You are wandering along the street. Countless little shops and colorful signs for souvlaki are lined up along the street side. You realize that you were never truly familiar with the neighborhood until after three weeks in Athens. This scene reminds you of the first time that you decided to go exploring alone. You are holding a map with all the street names translated from Greek. They are long and the letters are far too small to be legible. This is the first time you feel helpless. You didn’t know where you wanted to go, and you don’t even know where you are at this moment in time! You want to cry in the middle of the busy street and what makes you feel even worse is that you know that you are clearly not far away from where you may need to be - you are simply confused and lost. Of course, it is not easy for you, being the only student from mainland China among over thirty Americans in the whole program. Yes, this is the first time that you have ever been alone in a foreign country for so long. Yes, a number of people have asked, likely over ten times, why you went to Greece. You feel pretty proud of yourself when answering that question. Word by word, you let the others know that you did not go to Greece on impulse. You chose Greece because when you were young, you read a book, a book which was written by a freelance traveler, who took pictures and wrote articles. You have already dreamed of living her lifestyle countless times. She claimed that Greece was the most beautiful country that she had ever been to because all the things in this country have soul and even though you didn’t really know the meaning of that at the time, you remembered the name of the country and around it you built an immature fantasy. You quietly told yourself that one day you would follow her steps to go to this place. And several years later, you are there, and your dreams have come true. You make it to Greece - you had thought about the potential that you might be the only Chinese student in the whole group, but you thought it would be cool and special if you were the only Chinese person there. But, after arriving, when you found out that you literally were ‘the one’, you were afraid. Nevertheless, people tend to find something in common when they are in a foreign country. The beginning of the summer course is a struggle for you. You cannot participate in conversations about the best cafés in New York City with your peers. You have no way to discuss Greek life with the students from Princeton. You feel that while you are in the group, you are simultaneously isolated. The loneliness swallows you and you know it cannot continue like this. You decide to do something, do something to change your situation. It is interesting when a person feels lonely or left out; the first thing that comes to his or her mind is to find comfort through isolation. So, that is exactly what you choose to do when you face this situation, to realize that something magical comes out of this. This is how you begin neighborhood exploration and get lost in this brand new place that you are to call home for the next few months. Recalling those memories makes you smile. You find a little café with outdoor seating and Frappes. You take a seat outdoors and meanwhile, the waiter serves you a simple cup of tap water and some complementary snacks. Complimentary hors-d’oeuvres is very European; no one would ever serve free snacks in China and no sane person would dare to drink the tap water. Even though there are so many differences between Greece and China, there are still some things that both countries have in common. Both Greece and China are countries with rich histories. You still remember the first time you saw the Acropolis. It still takes time for you to remember how to spell the word acropolis, but it never takes time to remember the first feeling that you had when the Acropolis came into your view. At that moment, you realize how plain the language is, because there is no suitable word for this architecture. Magnificent? Breathtaking? No. All of these words are just descriptions for one facet of the Acropolis. They are not enough to describe the feeling that you have when you were standing beneath the huge columns. You begin to feel sorry for the damage that history has brought upon this specimen of breathtaking architecture. You have sympathy for the Acropolis because the Chinese Old Summer Palace has experienced a similar fate. Unlike the Acropolis, the Old Summer Palace can only be remembered by the exhibits in different museums. But, the Acropolis still stands with pride, showing off its grandeur. You take a sip of your Frappe to prevent the foamy milk on top from spilling. It tastes as good as always. You want to cherish every sip because you know it will be nearly impossible to find one as authentic and soothing in China. Each Frappe is made with a lot of milk and a little coffee, but at the same time it is different from a cappuccino. Describing the differences is impossible, so you just try to remember and hold onto the taste. It is not as sweet as other coffees but it is easier to handle than black coffee. It is like Greek History. It is easily accepted and understood in the beginning, but it gets harder when you want to learn more, just like how the Frappe gets bitter when you finish sipping that milk that protects the coffee underneath. Greek history and culture are the beginning point of western civilization and as a young Chinese woman, you are learning from a completely new perspective which does not center around your knowledge of ancient Chinese history. You knew a little mythology, you knew of a few famous Greek Gods, but you did not know the facts necessary to truly understand Greek history. If you don’t immerse yourself, you will never appreciate the beauty of your surroundings in Greece. You finish your Frappe as the sun begins to set. You go to the subway station and buy a ticket for the subway, which, like always, has no guard on patrol. The lights under the Acropolis are switched on and you plan to drop by later that night for a glass of wine. All of a sudden, the scenes from the last few months pass through your brain just like a movie. Islands, different shades of blue, museums and sculptures…. You suddenly realize that this is the last day of your summer in Greece, whilst knowing that you’re only saying good bye until you meet again. This article was written by Amy Zhao. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Amy Zhao