Student Bloggers

Three weeks before I leave. Three weeks. I could have sworn I had a few months before I departed...

Presently filled with an interesting mixture of fear, excitement, longing, mystery. I've been planning to study abroad since the 7th grade and now my destiny is nearly upon me! But does that mean I'm ready to leave? Not really...

Athens, Greece has been a dream location of mine since I discovered it. Thousands of years of history, an incredibly rich cultural and art scene, the foundation of western civilization and thought; the choice to study in such a beautiful and ancient location was made with little doubt.

Though I've travelled abroad a few other times, going to Athens is not a fearless endeavor. Many concerns plague my conscience as I begin to further research my destination and make preparations. A few fears include the current political climate, forgetting something important thousands of miles away, not knowing anyone, not knowing a drop of Greek...but hey! The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it, right? I've been thrown into new situations with new people (internships, summer groups, new classes) and have made friends before, so going abroad friendless is only temporary, right? Anything I've forgotten can be mailed or bought in Athens. As for the political climate...I just have to be vigilant. Thousands of people travel abroad daily and remain safe. I've travelled abroad a few times before and have remained safe.

I guess the next big ~question~ is, how do you pack for four months?! I've consulted a few friends who have studied abroad before and have yielded a lot of non-advice. One friend told me she didn't pack enough and another friend told me she doesn't remember. I guess it's one of things you need to experience for yourself. But for now I'll plan on two weeks of clothing and two pairs of shoes. Well, maybe more shoes; I hear Athens is a very fashion forward city, I'd hate to stick out as a foreigner right off the bat for wearing hiking boots literally everywhere.

During my time in Athens, I've resolved to work on two personal projects: a photography based one and a sketch based one. Preparations include laying out more concrete plans and goals for both of these: I’m armed with a new, wide angle lens, a travel tray of water colors and a guidebook to Athens and the Peloponnese. Maybe I'll draw inspiration from the landscape, or the Greek alphabet/language, or maybe I'll focus on people and culture. Whatever direction I take this in, I'm beyond excited to explore and discover a foreign culture.

Let the planning continue...