Hello everybody! This is my first blog post – I hope that I can tell you all about my experience in Greece so far. I am staying in Thessaloniki, which is considered the “food capital” of Greece, and I’ve spent just over a day in the country by now. So far, I have explored some of the city as well as met up with the professor that will be hosting me and the students in her lab. Thessaloniki has certainly lived up to its name! The food at the hotel and college cafeteria is fresh and seasoned well. In regards to the cafeteria food, I have noticed some stark differences. In particular, there are far less options here (only two options for the main course and side, and one for dessert). However, the food is made in-house, and unlike Fresh Foods or Lakeside, there is far less oil used, which I appreciate. In regards to the restaurants around the city, the food and coffee are excellent. Pictured is a Freddo Cappuccino that I got from a local restaurant nearby.
The culture differences aren’t too shocking here, especially because I’ll only be staying for a few weeks. It’s very appreciated if you know a little Greek, even just a few words. The most notable thing so far is that the days start and end much later. As I’m writing this, it’s around 5:30PM. In the U.S., I would be gearing up to have dinner, but most people here won’t be eating for another four or five hours. My professor and all of the lab students were incredibly kind, and have recommended all kinds of local places, both for eating and night life – I have heard that the night life is very lively, similar to how it is in Tuscaloosa. I will be sure to send more pictures of this in my next blog post.
Tori
