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
A Not-So Short Summary of Study Abroad
Christmastime is here in Berlin, meaning it’s almost time for me to depart the beautiful city of Berlin. It has been a semester full of adventures, travels, and of course, blogs. So for my final blog, it is only fitting to wrap up with an overview of my semester, including thoughts and takeaways to apply in the future. My ambitions were, well, ambitious for my semester here if I remember correctly, and I find it a little dispiriting looking back on what I have yet to accomplish. However, there are many things I can be proud of and many for which I can be thankful.
My German has improved immensely throughout the course of this semester. From my vocabulary vastly consisting of theological terms and the occasional “Bitte” or “Danke” to now being able to have a full-fledged (mostly one-sided) conversation with my host family every night, I’d say there have been major improvements. This may be thanks partly to my 3 hr German course Mon-Thur, but also because I was living in a German-speaking state. I do wish, however, that I had supplementary materials that I consulted to fine-tune my German-speaking skills. Most of my extracurricular experience with German was watching the latest series or movie on German Netflix or struggling through another episode of a fast-speaking German podcast. Both of these activities flexed my German listening and comprehension skills and, coupled with my daily chats with Fe and Rudi, polished my understanding of German to a smooth B3 or C1 Level. This is something I hope to maintain upon my return to America. Bilingualism is definitely a goal, but for now, comprehension and understanding of the German language are something I’ll cherish.
Cherishing the German language was not an unexpected feeling; however, what was unexpected was the friendships I forged along the way. I was aware of almost every one of them, now friends, then acquaintances, before coming to Germany, but with the experiences we shared, I am truly confident in calling them, friends. The first friends David and I met along the way were Logan and Louisa Pankow, and their hospitality carried us through the scary first weekend in a foreign country. To avoid repeating myself and for the sake of the length of this blog entry, I will spare the wild details of the stressful first weekend if I have not already blogged about them. Nevertheless, Logan and Louisa provided a great foundation to build the rest of the semester. We had known Logan from our first year at MLC together; likewise, we knew Phil Balge from our time at MLC and Prep. Phil, working as an au pair (or rather “bro pair”) in Bad Kreuznach, was able to link up with us on several occasions consisting of a trip to Hamburg, the WELS Heidelberg Retreat, a weekend in Dresden, and a weekend in Berlin with another yet to come this weekend. If you had told me that almost half of my weekends in Europe would be spent with Phil Balge, I probably would not have believed you. But the many memories made on those weekends will not soon be forgotten, mostly because they were memorable, but also because we took many pictures along the way. This is a habit I hope to maintain upon my return to America because, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
And I couldn’t write a thousand words about our friend Paul Hübener, the one person David and I had no previous contact with before coming to Germany. He is also a true German and, of course, a true friend who was David and I’s lifesaver in the tricky waters of what is an ELFK service. Privileged to attend the Paul Gerhardt Gemeinde in Berlin many times throughout the semester. Our first experience was a little confusing, from the commute to the service. Still, Paul was there to guide us through page by page, literally. He noticed our confusion and would show us the correct page number to be on or phrase to sing, sometimes resulting in several hymnal exchanges. Thankful and grateful to Paul for that, but also for the many times we meet after that, from the Jugendtreffen to organizing our weekend in Dresden. Paul allowed me to practice my German and indulged in my pride in the rudimentary little German phrases I tried to use every so often. Although Paul is a very good friend, I may not have the opportunity to see him shortly like my friend, Ella Brandt.
Ella came to Germany for a gap year to explore the culture, which David and I were vaguely aware of at the beginning of the semester. But we were reminded when we saw her in Dresden with the Drechsler family and thought, “wait, what?” After that initial and slight shock, we were able to meet up for the Heidelberg WELS retreat, a day trip in Berlin, and the now of legendary status, a weekend in Dresden. Throughout these weekends, we were able to joke about our incompetency in German, muse over the many differences between America and Germany, and bond over the independence we’ve gained throughout this semester. This independence was learned independence through booking travel, to managing time (and money) in a foreign country and environment. Despite the many pitfalls along the way, it is something I’ve grown accustomed to and want to utilize for years to come.
Having improved on German, gained certain independence, and maintained healthy relationships throughout my semester, I think my previously dispirited attitude toward my goals can be changed to one of satisfaction. Although there is certainly more I want to see, experience, and travel to, I know that this is only the beginning of my cultural and traveling adventures. However, I was never too far from my many relationships, the most important one being with God.
Living in a foreign land, which is one of the most atheist countries in the world, my initial outlook on maintaining a strong faith life looked grim. But with this semester coming to a close, I can confidently say this was not the case. Through fellowship at the ELFK churches in Berlin, Hartenstein, and Dresden, and the familiarity of the WELS Heidelberg, I was well-supported in my faith, and every one of the friends previously mentioned came from a strong Christian background. Regardless of whether I had these strong Christian friends, however, the connection to his Word was the most important lifeline throughout this semester. And this would be the most important suggestion for anyone wanting to study abroad in the future. Stay fast to the Word.
Apart from that most important suggestion, I would also allow you time to explore the culture and people of the city you’re in, which I regrettably did not do as much as I had hoped. These past few weekends have provided an opportunity to explore Berlin a little more, but many weekends were dedicated to inter-country travel. Another suggestion is to be open about new experiences, which might already describe you if you are studying abroad, and to take advantage of new experiences, especially if they are out of your comfort zone. This broadens your perspective and gives a holistic view of life, which I have found true in my experience. The friends I made along the way, my experiences, and the joy of learning I have found are all evidence of God’s hand throughout this semester and always. Tschüss, and see you in America soon!
Tschüsseldorf Germany, and a Zwicka-ciao-ciao to boot
As of Wednesday, I have eight days left in Germany since I fly out early next Friday. Time has flown by, and so much has changed since I came here fifteen weeks ago. So now it’s time to look back at the semester.
This semester, I’ve had a lot of successes and things that I’m proud of. Going into the semester, one of my goals was to do things and make the most of my time constantly. While I discovered that you need time to rest, I feel like I made the most of my time. I feel like I got a good feel for Berlin and did a fair amount of traveling outside Berlin too. I’m also proud of my German. While I’m sure I could have done better in improving it, I definitely have noticed feeling more comfortable speaking it, and I can comprehend a lot more than before.
On the other hand, there are some things I wish I had done differently. I have some distant relatives who live in Germany, and I didn’t end up seeing them, which would have been cool. I also think it would have been good to foster more of a relationship with my host family than I did. It might have also been good to involve myself in the community more. These are definitely “regrets” that I can learn from.
And I plan on implementing the things I have learned immediately. I’ve learned and experienced a lot of things this semester, which makes me think about how I can apply these to my normal life. One big focus this semester was trying to push myself outside of my comfort zone. While some of these things were negative experiences (eating moldy cheese, having drunk old men talk to you while watching a soccer game, getting hit by a car), most of them were actually enjoyable. I want to be able to be more adventurous and push myself out of my comfort zone when I go back home. I also plan on continuing to learn German because that’s something I’ve enjoyed and want to get better at. I also want to get to know more people. I’ve met so many people from vastly different backgrounds from myself. It has been super different from what I’m used to, and I want to know more people and understand them better.
After such a great experience, there’s plenty to be grateful for. For one thing, I’m grateful for having Josiah to study abroad with. While I’m sure I could have studied abroad alone, it would have been a lot harder. Studying abroad with a friend made transitioning a lot easier, and we also pushed each other to be doing and seeing things constantly. I’m also grateful that we had an ELFK church in Teltow to worship in and access to online service when we couldn’t be present in church. I’m also super grateful for all the people that helped me prepare for this semester, like my parents, friends, and faculty, especially Mrs. Kassuelke.
A lot of things I’m grateful for weren’t very surprising. I was pretty sure Josiah wasn’t going to back out and pretty sure that my parents would help me prepare for a semester abroad (although most of my dad’s advice consisted of stories about when HE went to Europe). But there were some things that were pretty surprising. In our class, we were asked where we saw God’s hand or unexpected blessing, and at first, I couldn’t think of anything. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw them everywhere. For example, the fact that there was always salt and pepper to add at least a bit of flavor to those German foods, or that all the times I skipped fares on public transit, I didn’t get caught. I’m kidding, of course! Sometimes I couldn’t find the salt and pepper. But there were also some more serious ones too. For one thing, through a combination of weird coincidences, we had friends scattered all over Germany who we got a lot closer to and who were just good people to have around us. At the beginning of the semester, I wouldn’t have thought that I would end up hanging out with one of my old RA’s from high school, a former classmate of my sisters, an ex-classmate from college, or the son of a German pastor. But by the end of the semester, I would call all of these people good friends, and I am so glad they were here. Another thing that at first I wasn’t happy about was housing. At first, Josiah and I were planning on being in the same host family. During the summer, we found out we were getting split up. As the semester went on, however, it became clear that this arrangement gave us space to have our own experiences and just space in general. I’m very grateful that what at first seemed bad turned out to be a blessing.
I would recommend studying abroad to everyone. It’s been such an amazing experience. And to anyone who does want to study abroad, I definitely have some advice. For starters, Germans do not have Milk Duds. No matter how vending machines you check, no matter how many stores you search, you just won’t find them. You just have to accept that this is part of another culture and that you’re going to have to wait 16(!) weeks until you can taste that caramel chocolate goodness. This may be hard, but if you’re in Europe, it is doable. Not always enjoyable, but doable. Another thing, perhaps a bit more pressing, is just to get engaged with people who live there. It was super fun to be a tourist, but I remember the people I met and talked to most. It made everything feel more real. Another thing would be to push yourself. For myself, at least, I figured that if I was going to be here for 16 weeks, I would go as hard as I could for 16 weeks and then rest in America. I can think of very few experiences and things we did that I wish we hadn’t done (Chief among them? Trying the McQuesedilla at a European McDonald’s. It tasted like someone put Cheez Whiz in a tortilla). Another thing would be to learn the language, no matter where you go. Even when we traveled to a non German speaking country, we always tried to say little phrases like “Merci”, “Grazi”, or “tato česká slova je jistě zábavné říkat”. People always like to see an effort, even if it is (as it was mostly for me) a very messy effort. My last piece of advice would be to have fun with it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you can’t do it all, so have fun with what you can and use the time to enjoy yourself and learn more about the world.
It’s been an amazing semester and experience, but I’m ready to go back. It’s time to see my family and friends again and live in a country that has Taco Bells and Pop-Tarts. Even though I’m ready to go back to MLC and my normal life again, I know that I’ll never forget this amazing experience, and I don’t regret a second of it.
Gott sei Dank,
David Rutschow