Almost one full month has passed since I left to study abroad in Greece and, might I say, it’s been such an awesome experience. Yes, I felt homesick around the second or third day, but I knew I wasn’t alone. My three roommates were experiencing their own form of homesickness and knew that we’d all get over it by coming together and thinking of ways to be positive. The other area of support that helped me through the process was my family. Even though they’re many miles away across the Atlantic Ocean, I still felt the love from them. Also, side note, thank God for FaceTime because it made everything seem easier by seeing their faces on the phone.
Several words of advices my family offered were to get out of the apartment and explore the neighborhood, visit some museums, and meet new friends. After walking around town and familiarizing my surroundings, I found out that most of the supermarkets, banks, and restaurants were in walking distance of my apartment! Also, I forgot to mention how the school is literally two blocks away from me too (LOL).
Next on the list was to check out the museums near me. The first one I went to yesterday was the Museum of Cycladic Art; which was only a five minute walk from the apartment. I learned that most of the artifacts were discovered in Cyprus, around the 3rd century B.C. The museum houses both artifacts of Cycladic Culture and Ancient Greek Art. However, the other place I visited yesterday was The National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Seeing well-known, historical artifacts and statues, like Poseidon and Zeus’s were simply breathtaking. I can’t imagine how long it must’ve taken for someone to sculpt those masterpieces and simply blows my mind! Visiting both those museums were maybe the best decisions I’ve made so far.
The last suggestion was to make new friends while abroad. I’m glad to say that I’ve gained a lot of new friendships her in Greece. That number has increased by working together in class on assignments, experiencing new landmarks on various class trips, and making plans to have morning coffee at local cafes. I hope to gain more friends and memorable moments during my time abroad in Greece.