ATHENS – As part of my geography studies, I took part in a field trip to Athens, Greece, before the pandemic halted travel.
Organized by the geography department at the University of Edinburgh, the trip in late 2019 was a compulsory part of my degree.
How happy I am that I got to go!
We stayed in Athens for seven beautiful, sunny days, and explored the city in our leisure time and during scheduled teaching activities.
We took guided tours led by locals and our lecturers.
The themes we explored during the trip included gentrification, the impact of the 2009 economic crisis on the city, the refugee crisis and the role of graffiti in the urban fabric.
Graffiti is scattered all around Athens. It is just as interesting as visiting the ancient Greek monuments that were on my to-see list – in part because they’re listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and in part because I study architectural history.
And I got to explore the city all the while enjoying the fabulous Greek iced coffee.
Joanna Koter is a Correspondent with Youth Journalism International.
