Your experience is really simple; it is up to you. The Athens Centre provided our group with some amazing excursions around Athens, but also outside the city with sites like Delphi, the home of the oracle of ancient Greece, and to the Peloponnese to see Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic games, and to some beautiful islands near Attica. The teachers are very knowledgeable in their profession. They challenge you intellectually at times, but in the end it is worth it because you become a more knowledgeable person after the term. The Athens Centre also provides some excellent cultural events that enhance the experience. These are voluntary, but worth attending to gain an insight into the culture of Greece, and neighboring lands. Some of these events could be a native film in Greek, or a concert, or a simple lecture from an expert about an important ancient or contemporary topic.

The Athens Centre is located in a very prime position in Athens; the bustling Syntagma Square is within walking distance. This is a very historical spot in Athens and is home of the Greek Parliament. Most important at Syntagma Square is the main metro station which can connect you to many other destinations in the city. Also within reach are some very important historical landmarks like the Parthenon atop the Acropolis and the Panathenaic Stadium, which held the first modern Olympic games. Also near the Athens Centre are some delightful Greek tavernas; one key to studying abroad or travel in general is trying new foods-you might fall in love with a new food you never known before. For me this was chicken souvlaki, and moussaka.

The Athens Centre is a very small school. This is good because you get to know your classmates, teachers and staff on a personal level. At large institutions you can easily get lost and just become a number, but not at the Athens Centre. If you have any issues the staff is ready to help you solve the problem. This atmosphere makes it feel like you’re a part of the community. It is very common to say “γεια σας’’ or “καλημέρα’’ or “καλησπέρα’’ (“hello, good morning, and good afternoon,” respectively) depending on the time of day to any staff member. The whole staff is always upbeat and happy, which enhances your mood and experience. This laid back atmosphere erodes the pressures of a normal academic term. For me this atmosphere helped me attain lot of knowledge and memories during my time there, while at the same time gaining lifelong friends not only from my home country USA, but also around the world. The property of the Athens Centre is very beautiful and well kept, there are beautiful flowers and plants in the courtyard. The class rooms are small but this is excellent for discussion during class time, which helps you understand your topic of study. The small class setting also enhances the community atmosphere.

On the final night we ate again at that same tarverna that started our journey three months before. This time the mood was very different. For me something happened more then just ending another term, I felt like I grew in so many ways as an individual. Living outside your native country for an extended period of time, you will see the world from a different perspective; you grow from being a citizen of a given country to a citizen of the world. This is a very enlightening experience, and this is what I will take away from this experience the most. Any kind of traveling is a good investment because it gets you out of your comfort zone. It basically lets you understand and appreciate the cultural differences we all have in this world. You learn to try new things, speak and communicate in a different language that you are not comfortable with and basically learn that we are all different, but at the same time still all the same in a humanistic way.

If you do want to study abroad in Greece, that would be an excellent choice. At the present time the country is facing some financial difficulties, don’t let the news discourage you from going to Greece, or you will miss out on something great. I can not adequately describe what a wonderful land Greece is or how nice the people are-you will have to find that out yourself. The Athens Center is a πολύ καλά place to start studying if you want to learn the Greek language or the culture and history of Greece.

The Athens Centre would like to invite you to a
POETRY EVENING
FEATURING

LEE SLONIMSKY

JOHN TRIPOULAS

DIMITRIOS GOLEMIS

With John Petropoulos

   At the Athens Centre

    Tuesday, April 23, 7pm

Wine and conversation follows the event.  The reading is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 210-7015242 or 210-7012268.

Demetrios Golemis was born 1874 on the Greek island of Lefkada where his father worked as a fisherman. At age 14 he was sent to Piraeus where he attended high school and simultaneously worked as a house servant in order to cover basic living expenses. While in high school his athletic talent in the middle distance running events was discovered. Golemis was selected for the Greek Olympic team of 1896 where he placed third in the 800 meter and placed 6th in the 1500 meter race. As a reward for his success in first Olympic Games, Golemis as awarded a scholarship by Prince George of Greece. He graduated from Athens University Medical School in 1901 and continued his medical studies in France where he met and was mentored by Jean Moreas one of the founders of the French symbolist movement in poetry. Golemis is the author of 9 collections of poetry, his first Phosphorescences was published in 1909 his last Angels Approaching in 1940. Demolished Souls the translated collection to be presented was published in 1930. Golemis was briefly married and fathered a daughter. His daughter is my mother (Golemis is my maternal grandfather).

John Tripoulas, born in Cleveland, Ohio USA, is the son of Golemis” only daughter, who came to the United States as an infant with her mother. He graduated from Oberlin  College, Oberlin, Ohio, with a B.A. degree in English Literature and from Athens University Medical School. He now lives on Ikaria island, Greece, where, following in his grandfather’s footsteps, he practices medicine and is also a runner, swimmer and poet.

John Petropoulos holds a BA degree in Classics from Harvard University and a DPhil from the University of Oxford also in Classics. He has taught at universities in Europe, the United States, China and the Middle East and has received numerous awards for his academic achievements. Professor Petropoulos has written and edited many books and articles on ancient Greek poetry and society. He has also translated into English the modern Greek poets Odysseus Elytis, Nikos Karouzos and Demetrios Golemis. Currently he is professor of Ancient Greek Literature at the Democritean University of Thrace and Director of Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece headquartered in Nafplion.

                                                 The Athens Centre would like to invite you to a lecture by

                                 Lee Slonimsky, Managing Member Ocean Partners LP

                                       «Out from the Shadows:

                                                           The Greek Financial Crisis in the Context of the Global Shadow Banking System«

                         Monday, April 22^nd, 7:00pm

           At The Athens Centre

      Archimidous 48, Pangrati (Mets)

Wine and conversation follows the event. The lecture is open to the public.  For more information, please call 210-7015242 or 210-7012268.

Lee Slonimsky is the manager of New York City based long/short technology hedge fund Ocean Partners LP since 1999, and a financial adviser to the Humane Venture Fund of the Humane Society of the US, AHRC NYC, the Southwest Native Green Loan Fund of Confluence Philanthropy, and other SRI (socially responsible investing) projects. With Elizabeth Coleman, he is co-author of the article, “Green Expands to Hedge Funds: Opportunities for Funders” in the Journal of the Environmenal Grant-Makers Association.   During his career, he has become increasingly interested in SRI (“socially responsible investing”). Lee Slonimsky is also a widely published poet, whose most recent book is Logician of the Wind, (Orchises Press, Washington DC, 2012).

Event information is also avaiable on our Facebook page.

Before I left for Greece I was cautioned about homesickness; three months does seem like a long time for a person who has lived in the same county his entire life. The funny thing is the only time I felt homesickness was when I returned to the United States, because Greece had become home to me. I never felt unsafe or unbearably out of sorts thanks to the support of the Athens Centre and the wonderful character of the Greek people. There are definitely some cultural differences between the U.S. and Greece but I found the Greeks to be exceptionally warm and full of life.

The Athens Centre is a beautiful little school and is staffed by some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people I’ve met. I’ll always remember Ms. Maria (Κύρια Μαρία) calling “Καλημέρα!” to us every day as we arrived at the school. Excursions and day to day interactions brought me closer to both the faculty and my classmates, all of whom I keep in contact with to this day. I could try to list all the inside jokes, beautiful sites, late nights, and wonderful experiences I had in Greece, but it would be better if I just said that travel and education are the greatest investments you can make for yourself. Both await you at the Athens Centre. You will probably have to adjust to certain things, but it’s all in the name of experience and learning about another culture.
I do not remember what I expected of my journey to Greece before I went there, but I can say now that I am back home, no expectations could have done the experience justice. Get out there and take in the world!

-Dylan (Andreas Mariettakis) Blake

The classes and professors are excellent as well. They know so much about the topic that you are studying and you can tell that all of the teachers there have a passion for the subject they teach. From the amazing excursions to the fun games we played in class, these were some of the best professors that I have ever had in my college experience. And I wouldn’t say that unless it was true. They encouraged me to learn and didn’t make me feel stupid when I asked a question. It made the learning aspect interesting, which in turn made the exams much more easy to take. I loved going to class and seeing what new adventure we would go on that day.

Overall, my experience living in Greece and studying at the Athens Centre was amazing. The people I met there have turned into life long friends and the memories I created have become stories I will never forget. Being able to live in the city was amazing too and there is so much to do! While I was abroad I also learned a lot about myself, and the people at the Athens Centre helped me to come out of my shell and taught me things that I would have never known if I didn’t know them. Since I’ve been back in Michigan, I have volunteered to work in the International Study Abroad Office at my school in advising future study abroad students because I loved my study abroad experience so much. I also was a co-founder of a student organization at my school where people who have studied abroad could get together and exchange stories, and make new friends who have had a similar experience. This experience really did change my life for the better, and I would encourage everyone to have a similar experience and embrace every adventurous opportunity that comes about because we have to make every moment count.

I think about Greece and everyone there often, and I do plan to come back to visit someday. So to anyone who may be reading this and considering about studying abroad, you will not regret your choice if you choose the Athens Centre.

-Michelle Blascak

francois – technicolor cinestyle from Mike Bekos on Vimeo.

Because many aren’t familiar with the program, I thought I could give back by writing this blog post. Here are seven qualities that, in my mind, capture what is so special about the Athens Program. 

1. Athens is an amazing city - Seriously, how many can say they lived in a city that is 7,000 years old? Imagine walking down the streets of Athens, passing bakeries and gyro shops, then suddenly stumbling upon ruins from 500 B.C.E. Just sitting there. In its lifetime, it may have seen the likes of Socrates and Alexander the Great. After four months in Greece, I never got over the magic of walking by these ruins. 

On that note, Athens is not accurately portrayed in the media. Recently, it has been in the news for its protests in Syntagma Square. However, as many of us know, the media tends to sensationalize events. There were very few protests during our semester in Athens, and frankly my classmates and I didn’t even know about them until we saw them in the American media the next day. Plus, we were far enough away that the demonstrations never interfered with our daily lives. So, seriously, if the protests are holding you back from considering Athens, I strongly recommend that you talk with someone with firsthand experience in the city. They will tell you the same thing. 

2. Field trips - Unlike many study abroad programs, the Athens program had field trips built into our class schedule. During our several day trips, some three-day weekends, and a five-day journey through the Peloponnesus, we visited Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora, Sounion, Nafplio–, and the list goes on. It was great to travel with my classmates and professors, who had already arranged transportation and hotel reservations through the work of the Athens Centre, which hosts the program. Plus, we had classes at the Acropolis, National Museum of Archaeology, in the Ancient Agora, the Museum of Islamic Art, and more. It was a pleasant change from 15 weeks in the classroom.

3. CAMS minor and Gen Ed credits - With the credits from a semester in Athens (plus the prerequisite class), you automatically qualify for a minor in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies. Furthermore, several of the classes fulfill Gen. Ed. requirements,  either GA or GH. Our program included majors in broadcast journalism, kinesiology, HDFS, and secondary education, among the numerous liberal arts majors.

4. Faculty-run programs are awesome - It’s often difficult to get close to professors at a school as large as Penn State, but that was never a problem with the Athens Program. I had the honor and privilege of traveling with Dr. Christopher Johnstone and his wife Patty, who acted as the heads of our family. We saw each other in class, ate at tavernas during field trips, and even had dinner at their place in Athens. Many students may be afraid that faculty «babysit» the students in these programs, but I can assure you, this could not be further from the truth.  We were respected as mature young adults, and we set our own agendas. 

5. The Athens Centre is adorable - The Athens Centre is a small, privately owned institution, which has hosted study-abroad programs for American college and universities since the late 1970s (PSU’s first program was in 1989). This is a nice change from a huge, state-owned University like Penn State. At the Athens Centre, you will see the same 5-8  staff members every day – and they are absolutely amazing. From helping us plan our spring break travels to taking us to the doctors when we were sick (my mother was grateful for the latter), I truly cannot say enough about the staff members. Plus, look it up — it has a quaint courtyard, free coffee for students, and hosts movie nights and lectures.

6. Greek Easter - In addition to spring break, we also had an extra week of vacation for Greek Easter. Indeed, the Greeks are serious about their Easter celebrations. I spent the weekend with my extended Greek relatives on Lesvos, while my classmates visited other islands – from Mykonos to Santorini. No matter where you go, witnessing Greek Easter is truly a once in a lifetime experience. 

7. Scholarships are available - This is true for any study abroad program. I applied for enrichment funds from the College of the Liberal Arts (specifically the Paterno Fellows Program), my major departments (PHIL, CAS, and PL SC), Schreyer Honors College, and the Eugene Borza Award, which specifically goes to a student in the Athens Program. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of aid from these sources. Every little bit counts, so don’t let finances stop you from the adventure of a lifetime. 

In short, if you have the opportunity to study abroad, don’t think twice about it. Send in the application, go through the process, and don’t look back. Specifically, don’t overlook the Penn State Athens Program. Perhaps I am biased because all of my majors trace back to Classical Greece (philosophy, rhetoric, democracy, oh my!), but in my mind there is no better place for a Liberal Arts student to spend four months.»

Pam Dorian studied at the Penn State 2012 program, at the Athens Centre. Her article was originally posted at LAUS@PSU

POETRY EVENING

FEATURING AWARD WINNING POETS

FANI PAPAGEORGIOU & A.E. STALLINGS

at the Athens Centre, on Wednesday, April 3, 7pm

Wine and conversation follows the event.  The reading is free and open to the public.
For more information, please call 210-7015242 or 210-7012268.

Fani Papageorgiou was born in Athens in 1975. She studied Law and History of Science at Edinburgh University and Harvard. Her Greek book, Zero and One (Kastaniotis, Athens, 2000) won the Maria Rally award for a first novel. Her poems have appeared in magazines and literary journals in England and in the United States, where she has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her first book, When You Said No, Did You Mean Never was nominated for the Crashaw Prize.

A.E. Stallings has lived in Athens since 1999.  Her most recent collection, Olives, was a finalist for the National Book Critics” Circle Award.  She has received the Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellowships for her work. 

Event information is also available on our Facebook page. 

The Athens Centre would like to invite you to the following event:

Jonathan M. Hall

Phyllis Fay Horton Distinguished Service Professor in the Humanities,
Professor, Departments of History and Classics, and the College
The University of Chicago

will speak about

“Who’s Who

in the ‘Royal’ Cemetery at Vergina

and Why it Matters”

Tuesday, April 9th   

7:00pm

At The Athens Centre

Archimidous 48, Pangrati (Mets)

Wine and conversation follows the event. The lecture is free and open to the public.  For more information, please call 210-7015242 or 210-7012268.

Manolis Andronikos” excavation of the Great Tumulus at Vergina and his identification of the remains in Tomb II as those of Philip II stirred the Greek national imagination. Almost immediately, however, the identification was challenged and some doubts have even been expressed as to whether Vergina is really the ancient Makedonian capital of Aigeai. In the light of continuing hypotheses and analyses, this lecture will take stock of what we can and cannot know and offer a new conjecture, as well as seeking to explain what is at stake in the identification of the burials.

Jonathan M. Hall (PhD University of Cambridge, 1993) is the Phyllis Fay Horton Distinguished Service Professor in the Humanities and Professor in the Departments of History and Classics, and the College at the University of Chicago, where he has taught since 1996. He has written numerous articles and chapters on the political, social, and cultural history of Greece and is the author of Ethnic Identity in Greek Antiquity (Cambridge, 1997), which won the Charles J. Goodwin Award of Merit from the American Philological Association, Hellenicity: Between Ethnicity and Culture (Chicago, 2002), which won the Gordon J. Laing Prize from the University of Chicago Press, and A History of the Archaic Greek World, ca. 1200-479 BCE, which has been translated into Polish, Turkish, and Greek and will appear in a second, revised edition later this year. A forthcoming book, Artifact and Artifice: Classical Archaeology and the Ancient Historian, which examines the relationship between textual documents and material culture through a series of case-studies taken from both the Greek and Roman worlds, will shortly be published by the University of Chicago Press.

Event information is also available on our Facebook page.