Hello! My name is Paulina Martinez, a history and religion major, and I’ll be studying abroad in Athens, Greece in the upcoming semester. I’m originally from Mexico, but have lived internationally my whole life, so the experience of starting new in a foreign country is somewhat familiar. That said, I am unusually nervous, whilst excited and anxious to study in Greece! I figured there would be no better time to write my first blog post than on a 12-hour flight. Right now all I can think of is what an amazing experience this will be, all the new people I’ll meet, and the places I’ll go. Clearly my education, and the hard work ahead, isn’t a priority though my parents would argue it should be. It’s difficult to think I’ll be entering a whole new culture, one I’ve always been curious about and admire, while trying to pass classes.
What keeps me centered, and not overwhelmed, is the four months of preparation and research into what the program will offer and what my life will be like while in Greece. The coordinators of CYA have done a wonderful job making sure I’m aware of every detail once I land and my journey in the first couple of days. They sent so many emails with reminders and suggestions I feel like I’m prepared if things go right, or wrong. From what we’ve been given regarding orientation it seems as if the first couple of days involves us exploring parts of Athens with the coordinators, as well as the academic side of the program. Though we weren’t given specific details, one event they did let us know about was a Garden Party at the U.S Embassy!
For me personally, the best thing to do once I land is A. try not to fall asleep due to jetlag, and B. set up a routine so things don’t feel so foreign so quickly. I am not a stranger to culture shock, but still a victim of it, nevertheless, and I hope that by setting up a routine I’ll be able to transition with less emotional bumps.
Until next time,
Paulina