I have made unforgettable memories every day so far, and writing about them makes this trip even more real and genuine. The traveling portion should be another blog in itself for each of my peers; we practically wanted to kiss the ground getting off the plane here in Paros after all of our peculiar “adventures.” For me, one four hour train ride, three plane expeditions, and one welcoming car ride to our villa from our professor. The hospitable greetings didn’t stop there, I have become attached to the open-hearted individuals here and have this feeling that the trip is going by way too fast. My family and friends contact me every day, missing my presence, yet here I am watching the times fly by while forgetting what day resides regularly.
I couldn’t have asked for a better group to accompany me on this trip. We have all became this enormous crowd of friends that travel in pairs along the island, caring for each person, and forgetting no one. We grew from strangers to a very close network of friends quickly. We share stories, emotions, and so many laughs during dinner that it makes my heart squeeze to think I will be leaving them June 9th back to America. We gather together for almost each meal and wander the streets of Paros snapping pictures of everything.
This journey on Paros so far was summed up in one experience yesterday as we entered a cave, a quarry that is abundant with ancient marble. I was nervous all morning about this voyage through the cave because of the “tight spaces” described by others who had been through it beforehand. With my claustrophobia, I pushed through the cave and was never more amazed by something so frightening in my previous judgments. We all turned our headlamps off and readied ourselves for a complete blackout. The silence was soothing and astounding being so deep underground. I loved it. Just like this cave excursion, I was fearful of the trip here to Paros but knew I needed to involve myself in this once in a lifetime experience.
This trip has reminded me that we all should travel to experience different cultures. It opens the mind to new ways of life and helps us culture ourselves, making us well-rounded personalities in the future. The people here are just as interested in finding out who we are as well, which is always a pleasurable experience exchanging principles and philosophies. With that being said, as much as I think the Greek culture differs from our own, at the end of the day we are all human beings trying to connect with others.
Written by Taylor A Charles