Four Days of Fun!

Thursday the Journey students had the opportunity to attend another symposium related to the topic of United States/Greek relations. The symposium covered the topics of the FYROM issue as well as the continuation of Hellenic ideals through AHEPA; all of the students who attended enjoyed the session very much as it gave some insight into the political climate of Greece and the United States. After the symposium, students were shuttled off to a basketball game between the AHEPA Team and the Greek national team. Almost all of the students rooted for the AHEPA team that consists of Greek American college students. The game was close with both teams scoring back and forth and FINALLY THE AHEPA TEAM WON! The AHEPA team pulled ahead for a 75-65 victory over the Greek National team and the students hopped back onto the busses to Syntagma square. Arriving in Syntagma square, the Journey students all hurried to get ready for the AHEPA hosted glendi at a nearby hotel. A local group preformed dances from Macedonia at the glendi and then invited the students to join them and dance for the rest of the night.

Friday began as many days do, the sun came up, the birds began to chirp, and the Journey to Greece students were at another symposium listening to politicians give roundabout answers to questions. The symposium was specifically geared toward the United States/Greek political relationship as well as the respective countries positions on the FYROM issue. All of the students took something from the symposium and finished their adventure at the local taverna eating chicken and green beans. In the afternoon most of the students decided to take a siesta in preparation for the "special event" that night in observance of the Fourth of July. What the students did not know was that the "special event" was a gigantic party at a Greek shipping mogul's home! The students were treated to some of the best food they had ever had and a view that rivals California.

Saturday was a free day with the students taking advantage of the Greek sun by hitting the beaches in Glyfada. The day did not entail any special significance other than it was HOT and the beaches were of course, beautiful.

Sunday the students got up early to go to church in Mitropoleos where His Eminence Arch Bishop Demetrios was performing the Divine Liturgy. After the service, students got a special session with His Eminence where the students got a firsthand account as to the status of the Orthodox Church. After the meeting students took pictures with the Archbishop and then left to get ready for a pool party hosted by the Glyfada chapter of AHEPA. The pool party lasted a few hours and then the students decided to hit the beaches for the second time that weekend.

New Pictures!

Pictures from the Glendi


Pictures from Orientation

Pictures from the Opening of the Convention

Greece Update

Tuesday students woke up to attended orientation. The University of Indianapolis, Athens hosted the students in the main lecture hall where the students filled out their registration information and were welcomed by the heads of the AHEPA educational foundation. Dr. Jim Dimitriou had all of the students give their hometowns and names during orientation as the Journey students found out how small the world really is! Many students reside in the same areas as other but have never crossed paths and now were becoming close as fellow AHEPA Journey to Greece members. After the registration, the students attended their first day of classes with a great eagerness to begin their coursework. The first day of classes admittedly is more of an administrative endeavor, but nonetheless each Journey student found each of their professors to be excellent. After the last class had adjourned, students were rushing to change for the opening of the AHEPA national convention. The convention opened on Tuesday with his Eminence Archbishop Demetrios giving a speech that praised both the efforts of the AHEPA in the United States and in Greece. The opening was spectacular. The students walked out of the meeting hall and into a beautiful reception with live entertainment and miniaturized food; there were tiropites that were rolled up like eggrolls! Students mingled with all of the AHEPA and Greek brass talking about politics and the experiances that each student had on the trip so far. All of the students had a great time and walked back to their apartments to rest up for the next day's classes after the event was over.

On Wednesday, students attended their first day of full classes (1 hour 50 min. each). Some of the students with early morning classes managed to make it to the beach, for the rest of us who were not so fortunate; we ended up getting frappe's across the street from the UINDY campus to combat the Athens summer heat. With the end of classes on Wednesday, students found themselves going to a glendi that was hosted for the national convention. A few of the students took pictures with the Supreme President of AHEPA, and some of the students DANCED with the Supreme President. The night was one filled with excitement and fellowship as non-journey convention attendees Greek danced with the students during Kotsari and Sirto. The students were served a full dinner at the glendi, the meat was so tender that it could be cut with a fork, it was the best food many of the students have had on the trip so far.