By Taylor Rueff

Today marks two weeks since I left for Paros, Greece, ready to dive into a new environment, start my days early, and immerse myself in work. I envisioned setting up my laptop in a café or by the beach, embracing a routine similar to what I was used to back in America. Life is built around staying productive. However, I quickly discovered that the rhythm of life on this beautiful island is different.

In Paros, most places don’t open early in the morning, and the locals don’t wake up at the crack of dawn. I was initially surprised to find that many shops and businesses take a siesta from 2 to 5 in the afternoon, a “quiet time” meant for relaxation. This was so different to the constant hustle of the American work culture. Where it’s common to multitask, to work long hours, or to hear someone brag about how little sleep they got the night before.

The slower pace of life in Paros has been a refreshing change. Here, people take the time to enjoy their meals, rather than rushing through a quick lunch at their desks. It’s even uncommon to see residents on their phones while dining, let alone working on a laptop. Meals are a social event, an opportunity to connect with friends and family, fostering a strong sense of community. This goes beyond dining; the people of Paros value their leisure time, prioritizing personal well-being and relationships over relentless productivity.

This experience has very much impacted my perspective on work and life. The island’s lifestyle has taught me the importance of balance, reminding me that taking time to rest and enjoy life is not just beneficial, but essential. It’s a lesson in working smarter, not harder—emphasizing quality over quantity.

Studying abroad is about gaining new perspectives, and Paros has provided that. It’s not just about learning and working in a different setting but about adopting a healthier, more fulfilling approach to both. We not only came here to learn, to work, but to learn how to work better. While my next two weeks here, especially, will demand long hours and lots of hard work, I hope to carry these lessons with me, integrating a bit of the Paros way into my daily life, wherever I may be.

By Shayla Roy

The Cycladic Islands have much to offer with their beauty. From the crystal blue waters to the intricate alleyways of stone that pave their towns. However, Paros specifically is one to beat. Although rural, its charm is bursting through the seams. The city is very walkable, with shops and restaurants at every turn. Everywhere you look has a spectacular view. But what captivates me the most is the food.

The taverna’s lining the beach offer a plethora of food choices. Most of which are seafood, which is exactly what I seek when on an island. The abundance of marine life ensures a plentiful supply of fresh seafood, informing a significant part of Greece’s gastronomic culture. The quality of the meals are outstanding compared to meals prepared back home in the states. The texture of the fish melts in your mouth, and pairs wonderfully with innovative Mediterranean flavors.

While strolling down the streets of Naoussa I came across this fresh-caught octopus that was just hanging out to dry. How fascinating and delicious! It’s comforting knowing that I am eating something that was caught right in the sea beside me. To me, food is an experience, and an art form. It can make you feel many things, and surprise you more often than you would think. Paros, Greece, has definitely landed itself on my list of yummy food destinations. 

By Morgan Roberts

I must admit studying abroad is something I’ve been thinking about since starting college. I’ve had the luxury of getting to travel around the United States before, but I’ve never been overseas till now. And what a trip it is. I didn’t come in with many expectations, just the intention to enjoy the ride, but Greece has been wonderful. The culture here is beautiful, they truly take time to slow down and enjoy the community. The history is fascinating, the people are kind, and the learning that I am doing here is something I will never take for granted. The place, the history, and the work I’m doing here are all wonderful factors that have made this trip something for the books. But the most impactful thing for me has been the people I’m here with.  

Coming into this trip I was nervous about my connection with the other students. I will be splitting with Purdue come fall and I found that I did not share the same classes or social circles as my tripmates. I was honestly afraid of being an outsider. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Upon arriving here, I immediately felt a connection to this group. We are all incredibly unique but click as a group in a way that I have never felt before. In just over a week of wonderful team dinners, adventurous outings, beach trips, and nights just hanging out in the common room, I feel the blossoming of friendship with these people. They welcomed me with open arms, an act I cannot begin to express my gratitude for, and I’ve felt my admiration and comradery with these people grow every day.  

I didn’t have to be in Greece, these people make me feel like I could be anywhere, and I would still be having the time of my life. So, this is my little thank you to them. Every single one of them is so kind, genuinely wanting to get to know me. Thank you for inviting me to dinners and asking about my life. Every single one of them is incredibly talented. With skills and knowledge that I have gotten to witness firsthand as I work and hang out with them. Thank you for showing me what you know and teaching me too. Every single one of them are funny and incredibly interesting. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. With them I have found myself laughing and smiling more than I have in a while and it means everything to me.  

The people you are with truly make the trip, and these people have made mine one to remember. So, thank you, to the wonderful people here with me who took me in, with all their shenanigans and laughter, for making me feel safe and welcome. You are the best part of this trip.  

By Eden Mace

I didn’t know anyone going into this. Genuinely, not one person did I know outside of their name. To preface this, I don’t get out much. I’ve turned into a bit of an introvert in recent years and I tend to isolate myself, even from my friends and family. I was more than nervous going into this. I feared I was going to be too different, that I would be excluded and would end up doing a lot of this on my own. Imposter syndrome hit me hard, even before I got on the plane. But now, being here for over a week? I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I have had the pleasure of meeting and knowing some of the most fantastic and inspiring people. People who have worked harder to be here than anyone I’ve ever met, people who are talented and passionate, and who have helped me navigate this new situation. I won’t lie and say things have been ideal. There was a power surge at the institute and it fried my computer to the point of no return, leaving me stranded without a space to work on our projects. For a bit, I genuinely considered just giving up and going home. What else was I supposed to do? But I didn’t. I won’t lie, I did cry for about an hour. But I wouldn’t let my friends down. I knew I couldn’t let that happen. So I’m continuing my work, with the help of people who were complete strangers to me only two weeks ago. I’ve never been prouder to call someone my friends.

By Colin McCorquodale

My feelings about the entire Island of Paros has been nothing short of a dream. I have barely set foot outside of my hometown of Avon before, so to go across the world with my friends Taylor and Canaan has been an experience of a lifetime. It’s felt really good sharing the experience with them and with the new friends I have made.

The island has given me so many amazing new experiences such as the people, the new culture, and tons of little moments that most people would take for granted. Going out to have lunch, swimming or taking a walk in the morning are so enjoyable because of the hospitality and the landscape. The view itself is beautiful, almost like a painting on some days, and with the sounds of the ocean waves, this feels like the most peaceful place on Earth.

It’s hard to explain how welcoming Paros is. Just last week, the delivery driver from the Steakhouse drove by the Villa, and I was able to capture a portrait of him and gift that picture to him later. The joy he had that moment, just from a simple gesture, is something that will forever stick with me.

The little things truly are the big things on this trip and, when I get back home after traveling, I feel that I will have a new perspective on joy. I will have so much to look back on, such as the wacky plane ride, the cat sleeping on me in an alley, and being able to see a real film shoot down the street. Yet, the biggest thing that I will take away from this trip is the group of students. They made this trip amazing. The laughs and connections built through fun moments and new experiences make me feel amazing. We have around 2 weeks left here and I can not wait to see what experiences, projects, and anything else is thrown at us along the way.

By Christopher Koczan II

“Appearances are often deceiving” – Aesop

When we think of an adventure, we think of the grandeur of setting off solo or with a group to experience new things, to brave the unknown. In modern times there is often this deception that everything can be learned on the internet, that information is free and available to all through a Google search. But how wrong they are, just as the quote from Aesop says, the appearance of experiencing something by Google searching the topic and learning about it is deceptive compared to first hand going to and learning about that topic.

An experience of a lifetime is how best to describe studying abroad in Paros. Paros is this wonderful island part of the Cyclades, which has recently become quite the hotspot for tourism in recent years. Before setting out on my journey to get to Paros my main concern was that I wouldn’t know how to navigate my way through Airports, and that I’d be a nervous flyer.

You see, I come from a family that hasn’t really traveled through the world. My father used to travel a lot during his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, and my sister as part of her college program(s) has been to Spain, Ecuador, and recently Mexico, whereas I have never been abroad. I found however that my years of adventure leading up to and as an Eagle Scout have done well to prepare me for this new adventure. Leaving the airport and Indy behind was a bit scary, but ultimately was just a small ripple in a big lake.

Coming to Paros was rather straight forward, albeit tiring. The real challenge began after landing, dealing with a minor amount of jet lag and adjusting to the lifestyle of Paros. The first two days was going to bed at 23:00 and waking up at 05:00 because of jet lag. Finally, after the third day a normal pattern of 24:00-08:00 was established. That first morning on Paros, waking up at five in the morning to catch the Sunrise at 6:15 was breathtaking, to be awake before nearly everyone else on the island and to see such a sight was spectacular.

After being on Paros for a while you get a sense of leisure and carefreeness. The people here don’t usually seem to be in a rush, the Sun though blazing, provides a special kind of light that can only be described as paradise. The island frequently has a gentle sea breeze that some wish was more constant to stave off the heat. Parikia, although a hub for tourism, offers excellent food for our hungry bellies. Everywhere you look on Paros is a picturesque scene. In fact, Paros could be described as photogenic, especially on clear days where the neighboring islands like Antiparos, Mykonos, and Naxos can be seen, just to name a few out of the many.

I had many worries coming to Paros, the flight here, although long and tiring and not without a little stress, was but a pebble. Living on Paros for the past 7 days has been comfortable, minus the heat, which rapidly drains your energy on any given day. The biggest takeaway from my journey so far is the reinforcement that mountains can be climbed and while being prepared is good, knowing how to take the step forward and lean into what you want is easier than it appears. Because appearances are deceiving.

By Kyleigh Hittle

Since I can remember, I have always had an innate fascination with our world’s history. The good, the bad, the similarities and differences found between many cultures. I have always had an interest in ancient civilizations, the advancements in technology, medicine, and even politics. Greek history has been at the forefront of my historical explorations since middle school. The mythology, how intricate the stories could be, the lessons to be shared, I couldn’t get enough. Every day, every page of my little history books, something new.

When we landed on Paros, I didn’t have a lot of expectations. I had read about Athens, Crete, and other smaller areas on or close to the mainland, however, I had not learned about the history of Paros. I walked these streets, exploring the town where a castle once stood, now repurposed with more homes and markets. I saw cobble stone streets, small details in the entryways of markets and homes. Places now abandoned but were once full of life. I saw drinking fountains made in the 18^th century, no longer in use but still celebrated as Parian history. But I did not know just how rich the history of Paros was among these maze-like streets and the vast ocean side views.

We had the absolute pleasure of participating in a tour exploring and learning about Paros and how it grew to the beautiful place it is today. I was ecstatic. I could listen to these types of tours all day. We were told about an ancient cemetery right where we began the tour. The cemetery had sarcophagi housing generations of families, ashes of fallen Parian warriors given an honorable resting place. We learned of the castle I had seen prior, standing tall enough to see the ocean side where many of their enemies would advance. The castle was thought to be built from the materials of the then abandoned Temple of Athena, and pieces of a massive door structure from the Temple of Apollo. We were shown “The Church,” given the people of Paros by Constantine the Great, as a debt to them for assisting his elderly mother on a journey in which she did not see the end of. “The Church” was home to monks, suffered immense damage from an earthquake, and is home to the only remaining baptistery that has a baptismal font in the shape of the cross.

All this said, I decided to come on this trip to do the two things I love the most: learning about our world’s history and filmmaking. Here I can do both. This will be a trip I remember forever. I love you Paros!

By Hang Doan

I find it deeply ironic that, as a Vietnamese born in America to both fully Viet parents, I have lived here 18 years and my first trip abroad is not Vietnam, but an island off the coast of Europe. Even so, I think there are many cultural similarities to the stories my parents tell and the culture I witness from the Greek people. They eat long social meals, there are storefronts within walking distance at every corner you turn, and I have almost been hit by one of many mopeds whizzing through the narrow corners and streets. The Greeks put a lot of care into the scenery and I think it shows in the way that every place you walk is so photogenic I wish I could blink my eyes to take screenshots. My camera card has to be cleared every night to make space for the next morning. 

It’s said there are three spaces humans should have to be happy: a space to call home, a space where you work, and the third space where you have leisure. Back home in the states, there’s been discussion about how third spaces in America are disappearing with the ever growing rise of profit hungry businesses and a false meritocracy that convinces the average American citizen that in order to succeed you must work tirelessly until the day you die, and so there is no more need for a space to rest. As I sit with my friends for dinner seeing the glimmer in the ocean and the hospitality of restaurant staff taking delight in our long stay I truly understand the argument in full. We have Starbucks and McDonald’s, we do not have a third space.

The culture here is slow and provides an earnest answer to the human condition. There are days I work until I drop hoping that I’ll get the moment that makes me happy, but the true answer is to live in each moment because that is all there is. Which is easy to say when I’m on a vacation, but what I truly mean is to observe how other cultures live and bring that home with you in bits and pieces that can click into parts of your own. In Greece they sleep in late, then if only you could see how the city lights up at night. The streets glow golden and across the horizon you can see mountain ranges shining aglow like lanterns. 

In Paros, I get a break from years of grinding out work. There is no grating alarm clock, no smog congested streets, no hustle minded every day that repeats itself again and again and again. There is a rich and vibrant history brought to life by locals that cherish community and understand what it means to share love. I hear that modernization has changed this island, but I can only hope the culture is something we can preserve and hold on to. Let us not abandon the third space.