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
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!