Corinth, Olympia, Delphi—these were just place names to 12 students, staff, faculty, and friends of TWU who traveled to Greece with Tennessee Wesleyan University in May of 2022. Now these places, and many others, are etched in their memories, an experience they will never forget.

The EF Tours Intercultural Studies in Greece program allowed the group to see the primary sites on the itinerary as well as some extra places as well. Beginning in Athens, the travelers were able to visit The Acropolis and to shop, explore, and eat in the areas around it. They rode by bus to the southern tip of the mainland to see The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion; they took a day-long cruise to the Saronic Islands, where, at Hydra, many swam in the cold waters of the Aegean.

Near the Corinth Canal, they stopped to see where St. Paul preached to the Corinthians beside the sea. From there, a loop through the Peloponnese Peninsula afforded them the chance to visit Epidaurus’s theatre and center of healing, the ruins of the ancient city of Mycenae, the archeological site at Olympia, and the ancient religious sanctuary at Delphi.

The return trip to Athens included a stop on Mount Helicon at Moni Osios Loukas, a Byzantine monastery that was founded in the early 10th century. A busy itinerary was complemented by breaks enhanced by delicious pastry and redolent of the aroma of Greek coffee. Many evenings allowed for relaxing over meals and drinks—time for getting to know fellow travelers a little better.

All in all, the trip allowed the group to see Greek culture, both ancient and modern, and to make connections with life there and in the U.S. While on the bus, travelers were able to learn a lot from our tour director, Kostas, who offered a wealth of information and a lot of humor. Every moment was filled with new and different experiences.

When anyone returns from traveling, people always ask, “What did you like best?” For many, it was a small town called Tolo that had a lovely beach. For others, it was climbing up and around the Venetian fortress Palamidi near Napflio, with its incredible views of the coastline below. For Sharon Brown, TWU math professor and co-leader of the trip, the island of Hydra was her favorite.

“It was what I think of when I imagine a Greek island. The whites and blues, the color of the water, the donkeys,” said Dr. Brown

Dr. Elizabeth Ruleman, TWU English professor and co-leader, could answer only “Everything. The landscapes, seascapes, sky, the places we visited that I had only read about in books, the people on the trip, the food!”

An upcoming senior, Emily Crittenden said, “My favorite place was the Acropolis at Delphi because it felt very spiritual in the mountains,” said Emily Crittenden, a rising senior at TWU. “I can understand why they wanted the temple of Apollo and the oracle to be there.”

One truth that Emily took away from the trip is that “no matter where you go in the world, people are pretty much the same as the people back home.”

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to see the students (and my mom) experience the culture and history of another country,” said Harley Stickney, a TWU staff member who made the trip. “Learning how things are different, how they are the same, and the normalities are such a big part of any trip, but watching others experience that really made me happy. Oh, and also, all the stray cats.”

Lilith Brown, a 2022 graduate of TWU who may speak for all of the students, said “this trip, getting a small taste of travel, has only heightened my desire to travel more. I’m already thinking where I’d go again in Greece and where else I’d like to go in the world.”