Bellarmine communication major Cheyenne Grogean reflects on her winter study abroad experience in Greece, sharing highlights from her journey as part of a Bellarmine Honors course.
Last semester, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Greece over winter break as part of a Bellarmine Honors course. While our trip wasn’t as long as a traditional study-abroad program, we made the most of our time – after a long series of flights, we landed in Athens, then took a bus to Delphi, Olympia, Kalamata, and Nafplio, before returning to Athens. Each destination had a unique aesthetic, but they all had beautiful scenery and interesting places to visit.
The ancient sites highlighted our time in Greece, and I was surprised by how much we interacted with the natural landscape as we explored them. Most major sites were perched atop a mountainside that loomed over the city, like the Delphi ruins, once home to the prophetic Oracle. Climbing up to the top was a long process (I’m glad we went in December rather than the hotter summer months), but there’s something humbling about walking the same path that people thousands of years ago trekked on themselves. The view always made the climb up rewarding, too – Greece wasn’t lacking in scenery. The coast was visible from many of our stops, and swimming in the freezing Kalamata water while the sun set was one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me.
As amazing as the Greek countryside was, Athens was my favorite spot. There was just so much to see – the Parthenon, of course, and tons of museums and neighborhoods to explore. Seeing ancient landmarks blend into urban everyday life was fascinating; the streets were constantly buzzing with people and traffic, buildings were painted with vibrant graffiti, and then we’d walk past something like Hadrian’s Arch standing proudly in the midst of it all or spot the Acropolis looming in the distance.
Before this trip, I had been on a plane only once, and I had never been out of the country. The cost and the uncertainty of navigating a new place made me nervous, but Bellarmine offers a study-abroad scholarship that eases the financial burden, and the faculty were supportive throughout the entire process. The experience is one I’ll never forget, and the people I was with made it even better; the professors leading the trip, Dr. Ross and Dr. Speliotis, did an incredible job making sure it was fun and enriching. I found amazing companions in my classmates, and I met tons of cool people in Greece.
It was a genuinely wonderful trip, and it’s definitely going in my college experience hall of fame. To anyone interested in traveling to further their education, I couldn’t recommend Bellarmine’s study-abroad program enough.