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.
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.
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