Supporter of the LGBTQ+ community holding up a pride flag in Syntagma Square (Photo from Eurokulture)

Like most countries in the world, the LGBTQ+ community in Greece has fought years of oppression to gain their rights. Homosexual activity has been legal since the 1950s; however, legislation to stop discrimination against one’s sexual orientation in the work environment hasn’t been enacted until 2005. A visible change came into Greece in 2015 when the government passed a bill granting same-sex couples the right to engage in a civil union. This gave same-sex couples all the rights that marriage would entail except for the actual title and right to adopt. In a country that is heavily influenced by the church, it is always important for someone who is openly queer to be cautious and take note of surroundings. Though Greece has made great strides for queer rights, a little less than half the population still feel negatively towards queer people. This doesn’t mean queer spaces and communities don’t exist. They’re scattered all over Athens.

Even though the spring ’20 semester ended early due to COVID-19, students still had productive and meaningful volunteer experiences during their time in Athens. CYA has conducted interviews with volunteers from the spring ’20 class, and we will be publishing some of them on the CYA Blog. Ellie Anderson volunteered at the Melissa Network, supporting refugee women and children through childcare and education.

Even though the spring ’20 semester ended early due to COVID-19, students still had productive and meaningful volunteer experiences during their time in Athens. CYA has conducted interviews with volunteers from the spring ’20 class, and we will be publishing some of them on the CYA Blog. This interview features Clair-Djinie Bazar, from Siena College, who worked at Prolepsis and Medical Volunteers International (MVI) during her time in Greece.

With everything that’s going on in the world right now, preparing for finals might seem like the last thing you want to do. But hang in there we only have a week left! Here are some tips to help keep focused while studying for your finals:

During these difficult times CYA staff and faculty have graciously agreed to contribute wonderful, traditional recipes that you can try at home. Here’s a little chance to bring Greece back to wherever you may be. Try them out for yourself and let us know how they turn out!

Going into the week of midterms, I had no idea what would be in store for the next few days. I was stressed out studying for my exams and had pushed all other thoughts to the side. Even on that Wednesday, when Donald Trump had announced the first of many travel bans from Europe to the United States, I wasn’t thinking about the possibility of having to go home. However, the next day I was forced to face reality when my home institution sent the dreaded email which told me that I was now required to leave my new home. Friday morning I woke up and was determined to make my last day in Athens a day worthwhile.