After dreaming of this place ever since I left last year, I am so excited to be back on Paros! I tell everyone that this is my second home, and it is just as great as I remembered. While the gorgeous sights, wonderful food, and incredible people are the same from last year, I have found that even after being here 3 days, I have learned new things and seen parts of the island that I wasn’t able to experience last year. I also cannot wait to meet new people with amazing stories to tell! Our group this year is full of awesome people who are going to create some amazing documentaries for the island of Paros.
Yesterday we went for a tour around Parikia with our wonderful tour guide Avgi; we saw just a few of the many historical sites that are here on the island. We were able to go inside the Church of 100 doors, a place with incredible architecture and culture. Even though I went on the same tour last year, I found that I experienced new pieces and stories of the rich history of Paros.
Today our group ventured to the ancient marble quarries of Paros and to Lefkés, a town up in the mountains out of view from the pirates that once raided the island. Hiking through the quarry was one of my favorite experiences last year, and I was excited that we were able to do it again. It is amazing to see these man-made caves that were dug out by chisels and other tools. While you never see marble in the dirt in the United States, there are just pieces and pieces of it here! Lefkés was full of beautiful plants and flowers, a never-ending wash of color, and the best homemade orange juice I have ever tried! It is such a beautiful town that once was a place of refuge for the people of Paros.
I am such an advocate for studying abroad (I work in the Study Abroad Office!) and am so grateful that I get to be the Student Leader this year for this program. During my time here last year, I experienced a lot of personal growth and met so many people who opened up my mind to the world around me. I am excited to see what this year’s program has in store for me and the rest of my fellow students!
Written by Alexandra Updike