"Greece taught me many things, but above all it showed me that growth comes from immersing fully in history, in collaboration, in awe, in community."
When I think about my time in Greece, I realize that my learning unfolded not only through classes or assignments, but also through the landmarks that defined my experience. Each place carried with it a lesson, shaping the way I understand myself, Columbia, and the world I hope to move through.
The Acropolis was my first teacher. Standing before its stones, I felt the weight of a past that refuses to disappear, layered into the present and into Greece’s unfolding future. The Acropolis is not frozen in antiquity; it is alive, woven into the identity of Athens today. Like Freud once wrote about the psychological impact of his own visit, I found myself reflecting on the power of place to affect the mind. The Acropolis taught me that history is not simply studied; it is felt, and it lingers with you, urging you to consider how the past continues to shape who we are and who we might become.
Nikis 28, the neoclassical house that became the subject of our research, offered a different kind of lesson. Though we didn’t work inside its walls, we immersed ourselves in its layered history, imagining its potential as the future Columbia Global Center in Athens. Over time, it became more than just a research project; it became our collective vision, the fruit of collaboration that required patience, creativity, and compromise. For me, Nikis 28 came to represent both the power of architecture to carry memory and Columbia’s future abroad: a place where stories might continue to be shared and retold, where global learning can take root.
Further afield, Meteora stunned me into silence. The monasteries, balanced impossibly atop rock formations that looked as if they belonged to another planet, left me in awe. Many people imagine Greece as the Acropolis or the islands, but Meteora revealed its diversity. It showed me that what we often assume about a place only scratches the surface; there is always more to see, more to learn, more to question. Meteora was a reminder to remain curious and open, to never let the obvious story crowd out the hidden one.
Finally, there was Mavromichali 142, our home. At first, it seemed like just an address, but by the end, it felt like a landmark in its own right. The terrace where we watched the sunset, the café downstairs where we lingered after long days, the endless work sessions crowded into living spaces; all of it became the backdrop to my growth. It was here that I learned independence, that I could thrive an ocean away from my parents and family. It was here that I learned community, discovering that Columbia students carry countless backgrounds and experiences, and that together, we make up a tapestry deeper than what meets the eye. It was here that I learned family can be chosen, built through care and closeness in unexpected places.
Greece taught me many things, but above all it showed me that growth comes from immersing fully in history, in collaboration, in awe, in community. Thanks to the Global Learning Scholarship, I was able to step into all of these landmarks and carry their lessons with me. I return to Columbia not just with memories of a summer abroad, but with a deeper trust in my own ability to embrace challenge, to seek out the unseen, and to find home wherever I go.
