Alexa Berkshire - Blog 2

The past two weeks have been incredible. From the Parthenon to Mycenae to Marathon to Mykonos to Kusadasi to Santorini, it’s truly been an adventure.
In Olympia, we were able to visit the track and ancient site of the first Olympics. Being on the actual site of these first games was remarkable, but our tour guide Aristotle, really made it seem real and intense. He walked us through the site as though we were experiencing the Olympic games as a participant in antiquity. Aristotle didn’t spare any details as he told us of the procedures and preparations the participants from the different city-states would’ve done to get ready for each event. It was really a neat experience to walk the same routes and see some of the same things the athletes might have seen.
Looking back over the course I think one of my most treasured memories was visiting the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion. This temple sits on the top of a mountain that juts out into the sea. The views from the top were breathtaking. Over the course of this trip, we climbed several mountains, but this seemed different in that it, if I remember correctly, was one of the first ocean views we’d seen and it was spectacular.
The cruise, like the rest of this course, was an interesting and exciting few days. Of all the sites and museums and islands and excursions we took part in, I think my most favorite part of this course was our group dinners. The best part of a long day climbing up cliffs and half-collapsed stairs were sharing reactions and getting to know each other over shared plates of Greek salad and Tzatziki and always some type of seafood. One night while in Nauplion, I believe it was, we got to partake in traditional Greek dancing. I honestly thought it would be humiliating and I would hate it, but it was so much fun and I’m so glad we got to have that experience.

If you’re on the fence about taking a May or Winter term, take this one or any with Professors Seaman. They care about their students and they really make the group fun and safe. Throughout this course I've learned so much about heritage and how different cultures and civilizations grow and age. I'm so grateful for this oppertunity and I know I will treasure the memories I made in Greece for years to come.

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