The End

My time is Greece is coming to an end. I will be sharing a final blog post with you to wrap up my time here.

But first I want to share something with you.

I had to do a creative project for my Electra class, dealing with a theme of tragedy. I decided to write some poetry about the sacrifice involved in tragedy. In particular I focused on the tragic curse and heroic sacrifice.

Here is what I came up with.

  Death’s Fatality

-Daniel B. Miller

The black stain deepens.

It runs- steady down the hands of time.

Waiting

What curse is this that born of blood by blood must die?

The seed falls from the hands of man and rots the ground.

From it blooms the most bitter of fruits,

And as its father we curse its name.

The sharp pang-

Of knowing

Strikes the heart

From deep within our being,

Screams the knowledge of our humanity.

What flesh is this that struggles against its essence?

What essence is this?

This time-bound nature,

That leaves us crying:

More.

A cold eventuality

Grips our simple minds.

In futility we strain

Against the random inevitability of its coming.

Not might,

Nor Wit,

Nor Cunning,

Can best the hands of death.

In death we find the curse’s consummation,

And in death we find its cure.

“Justice!” the critic cries.

What balm for death is death?

The truth of this justice makes logic a fool,

And baffles the wise man’s musings.

A bloody sacrifice,

Born out of love,

May cleanse the wound of man.

In both death and love we find great power,

But in their coalescence we find redemption.

By these two only,

The pillars of our nature,

Can our voided hearts have wholeness.

We find no more perfect an expression of love than sacrifice.

It speaks the purest of words to our souls:

Forgiveness.

What purity is this?

That won by blood confounds our reason?

In willing death a hero braves and breaks death’s curse of fear.

In death he names:

Love and Justice,

The victors of humanity.

It is this transference,

That shapes the heart of man and makes him pure.

On the mount we find them:

Love, Justice, Death, Forgiveness.

We stare at them,

Eclipsed by their power,

And have peace.

The Countdown

The are only 4 days left for us here in Athens. This experience has been truly amazing and has changed my view of the world for the better.

On Saturday we spent the entire weekend in downtown Athens. To start the day off we climb the hill of Pnyx-a hill that stand adjacent to the ancient Acropolis. It was really to see the Parthenon and the entire hill of the Acropolis from a different angle. In the evening we spent time at the beach and watched a traditional Greek puppet show. It was really funny and interesting-even though we couldn't understand quite what was going on!

Yesterday we took a fantastic trip to ancient Corinth, Mycenae, and a waterfront town with a 17th century castle. Check out some of these views!

The Temple in Corinth

The Hill of Corinth

Mycenae 

Castle

The View of the Peninsula 

The Reverse View: the Castle from the Ground

I think the thing I will miss the most about Greece is the natural beauty. You really appreciate beauty when it is new to you, and everything in Greece: the mountains, waterfront views, and landscapes are new to me. The historical monuments, the architecture, and all the relics of antiquity could never  match the unadulterated grandeur of Greece's natural beauty. Things made by man don't hold candle to things made by the hands of God, that has been evermore clear to me this trip. 

Running out of Time

Well, here I am again 4 days after my last blog post. I have almost no time to myself here in Greece, and finding time to write my blog is nearly impossible. I return home in the evening after my two-hour class period mentally exhausted and drained. I am ever more frustrated at the workload ahead of me for this week. I have two novels to read and discuss in class by next week, along with my other Greek assignments and keeping you all entertained.

This week there have been strike and protests throughout central Athens, and as a result garbage has begun piling up on all of the streets around us. It's interesting to see the extent of the people's economic frustrations here in Athens.

On Monday I had an interesting conversation with my professor for my Electra course. We talked about the Greek economic crisis, classical education,  and hipsters.

My professor, Dr. Glynatsis, is a true renaissance man. He is educated in classical Greek art, theater, and philosophy.  His interdisciplinary focus has really shaped the nature of the course. We have examined the nature of tragedy from nearly every angle, but none has been more interesting than the effect modernity has had on tragedy.

The modern world like happy endings. We like things to be tied up in a nice bow. The idea that the world is a randomly chaotic and tragic place, as is the case in classical tragedy, does not mesh well with those ideals.

I said earlier that we talked about hipsters. That might seem to be a weird thing to talk about with ones professor, but let me explain. We were talking about the seemingly shallow nature of the current social climate in America, I threw out the word hipster with respect to that idea and his eyes lit up. He talked about how very recently there has been a movement very similar in Greece. Young, enthusiastic Greeks have decided that being different is trendy, and that everything unique and old-fashioned is in. He said that rather than a genuine appreciation for uniqueness, it was an aesthetic infatuation with the idea of novelty. Being different for the sake of being different, shaking off the ideals of their parents something ambiguous yet different.

If you think about it, this is an interesting analysis of the young, modern Greek culture. It's all borrowed. Throughout Greece you hear popular American artists playing in the cafes, clubs and restaurants have trendy English names, and Greek hip-hop artists uses phrases like "YOLO" on their advertisements. It very interesting how much Western culture has influenced Greece.

I would like to tie this all back to me class on tragedy. "Oh no he didn't!" Yes, yes I did.

If I have learned one thing from this class it is that the artistic expression of a culture is a reflection of it's philosophical underpinnings. Ancient Greece was a country filled with randomness, oppression, fleeting opulence, and vast themes of futility. The Ancient Greeks did not have an extremely well developed or optimistic view of life. They felt oppressed by the world and struggled against arbitrary gods and corrupt men. This was reflected in the poignant messages of tragedians such as Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus. The frustrations of the time were played out in their tragedies.

Turning to modern Greece, we see a culture in flux. The traditional days of folk music an foustanelles are a fading away slowly. This is reflected in the fact that their contemporary art, fashion, and culture looks more and more Western by the day. A country so rooted in history is confronted with a culture hunger for progress.

Politically, too, we see young people's lack of tolerance for the old, bribery and nepotism based politics. Both sides, the nationalist and the communists are shouting for change, albeit in different directions. The tragedy of modern Greece is not it's struggle against gods or opposing nations, it's a struggle against itself.

Seeing this play out for the past 5 weeks has been so interesting. Because Greeks, who are not supposed to like Americans, look and act a lot like them. There are, of course, differences, but I am more interested in the similarities. Because the similarities, as well as the differences, between Greece and America tell us about our culture too. Are we fighting against ourselves in America? Only time will tell.  In Greece, for sure, the people are not standing for the old ways anymore. They are taking to the streets in protest and strikes. Are their actions futile as in the days of old? I have a feeling we will find out sooner rather than later. 

4th Weekend in Greece

It’s hard to find time to blog on weekends here in Greece. We are always so busy with trips and adventures that it is almost impossible to catch a breath let alone get on my computer to write. This fast pace is taxing, but certainly worth it based on the experiences we are having.

Friday was another day of class work and such, but it was punctuated with a really cool community Greek cooking class. It was really nice to learn how to cook Greek food, even though I didn’t eat any of it immediately.

The reason that I didn’t eat any of the food on Friday was that I was supporting my friend Aya in her fast for the day. For Ramadan, Aya goes without food and water from dawn until dusk for roughly 40 days. Here in Greece that is approximately 4 AM until 9 PM. While I don’t share her religious views, I understand and value her commitment to self-discipline. It’s always easier to do something in a community. As a person of faith I understand that. Seeing Aya practicing her beliefs by herself made me want to show my support.

Denying one’s self something for the sake of cause is trendy nowadays. It’s trendy to be vegetarian or vegan. What makes these behaviors valid, however, is not their popularity, it’s their basis. Any idea or action is only valid insofar as it has a valid belief behind it. Aya doesn’t fast for herself or for outward pity or praise; she does it for her faith. That is admirable. Being able to participate in that was an edifying exercise in self-control and community. I got up with her at 3 AM and ate breakfast before going to sleep and going the rest of the day without food and water. At 9 PM I broke the fast with her and some other friends in a community dinner.  

One of the main things I have learned on this trip is the function that community has in enhancing good experience and soothing poor experiences. We want people to share in our joys and comfort us in our sorrows. That is why we eat together, work together, and play together. Humans are relational creatures.  As a study abroad group we do almost everything together. We have community meals, go out for ice cream (probably too much), and make fun of Chad together (a worthy cause). We spend so much time together that we can begin to get on each other’s nerves; myself included (sorry guys). What I have also learned is that Greeks use community is exactly the same way.

The Greek political and economic climate is in turmoil. What do young Greeks do? They assemble; they have concerts and rallies to network and convey their frustrations. They are American occupiers with more conviction. Cory, Carrie, and I stopped by one of the concerts in the platea her in Agia Paraskevi about a week ago. There was very loud music being performed and hundreds of 20-somethings were sitting around listening and talking. While I’m pretty sure it was a socialist rally, I was very interested in the community element of the event. It illustrates the eternal concept of humanity: it is always more fun to complain in the company of others. Because other people are going through the same thing, they can reinforce and validate your feelings. And, just like Aya and I, they look to each other for strength.

On Saturday we embarked on a bus ride at 8 AM that would leave some of us complaining and tired. We stopped in Thermopylae to see the statue of Leonidas  which was awesome. And then stopped in a small mountain town called….. We had nice coffee at a small café with a beautiful view of the valley. After 11 hours in the car we arrived at our destination: Meteoria. My souvenir for the car-ride was a piercing migraine that left me exhausted and angsty. Remember that annoying one another thing I talked about? Yeah, last night I was the one annoying people and testing friendships. Once again, I’m sorry comrades. A good night’s rest was the medicine that I needed.

This morning we awoke and heading up spiraling roads to visit the highlights of Meteoria: the monasteries. And these aren’t your garden variety monasteries. These are wicked-awesome-on-the-top-of-sheer-rock monasteries. We had to climb so many stairs to get to them. In the end it was totally worth it.

Seeing Orthodox religion is an interesting thing for a protestant Christian such as myself. The ornateness of their churches and their dedication to saints and Mary stands at a contrast to the simplicity of Protestantism. This makes sense, however, because Greece has never been a simple kind of nation. In the days of old they had many gods, complex philosophies, and plenty of folklore to boot. This complexity has molded and been molded by their religion. The foundation of their faith is the same: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world, from there the similarities and more theoretical than aesthetic. If you were to walk into an Orthodox sanctuary and then into a modern Christian church in America you would assume they worshiped two different gods. If you are interested in more details on the differences between these two sects please let me know. That is an essay in and of itself.

We are currently on our way back to our apartment. Everyone seems to be ready to get back there, where we feel safe. It’s interesting how quickly we become tired and ready to back to our “home-away-from-home”.  This week is our last week of classes, I am definitely looking forward to finishing up classes, but I will miss the holistic education I have received here in Greece. This really is a life-changing experience. 

Writer's Block

I'm going to admit-I am having a really hard time coming up with something to write about. It's not that Greece is boring, or that my classes aren't exciting- I am simply caught in a routine.

This week professor Sophia (our Greek language professor) took us out to the vegetable market and also took us shopping. The point of these excursions was to immerse us in Greek culture and force us to communicate in Greek.

I felt extremely childish walking around a farmers market while shabbily parroting the names of fruits in vegetables that professor Sophia was telling us. Imagine a bunch of foreigners walking around the Publix produce section saying, "Apple", "Onion", "Cucumbers", "Spinach"-all in very poor English. Yeah, that was me.

The people at the market didn't treat me as differently as I expected, however. Once or professor explained that we were students they treated us very nicely and were very accommodating. I think that Greeks respect students quite a bit, as I have received plenty of positive reactions from people who learn that I am a student rather than a tourist. I would assume that this is because Greeks value education immensely.

We also attempted to go shopping as a Greek class, but that didn't turn out so well. We went to one very expensive men's clothing store that was very nice to us, though. The lady in the store asked where I was from and if Florida is as hot as Greece (yes, it is). Once again, they reacted positively to me being a student.

My Electra class is going well. The past few days we have been discussing a Lars Von Trier film called Breaking the Waves. It's a tragic film about sacrifice and redemption, and it is extremely moving. The film almost abuses your emotions with the blatant vulgarity, and breaks your heart with tragedy. In the end, however, there are themes of redemption. As I explained earlier the Christian tragedy is highlighted by themes of suffering, sacrifice, and redemption.

Being an Honors student at UNF has prepared me well for this class. This class is  discussion based, the professor rarely lectures, and the main content of the class comes from student input. It challenges me to think critically and connect seeming obscure concepts and ideas succinctly and eloquently. Essentially, what I thought would be a literature class has become a philosophy and theology class. This is not because of the professors hidden agenda, but because of our constant foray deeper into the topics of discussion. Needless to say I am really enjoying this.

I have always been a why person. Just as much how things work I like to understand why they work. I like definitions and background information on concepts. I am not inclined to the superficial. Being in Greece has been amazing because their have been so many more why questions to ask. Why do people all drive small cars? Why don't they block off construction sights? Why do they spend so much time at cafes? Why do they take naps? Why do the bus drivers drive so fast? Why do they turn the lights off randomly at the soccer fields? Why are Greeks so obsessed with their past?

If I had the answers for these questions I would tell you, trust me. But Greece is such a unique country it's almost impossible to give and accurate answer. People move quickly here, but they aren't in a rush. People crowd subway cars, but aren't anxious about getting to their destination. They are proud of their past but don't seek to simply be defined by it. Imagine meeting a tourist to America and all them wanting to talk about is George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Just as Americans are so much more than their past, so are the Greeks. They are so much more than Zeus and the Parthenon.

I will venture to say, however, that Greeks are more trapped by their past than we are in America. The United States is less than 250 years old. Greece is more than 2500 years old. Not only do they have more history, the history is a lot more famous. So they are sort of drowned in their history, overshadowed by big brothers Athena and Apollo, Socrates and Plato. It is a struggle to define themselves separate from this, and more so difficult for the outside world to understand.

Trapped between the East and the West, Greece still stands as an enigma. I hope by the end of my time hear I have more answers for you and less questions.

Mondays

Most people don't like Mondays because the are the end. They are the end of rest and relaxation that comes with the weekend.

I like to see Mondays as the beginning. Here in Greece Mondays are the beginning of a whirlwind week of classes, assignments,and adventure. It's so easy to get stuck in a routine here, it's a chore to remain excited in the novelty of this place.

Yesterday I worked on assignments and went to class. That's the gist of my Monday. But I would like to look deeper into it.

I watched part of a movie yesterday for my class on Electra. It was a very graphic film by a Danish director obsessed with female characters and intense tragedy. I'll spell you the boring details and just let you know that it made me very uncomfortable. But the film also contained messages and themes of redemption and sacrifice. It has been really amazing to see how much those two concepts have come up in our discussion on tragedy.

In our class we have pretty much decided that the idea of tragedy and of tragic plays is foundationally existential. Tragedy is about the human condition. This is not a definition, mind you, it is a description. Tragedy is far to diverse a subject to begin to define it.

Lets go back to redemption and sacrifice. These concepts were present in the ancient Electras and still capture the imagination of contemporary thinkers, artists, and theologians. They are built off of the idea that the world is a broken and random place in need of fixing. In ancient Greece, the struggle was against the pagan gods and against common man, the existential struggle manifested itself into these two antagonists. With Plato, and I would add Judeo-Christian theology, the idea of the soul complicated things. The struggle stopped being against the world and became an internal struggle against the flesh. The redemption is now from broken humanity, not perverse and random deities.

I'll spare you the last 2000 years of thought and just let you know that tragedy is still pertinent today. As a Christian, themes of suffering, redemption, and sacrifice always make my ears perk up. The idea that suffering man needs saving from futility and suffering is a very Christian idea and, pardon the pun, the crux of our faith.

This is a (very) simple rendition of what we talk about in my Electra class. I hope that you have enjoyed our short journey into the metaphysics of tragedy. 

Third Weekend in Greece

So far my time in Greece has been filled with experiences that have taken me out of my comfort zone. In fact, some of the things I have done here I would never have done back in the states. I'm not exactly a spontaneous type of person. In the past week I have taken a Greek dance class, jumped off a 20 foot cliff into the ocean, and ridden a donkey (like a boss) on the island of Hydra.

I'm a 20 year-old white male. I seriously can not dance. But learning Greek dances was fun and great exercise. It was also great entertainment for my classmates. I'm uneasy about both heights and the ocean, but I had an incredible time in the water on Hydra-so go figure. If you think I'm going to say I'm afraid of donkeys, shame on you. I'm a full-grown man, that would be ridiculous-what were you thinking? That being said, it was really cool and we got to know the owner of the donkeys pretty well.

I think I would go as far as to say that most of the experiences on this trip have been out of character for me. I don't usually like new things. But since everything is new here I'm sort of SOL. I have to like new things.

The people here look at me funny. I like to think it's because I'm a special brand of hotness that they have never encountered before. It's more likely because I wear tourist sandals and wear a passport carrier (not a purse).

In all honesty it has been really hard to get used to the Greek way of interacting with people. The Greeks are both very open to new people and very exclusive in their social circles. When I encounter a Greek person on their own their own they are usually very welcoming and friendly. When I walk up to a group of Greeks, however, they seem more closed off. I'm not sure why this is. I think it may be due to the fact that community is so important to Greeks, and I'm not a part of their community. They are willing to friendly to me on a personal level (who wouldn't) but they are not willing to make me feel like a part of the community. I usually encounter this at cafes or grocery stores, which shows how businesses in Greece are such an important part of the community.

Today we went to the Acropolis Museum. It was a beautiful building , extremely modern, and it contained amazing artwork. Even so, it was easy to see the emptiness behind the glass and steel. Greece is a beautiful country with an identity crisis. It is trying to find it's identity in the past while simultaneously searching for it's future. The multi-million euro Acropolis Museum is a testament to that. It's a building that is caught in the past, the relics of old, but also trying to make a statement about Greece's future. It's a building designed to establish Greece's position as a modern European country. It's the dichotomy of ancient and modern Greece that makes it such a fascinating country.

To me, an outsider, both aspects of Greece have been amazing. But the tension within the locals is palpable. As I become more acquainted with the situation I will keep you all updated!