Students Summer Research in Greece Brings New Cultural Perspective

As a college student in the United States, my life is often filled with deadlines and restrained by schedules. Life in the Greek islands – where I am studying abroad – is quite different. Watches are of minor importance. The Internet is nonexistent. And forget about eating prepackaged foods for an on-the-run breakfast. Fresh bread or produce is about the only option for a morning charge.

Living on the island of Thirasia means adopting a slower pace and a simpler routine. For the past weeks of my stay here, I’ve been better able to relate to stories I’ve heard from my grandparents and elders regarding their childhoods. For instance, people here know their neighbors, and walking is not an inconvenience but a pleasure. Life itself is less congested but fuller.

In Thirasia, I constantly use all of my senses to the fullest: 

• Looking out at nightly sunsets and spectacular views of the magnificent caldera.

• Feeling the sizzling summer air on my skin.

• Listening to the jingle of small bells as the donkeys pass.

• The taste of hand-picked tomatoes and capers.

• Catching the scent of thyme and sage strong enough to put Mrs. Dash into shock. 

People on Thirasia are practicing a lifestyle of low stress and heightened reality, probably more like the life our grandparents grew up with.

And, at first, it was a little challenging for many of us to leave behind amenities such as the Internet or cell phones. And it is true that we have all hit a few points where we have been bombarded with inescapable day dreams of cheese coneys and Big Macs.

But on the plus side, we do not even have to carry wallets on Thirasia. There is no need for money when a quick snack is only an arm’s reach away. Plump tomatoes, fresh thyme, wild capers and mulberries are all ripe and ready for the picking. When the team is in the field collecting inventory or when we’re enjoying a weekend at the beach, we can always be assured that our taste buds will be just as satisfied as the rest of our senses. 

• More about students' summer work in Greece from past years.
• More about UC's internationally ranked College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP).
• More about UC's School of Planning.
• A profile on Derek Berardi.
• Apply to DAAP.
• Apply to DAAP's School of Planning.