Going Greek!
By Jacki Dillman | Columnist
I’ve been in Greece for a solid month now. Coming into this experience, I thought the biggest hurdle would be the cultural differences between living in a European country and living in the United States. It has been a challenge, but I am finally starting to feel at home in Athens.
Although I’ve slowly started to adapt to the culture here in Greece, I have found that the biggest difference for me this semester has been more academic than cultural. Since the campus I attend here is an actual satellite campus of the University of Indianapolis, I expected classes to be equivalent to ones at home. In my opinion, this is not the case at all.
Students from home in the U.S. campus as well as other campus agree that the classes at UIndy-Athens are overwhelmingly easy. Kristen Pavese, a junior from Marist College in New York, shared her opinion on the topic.
“I am taking a lot of upper-level English courses here that would be difficult back in the States. Here, there are a lot of international students in my classes who do not speak English as a first language, so readings and assignments are a lot easier than what I am used to,” Pavese said.
I’ve found this to be true as well. Assignments are much less challenging for native English speakers because so many international students attend the Athens campus. In one class, I’m the only student who speaks English as a primary language.
Not only is the Athens campus different academically, the whole classroom atmosphere is different from at home.
Samantha Burby, a senior at Linfield College in McMinnville, OR, was shocked by the laid back atmosphere at the campus in Athens.
“The classes here are much less time consuming; most work is done in the classroom. I don’t have nearly as much homework, papers or projects,” Burby said.
Nicole Lodholz, a UIndy senior, shared Burby’s thoughts: “Here, it’s no big deal when students show up to class 10 or 15 minutes late. Students have much less respect for teachers, and it really shows.”
Although the classes here are so different from the ones at home, one advantage is how accessible traveling is for students.
The classes are much less demanding, but I think the school is trying to accommodate the huge percentage of students who want to travel as well as study during the semester they are in Greece.
Perhaps students at the UIndy Athens campus aren’t being challenged enough academically, but I’ve learned something very valuable in the short time I’ve been abroad. Studying abroad isn’t only about taking classes in a different country. It is about learning and growing from your experiences outside the classroom as well. In that regard, attending the UIndy Athens campus and living here in Athens presents challenges and opportunities to learn every day.
