywhere. It’s a perfect spot to study and journal.
- School: Speaking of studying, a day in the life of a study abroad student does include going to class and not just exploring and traveling. I plan to write about what my classes are like at ACG in a later blog post, so I won’t focus on it here, but stay tuned!
- Volunteering: ACG has many unique opportunities for all students to get involved. One opportunity includes volunteering at a local “Laiki Agora” (which means “the people’s market” or farmers’ market in Greece). On Mondays, a few Greek students and I have been collecting produce the farmers are willing to donate at closing time of the market. Then, we give the produce to a center for people with disabilities just down the road. I never thought I would be serving people with disabilities here, just like I do at home and at MLC. God is so good.
- Fitness Classes: ACG also has many fitness classes! I’ve been participating in yoga, abs and legs, and water aerobics (in the outdoor Olympic-sized pool where Michael Phelps trained in the 2004 Olympics!). They fit well in my weekly schedule, and they are very fun yet challenging. It’s been nice to get into a workout routine.
- Shopping: Grocery shopping isn’t as hard as I had expected. I can find almost everything I need. Some labels are in both Greek and English, while some are not. Google translate is my best friend at these moments. I’ve bought some authentic Greek products like tahini (nut butter) and kritsinia me sousami (small breadsticks with sesame seeds). I want to try buying fish soon because it is very fresh. Maybe I’ll work my way into a Mediterranean diet by the end of my four months here.
- Exploring: Last but not least, my days consist of much exploring. I have a mini goal of trying something new each day, whether participating in something new at ACG, trying a new restaurant or shop, going to a museum or historical site in Athens, spending time with a new friend, and more. My weekends are for traveling to further destinations and participating in excursions with my ISA Program. Last weekend, I traveled to Thessaloniki and explored many historical sites, including Biblical history, as I visited the churches dedicated to the Apostle Paul. This weekend, God-willing, I’ll visit Corinth with a few friends I’ve had Bible study with. It is incredibly surreal to live in and visit cities and places we read about in God’s Word. All praise and thanks to God!
G>↑↓
You may have seen these symbols in this order before. G>↑↓ means “God (G) is greater than (>) the highs (↑) and the lows (↓).” It resembles Romans 8:39. I’ve always loved this simple reminder that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ, but it’s been evermore in my mind since I embarked on my Greek adventure ten days ago.
The moments before my departure to the O’Hare airport in Chicago were very emotional. I was nervous about flying because I wasn’t confident about navigating the airport and whether my luggage would meet the requirements. I was scared to travel to another country alone and live there for the next four months. I was sad to leave my parents at the security checkpoint as I gave them one final hug before I was on my own. Finally starting a study abroad adventure is truly exciting, but in those moments, it didn’t quite feel like it. However, I knew God was with me, and this brought me comfort. He is greater than the lows.
After successfully going through security and immigration at the airport, my nerves started to fade. I started to feel that excitement about my adventure again. At the O’Hare and Frankfurt, Germany airports, I even met a few students from various states in the U.S. who were also headed to Athens to study. It was nice to talk with people who were feeling the same way I was. Once I reached the Athens airport, I met with my International Studies Abroad (ISA) group and our program managers, who are incredibly kind and helpful. We then took a coach bus to the residential buildings in my neighborhood of Agia Paraskevi, just outside Athens.
My initial impressions of Greece in the first ten days are the following:
- “It’s so warm and sunny! This is amazing!” The temperature has been averaging high 50s degrees Fahrenheit during the day and about high 40s when the sun goes down. Basically, it feels like a Midwest spring, but there’s hardly any wind. The local Greeks are wearing heavy jackets. They find it unbelievable when I tell them what the weather is like in New Ulm.
- “The MOUNTAINS!” I knew Greece was mountainous, but I didn’t expect to have a gorgeous view of them every morning outside my kitchen window (see picture below). The neighborhoods of Athens surround all sides of these mountains.
- “Everyone is so welcoming and nice.” The Greek people I interact with in the residential buildings, the supermarkets, and stores, on public transportation, and my professors, school staff, and local students are very kind. From my experience, they are patient, extremely laid back, and interested in learning more about you. Almost everyone I’ve talked to knows English, and almost all signs and labels (not items in the grocery store, however. Google Translate is my best friend) have the English name written below the Greek name. I’ve been learning and using common Greek greetings such as “Γεια σου” (“hello”), “ευχαριστώ” (“thank you”), “Παρακαλώ” (“please” or “you’re welcome”), and “καλημέρα” (“good morning”), which they greatly appreciate.
- “There are cats. Everywhere.” It is very common to see a friendly stray cat, even at my school. I’ve heard Athens is cat heaven because they’re very well taken care of and fed frequently by the locals.
- “Greek driving is a bit scary.” Greeks, generally speaking, like to take things slow in almost everything except for driving. They drive extremely fast, even on residential roads. You must look both ways, ahead of you and behind you, and then look everywhere again before you cross the street. Cars appear quickly. I took a taxi one of my first days here, and I was constantly making sure my seatbelt was tight while the driver sped through Athens.
- “I could consume souvlaki (gyros), tzatziki (a Greek, yogurt-based dip), tiropita (“Greek cheese pie” basically baked feta cheese drizzled in honey), and freddo cappuccino (iced cappuccino coffee served sweet, medium sweet, or no sugar) all day.” Greek food and coffee are absolutely amazing (and cheap)!
This past Saturday, my ISA group participated in an all-day excursion in downtown Athens. We learned many interesting facts about ancient Greece at the Acropolis Museum, visited the archeological site of the Acropolis, explored the beautiful neighborhood of Plaka, and watched the sunset on top of Philopappos Hill. When first seeing the Acropolis from Monastiraki Square and taking in all of Athens from the sites above, it felt incredibly surreal that I was standing there, taking in God’s creation. I had dreamed about those moments for months, and they were happening. Yet, I remember God is greater than these highs. All honor, glory, praise, and thanks to God, whose gracious love I will never be separated from, no matter where I am.
Morgan
My Pre-Study Abroad Brain
Have you ever wondered what is going on in a person’s head when they are about to study abroad in a different country? Well, with leaving for Athens, Greece, in a few days, I’d love to share that with you.
Here’s the breakdown of what’s inside Morgan’s Pre-Study Abroad Brain:
- 45% – God’s Peace, Love & Promises that Transcend All Understanding
- 20% – All the Emotions About Leaving Everyone & Everything I’ve Ever Known
- 15% – Questions about the Unknown
- 10% – My Study Abroad in Greece Knowledge & Expectations
- 10% – My Goals
Now let’s take a look at each piece of the pie:
45% – God’s Peace, Love & Promises that Transcend All Understanding
- Today I did a Bible study with a high school friend at home who has recently returned from her study abroad semester in Spain. We decided to focus on Philippians 4. From the “Epistle of Joy” that the Apostle Paul writes during his imprisonment in Rome, we read powerful and applicable verses: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (vs. 6 & 7). God only knows the different experiences I will encounter as I embark on my semester abroad. I pray they bring me closer to him as he gives me the strength to continually give thanks for each gracious blessing, pray in every circumstance, and be in His Word.
20% – All the Emotions About Leaving Everyone & Everything I’ve Ever Known
- I think I’ve experienced every emotion possible in the last couple of weeks leading to my departure. Thankfully, God’s surpassing peace has calmed many of my fears, but my fears of loneliness, failure, and being in my panic zone too often sometimes creep up on me. At the same time, I’m incredibly excited and overjoyed about Greece! I keep researching places I want to visit, events happening in Athens and my school, more information about the culture, tips for studying abroad, etc., etc. And with all that, I still don’t feel ready! I’m stressed about finishing my to-do list and packing my life in a suitcase. Then, I’m a little angry at myself for not being more intentional with my time at home with my family. When I finally have meaningful time with them, I’m sad and crying because I realize I won’t see them for a while. Like I said, all the emotions.
15% – Questions about the Unknown
- What will my airport and flying experience be like (I haven’t flown since I was 10!)?
- Will I get along well with the girls living in my apartment?
- Am I going to make friends I can travel with?
- Can I succeed in traveling alone?
- How in the world will I navigate public transportation?
- What will my classes be like?
- Is this going to be like anything I’m expecting?
10% – My Study Abroad in Greece Knowledge & Expectations
- Compared to the many questions I have, I know a few things about what’s to come. I will be taking four courses at the American College of Greece. All my classes are taught in English, but I have been brushing up on my limited knowledge of Greek with my good friend Duolingo. I will live with eight girls in an apartment a few blocks from the college, and I’ll have one roommate. I expect to grow relationships with people from all different backgrounds and cultures. By adapting to situations outside my comfort zone, I expect to become more independent, confident, and resilient.
10% – My Goals
- I have written two goals for my study abroad experience that encompasses much of what I’ve dissected for you from my brain:
- Develop self-confidence and independency by experiencing new things, organizing a routine for self-care and being in God’s Word daily, and traveling around Greece and Europe by myself.
- Increase my understanding of cultural general and specific frameworks by participating in intercultural learning opportunities and intentionally reflecting on these experiences.
Stay tuned this semester to get more of an inside look at what it is like to study and live in Athens!
Morgan