Since the moment I arrived in Athens, it has been an extremely busy but worthwhile experience. My program consists of three in-clinic days seeing a vast variety of patients as well as introduction classes to Greek and Arabic to help understand the culture of locals as well as the refugees that have come to call Greece their home. While seeing patients in clinic, I have noticed that even though there are many differences in culture, there are also universal experiences that tie us all together. For example, one concerned parent inquired about her child eating too much ice cream and its effects on the child’s health. As a parent myself, I have also worried about diet choices for my children and if they are getting enough healthy food in their diets. Exploring the city and learning about the rich history of Athens has also been a treat. My favorite part of the trip so far has been seeing the Acropolis. Our professors arranged for us to have an experienced tour guide to accompany us for our tour and she had so many interesting facts about Athens and its buildings to share. One of the things she shared was the reason why Athens has its name. Per the legend, Athena beat out Poseidon to win the people’s favor by gifting them the olive tree and then granting the citizens of the city the knowledge of how to use its bearings for cooking, salve, etc. to make it a very useful contribution to everyday life in Greece. It seems only fitting to make a trip to Athens for studying abroad since it is named after the goddess of knowledge herself, Athena.
