Come for the Locals, Stay for the Globals

Ever since I have learned about the BA+ program back home at ASL, I have wanted to become a part of it in order not only to study in the U.S., but also to experience a firsthand glimpse into American everyday life and culture. This has not changed at all. But my first week in Athens has given me an insight into much more than American hospitality. I am specifically referring to Saturday when Sophia and I had an awesome dinner and game night with a group of 8 or 9 grad students from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. She had been invited before, and then asked if she could bring me as well (thank you!). It was no problem at all, I felt very welcome. We had some very good appetizers, a delicious rice dish (both homemade), and some good pizza, as well as coffee, wine and beer. Along with that went some very interesting talks on a great variety of subjects, and we definitely share the same sense of humor. After dinner, we played “Mafia” which some of you might know as “Nacht in Palermo” or “Werwolf”, and it was a whole lotta fun. It doesn’t happen every day that you meet such a warm and welcoming group of intelligent, open-minded, and kind people. Considering all the oversimplified and often outright wrong information that the media feed us again and again on people that we actually know so little about, an experience like this evening is priceless.

Please don’t get the title wrong, however! Americans are definitely part of the “globals” group! On Sunday, Sophia’s new roommate invited Sam, Rene, and me over for a good breakfast even though he had only seen us for a couple of minutes before. After that, Sam took him and us for a good bike tour around Athens where I learned that you have to fulfill certain requirements in order to get a coffee at McDonald's. In the evening, we were invited for dinner by his parents who are just as nice and friendly as their son. And then yesterday, I met my roommates, and I was immediately offered to be driven around town, and to get one of the girls’ bikes. It’s gonna be hard to express my appreciation to so many people around here in an appropriate way.