As our semester finally begins to wind down at College Year in Athens, it is exciting and bittersweet to see our spring break on the horizon. Unlike most programs, our break is reserved for the end of the semester to align with the Greek Orthodox Easter, and leaves us with only a few weeks of classes once we return. Although I am excited to explore Europe over the course of the next week and a half (Hello Berlin and Amsterdam!), I am trying to come to terms with the fact that my time in Athens is coming to a close. Over the past few weekends, I have taken time to truly explore and experience my temporary home and have fallen more in love with how quirky, chaotic and new it is. For example, this last weekend consisted of fresh fruit at a farmers market, a visit to an ancient cemetery turned public park, excellent thai food, adorable cats and visiting a live performance art exhibit. This list can truly sum up how absolutely random and full Athens is, in that you can always find something new and interesting to see, eat or experience. Coming from a place where anything exciting is a long car ride away, its extremely refreshing to have so much at my fingertips at all times, and returning to a comparatively dull, suburban place will definitely warrant some culture shock. Although I am excited to return home and rest after an exciting and exhausting semester, it is bittersweet to realize how fast my time in Greece has passed. With that being said, I am fully prepared to take advantage of the next five weeks, and plan on fitting in as many Greek adventures as possible! For Easter, I will be spending the weekend in Mykonos, one of Greece’s most beautiful and lively islands and will then spend the following weekend in Santorini. With summer finally settling into the Mediterranean, I look forward to beaches, sunshine and lots of relaxation!
