Within hours of landing the realization that I was truly out of the US finally washed over me. Leaving the airport and driving into the heart of Athens was something quite surreal, having not been out of the country for ten plus years prior it was quite the feeling. That feeling is compounded by the nature of Athens, which is unlike any other in the world. My initial impressions were that of marvel, the city I was standing in was where a majority of the modern western world began. Looking upon a city which contains the remnants of structures symbolizing the highest forms of power, philosophy, government, economics, and art the magnitude of our world was put in full perspective. But Athens doesn’t make you feel small, with all of its history, glory, and teachings the city is welcoming. The people and the environment are welcoming and warm, and after visiting many of these historic sites and speaking with the people of Greece my perspective on many things has been expanded. If there’s something I hope to gain from this experience it’s more perspective. I went into this trip expecting Greece to be hustling and full of people bothered by our presence. The discovery of the complete opposite was incredibly comforting. The people want you to see their city, speak to them, and learn about them. This made me realize all of the differences between Greece and the US. The capital city of Greece is full of five million people, but it’s quiet. The city is calm, their conversations are quiet, and they are relaxed when it comes to work, time, and life in general. They love and cherish their families and rarely stray too far from their familial identity. They are in every sense of the word, peaceful. My first impression of Greece and especially Athens was a mix of awe and inadequacy, but after a day or two I felt right at home.
