After spending time in Greece I have reflected a lot on my time in Athens and all the knowledge I have gained. I learned a lot about Greek culture such as the food in Greece. Most meals are started with a Greek salad and some bread and then typically followed by a second course of different meats and vegetables. Then followed by more and more food (the Greeks love to eat). They also drink a lot of coffee in Greece specifically Freddo (iced) cappuccinos/espressos which I very much appreciated. I also learned a lot about conducting business in Greece. Greek business culture emphasizes personal connections, mutual respect, and face-to-face communication. There is a lot of needing to know people in the space you are working in which can make it hard for people especially immigrants/refugees start businesses. Athenians are warm, expressive, and deeply community oriented. It was so fun to interact with different people throughout the trips whether they be program coordinators, baristas, servers, etc. This experience gave me a lot of perspective on different types of business owners. I discovered a resilient, entrepreneurial spirit, especially among the refugee/immigrants in Greece. These are some of the most hard working people I have met and their spirit was definitely inspirational. Ultimately, my time in Athens has taught me that conducting business successfully abroad requires not just knowledge, but empathy, cultural curiosity, and patience. I think my initial impressions about the economic hardships Athens is going through stand true. However I think my perception of immigrants a refugees has changed from this trip and it was such a pleasure to be able to help people like my client move to achieve their dreams.
Center for International Business Studies Blog