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We cannot understand what people do unless we know what people are. We want to know how biology does and does not influence culture, as well as how culture affects biology.
Studying abroad can be a scary thing, especially when you have never left the country and now you’re flying across the ocean. I had the opportunity to go on a short-term trip to Greece with eleven other Plymouth State students over winter break. Returning from this trip, I have learned so much about this country historically and culturally. Most of the country consists of untouched landscapes that are home to snow-covered mountains, inviting blue water, and endless green forests. I have truly never seen anything so astonishing in my life.
There were so many beautiful sites; pictures couldn’t do them justice. I asked our Program Director, Evyenia Karamani, “Do you ever get used to all these beautiful sites because you see them so often?” And her answer was so charming, “No, you really can’t. It’s like a marriage. You never have that initial shock as you did when you first laid eyes on them, but they continue to be amazing and you grow to learn and appreciate new things about them.” We take so much for granted and don’t realize the beauty in the world. Being able to take in all these sites and their history was truly a blessing.
While traveling through Greece we heard of groups of citizens that were protesting for an open government, since Greece has been in a financial crisis for over 10 years. There is an incredible amount of graffiti on the buildings where they paint their frustration. Some may see it as defacing the city, but it truly shows the power of art. While in Athens we visited the Acropolis, of course, but also visited a couple of Greek Orthodox Churches. It was so serene, and I felt a warmth when I was in there, even though I am not religious. The country is extremely pious and many, if not all share the same faith. There are struggles everywhere, but these churches and their faith continue to give the citizens hope of a more prosperous future. These structures of sanctuary should be a humbling reminder that at the end of the day we are all just humans hoping for a better tomorrow.
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I believe that everyone should study abroad to experience the culture, not just for the reason of saying you went, for the pictures, or to try the different foods and drinks. Become worldlier and learn about other customs. There is so much beauty that the world has to offer and I was lucky enough to get a tiny glimpse of that.
I’ll leave you with this advice if you choose to study abroad: don’t be afraid, try everything, and even if you’re dead tired and you feel like your feet will fall off, don’t miss out on anything because I promise you, it will be worth it. If you are interested in a short-term or long-term study abroad opportunity, please contact Debra Regan in the Global Engagement Office at dregan@plymouth.edu.