By Who are you? Where are you from? What is your year and major?
My name is Annika McCulloch, and I’m from Smithfield, Utah. I am a junior majoring in Business: Marketing and Management, with a double minor in Social Media and Public Relations and Philosophy.
When was your trip and where did you go?
I studied abroad in Athens, Greece from June 23-Aug. 29, 2024.
What class(es) allowed you to attend this study abroad program?
I studied at the American College of Greece in Athens, Greece, and took two classes. I studied Business Ethics, instructed by Professor Alkis Kotsonis and International Business, instructed by Professor Matina Dimitropoulou
Why did you choose to study abroad?
I chose to study abroad because I wanted to experience living in a different country and culture. I was interested in seeing how college works in a different country and what life was like. I chose Athens because I had visited Greece when I was really young, with my family, and I have always wanted to go back there. The rich history and culture of Greece was also a selling point.
Which topic during the class was your favorite?
My favorite topic that I studied in Athens was my Business Ethics class. As a philosophy minor, I was interested in studying some sort of philosophy while in the birthplace of philosophy which is Athens. Business ethics looked at classical ethical theories and then applied them to the business world.
What were some of your favorite things to do outside of class?
Some of my favorite things to do outside of school while there included checking out different beaches, visiting ancient historical sites, and trying out traditional Greek food taverns. I didn’t know anyone going into this experience but I was able to meet a lot of amazing people from other colleges in the United States, and all around the world.
How was the culture different from here and there?
The culture was different in several ways, including the way they spoke, the food, and especially the way they drove. Most of the people in Athens could speak at least a little bit of English which was very beneficial for me, since Greek is a very difficult language to learn. They are very aggressive and loud when they talk, especially when they are very happy. This was a shock to me, and at first I thought everyone was just angry at each other. The food was definitely one of the best parts of the whole trip. I got to try a lot of different traditional Greek foods which was an amazing experience. But the craziest difference for me was driving in Athens. They were absolutely crazy drivers! There were not really any lines on the roads and all of the drivers just kind of went where they wanted to. We had to be very careful walking across the road.
Would you recommend studying abroad and why?
Yes! I would definitely recommend studying abroad. It opens your eyes to a whole different world and way of life, and allows you to experience things that you never would have before. It really was a once -in-a-lifetime experience and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.
