Due to blog page formatting reasons, Week 11 is included in Week 10
Monday, June 9
Sophia & Gracie
Our last morning in Mykonos involved some morning swims, signing cards, and taking photos to post with our end statements. After all that was done, we headed to the airport to hang out for a couple of hours, waiting for our plane to arrive. Our flight got delayed so most of us just sat there and chatted with our friends talking about all sorts of things before we parted ways. The flight was very fast, around 40 minutes. The rest of the day was pretty smooth– we got our luggage and headed to the hotel. After getting checked in and dropping our bags off, we all walked over to PCC’s apartment to grab the rest of our luggages. A lot of us ended up calling taxis because we didn’t want to walk 20 minutes back to the hotel, in super hot weather, wheeling all sorts of luggage. With an hour to spare, we all repacked our stuff and got ready for our Goodbye Dinner at the restaurant next to our hotel. Over one last shared Greek salad and house white wine, we reminisced, laughed, cried, etc. For our final count off, we each stood up and gave a classic PCC take away—this time more sappy than an observation about Doric temple architecture. We thanked Demi, Jamie, Professor Martin, and PCC with small goodies and cards, and exchanged hugs and well wishes. Some of us will see each other in a mere two weeks, others won’t overlap on campus until the winter. It was all so bittersweet. I think we can speak for all 27 of us when we say that stepping out of our comfort zones these past 11 weeks paid off. I may not remember what I did Week 3 at Dartmouth's campus, but I’ll remember that on Week 3 during my abroad we travelled all over Sicily. The shortlist itself is something the grandkids will know by heart: we dug at an archaic sanctuary, raced on the first ever Olympia track, met for class at the Acropolis, some of us went to the Pope’s funeral or read the Nicomachean Ethics at Aristotle’s Lyceum and swam in a gorge at a 4000 year old cliff settlement, some attended Easter midnight mass at a converted doric temple or went on boat cruises or ran the original Marathon or hiked to the tallest point in Athens. We successfully learned how to navigate new cities, overcome language barriers, and most importantly lean into lifelong friendships—one of the most indispensable requirements of life. Tomorrow, we’ll be flying home scrolling through a mosaic of new memories in our camera roll, equipped with a belt holster full of new skills and hearts full of gratitude for Greece and for each other. Ευχαριστώ πολύ, Αθηνά! Γεια σας from the Greece FSP Spring 2025.
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Sunday, June 8
Ryker & Aryeh
Delos & Mykonos, GR
After enjoying some of the non-archaeological pleasures that Mykonos has to offer, the group was feeling pretty tired this morning. The combination of a beautiful spread of hotel breakfast foods and a realization that today would be the last site visit of the program was more than enough to energize us for the day. The only stop on today’s itinerary: Delos. This small but mighty island is, according to myth, the birthplace of Apollo as well as the treasury and meeting place for the Delian League following the Peloponnesian War. Site highlights include the Sanctuary of Apollo, a pair of Dionysian phallus sculptures, roughly 9-16 lion statues across from the Temple of Leto, the theatre quarter, and a Hellenistic cave monument to Heracles. After ferrying back to Mykonos, many of us took the opportunity to explore the main town before our departure back to Athens tomorrow. It doesn’t feel real that tomorrow is our last full day in Greece. What a program this has been.
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Saturday, June 7
Mykonos, GR
Hadley & Josephine
Today we traveled to our final destination: Mykonos! We had a free day after checking into our hotel, and most of us headed straight to the pool before migrating to the beach. We got food at the only restaurant between our hotel and the ocean (the gyro pizza was delicious), then lounged on beach towels and swam until 4. We spent the afternoon dancing on the beach, then caught the bus to Mykonos Town for one of our last nights together as a group.
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Friday, June 6
Naxos, GR
Ben & Jack
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Thursday, June 5
Naxos, GR
Today's Bloggers: Caroline & Angie
Blog! We started the day pretty early with breakfast at the hotel around 7:30, and most people were kind of half asleep. Then, we took our suitcases uphill to go up the bus; the incline was brutal, and most of us don’t travel light. Once we were on the bus, it took us down the hill to the port, and the road was ridiculously narrow and steep. It felt like we were just winding down forever, and every time the bus turned a corner, it looked like it was about to scrape a wall or tip over. But once we got to the port, we had some time to sit and wait. We ended up doing a map quiz while we waited for the ferry. Then we boarded and the ferry to Naxos took about an hour. While on the ferry, everyone was in their own bubble, tired but excited. We arrived around 11:30. It felt less chaotic than Santorini right away. A truck was waiting for our suitcases, which felt amazing after this morning, and another bus was ready to take us straight to the site. Our first stop was the sanctuary at Yria. We didn’t know much about it before, but it ended up being one of the more interesting sites we’ve visited (in our opinion). It’s basically one of the earliest known temple sites in Greece, and it’s dedicated to Dionysus. You can actually see how it developed over time, from these super early mudbrick structures into something much more complex and monumental. The site has layers (and a very cool interactive tool to help you visualize them) of different building phases from the 9th century BCE onward. At one point there was a wooden colonnade, and then that was replaced by marble. You can still see the base of the altar and parts of the foundations of the temple that was built in the 6th century BCE. So you really have to use your imagination and think about how the site may have started as a natural place of worship, even before temples existed. It’s kinda crazy to think about how people thousands of years ago came to the exact same spot to worship, celebrate, and just be together. The cult of Dionysus started here and then grew into something huge across the Greek world. After the site, we got back on the bus around 1 and headed toward Sangri. Most people just leaned their heads against the window and stared out at the countryside (beautiful, tho the smell was not the best!). For the rest of the day, the group scattered for dinner and enjoyed time by the beautiful beach!
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Wednesday, June 4
Santorini, GR
Today's Bloggers: Aryeh & Max
A beautiful day in Santorini! Today started at 8:30 with a quick bus ride over to ancient Akrotiri–right next to the Black Sand Beach that many of us enjoyed yesterday. Akrotiri can be thought of as a “mini Pompeii,” because a volcano around 1600 BC forced the residents out and covered the city walls in ash, thus preserving it in incredible form. Unfortunately, archaeological work on the site took a long break after the passing of the leading archaeologist of the site in the 1960s, which led to speculation on a “curse” over Akrotiri. Still, PCC and Professor Martin led us in interesting lectures and conversations before we headed to the Archaeological Museum of Prehistoric Thera. Here, we split into groups of 3 and each took on an object of our choosing to analyze, discuss, and then briefly present on. We were trying to understand Ancient Theran civilization based on their material culture, as we don’t have textual clues, and exploring the relationships between Thera, Minoan Crete, and even Egypt and the Near East! As a group we have greatly enjoyed the museums in the Cyclades, as the pottery, frescoes, and other artwork of the Cyclades are dramatically different from what we are used to.
Then, the afternoon was free! Some students explored Fira and soaked in the tourist lifestyle, complete with souvenirs and overpriced gyros. Others caught the bus to relax at various beaches around the island. Some headed back to Oia to take more instagramable pictures, and another group stuck around the hotel to have final debrief conversations with PCC before heading on a beautiful walk to Skaros Rock to catch the sunset. Gyros, seafood, and ice cream all around, and then the group headed to bed to rest for an early ferry to Naxos.
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Tuesday, June 3
Santorini, GR
Today's Bloggers: Maddy & Josephine
Today we had a free day in Santorini, but first had to get up super early to catch a ferry there. We were one of the first ones on to miss the traffic of tourists and most of us slept on the way over. When we arrived it was already scorchingly hot, so we ventured to the hotel to drop our bags. Graciously, they let us check in early, but in preparation for a later check-in time, we all were packed and ready for the beach. All 24 of the remaining FSPers ventured to the red sand beach to pass our afternoon.
We had to figure out the local bus lines that did not have reliable timetables and were not on google maps. After missing a few buses and scrounging for cash, we all made it. There was a mini hike along the cliff to get to the beach and when we arrived, we realices the sand was a lot more black than it was red compared to the pictures online. Nonetheless, we all enjoyed an incredible beach day and applied loads of sunscreen. Then we headed back to shower and get ready to venture to Oia- the well known picturesque location of blue roofs in Santorini. After snapping some pics, we went out to lovely dinners, some with a seaside sunset view and then trekked back to our hotel for an early night in.
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Monday, June 2
Heraklion, Crete, GR
Today's Bloggers: Tanaz & Zander
We awoke to the Cretan sun from a well-needed night of rest after our early and semi-traumatic departure from Athens the previous morning. The first objective of the day was Knossos, the largest Minoan palace. The Minoan civilization prospered on Crete, building large palaces long before the Mycenaeans in mainland Greece. Their frescoes and pottery are different from the mainland Greeks, emphasizing flora and fauna. We learned how some scholars like to think of them as peaceful flower children with gender equality, but it is hard to tell without written sources of which we have a few but are undecipherable in Linear A. The presence of women in art is atypical and leads to many questions about their role in religious practice. When we arrived at Knossos, some students were maybe expected something more akin to the beautiful reconstructions we see in textbooks. The palace was hard to conceptualize entirely, but I enjoyed learning about its design which emphasized light wells and ventilation in a time of no electricity or air conditioning. While it is unknown if the palace was inhabited by priests, kings, administrators, or all of the above, the architect or architects was very skilled in their construction of this marvel.
After a quick lunch in the site’s cafe, we split into groups. One group went back to Heraklion while the other prepared for a hike up the steep slopes of Mount Juktas. We tapped Ryker in to be “hike leader”. The hike was beautiful! Super steep and Niz was thoroughly unprepared since she forgot to bring her sneakers. At the top, we decided to visit a modern church for a bit. It felt like we were on top of the world, with a panoramic view of everything for miles. My favorite part was seeing the water between the valley of two mountains on the other side of the island — blink and you’d miss it. We then hiked up to the peak sanctuary for a brief lecture. As we made our way down (only a few casualties to the slippery rocks), we stopped at an ancient sanctuary where they have evidence of human sacrifices. Craaaazy. Everyone took turns posing at the exact spot where they sacrificed people to the gods. And then we hiked back down! Quite an experience!
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Sunday, June 1
Heraklion, Crete, GR
Today's Bloggers: Tori & Walker
Oh hey friends. Today marked our last 5 hours in Athens. We rose at 5am, bright and early, moved out of our apartments, and trekked to CYA. For me, this was beyond bittersweet. I teared up as I left the apartment that saw it ALL this term. It saw the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It was a sacred bonding space for my roommates and I— we spent hours in there yapping and having much needed floor time. Before I left, I went out on my balcony to gaze at my view the Acropolis one last time. A picture I can now only dream of.
We all embraced the foolish American stereotype as we dragged our luggages down a hill to CYA. I almost fell a whopping 5 times, but thank god it was 5am and there was no one around to witness. We hopped on the coach to the airport, got on our flight, and made it to Crete in no time.
Highlight of today? the DOUBLE DECKER BUS. Wow. What a privilege. Everyone was ecstatic and it instantly improved our sleep deprived slash groggy moods. We made our way to our hotel, dropped off our stuff, and immediately hit the museum. After the museum, all of us were ready for a nap. For some of us, this turned into a 14 hour nap. cough cough.. Zander. Then, those who were awake mobbed a fantastic Greek restaurant and then went back to the hotel to hit the hay.
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Saturday, May 31
Athens, GR
Today's Bloggers: Erika & Hadley
On our last official night in Athens, a group of us walked up Lycabettus Hill at sunset for one last look at the sprawling city and the lit up Acropolis. We fondly remembered our first day of the program in March, when we climbed the Hill all together and marveled at our first glimpses of the Parthenon. After Lycabettus, we had a final dinner in Syntagma, then walked home through the National Garden for a few hours of sleep before our early morning departure for Crete!
This Saturday was both relaxing and productive for many of us, as we had wrapped up finals for both of our CYA classes the day before. Now with extra time to spare, we gathered up our belongings since tomorrow is our official move out day from the apartments. However, since we still have a week to spend in the Cyclades, we all stored our luggage in PCC’s apartment. We were thankful to have the extra space, and many of us were well-made aware of all the extra items we picked up while here! We’re feeling bittersweet yet also looking forward to our final week in Athens.
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Friday, May 30
Athens, GR
Today's Bloggers: Jordan & Joyce
Today we started our day preparing for our Myth and Religion final and Topography presentations. Erika came through with some entertainment in her presentation on Neoclassical Architecture at Dartmouth! Super informative thank you Erika! Next on the agenda was our Myth and Religion section one final. After the final, we had a chill day until Myth and Religion section two had their final. After we were all done with finals we held a send off superlative night!
Felipe won best mustache! This is where we capped our nights and unfortunately had to say our goodbyes to Felipe and Sab. You both will be missed in the cyclades 💚.
Best wishes, your GL(s)
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Thursday, May 29
Athens, GR
Today's Bloggers: Jacob & Jenny
Students began the day giving our final presentation for our topography class. Students chose buildings from across Athens and presented on their form, function, iconography, reception, and historiography. Some of the buildings chosen included the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Tower of the Winds, and the Altar of the Twelve Gods.
The afternoon was largely consumed by studying for our final exam for our class on Greek myth and religion. Some people studied in their apartments and others studied in groups at various cafes around Pangrati. The exam focuses on texts such as Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days, the Homeric texts, the Homeric Hymns, the Bacchae, and the Oedipus Cycle. It also covered depictions of myth and religious worship in art as well as the evolution of Greek ritual practice over time and throughout different regions.
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Wednesday, May 28
Athens, GR
Today's Bloggers: Jack & Ryker
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Tuesday, May 27
Athens, GR
Today's Bloggers: Julianne & Maeve
Today both sections of Topography had class in Syntagma. We explored Byzantine and ottoman buildings: two small churches, a cathedral, and the oldest ottoman mansion. After class the group split up for the rest of the day. Niz, Ryker, Julianne, Jordan, and Jacob did a bit of thrifting, others went to coffee shops to do some work, Sophia, Hadley, and Angie went shopping nearby to look for dresses. You may be wondering, why dress shopping? Well let me tell you.
This Tuesday night we had our infamous "gormal." The name is self explanatory, it's our Greek formal. Coordinated by Tanaz and Jack, we spent the night dancing on a rooftop overlooking the Acropolis. Everyone danced, ate, and talked. It was truly a night to remember!
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Monday, May 26
Athens, GR
Today's Bloggers: Sophia & Sabriel
Today Myth and Religion Section 1 had class at 10:45 and Section 2 had class at 5:30. Niz, with her amazing photography skills, took headshots for Margaret while Ryker went thrifting for 15 minutes before class. Felipe also went thrifting and found a jacket he’s planning on wearing. Meanwhile, Julianne and I went for a nice walk in the National Gardens. Jordan went to the Acropolis to visit her “Acropocat” and got to do her tourist shopping for her family and friends. We even had a group go to the beach to soak up the nice weather. Overall, the start to our last week in Athens was filled with many random tasks and things to do before our finals start and we leave for the Cyclades.