After having officially survived my first two weeks in Athens, I can easily say that this amazing and charismatic city has already altered my opinion of its history and its people. In such a short time, I have already realised that this place is about so much more than the ruins that typically grace its postcards and the chaos we see in the media. Athens and its citizens are in the process of sifting through and dealing with major change; changes in their political and economic systems, changes to their public policies and most importantly, changing who they want to be as a collective whole. The people of this city, and the city itself, has been bruised and broken in a string of crisis through the last century, which has in turn, created a place of despair and anger, but also a place of diversity and culture. You can see this is the empty shop windows, in the homeless people on the street, but also in the beautiful graffiti art and in the pride these people have for their city and culture. Athenians, and Greeks in general, are proud of their heritage and who they are as a people, and they have the right to be, regardless of their current situation. My experience here has shown me that even though so many have struggled to combat and deal with the current economic and refugee crisis, they are still able to welcome me into their city with interest and an undying hospitality. This isn’t to say that I haven’t experienced a few of the typical “culture shock” and “culture barrier” moments, but I am quickly learning that the more I try to speak the language, or show my appreciation for the delicious baked goods, the more these people are open to helping me learn their customs and way of life. I cannot wait for the coming months, where I hope to continue exploring this diverse community, city and country.