αντίο Ελλάδα: Goodbye Greece!

Watching the sun set on our last night!

As I sit here on this huge plane destined for Philadelphia, I am 100% in complete denial that I am writing my last post on this wild, crazy trip of a lifetime. As a senior, this was my last summer as an undergrad and I wanted to do something exciting and take advantage of the last time I would have to study abroad. This time next year I will be having a panic attack, trying to find my way in the real world but for now, I am going to live in the present and hold on to the memories I have made in the past 6 weeks as tightly as I can. I don't want to forget even a moment of it.
Studying abroad in Greece was one of the best academic decisions I've made my whole college career. I definitely couldn't have financially or emotionally gone on this trip without the support and encouragement from my family and close friends. Because of my amazing support group, I am able to sit here and reflect on what has been the greatest six weeks of my college career. No class, lecture, paper, project, test or textbook has taught me as much as Greece has. You cannot put a price tag on the value of immersing yourself in another culture and learning the ways of life in that country.
This trip was nothing like what I expected, yet it was everything that I needed. I had no idea I would find a family within our UNF group, or immerse myself so much in a foreign culture, or that I would learn so much about myself and my passions while on this trip. I don't think you can ever fully imagine how much a trip like this can change your life and outlook on life. 
I honestly cannot find the words to summarize how much this trip changed my viewpoints, opinions and overall outlook on life. It's hard to describe to people who weren't there the cultural influences that Greece and the people I met there have had on me. I know I am going to struggle explaining all of my experiences to my friends and family, so please be patient with me. I already know that I am a victim of reverse culture shock, because it has happened every time I have left the country. When you leave the comfort zone of America and temporarily become part of another culture, your eyes are opened to things in America you didn't notice before, and you can't unsee them. It's a hard concept to understand unless you have experienced reverse culture shock before.
This trip has brought me so much joy and a hunger for learning. Every single day in Greece I learned something new. We explored a different part of Greece every day, seeing something new every day, even if it was just trying out a new restaurant or finding a great place for coffee. Everyday I challenged myself whether it was trying to converse in Greek, attempting to tackle directions, try a new recipe or going for runs on the huge hills in our neighborhood. I enjoy the thrill of unknown things. I have no regrets on this trip, every experience, every person I met taught me something. I did everything I wanted to do on this trip. 

It's quite hard to explain the enthusiasm and excitement that Greece has given me. I'm usually very good with words but I sit here dumbfounded as to how I can fully explain all that I've learned and describe my experiences to people back home. I can already tell how hard it is going to be to adjust back to life in America (and not just because of the time change). Sitting on this plane, it's already weird being able to understand everything that is being said around me. I'm used to the foreign chatter of Greek and I began to enjoy not always understanding the background noise. Even though I can understand what everyone is saying now, this feels foreign (if that makes any sense). I am having to stop myself from saying the easy words in Greek that we used on a daily basis such as kalimera, yasas, parakalo, efxaristo, nay, or ohxi (good morning, hello, please, thank you, yes, no) and switch back to English. As much as I want to jump off this plane and make my way back to Greece, I know that all good things must come to an end. But this trip is one that I won't soon forget. 
My piece of advice for any students: STUDY ABROAD. It may be expensive and can seem scary and daunting at times but you will never regret it. Also, even if your professor doesn't make you blog or journal, you should do it. You think you will remember every single experience and feeling, but you won't. I'm so thankful to have this blog documenting the majority of what I experienced in Greece.
Lastly, I just want to send a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to even look at my blog! It means the world to me that I have family and friends who care enough to read about my experiences. And now, I am done. Done with my blog and done with traveling an amazing country (for now). If I didn't already know this about myself, now it's for sure: I am addicted to traveling. I love it, I crave it. And I can't wait to see what adventure is next! 
Adio! 

It's been real Greece. Thanks for a wild ride.