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.