As I am coming to the end of my study abroad trip in Greece, I have been reflecting on my experience. This trip has exceeded my expectations, both professionally and personally. I will never forget the excitement I had upon visiting the Acropolis of Ancient Athens on the first day of my trip. As an admirer of Ancient Greek history, this was amazing to witness. My group and I even discovered that the ancient theater is still being used for concerts, and ended up getting to see an opera show towards the end of the trip.

The education aspect of this study abroad trip focused on the public health and social work aspects of Greece. My group and I were able to visit many different health care facilities, non-profit organizations and refugee centers in order to dive deep into Greece’s health care system. For example, I now understand both the strengths and weaknesses of having a free universal health care system. I got to witness the consequences of overcrowded hospitals, limited space and beds and burnout among workers in the facilities while also seeing the underprivileged citizens get the preventative services and emergency care they needed. I not only learned so much about Greece’s system, but I also was able to compare it to the United States health care system and think of ways to improve both institutions.

Further, my peers and I were personally able to interact with the workers and patients of these facilities. For example, we were able to participate in fun activities and games to stimulate the brains of patients in a psychiatric boarding house. This was amazing as I got many of my questions answered while also forming relationships with these individuals. I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to study abroad through Mizzou. I feel like I am coming home with new knowledge, experiences and friends. I was able to see how beautiful this country is while hiking up mountains, relaxing at the beach, strolling through the city and visiting vital health care-related institutions.

Witnessing Greece’s astonishing culture while learning about its health care system’s success and challenges has opened up my eyes in so many ways. I am also so grateful for the people I met, both my fellow students on the trip and the numerous Greek citizens we met along the way. If you ever get the chance to study abroad, do it!! I could not have asked for a better way to spend a couple of weeks of my summer!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Culture, Public Health, and Social Services: Exploring Greece