This program has honestly given me the opportunity to connect with great people I would have never met before. This aspect came full circle for me when I went to the host family dinner. I was paired up with another person and then we were paired up with a faculty member of the college where we then drove to a local taverna and met with other students and faculty members who were our host family. The taverna was awesome and was traditional which includes the people stones and outdoor seating. As we sat down and talked one of the faculty members of deree was asking about our family and she stated she was born in Constantinople which is where I told her that my mother was as well and she was actually aware of where my mother had gone to school.This shows me how connected the world really is. This dinner and the program in general opened my eyes and shows me that Greeks are very strong and resilient. As we talked about politics I noticed that the young greek American students at Deree are much more politically involved than young Americans appear to be. This kind of goes off topic but at the end of this night I realized how important my role as a Greek American really is and I have been inspired to be more active in my community as a Greek American.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a good opportunity to experience Greece, make good friends, connect with your culture, and have a fun time then you should apply.

Thanasi Christoforou