Attached, here, is the final Journey to Greece E-Bulletin. This edition features testimonials from our students and thank you statements to the National Hellenic Society, our generous cruise sponsors. Also featured is an overview of the program and a final word of appreciation from our program director, Dr. Jim Dimitriou.
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Attached, here, is the fifth Journey to Greece E-Bulletin. This edition features an overview of our final week and pictures from our visits to the Exarchate of Jerusalem in Athens, Cape Sounion, Greek Ministry of Defense, and US Embassy. Also featured is an overview of the entire Journey to Greece experience.
Today, the Journey family started wrapping up the academic portion of the program. In Dr. Dimitriou’s class, the students finished presenting their final projects.
The first pair to present was Aletha Vassilakis and Danielle Triantis. The two presented on the Ecumenical Patriarch Issue. The group gave a thorough background on the subject and then spoke about how the issue directly affects Greece, Turkey, and the European Union. Specific topics discussed included, the Halki Seminary controversy, the confiscation of Orthodox churches, and the unfair treatment of the Ecumenical Patriarch.
After the initial presentation, Constantine Frangoudis presented about the Aegean Sea Dispute between Greece and Turkey. Constantine gave a geographical background of the Aegean and explained the international laws of the sea that were ratified by the United Nations. The presentation continued and covered the conflict, including illegal Turkish flyovers, and the current status of the disagreement. At the conclusion of the presentations, our group enjoyed our traditional taverna meal in Plaka.
We then returned to the classroom for our afternoon Greek language and dance classes. In the language class, students finished their final written assignments and reviewed for the oral portion of the final exam. The Greek dance class reviewed the history behind the Zembetiko, Kalamatianos and Syrtos and began performing their final performances for their peers.
At the conclusion of classes, our group enjoyed their final free evening by shopping for relatives, studying for final exams, and walking through the beautiful Monastiraki neighborhood.
August 4
Today marked the final day of the Journey to Greece program. We had a free morning which allowed our group to visit relatives, study for afternoon final exams, and begin packing for our trip home. In the afternoon, we had our last meal at our favorite Plaka taverna, which served us great food the last few weeks.
Following lunch, our group returned to the classroom for our final exams in the Greek language and dance classes. In the Greek language class, our group was tested on reading, writing, and oral language skills. Our Greek dance class continued our final performances and took our exam on the history behind the Zembetiko, Kalamatianos and Syrtos dances. At the conclusion of our classes, we returned to our apartments and prepared for the AHEPA sponsored farewell reception.
Early in the evening, the Journey family congregated around the UINDY, Athens campus and made the walk through Monastiraki to the roof of the university’s cultural center, which featured a beautiful view of the Acropolis. For our final meal, our group enjoyed a buffet, which featured various souvlaki, spanakopita, tiropita, keftedes, potatoes, and salad.
Following our meal, University of Indianapolis Journey to Greece coordinator, Dr. Peter Wilkins, addressed the students and encouraged them to return to the JTG program and even spend an entire semester in Athens. Captain Evangelos Rigos, Director of the Hellenic Electronic Center, then spoke to the students and expressed how as young Greek-Americans we must keep Hellenism alive. To conclude the evening, program director Dr. Jim Dimitriou addressed the students and thanked all sponsors and staff that made the program possible. At the conclusion of the reception, we returned to our apartments to pack our belonging and enjoy one last evening in Athens.
August 5
Early in the morning, students departed on private coach for the Athens Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport. Students then boarded a group flight for Philadelphia. Upon arrival to the City of Brotherly Love, the Journey family said their good-byes as students boarded flights for different parts of the country. Despite leaving for various regions of North America, we understood that this was just a beginning, because we had established friendships that would last a lifetime.
Following our free weekend, the Journey family returned to the classroom. In Dr. Dimitrou’s foreign policy class, the students began the session by reviewing the expectations of their final presentations. After this period, Dr. Dimitriou spoke about foreign policy issues affecting Greece and the United States. Our professor then briefed us on current events in Greece. One of the issues discussed, was the possibility that China could serve as the “White Night” for Greece, by investing in the country during a time when outside speculation is desperately needed. After our morning lessons, our group headed to Plaka for our customary taverna lunch.
When the meal was complete, we returned to the UINDY, Athens campus for our afternoon Greek Language class. Today, we continued expanding our vocabulary list, working on our written phrases, and practicing our conversational Greek. At the conclusion of class, students were assigned a mid-term exam to be finished the following day.
After the Greek Language lesson, our group had a short break before our Greek Folk Dance class. During the first hour of our dance class, we learned about the history behind the dances of the Peloponnese, including the Kalamatianos and Syrtos. With our newfound knowledge, we were then able to practice the steps before performing the dances with music. When class ended, the Journey family enjoyed a relaxing evening and prepared for midterm exams and final projects.
August 2
After a busy night of studying, our group returned to the classroom for midterm exams and final presentations. In Dr. Dimitriou’s class, students shared their power point foreign policy presentations.
Dimitri Dimitriou and Barrington Wilson presented on the FYROM name dispute. Their presentation provided amble background including information about the United Nation’s stance on the issue and the controversy behind the naming of the Skopje Alexander the Great Airport.
Next, Bryn Ambrose presented on Greek-China Commercial relations. Ms. Ambrose elaborated on the Chinese management of ports in Piraeus and possible future investment in the Energy Industry in Greece.
Whitney Anderson and Zoe Tranakas made the final presentation of the day about the Cyprus issue. The pair gave a history of Cyprus and the events that led to Turkey invading the island. Ms. Anderson and Ms. Tranakas continued and explained the current situation and that any hopes of Turkey joining the European Union depends on the country ceasing to illegally occupy over one-third of Cyprus. Following the presentations, the Journey family went to our favorite Plaka taverna for our traditional Greek lunch.
After our meal, we returned to the classroom for our Greek language class. This session, we reviewed our mid-term exam and practiced our conversational Greek. Students also received a study guide for their final exam, which would test their reading, writing, and oral abilities.
The last class of the day was Greek Dance. Today, students performed one of the dances we had learned. Dances that were performed included, the Zembetiko, Kalamatianos and Syrtos. After our performances, we enjoyed a free evening and a group dinner, before returning to our apartments to prepare for our final exams.
Following a busy day, the Journey to Greece family returned to the classroom. In Dr. Dimitriou’s foreign policy class, students continued studying US-Greek foreign relations. Discussed were bills voted on by the US congress, H.R. 2583 and H.R. 306, which calls for the return of religious artifacts stolen by Turkey and freedom for all religious minorities in Turkey respectively. The class also learned about Greek foreign investment opportunities and the possibility that many of Greece’s industries will become privatized in the near future. After the lecture, students reviewed expectations for their briefing papers and headed to Plaka for our daily taverna lunch.
When the souvlaki, salata, tzatziki, and pizza were complete, the students attended their afternoon lessons. In the Modern Greek language class, our group prepared written phrases and continued practicing their conversational expressions. The Greek Dance class continued reviewing their traditional dances and in this particular session, the Zembetiko. When the students were dismissed, it marked the beginning of their free weekend, where students were able to visit relatives, sites they have not seen or to catch up on their studies before the last week of class and final exams and/or projects.
July 30
Saturday was a picturesque day in Athens and the first day of our free weekend. Students took advantage of the day by visiting relatives, sites they have not seen and catching up on their studies before the last week of class and final exams.
July 31
This Sunday marked the final day of our free weekend. The Journey family enjoyed a few extra hours of sleep, caught up on homework, and enjoyed a group lunch at Noodle Bar, a favorite restaurant of our group.
In the afternoon, we took a chartered bus to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounioin. Before reaching our destination, we stopped at a beautiful beach in Anavessos where we enjoyed a swim in the warm water and relaxed in the sand.
Shortly before sunset we arrived at the Temple of Poseidon. Dr. D gave a historical note of the significance of Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon. Dating back to 440 BC, it is dedicated to the 2nd most important god of the sea! It is noted as the place where King Aegeas threw himself into the sea, fearing that his son, the hero Theissius was killed by the Minotaur at Knossos. The sea still carries his name, "the Aegean!!" Finally, it is the spot favored by the Phil-Hellene, Lord Byron and still noted for its wonderful sunsets!" We took our customary group picture in front of the Temple and then walked around the site and took in the stunning sunset.
When the sun set, we took our chartered coach to Glyfada for our dinner appointment at the famous George’s Steak House. Upon arrival, the table was set with salata, bread, tzatziki, zucchini, and fresh bread. We then enjoyed beef keftedes and finished the meal with seasonal Greek watermelon. At the conclusion of the meal, we took our chartered bus back to our apartments to relax and prepare for our lessons.
Today, our group gathered in front of the UINDY, Athens campus to go to the Exarchate of Jerusalem. We walked through the beautiful Plaka neighborhood, before we arrived at our destination.
Upon arrival, we entered a reception area where we were treated to refreshments. When we finished our food and drink, a tour guide briefed us, as Dr. Dimitriou translated, on the historical and religious significance of the site, as well as the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
We then proceeded to the Agioi Anargyroi Church and finally the Museum, where we learned about the icons and religious artifacts. Before leaving, we saw the Holy Light, that lights up in Jerusalem every Easter and is distributed throughout Greece. Following our religious experience, we went to our customary lunch at our favorite Plaka Taverna.
In the afternoon, the Journey family returned to the classroom for Modern Greek Language and Greek Dance. In the Greek language class, students prepared for their midterm exam, by reviewing their vocabulary lists and spoken phrases. The Greek Dance class learned the history behind the Zembekiko and practiced the dance.
At the conclusion of the lessons, students met at the University of Indianapolis, Athens Campus and were briefed by Dr. Dimitriou about the world famous, Benaki Museum. Dr. Dimitriou discussed the wonderful archeological artifacts at the museum and went into depth about the Greek Independence Collection of artifacts, including the pistols of Lord Byron, the original Constitution and the original National Anthem and flags!
The Journey family then took the short walk to the museum, where they were given an informational pamphlet and time to explore the museum for a few hours.
After taking a group photo outside the museum, we walked to the beautiful Kolonaki neighborhood. There, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner and strolled by the high-end shops and boutiques.
Following our time in Kolonaki, we headed to Mount Lycabettos, which has a wonderful view of Athens. Once we reached the bottom of the hill, our group took a cable train to the top of the mountain. Upon reaching the summit, we enjoyed the beautiful view beside the Chapel of Saint George. Our group then headed to the restaurant area on the summit, where Dr. Dimitriou treated us to an ice cream dessert. After our dessert was complete, the Journey family returned to their apartments to relax after a busy day.
This morning, we returned to the classroom for our lessons. In Dr. Dimitriou’s Foreign Policy class, our group prepared for our briefing at the US Embassy. To prepare, the class session covered issues that included, the Cyprus dispute, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Greece, the economy, and possible foreign investment in Greece. After our session, we enjoyed a traditional Greek lunch at our favorite taverna in Plaka.
Following lunch, our group assembled in business casual attire and headed to the US Embassy for our briefing with the Hon. Daniel B. Smith, US Ambassador to Greece. After we went through security, we headed to a conference room for our briefing with the Ambassador. To begin the session, each member of the Journey family introduced themselves to the Ambassador. Following introductions, the Ambassador began the meeting by explaining how loyal an ally Greece has been, especially recently with its assistance in evacuating Americans from Libya. The Ambassador then discussed the possibility that Turkey could join the European Union and Agenda 2014, which aims to have all Balkan countries join the EU. Hon. Smith then emphasized that the United States supports Greece’s work in tackling its debt crisis and believes that this situation is an opportunity to make changes that were desperately needed. The Ambassador also stated that Greece must make itself a more viable option for foreign investment by changing laws and policy that make it difficult to invest in our Motherland.
Following the Ambassador’s initial statements, our group had a question and answer session. Questions posed during this period included, “What is being done to stop the illegal trafficking of Greek cultural artifacts to the United States, what specific legislation can Greece introduce to make itself more marketable for foreign investment, what is the status of the FYROM name dispute, and why was Secretary Clinton not more forceful in advocating for a solution to the Cyprus issue? Following our questions, the Ambassador spoke about internship opportunities with the US State Department and took our customary group photo. Before leaving the Embassy, we took gathered around a statue of former Secretary of State George Marshall, which was generously donated by the Order of AHEPA, and took another group photo. After our briefing, our group relaxed for the evening and prepared for our next day of classes.
Attached, here, is the fourth Journey to Greece E-Bulletin. This edition features an overview of our week and pictures from our three-day excursion, which featured stops in Corinth, Isthmia, Nemea, Olympia, and Delphi. Also featured is our visit to the Acropolis, Parliament tour, Greek Foreign Ministry briefing, Battleship Averoff tour, and Dora Stratou experience.
After a wonderful three-day excursion, the Journey family returned to the classroom. Today, we had the privilege to have Mr. Nick Larigakis, President and CEO of the American Hellenic Institute, brief us about US-Greece foreign relations. AHI is the official sponsor of our foreign relations class.
Mr. Larigakis, who just came from a briefing with US Ambassador to Greece, Daniel B. Smith, spoke to us about the importance of working together as a Greek community and doing our part to advocate for Hellenic issues. The AHI president spoke about Greece's role as a loyal ally to the United States and the countries similar views on foreign policy. He contrasted Turkish and Greek relations with the United States, showing that Greece has aided the United States much more than Turkey has in the past, especially in terms of providing military facilities. Our speaker also critiqued US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Greece, explaining that it was a step in the right direction, but that she should have been more forceful in advocating for solutions to Cyprus and the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Following Mr. Larigakis’ initial statement, our group had a question and answer period. During this time questions included, "What is the possibility of a settlement of the FYROM issue? “What is the importance of the Greek lobby and the Hellenic Caucus in Congress? "What is the importance of the US appointing such a qualified, career diplomat and senior State Department official as ambassador to Greece? What can be done to stop Turkish violations of Greek air space? "Is a solution imminent in Cyprus, to remove Turkish occupation troops and have a unified island again? and What can be done to promote the solution for the Ecumenical Patriarchate in regard to re-opening the Halki Seminary and for the future of the Patriachate?"
With our newfound knowledge, we enjoyed lunch at our usual taverna. At the conclusion of our meal, we attended our afternoon classes and prepared our written work.
July 26
Following our briefing with Mr. Nick Larigakis the previous day, our group returned to Dr. Dimitriou’s Foreign Policy class and screened a documentary produced by the American Hellenic Institute, “Cyprus Still Divided: A U.S. Foreign Policy Failure.” At the conclusion of the film, our class discussed the film and the issues that have led to Cyprus being illegally occupied for over 39 years. After discussing the consequences of the film and the Cyprus situation, students were generally prepared for our afternoon briefing session!
Following our session, our group enjoyed lunch, before gathering for a briefing at the Greek Ministry of Defense. At the Ministry, Brigadier General Dimokritos Zervakis briefed us about the policies of the Greek military. General Zervakis’ multi-media power-point presentation covered a variety of issues including; objectives, policy, and statistics of the Greek military. Additional topics included the Souda Bay Military Facility, Turkish Over flights, illegal immigration, and the purchasing of new weapons and technology.
At the conclusion of the introductory remarks, the Journey students presented their questions for the General. Inquiries included:"How prepared is the military from potential threats at its borders? How does Greece mitigate human trafficking and illigal aliens entering the country? Does Greece plan to reduce military spending in light of the debt crisis? What type of Special Forces does the Greek military include?What is the new relationship of Greece with Israel and how does this improve Greece's military operations?"
After the question & answer period, we took a group picture in front of a mural with Alexander the Great defeat of Darius. We then enjoyed a reception with General Zervakis and became further informed regarding the Ministry of Defense and Greek military.
Following our time at the Ministry, students met to attend one of the famous open-air movie cinemas for the evening! After, we returned to our apartments to prepare our studies for tomorrow.
