To me, the opportunity to study abroad has always been on my mind. My main goal in life, is to travel the world and to become the most enlightened person I can become. In order to do this, being open minded and experiencing cultures from around the world is a necessity. My previous Anthropology professor from SUNY Adirondack, who has been an amazing inspiration to me, always said, “My one regret in life, is not traveling more.” This quote is coming from the most cultured person I know. Professor Valerie Haskins has done archeological digs all over Greece, and has traveled to more than 40 countries. Her words of advice to me… “Never miss the chance to see the world.” Believe me when I say, I will not miss this opportunity.
To study in Greece is to study one of the most interesting regions throughout history. With archeological evidence dating back to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, which is around 2,000 bce, Greece has always been one of the most advanced civilizations throughout history. What I hope to study while in Greece is mostly history classes. As a history major at SUNY Binghamton, Greece and the surrounding areas are by far my favorite to study. As for learning about their culture and where I will be living, I have been to Greece before. At SUNY Adirondack I took their International Education course, where we dove into the Archeological and Art History aspects of their civilization. The two weeks I spent there, travelling all over Greece, Crete, and Santorini, changed my life. I knew as soon as we got on our flight back home, I was going to come back.
Studying abroad in Greece will enrich my primary field of study because reading of an area, and actually being there to experience it are two completely separate things. As I mentioned before, becoming a cultured person is one of my ultimate goals, so spending months being immersed into a new culture would be a phenomenal experience for me. My Intended area of future studies is Greek History and how it shaped Western Civilization, so being there, and indulging in their culture surely would add an interesting aspect into my portfolio.
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I have a general knowledge of Greece as I spent two weeks there in May of 2018. I speak very elementary Greek, but am slowly learning more through Rosetta Stone. Throughout the two weeks I spent there, I learned all about their historical landmarks and toured the country stopping at amazing places such as the Acropolis, the Monasteries of Meteora, the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi, and many more places. I plan to expand this knowledge by truly experiencing Greek culture, and socializing with many people. As a soccer fan, it was so easy to strike conversation with locals about their favorite local teams, and even favorite teams from around the world.
I hope my world view becomes ever more enlightened by this experience in Greece. I pride myself on being optimistic and open minded, which are two essential characteristics of experiencing the world. Being cultured is something that was valued very personally to my mentor, Professor Valerie Haskins, and that is something she has passed on to me. She showed me around Greece for two weeks, and I promised her I would go experience it for myself.
This opportunity means more to me than anybody could ever imagine. Thank you for taking the time to consider me as a candidate to represent your school overseas.
References
- Go Overseas: Study Abroad in Greece
- StudyAbroad.com: Study Abroad in Greece
- Top Universities: Study in Greece – Complete Guide
- InternationalStudent.com: Study Abroad Guide
- GoAbroad.com: Study Abroad Programs & Reviews
- CIEE: College Study Abroad Programs
- StudyAbroadScholarships.org: Scholarships for Studying Abroad
- TransitionsAbroad.com: Work, Study, Volunteer, Travel Abroad
