Week 4: What an Experience
Nicole Diana Diamantas I find it difficult to describe just how incredible the past week has been. We went to Istanbul, which was an experience of its own. The bathrooms cost money, the people spoke Turkish, and the dominant religion was Islam. Still, the people were very friendly, and the food was absolutely delicious. I love spicy food, so it was great to be able to eat really spicy food and add as much extra spice to it as I wanted. The Grand Bazaar was filled with tokens and trinkets, lights and colors, and all manner of goodies. The spice market was even cooler, with heaps of different teas and spices, with a smell that wafted well into the street. On top of all that, we had the honor of visiting the Blue Mosque, The Hagia Sofia, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Blue Mosque was amazing for its architecture, even though visitors were required to wear a head scarf and long skirt. The Hagia Sofia was, of course, breathtaking. It dominated the horizon, with its huge dome and soaring turrets. The inside was even more spectacular. Even though it was converted into a mosque, there were a few mosaics left intact that gave an idea of what it might've looked like back when it was the epicenter of Orthodox Christianity. Fittingly, the next day we went to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and were able to attend a Sunday service and Communion. Afterwards we met with the Bishop and had a tour of the church, which had the relics of Saint John Chrysoslom, Saint Gregory the Theologian, Saint Basil the Great. It also had a third of the column upon which Jesus Christ was flagellated. I had goosebumps the entire time, amazed that I was in the presence of such holy relics. I was genuinely sad to leave Turkey. It has such a rich culture and such a vibrant people, I wanted to explore so much more. Still, I couldn't help but feel, driving over the border and back into Greece, that in some way, I was coming home.
Niko Argeroplos
Our time in Greece is coming to an end. We have one week left here with everybody and I can't help but feel sad to be leaving all the wonderful people I have met and the beauty that is Greece. That being said I have truly had the experience of a lifetime. Ever since I was a little boy I had heard stories about Turkey and Istanbul from my grandparents and parents. Being able to go an physically see what they had told me about was magical. The east has always interested me and held a mystical quality for those coming from the West. It is a land of spices, carpets, magic, and exotic religions. It is a place we no little about. Upon arrival to Turkey we stopped at the Grand Bazaar where we were able to shop and bargain with the local people. I was able to purchase a bracelet and snow globe for my little sister and got each half off. The Bazaar looked like something out of Aladin. We also were able to see the Blue Mosque and the church of Agia Sophia. As someone who enjoys architecture very much these two sites absolutely blew me away. The church of Agia Sophia was especially amazing and I will remember it forever. The food in Turkey was cheap and delicious. Many of the foods were similar in nature to Greek cuisine but included more spices. The boat tour along the Golden Horn was beautiful and we were able to see many of the palaces of various Sultans. The greatest experience on our trip to Turkey was the church service at the Patriarchate in the church of St. George. This has been the most amazing trip I have been on and I will cherish these memories forever. I am very grateful for the opportunity.
Alex Bageris
Unfortunately, this is the fourth and final blog of our trip which means it is almost back to reality. However, this past weekend in Istanbul, Turkey was spectacular. We got to experience a somewhat similar, yet entirely different culture just a few hours away from Thessaloniki. I can even saw that I have now been to Asia as well since part of Istanbul is in Europe and the other part is in Asia. On the first day we visited the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. Both of which were very interesting and it was fun interacting and haggling/negotiating with the shop owners over the price of things. The lamps there were beautiful as well. If only I had more space in my suitcase I would have gotten one. The food was interesting as well. Some things were delicious and others were not so good.
On Saturday, we went to many historical sites, however, two in particular stand out: Agia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. These were two of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. It was incredible being there and learning about the history of the two buildings. It felt a little strange being in the Blue Mosque since I am not a Muslim, but it was very cool nonetheless. Agia Sophia was also amazing. There is an immense amount of history that deals with that building, and I will admit, I am saddened by the fact that it is now a museum instead of a church it was still a great experience to be there.
Finally, we went to church at St. George which was another beautiful building. It felt great just being in an Orthodox church for a service again. We also got to meet the Bishop which was very cool, and although we did not get to actually meet the Patriarch, we did receive a beautiful cross from him as a gift.
As this trip comes to an end, I can honestly say that it was the experience of a lifetime. There is no way I could have come to Greece and experienced all that I have without the help of the Hellenic Birthright Program through the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation and for that I am truly grateful to everyone who played a role in making this trip a reality for me and my fellow classmates.
Maggie Economou
When reflecting on this past week, my mind automatically goes to Istanbul. For the first time I was experiencing the world through the eyes of some of my classmates, where language provided a boundary between effective communication. I had to rely heavily on hand gestures when I encountered someone who did not know English.
A highlight of the trip was visiting Hagia Sophia. It was an emotional walk through but breath taking nonetheless. The tour guide and friends shared many interesting stories behind the orthodox murals that still existed in the museum. I cannot wait return to the states and show my parents the pictures from the trip.
Another aspect of Istanbul I enjoyed was the shopping. By the end of the trip I became a decent bargainer and was able to see and purchase souvenirs that aren't available in Greece. On the last night there I even compromised the amount of sleep I got to stay out and explore all that Istanbul has to offer.
This last week will be bittersweet as I know that the inevitable goodbye is coming at the end of the week. I am going to try to make the most of these last days with the great individuals I've met on this trip. Here's to the memories to come.
Pauline Barry
There were mixed emotions while going to Turkey, one emotion was anxious another was excitement for Hagia Sophia and all the other churches we would be visiting.
The first thing I was introduced to while in Turkey was the bazaar. The bazaar was really nice and had a very interesting dynamic all these people buying these nice little trinkets and being able to haggle for lower prices was fun.
My favorite part of the trip to Turkey was seeing the churches, but it was bittersweet. On the one hand it was nice to see some of the icons that were still standing after such a long time but on the other hand you could also see the destruction that went on in the churches.
One church that seemed to be untouched was the church of the patriarch. That church was beautiful and the fact I was able to attend a church service there makes me so happy. I was able to see six holy relics of saints who did amazing things in their lifetime and even after their life. I want to go back to Turkey and visit all the churches that I didn't have time to explore.
Stephanie Plakas
This past week was the most eventful yet! We went on a day trip to Pella and Edessa on Tuesday. The Pella site was so fascinating to me because there were workers reconstructing the buildings and excavating while we were there and I am interested in archaeology. After Pella we went to Edessa to see the waterfall. It was breathtaking; and also very refreshing. That night several of us went to get a coffee reading. All of our futures were very positive and successful. The next day we had an iconographer come into class to demonstrate. Her precision was incredible! Then Thursday night we began our journey to Turkey. It was a long bus ride, but we arrived in Istanbul in the morning and began seeing the city. First we went to the Grand Bazaar and tried to bargain for our purchases. The next day we went to many major monuments around the city such as the Chora Museum, the Blue Mosque, the basilica of Medusa, and finally the Agia Sophia Museum. All of these sites were beautiful and put me at a loss for words; especially Agia Sophia. We also took a boat ride along the Bosphorus Strait. It was amazing; we had Europe on one side and Asia on the other. On Sunday we went to Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchate. Unfortunately we did not get to meet the Patriarch because he was in Thessaloniki. But the bishop that we met sent his regards and gave us blessed crosses from His All Holiness. That was one of the highlights of the trip. Then on the bus ride home, I realized that we only have one week left in the program. I am so happy that I got the opportunity to come on this trip and meet all these amazing people and learn all about Greece and our culture. I’m so sad that we have to leave, but I know that we will all keep in touch and be lifelong friends!
Christina Zikos
As we moved into discussions on Greece’s conversion to Christianity in the classroom, week three of our Hellenic Birthright trip was filled with more novel, unforgettable experiences. I continued to explore Thessaloniki: from fresh, delicious seafood, to the festival of a local church’s feast date, to a live concert in Aristotle Square. In addition, we had the privilege of taking a day trip to Pella and Edessa. In Pella, among the grassy fields, we visited the foundations of the city in which Kings Philip and Alexander the Great were born and reigned. It was amazing to see the remnants of a city over 2000 years old and examine the artifacts at a lovely museum rising close by to where the ancient palace stood. After, we boarded the bus and continued on to Edessa, where we spent the perfect afternoon in awe of the nature to be beheld there: the waterfalls, the steps leading over the precipice of the rocky mountainside, a cave, the canals, and the vendors selling fresh fruit on the streets.
Furthermore, the college brought our lessons from the classroom to life with different events. On Wednesday, the college organized an iconography seminar with the painter Nayia Kaplanidou in which we received a historical lesson of the art form and were able to watch the artist at work. That same evening I was able to attend a guided tour of the Patriachal Vlatadon Monastery, which stands at a point with a spectacular view of the city where Saint Paul visited in 51 AD, and received the blessings of the presiding bishop. The highlight of the week, however, was our weekend pilgrimage to Istanbul. We began our journey Thursday night and arrived Friday morning. Our itinerary for the next two days included shopping at the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Market, a tasty meal at Kebap House, the Byzantine church of Chora, the Blue Mosque, the square that was formerly a hippodrome that now houses an Egyptian obelisk, the cavernous beauty of the Basilica Cistern, and the majestic Hagia Sophia. By bus we viewed the ancient walls of Constantinople – the second largest such surviving structure after the Great Wall of China – and by boat we traveled along the coastline of both Europe and Asia. On Sunday we dressed to the nines and were bused to the Patriarchate. It was the first feast day of Saint Paisios, so His All Holiness Bartholomew was at a monastery outside of Thessaloniki where his mortal remains lie. But that did not detract from the magnitude of the moment. Here I was, in the center of Eastern Orthodoxy, celebrating the first feast day of a modern day saint, and the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom in the very church (St. George) where the relics of not just Saint John, but of all of the three Hierarchs lie. The most moving experience for me was being received by the bishop and being gifted crosses blessed by the Patriarch and kissing part of the post
Where Jesus endured his flagellations.
I am eternally grateful for this opportunity that has been afforded to me by the generous donations to the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation. Not only has my pride in my cultural identity been enhanced, but my Orthodox faith has been amplified as well by being able to walk in the places where St. Paul walked, where so many Orthodox faithful constructed and worshipped in churches during the Byzantine period, and where the Patriarch walks. With each passing day, I become increasingly content with all the experiences I have collected. And I have gained a certain serenity with the notion that despite any obstacles, the Greek spirit and the Orthodox faith will persist – through thick and thin wallets and from high highs (like the Agia Sophia) and low lows (like the catacombs below the earth). Zήτω η Eλλάδα. Zήτω το Hellnic Birthright Program.
Hannah Malevitis
Thinking about how this is my last week in the motherland is almost surreal. These past three weeks have been filled with so many opportunities that I will probably never get the chance to do them again. Last weekend we took a trip to Istanbul, Turkey and that was an experience I'll never be able to forget. The culture there is so much more different than Greece's, from the clothing to the food to the people. For instance, in Greece you can walk down the boardwalk and see a couple kissing or holding hands, but in Istanbul there is absolutely none of that, everyone there is so much more reserved. Along with the culture shock our group got to attend a service at St. George's church, stepping in there you immediately notice all the gorgeous iconography. Now having only a few days left to spend time in Greece, I'd like to thank the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation for granting me with this once in a lifetime experience, I will forever be grateful.
Joanna Psyhogios
This is the fourth and final week that we will all be in Thessaloniki together. This past week visited Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, and Edessa. Edessa was one of the most beautiful places I have seen in Greece. The waterfalls there were beautiful and the crepes that we ate there were amazing as well. A couple days after Pella and Edessa we started our ten-hour bus trip to Istanbul.
Istanbul was different from Greece in many ways. For the first time in my life I was in a place where I knew nothing about the language or the culture in the country I was visiting. It was also the first time in my life that I was considered a religious minority. Everywhere you looked you could see a mosque instead of a church. When shopping for items, I had to constantly remember that I could bargain for the price that I wanted. We visited the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Patriarchate. My favorite part of the trip was when we visited Hagia Sophia. I have always wanted to visit this once Byzantine church and I was so blessed to be able to see it in my lifetime. It was really sad to see most the icons and crosses removed from the church, but the beautiful mosaics that were still left was a reminder that this was once a beautiful church and that one day this holy church will hopefully return to the Orthodox.
This trip has been a great experience and a huge blessing. I have made friends here that will last a lifetime and made memories that I can never forget. I’ve experience the beauty of Greece and being here for this time has made me realize that Greece is my home away from home.
Anastasia Tryfiates
I can't believe this is my last blog post. The past week has been quite busy. We took our exam and left for our longest trip--our trip to Istanbul.
The drive overnight was long but exciting. We got to the border about 2am. We were anxious and tired as we gathered our passports and waited for the Greek police to approve us. A Greek police officer boarded our bus to check passports. He asked if anyone was from New York and had a quick conversation with one of the students who is from there. We would get this throughout our travels, Greeks asking where we were from and if we had a connection to some distant relative they have in America.
When we got to the Turkish side of the border is when it hit us that we were going outside our comfort zone and embarking on a true adventure. The language, currency, art, and customs were noticeably different from Greece.
We spent Friday morning at the Grand Bazaar, which is a large indoor market of different vendors selling their goods. Walking in your senses are hit with the sound of vendors trying to get shoppers' attention and the smell of spices, tea, and fake leather. At the end of the day we all went out to a kebob restaurant and enjoyed some of the best food of the trip.
Saturday was my favorite day as we had our Turkish guide show us the sights of Istanbul. We went to the Blue Mosque, which is named after the beautiful blue tiles that decorate the inside. After this we finally made it to Hagia Sofia. This was the stop that we had been waiting for the whole trip. My dad has been telling me about Hagia Sofia for years and stressed how important it is in the Orthodox faith. It was bittersweet to be in such a moving place and see how it has aged and religious symbols destroyed. It was very special for me to be there and I'm so glad that this trip was included in our program.
When we returned and crossed the border into Greece, the whole bus cheered and sang the Greek national anthem. It felt like coming home.
As this is the last blog, I am remembering all the wonderful experiences I've had over the past four weeks. This trip has provided me so many opportunities I know I never would have had. This has truly been a once-in-a-lifetime trip. I am so grateful to the the Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation for providing me with the best summer I've ever had!
Demetra Arianas
Yet another week has passed and we are heading into the final stretch. Every day in Greece is amazing, but for a change, this week we traveled to Turkey. We were able to trace the roots of our Byzantine ancestors along with experiencing what another culture would feel like.
Visiting the museum of Chora and Agia Sofia was mind blowing. Chora’s mosaics were breathtaking. I even learned bits and pieces of stories about the Panagia through the the mosaics depicted on the walls. The fact that those mosaics have survived from the 12th Century is amazing in itself. Agia Sofia, on the other hand, contained very few mosaic icons, but that did not stop me from feeling amazed. I was so impressed by the amount of intellect and creativity it must have taken to build this amazing structure. There is a reason it’s large, intricate dome cannot be mocked in this world. Once I gazed upon the mosaic of the Theotokos, one of the few things that has survived, goosebumps immediately ran over my body and I did the sign of the cross with no fear.
Upon walking out of Hagia Sofia, the feelings were bittersweet; I was happy to be witness to such amazing history, but at the same time there was so much missing from that amazing structure that was once there. Overall, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
Throughout all of my blogs I feel as if I have been repetitive, constantly mentioning how this experience is unforgettable. I cannot emphasize how thankful I am to the Hellenic Birthright Foundation for giving me the experience of a lifetime. As I head into my last week in Thessaloniki I know I will have a hard time parting my separate ways, but I know that this is not goodbye. This is trip has made me realize that I really do come from the best culture in the world; I am a Hellene and I forever will be.
Maria Arianas
Thessaloniki and Greece forever have my heart. Our group has definitely made the most of our time here, drinking in all the sights, eating the most delicious foods, and practicing our Greek. Since we last reflected on our trip we have done so much.
Thessaloniki has so much cultural experience all packed into one gorgeous city. This week some of us decided to go get our Greek coffees read and it was fun to see what the coffee oracle said about each person. I also found that I really liked the taste of sweetened Greek coffee! I also stopped to see the Arch of Galerius, which is nearby the coffee place. How cool is it that old structures such as these can be found right next door to modern everyday places!
On Wednesday we attended an iconography workshop. I never-before realized just how much work goes into creating a beautiful Byzantine style icon like all of those in any Greek Orthodox Church. Learning about this just makes me that more appreciative of the beauty of the icons I see. That same night we were also lucky enough to attend a live concert performed by our professor and his band. We all had a blast listening to them perform and singing along to the songs that we knew.
Finally, our visit to Istanbul and the Ecumenical Patriarchate was an awesome experience. I was surprised to see how cosmopolitan the city of Istanbul was and even noted some similarities between Istanbul and cities in Greece. It was definitely interesting to realize we were in a country with a Muslim majority religion and also worthwhile to see how yet another culture went about life in a different way than we are used to. When we visited the Hagia Sophia, I simply marvelled over the architectural feat of constructing such a grand building and felt pride over the fact that it was built by our church. We were also able to take a boat tour of the bosphorus splitting the city of Istanbul, which offered some beautiful views of the city. The highlight of the trip was our visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We were able to attend a liturgy performed entirely in Greek and also received a tour of many important artifacts and relics housed in the Patriarchate, including wonders such as the relics of the Three Hierarchs! This trip also gave us all a taste of what it's like to leave Greece, a feeling which made me look forward the prospect of returning very soon. I do not want to imagine what it will feel like when it is finally time to leave, but what I do know is that I will be back soon--that I can say with absolute certainty.
My heart swells with great gratitude for the Hellenic Birthright program, without whom I would not have had what is certainly the most wonderful and unforgettable experience of my life. I have learned so much more about my beloved Greece and also have begun lifelong friendships with the other Greek Americans I was fortunate enough to have shared this study abroad experience with. I thank Hellenic Birthright and the Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation for creating such a program, as well as choosing me as a participant, and hope for many more years of Hellenic Americans such as myself getting to experience Greece through this fantastic program!
Jacob Gaetanos
As we left for Istanbul, I could feel the last week of the trip dawning upon us. I wanted to make sure I got he absolute most out of my last week in Greece and make the best memories, which in turn would last a life time. We visited that Agia Sophia, once the biggest Orthodox Church in the World, then a mosque and now a museum, it was kind of a sad feeling walking in there and seeing all of the iconography had been whitewashed away. The encouraging aspect, was that straight above the altar, the mosaic icon of the Theotokos was still there. We were told the story about how once it was a mosque around 12 people had tried to remove it but every time they failed and fell from the top. I still have faith that one day it will return to a Church. We visited the patriarchate on Sunday morning for Divine Liturgy, I was at a loss for words for the beautiful iconography in the church. I was surprised at how small the church itself was, but driven the situation in Constantinople (Istanbul) it does make sense. Unfortunately we were unable to meet with the Patriarch but that didn't ruin the amazing experience. As we were touring the facilities and the church after liturgy, I turned and saw something that shocked me, familiar faces. Two members of my parish back home in St. Augustine, Fl were standing right next to me on the other side of the world, that was absolutely amazing and added to the experience.
As the last week of classes began it really started to sink in that the end was near. Tuesday we loaded up the buses early in the morning and left for Meteora. Once we got there I was amazed at how incredible and beautiful the place itself was, with high standing cliffs everywhere and monasteries trading on top, pictures online just did not do this place any justice. We visited two monasteries while here, I was again amazed at the amazing iconography. In the first monastery that we visited, the monastery of Saint Stephanos, i saw the most amazing iconography that I had ever seen in a church. It was just an absolute beautiful place. As the week went on we had to say our first goodbye, our professor Dr. Nikos Dimitriadis. We went as a group and met him for dinner the night after our last day of classes. Dr. Nikos is by far the coolest, most interesting and amazing professor I have ever had. Having him teach our class definitely enhanced my experience in Greece as it was always fun to be in class learning with him.
As the last day came upon us, we all said our goodbyes, a very sad moment as we all had grown so close to each other. I made incredible friendships that I hope will last a lifetime, and it was so hard to leave all my new friends behind and head home. Thank you again to the Panhellenic scholarship foundation for this Hellenic birthright experience. It was without a doubt the most amazing experience in my life. I feel as if t was a birthright for not only visiting the land of my ancestors, but also seeing the center of my faith and growing stronger in my faith as well. The memories made on this trip will stick with me forever. I am now back home in the states and already missing Thessaloniki and all of Greece like crazy!
William Anagnos
The Hellenic Birthright trip was a trip I will never forget. Thank you and everyone else that made it possible so much accepting me and the 21 others for that trip. Exploring Greece was the most fun I have had in a long time, and an adventure I will never forget. The fact that we all witnessed Greek history (even though its not the proudest history) before our eyes was tremendous. Visiting historical sights and becoming one with my ancestors home is more than I could have asked for. I never wanted to leave and I wish the trip was a lot longer. I went to Greece with goals that I would be able to speak the language better and finally communicate more with my family and hard work paid off. I was lucky to be with other students that were more than happy to help me speak greek and now my improvement is stunning. I learned more in 4 weeks than I did using audiobooks for 5 years. Now I am just sad that I am back in America where I am slowly loosing my ability to speak greek ALL THE TIME, but I am still working hard to better myself at it. Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for everything and please forward this along to others that made this trip possible.
