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Day 20!

WOW- It is hard to believe that today was our very last day in Greece! Before our departure back to Athens, our group spent the morning exploring more of Syros.

Our day started with brunch, where Kate, Abby, and I had omelettes with frappes (our favorite Greek coffee). We then walked around the port town of Ermoupoli and stopped in many jewelry and clothing stores. On the way, we met up with our other classmates and made our way to Pachamama, a tattoo and piercing stop. Many of my fellow classmates are now rocking new piercings, which make a fun and lasting souvenir! 

With all of our walking, one of our group members misplaced her shopping bag without realizing! While recounting our steps, our group spoke to various shop owners to ask if the bag had been found. Unfortunately, while we did not find her shopping bag, our group made another interesting discovery! There is an online group of shop owners and local citizens to post lost items. Besides posting and checking for updates online, each shop owner also made a sincere effort to help us, with many calling on their neighboring stores or checking security footage on our behalf. I was surprised and touched by this support system and cooperation between the shop owners. This feeling of community is one that I will look for in my future travels. It also inspires me to create a close community back at home, especially wherever I close to settle down in the future. 

Overall, the walkability, community, and charm of Ermoupoli has made Syros my favorite Greek destination! In a short walk from the hotel, one can be at the ferry port, numerous restaurants, all sorts of shops, or the town square. And with such a strong community, Syros has shown itself to be kind to both its locals and tourists. 

It is my dream to come back one day. Thank you Greece! We love you! ❤️ 

Lindsey Nilles 

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Day 20 ~ last day:(

After the 4-hour ferry ride, our group ended the night with a farewell dinner along the water in the port of Piraeus. As disappointing as it was approaching the end of our extraordinary trip, we felt extremely grateful to spend one last dinner all together while reflecting on the countless memories made during the past 3 weeks. Our meal consisted of salad, pita with taziki, chicken and pork skewers, and orange pie: an authentic and simple yet delicious Greek cuisine. This experience was the perfect way to wrap up our final moments spent abroad. Although we ate food mainly from restaurants and hotels, several healthy options were provided and prepped with fresh ingredients and/or olive oil. Visiting a variety of restaurants was one of my favorite parts of the trip because I had the opportunity to try and appreciate traditional Greek food in addition to growing closer with my newest group of friends!

Corinne Ferko

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Day 20! Last day in Greece

Today is our last day in the beautiful country of Greece. We are headed from Syros back to the bustling city of Athens. We are taking a ferry boat to get there and it is quite a unique experience; usually something people from The States only experience if they take a cruise. There is truly no transportation in the US like this due to the majority of the country being landlocked, however, this kind of travel is very common in Greece. It is a cheap and efficient way to transport a large number of people from one of the islands to another or back to the mainland.

As we travel, the four hour ferry gives me the opportunity to reflect on the past three weeks we’ve spent on this amazing trip! From learning about the ancient world and one of the earliest empires in the world to how their way of life has survived over 2500 years and contributes to the high life expectancy Greece has. I’ve learned a lot from this trip but the major lesson I’ve learned from the natives all across Greece is to take a step back. Enjoy life moment to moment. Not everything has to be like the hustle and bustle of modern Western society. This ferry ride is the epitome of that ideal in that it can take some time to travel a vast distance across the globe. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey. Allowing things to happen as they do can reduce one’s overall stress and contribute to a better quality of life; because in reality, very little is within one’s complete control.

As we enjoy this unique way of travel and the beautiful landscape of the Aegean Sea, we all are learning valuable lessons in stress reduction. This, combined with a little sunbathing on the sun deck of the ship, will hopefully contribute to all of us keeping these ideals in mind for the rest of our lives and will push us to live long, healthy lives like the majority of Greece.

- Jacob H

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June 4th

Day 19

Hi everyone! Today is our first day on the island of Syros and we have a free day! I started my day by sleeping in until 9am Greece time (2am for you guys on the East coast!) and then heading to grab breakfast at the hotel breakfast buffet. One difference I’ve noticed between American and Greek breakfast is that where American breakfast is usually meat and eggs, Greek breakfast seems to focus more around pastries and yogurt. For example, bacon is a staple of American breakfast and only two of our hotel in Greece have had it. Personally, I think I’m more of a fan of the Greek style of breakfast because I love pastries. They have soft pastries like croissants and harder baked goods like cookies. I’ve really enjoyed trying the pastries at the various breakfast buffets, today the best baked good I had was the pain au chocolat. The light breakfasts of mainly just a few pastries reflects how the Greeks typically wake up later and stay awake until later in the evening than we do in the US.

After breakfast we laid on the beach for a while and took a swim in the Aegean Sea. After that, we went shopping around the island. I’m happy to support the local economy while also finding some amazing souvenirs!

For lunch I got a “Rocket Tomato Salad.” The salad was good and I enjoyed having a salad with lettuce in it since the Greek salads I’ve had here have not had lettuce, unlike those in the US that do have lettuce. However, despite no lettuce I have really enjoyed the Greek salads I’ve had here, although they remind me a bit more of an American cucumber tomato salad. The salads we’ve had here probably contribute to the health of the Greek people since the vegetables used are so fresh and not grown with as many pesticides as the vegetables in the US are.

For dinner, the majority of us students decided to make a reservation and go together to an Italian restaurant that our tour guide Niki recommended. I got the arrabbiata pasta which is a pasta in a spicy red sauce. This dish only cost €9.30 which is really interesting because Italian restaurants in the US are typically very pricey so a cheap dish like this is impressive to find here. The Italian food here tastes even more authentic than the Italian food at home in the US because of Italy being so close to Greece. Once again, it is evident that the Greek diet includes lots of organic, fresh ingredients which contributes to the overall health of the Greeks. I love eating food that makes me feel good about myself so I’m grateful to have this experience to indulge in all this fresh food here in Greece!

-Shannon B

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June 4th Blog

Greetings from Greece!

Today we had a free day on Syros Island in Ermoupoli which many of us spent relaxing by the water at our hotel. With a gorgeous view from the steps of our hotel and a small rocky beach behind it we had a great time swimming and sunbathing. Out front a dockside view of the city greets us with many people from a variety of cultures. Besides seeing the gigantic ferry boat, other boats and luxurious yachts float at the docks outside. At night owners, friends, and families spend time chatting over food or drinks confirming that the Greek diet focuses on having quality time at meals. Some of us even lucky enough to be invited onto a boat for a nice conversation with new friends from the UK and Australia.

After the Greek Revolution Syros in the early 1800’s became the leading commercial port in Greece. Many shipyards were built and the Greek Steamship Company was founded in 1856. By 1900, Piraeus became the leading commercial port over Syros.

Not many port cities in the United States have as many boats so close to the city center rather than large marinas outside of the city. Ermoupoli is centered right around the port with the city hall visible from the water. This makes walking to anything very easy when docked in the port. Many restaurants, bars, clothing shops, and other stores are within one block of the dockside.

-Milton N

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Day 18

Monday June 3rd

Hey guys!

This morning to start our day off we visited the Ikaria Prefectural General Hospital. This is the only hospital in Ikaria, though it’s not the only place that provides medical care. This hospital is not a full service hospital as it is smaller in size but it is very well staffed nonetheless. It provides outpatient and inpatient services in optometry, cardiology, orthopedic, pediatrics, pharmaceuticals , an obstetrics ward, a psych ward, a new dialysis center , an emergency department and a radiology department that currently doesn’t have a radiologist. If you need a service other than what is provided, you are referred to a doctor is Athens. When talking to physiotherapist Stella I also learned that her patients are more holistic by nature which causes difficulties with medicine and treatment regulation. This hospital that we visited is similar to hospitals in America in the sense that it provides a lot of the same services on a smaller scale. One major difference between the two though is that doctors in Greece aren’t paid well at all, whereas they are paid significantly better in the US. The lack of pay discourages people from the career path. Another key difference between the two is cleanliness. In the general hospital we learned that sparrows frequently fly in the building and start nests, then come in to tend to those nests. In America, the strict cleaning regimen would not allow for birds to make it into the hospital, nor allow for their nest too flourish within the building. The last difference I saw in the American healthcare system vs the Greek healthcare system is the insurance system. In Greece the hospitals are not trying to “empty your wallet”. They run the tests necessary to diagnose and treat you, and that is all. In the US, most hospitals and doctors run unnecessary tests to milk more money from you and your insurance company. In my personal experience with the hospital, even after they were made aware of my pre-existing health condition, they continued to run unnecessary tests. These tests would do nothing or further progress my diagnosis, as I’ve experienced repeatedly. This is just one of many cases alike of the US healthcare system trying to get more money. Though both systems have negatives and positives, it was enlightening to be able to learn more about the Greek healthcare system.

Madison L.

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Hi everyone!

Today we had the opportunity of visiting a nursing home in Ikaria. The first thing I noticed when we arrived was the beautiful scenery surrounding the building and the gorgeous view of the water. The home was small compared to the nursing homes I’ve been to in the United States. There are currently 12 residents and the max amount is 15. I found the small number residents surprising, as many of the people living on the island are elderly. Our tour guide Niki explained that the strong family values shared by the people of Ikaria encourage them to care for their family members and not bring them to nursing homes. The slow and relaxed lifestyle practiced in Ikaria allows this to be possible. Most of the residents are there because their children have moved to another country or passed away. In the United States, people’s demanding work and social lives do not always allow them the time to take care of their elderly family members, so many more people end up in nursing homes. Another difference I noticed is that the approach to care in the nursing home here is much more holistic. When we asked the residents the activities they do day to day, they answered that they mainly chat and hangout. The nursing homes I have visited in the US have planned and timed activities rather than a “go with the flow” mindset. When we asked one of the residents if she had any advice for our generation, she answered, “Love each other, hate the wars, and remember Ikaria.” I think we can all benefit by listening to that advice.

Grace M.

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June 3rd Blog

Day 18:

Hi y’all! Today we started our day with a delicious breakfast before departing the hotel to visit a hospital and nursing home in Ikaria. I was shocked and intrigued by both of these visits and it really helped me appreciate the technology and medical resources that we have access to in the United States. I have also learned so much about the Ikarian way and I will definitely be implementing some of the things I have learned into my daily life when I return to the United States.  After these visits, we went back to our hotel in Ikaria before boarding a ferry boat and heading to Syros. The ferry was not at all what I expected. It was a large ship with different levels to go explore and look out at the beautiful views. It also had an area to relax and sit inside as well as a snack bar where we could buy different snacks and drinks. The ferry ride had me reflecting on the different modes of transportation used in Greece. Most people chose to walk everywhere that they can instead of driving which probably correlates to living a longer and healthier lifestyle. Taking a ferry to get to the different islands around Greece is also a very common and relaxing mode of transportation. Overall, I found it interesting that the least common mode of transportation used in Greece is driving and the most common is walking. This relates to wall ability of cities as well as healthy lifestyle and aspects of longevity and I will definitely be walking more when I get back to the United States so that I can live a longer and healthier lifestyle.

Emma Potts

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Pictures from Mesakti Beach!

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Day 17

After shopping for various products at Honey Fritos, we departed for Mesakti Beach. The beach is on the northwestern side of the island. It had white sand and clear, smooth water. The beach bar offered delicious sandwiches, snacks, and refreshments to escape from the hot sun.

I thought it was interesting to think about the stark differences between the Greek beaches we have enjoyed and their American counterparts back home. One of the most obvious differences is how much cleaner and clearer the water is in Greece. At Mesakti, I was able to swim out to ~15 feet deep water and still see the floor easily while in the US I can barely see my feet in waist deep water.

Another major difference is the crowds on the beaches. The beaches on Greece are far less crowded and covered with trash and litter than those back home like Myrtle Beach and Fort Lauderdale.

One similarity I noticed is the rock beaches in Greece reminded me of some beaches I’ve been to in New England, especially in Maine.

Lewis Merkle

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Day 17

On our 3rd day in Ikaria, we visited a multi-generational family business that produces sweet honey from various sources. The owner, Mr. Phillip, gave a brief overview of the history and production process. He explained how honey was a more affordable and attainable option compared to sugar, which is why it is more popular. Because sugar was so expensive, parents used to tell their kids that if they ate sugar, they would grow worms in their stomach! With this, they saved money and actually promoted a healthier lifestyle. Mr. Phillip let us taste the amazing, all-natural honey sourced from thyme, heather (anama), and a variety of other blossoming plants in Ikaria. Personally, my favorite was the thyme honey and I bought some to bring home! I can honestly put honey on anything and everything, but I especially love it in my Greek yogurt. Having even just a spoonful of honey a day has many benefits such as protection against heart disease, stomach disorders, inflammation, and urogenital disorders. Replacing sugar with honey helps explain why Ikaria is known as a blue zone and has many citizens who live past 100 years old with a high quality of life. After learning about all the benefits of honey, I am definitely going to try to replace sugar with it and cannot wait to use Mr. Phillip’s local Ikarian honey to do so!

- Kieu Mai

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June 2, 2024

After a long day of fully indulging ourselves in the blue zone between meeting the locals, tasting honey, and enjoying the beautiful beach of Mesakti, we finished our fantastic day at a cooking class at Thea's Ikaraian Cuisine kitchen. It was so fascinating to see the things and the people we read about before our trip come to life. We started trailing up the mountain pathways, picking fresh lavender off the side of the paths- it smelled so fresh. Further up the mountain, we reached our destination, which looked like a movie scene—the most quaint outdoor kitchen with the perfect shade and the best scents from nature around us. Around the corner were goats and sheep scaling the mountain in their fenced area, and they were pretty social! After touring around, we got to sit down with Thea (which means divine and goddess in Greek). Thea grew up in America and helped explain her new culture to us in an easier way, making us take in her home in an exciting and more relatable way. She provided the best advice for us, telling us to "live our lives and feel good about living them." She also explained how there is a happy medium between diet and exercise, which is so essential to implement for us back in the United States. It was interesting to see how drastically her life changed from moving from the United States to a farm in Ikaria and all she loves about it- such as getting to know and love your neighbors no matter what. Throughout our day, seeing how vital this community is to the local citizens was terrific.  When it comes to diet, she expressed that the meals don't make you feel bloated, how important it is your meals consist of foods from every group, and how eating is all about moderation. On the farm, they eat lots of greens and meats and prioritize fresh ingredients such as butternut squash, beans, green onions, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, chickpeas, and so much more. She also explained seasonal food differences and how they only eat cabbage and other certain vegetables in the winter. This seasonal change can help positively affect how your body tolerates and digests food. For tonight's meal, we prepared zucchini croquettes, balls of shredded zucchini, and carrots fried in olive oil. We also hand-made tzatziki with carrots, cucumbers, oil, vinegar, and Greek yogurt. We prepared soufiko, a massive pan of mixed vegetables cooked in olive oil, which included a lot of eggplant in tonight's dish. This dish has a fast preparation time and can be an excellent substitute for potatoes in the diet. We prepared these main courses but also had chickpeas mixed with mint, dill, black-eyed peas, and bread. We quenched our thirst with some of the best freshly squeezed lemonade.  As a nutrition and food systems minor, I enjoyed everything about this experience and look forward to returning home, showing these recipes to my friends and family, and implementing more in the United States. I love how this can show us that diet is a massive aspect of longevity and that hard work pays off for good health! Being able to enjoy such fresh food prepared in an environment so different from ours, where preservatives are not familiar, was almost once in a lifetime- my body could get used to this!

Abby Donohue

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June 1st

Today was our first full day on the Island of Ikaria. Ikaria is one of the five Blue Zone regions in the world, where the mountainous environment and leisurely lifestyle contribute to the longevity of its residents. In the village of Evdilos, where we are staying, everything is centrally located around the port. We had a free day to get acquainted with the island and to enjoy our time relaxing and exploring.

A pebbly beach with views of the port and mountains is where I chose to spend my free time. Those in Ikaria prioritize spending time outdoors, so the beach was the perfect location to submerge ourselves into their lifestyle. We went on a short scenic walk to the nearby beach, where we spent time relaxing in the sun, socializing, and swimming. Just by engaging in a simple beach day, we incorporated characteristics of Ikarians’ lifestyles by having physical activity, communication, connection with nature and those around us, and not having stress about what time it was or where we needed to be. I truly felt relaxed after my time swimming in the cool water and absorbing the sun’s rays while connecting with my classmates.

Personally, I need to incorporate these practices of participating in activities that naturally incorporate social and physical components to enhance my physical and mental health. I’m now inspired to spend more time by the sea and incorporate it into the remainder of my summer to reap the physicals benefits of swimming and the emotional benefits of relaxing in the sun and socializing with those around me. We truly got a taste of the relaxed, simplistic, connected lifestyle of those in Ikaria. After today, I cannot wait to truly engage and learn more about their lifestyle here in this Blue Zone.

Madeline C.

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Day 16

Today was our unexpected free day in Ikaria! Lindsey and I woke up around 8 a.m. and decided to take a stroll around town following hotel breakfast. We were thankfully able to find a coffee shop open, but unfortunately we were out of luck with most other shops not opening until early afternoon. We spent our morning strolling around the walkable city. I thought Athens was walkable until I came here. Within a few minutes we could reach anything we needed as a result of the uncrowded streets and walkability of the city streets. We walked all around the city’s port Evdilos. The walkability of the cities streets and the daily walking in the Ikarian lifestyle promotes the longevity of their citizens. The healthy diet is exhibited in the daily breakfast spread as we have seen at each hotel’s spread. It consists of mainly eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, bread, and yogurt, a personal favorite of mine. I hope to take these dietary habits back with me to the states as I usually am rushing out the door with a protein bar at home. I’m excited to implement Ikarian practices into my daily lifestyle such as their relaxed daily practices, focusing less on being on time and more on enjoying the process of getting there. While this won’t work with being on time to classes, I can use this less stressed mentality in many aspects of my daily life. Additionally, their focus on healthy foods and eating smaller portions compared to the American diet is something I plan to take back with me to the U.S.. I hope to cook more this summer and all of the Greek gyros have been inspiring me. Finally, their emphasis on sleeping in with slow mornings is something I hope to continue to experience. I am normally rushed in the morning, leaving myself no time to take a second to relax. While the complete Ikarian relaxed morning might be unrealistic to implement in my own daily life, I think it is important for me to leave myself more time to enjoy a healthy breakfast in the morning without experiencing stress as an Ikarian would do. I think these aspects of the Ikarian lifestyle contribute greatly to their longevity and I hope it follows me back to the U.S.. Overall, this morning was spent with Lindsey enjoying one of the best hotel breakfasts and a fun walk around town.

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June 1st! (Day 16)

Today we had a free day in Ikaria, which is a tiny island off the coast of Greece. We have learned over the past 24 hours and change that we have been on the island that they live a much more laid back lifestyle than we are used to. The small area in which we are staying only has a few small restaurants and bars to choose from in terms of going out and night life. In addition, many of the businesses have varying hours that rely on the single proprietor of the establishment to uphold. This evening we even had a shop owner tell us that she needed to run to the supermarket and that we should stay and wait and watch. This lifestyle is different from any that I have encountered in Greece as well as the norm in the United States.

It would certainly make sense that this relaxed lifestyle is why Ikaria has been designated as a blue zone. So much of the stress from our day to day lives comes from the overwhelming amount of deadlines that we face in a daily basis. When the norm of a culture is to have every minute of your day timed and planned out, it is easy to feel stressed. Relaxing into a routine the way that those in Ikaria have would certainly make strides to increasing longevity because of the decreased amount of pressure. Chronic stress is proven to be detrimental to health and many initiatives in the US focus on correcting these issues.

Sabrina K

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May 31 | Day 15

This morning, we checked out of our hotel in Delphi and loaded the bus to drive to the Athens airport to fly to Ikaria. On the way, we stopped in Arachova for a beautiful view of the city and some quick pictures. Arachova is the number one winter destination in Greece by being an exclusive area with skiing resorts (sort of like their version of Aspen). After our brief photo op moment, we went to Goody’s Burger House for lunch. Goody’s is comparatively “Greece McDonald’s” but with a lot more options. After being in Greece for a little over two weeks, I’ve noticed that most of the popular chain restaurants that can be found all over the U.S. have not yet globalized to Greece. With a few exceptions, of course: Starbucks, TGIFridays, and one McDonald’s in Athens. I ordered the cheddar bacon burger with fries and ketchup because I have really been craving an American-style burger. The bacon was a lot softer (almost like ham) and the ketchup was sweeter, but still a delicious meal nonetheless. What I’ve noticed about the Greek diet is that ordering a burger typically comes with just the patty. Although the patties are seasoned more and can be stuffed with cheese, the lack of bread and toppings has been different to adjust to. To be able to be get a plain cheeseburger like I can grab from a fast-food restaurant in the States reminded me of a lunch I would typically pick up on my way home from class. Overall, I’d say today’s meal was a good palette cleanser and much appreciated after my newfound diet since arriving in Greece. My time with the Grecian food options has instilled in me a new appreciation for the options I have at home, but also the options I still have to explore.

Maria Corrao

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May 31st:

Today we flew from Athens to a small Greek island called Ikaria, a blue zone known for its long life expectancy. Despite a small delay, the trip ran pretty smoothly overall. Athens Airport is bigger than I would expect and loaded with tons of shops and kiosks for people to purchase Greek snacks and other various items before their flights. The airport was also extremely busy, however, the lines moved very quickly for how packed it was. After a few hours of waiting, we were bussed to a small propeller plane. The flight lasted for less than an hour and before we knew it, we were in Ikaria. Ikaria has the smallest airport that I have ever seen. It consisted of one runway and a small building with one baggage claim conveyor belt inside. The building also had a couple wooden statues, one of which depicted Athena, the goddess of Wisdom. It was surreal seeing this small airport surrounded by beautiful mountainous terrain on the island. After everyone collected their bags, we boarded another bus and headed to our new hotel rooms. I’m so excited to learn about the culture and way of life in this blue zone!

Will G.