Leah the Greek

I have been Greekafied.

Being immersed in Greece for over two weeks now has challenged me, helped me grow as a person, and made me understand myself better. Before coming to Greece I would say that I had a pretty sheltered life. Whenever I hung out with my friends they usually came to my house, I did not move away from college, and therefore still live at home. This has been a whole new experience for me just on the level that I have never been away from my home or my family for this long. From this new experience I have began to understand myself a little bit better.

I have challenged myself in ways that for me seem like a big accomplishment, while for others it may not seem this way. This points to how I have not really branched out from the little bubble I have created. By taking the bus to Sounion was a very windy path and taking the ferry today on the most choppy water, it was quite scary, ill admit I was praying for a good portion of that trip, I have started to step outside the bubble. Through these new triumphs I have learned that I can do anything that I want as long as I am willing to push myself and step out of the sheltered bubble that I have created.

By learning new things about myself and other people and cultures I have began to step into the new stage of my life. I have lived in my own little corner of the world, but this all changed when I came to Greece. By coming to Greece I have developed a new me, Leah the Greek, new and improved.

Apparently my appearance as well has tried to join the Greek crowd. Today at the market in Sime the owner thought that I looked Greek. This was my first time hearing this on the trip. This information gave me the extra confidence in another area that I have been challenged. When I first got to Greece anytime someone spoke to me in Greek, or I tried to communicate with them in Greek or English, I would freeze up. I have slowly tried to let my Greek side out and when Greek people speak to me I try to communicate as much as I can. This is because language is a big part of culture and I think that by trying to immerse yourself in the culture as much as possible, this is the true way to experience Greece, and become the new and improved Leah the Greek.