During my time here in Greece, I’m taking a beginning modern Greek class, MGKL 101. I had very little knowledge of modern Greek before arriving in Athens, so I was excited, but nervous, as learning new languages doesn’t come easily to me.

Our Greek professor, Marinetta Papahimona, encourages us to go out and practice our Greek: “While many people you will meet in Athens want to practice their English, you should stress that you want to practice your Greek.”

Just a few blocks from CYA, a farmer’s market, or λαϊκή, takes place on Archimidous street every Friday. Since CYA students do not have classes on Fridays, it’s an excellent time to get fresh fruit and vegetables for the week. I went to the market with the aim to practice my Greek and made a short video about some helpful Greek phrases that I use a lot at the market. Enjoy!

There is a cat that tries to sneak into the front entrance of my apartment every time I come home. I end my days late at night so I never notice this black mass scurry past me, following the light, warm glow inside my Athens apartment. I long to be like this cat because he can simply jump over fences and roam streets indefinitely, glorying in a freedom that I also desire to experience.

Of course, sometimes it is easier to spend time with the people you have been selected to room with. This is fine and my roommates are lovely, but I have recently been craving interactions with Athenians beyond simple “hellos” and “goodbyes” at supermarkets.

And sometimes the best moments happen when you push yourself to do things alone…

1. Souvlaki (Greek: σουβλάκι [suˈvlaci]) 

The most popular Greek fast food and a no-brainer for all CYAers. Tender pieces of meat tossed in herbs and grilled on skewers, served in warm pita bread and topped with juicy tomatoes, onions fries and tzatziki.

Coffee is no joke in Greece. During our CYA orientation, we learned how to make frappé, an iced coffee, shaken by hand. As every student will tell you, coffeeshops are essential for studying, socializing and caffeinating. Here we’ve gathered students, staff and faculty picks for the best cafes in Athens:

Whenever New Year rolls around, I’m always curious about what the year will hold. Many cultures have celebrations that center around this time of year and ways to predict what will happen. The tradition I am most familiar with centers around a small coin.

“As you set out for Ithaka
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery…”

Cavafy’s words are the ones I carried before my flight from New York to Athens. I am used to changing homes but what is different this time is that I have a cultural history in this place.