Zeus gifted our class with beautiful, light rain drizzles on this cool, still morning. This blessing from the god of the sky and thunder was a pleasant surprise after spending the night praying that the hotel water heater could support all of our showers.
Farmers’ Market
The Heraklion Farmers’ Market reminded me of home today. It was so nice to meet some of the locals and try the delicious fresh produce they were selling, as well as try on new clothes! This experience made it feel like I was a part of the community because back home I often go to similar markets. Recalling Dr. Katerinakis’s paper, I definitely found it to be true today that “A neighborhood is a concrete fabric of connected members in Greek periphery.” It was a great way to try out some of the new Greek words I had learned. I appreciate intimate interactions like these because not only does it give us a sense of what it would be like to live here, but it also reveals how local commerce is done and serves as a good exercise for learning the basic vocabulary of conversational Greek. I felt very welcomed here, especially because here my classmates and I were met by Dr. Chnaraki’s mother who brought us thoughtful gifts of mountain tea and fresh bananas!
Meeting the Governor of Crete
Next stop was to Liberty Square where Dr. Chnaraki works. Here we were greeted with open arms by the vice governor, Kostas Fasoulakis, who is responsible for foreign relations. Every person I have met in Crete thus far has made me feel loved and welcomed, from the family that hosts us at their hotel all the way to the local government. Vice Governor Fasoulakis embraced our enthusiasm to learn about the island, and even welcomed the co-op students to come back to visit before we went home to the states, what an honor! Afterwards we talked to representatives from the EU to better understand Greece’s position in the political and economic union, as well as some pre-text to the upcoming elections. On our way out we even met Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis, who gifted us a beautiful official map of Crete – what an honor!
Town of Heraklion
We took a short cappuccino break at the Lions Square where we had the chance to explore downtown Heraklion. My favorite stop was at the beautiful Municipal Gallery which featured a modern art exhibit amongst a renovated basilica containing tombs! History is hidden in every corner of this island.
Tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis
Next, we visited the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, arguably Crete’s most influential philosopher and writer, who we will study in depth tomorrow when we visit the museum dedicated to his life’s work. One might recognize his name from his novels: Zorba the Greek, Christ Crucified, and The Last Temptation of Christ.
Ostrich Farm
Next, we stopped for lunch at an Ostrich Farm! This cozy cabin was tucked away in the green mountains, surrounded by a petting zoo of animals from prigs to donkeys and the biggest birds I have ever seen.
Our class enjoyed a delicious and seemingly never-ending meal including dishes like ostrich egg omelets and goat over rice. It has been an absolute pleasure to come to know my classmates who all come from various backgrounds. This was my absolute favorite lunch of the trip. Our visit was topped off with a well-needed shot of raki before our 15 minutes of fame to come on the Crete news channel!
Live on TV Creta
Look, Mom! I made it!
Another casual check off my bucket list. To end our exciting day, my class was interviewed on TV Creta by the enthusiastic host. She asked us about our experience on the island so far and what we hoped to accomplish on our co-ops. Thank God for Dr. Chnaraki who was able to translate each of our answers… I hope she made me sound more sophisticated than I could have on the spot! This was definitely a really neat experience. This is the third time we have been interviewed. The paparazzi just can’t stay away from our class! This exemplifies how valued I feel as a part of this program. What an honor it is that locals are so interested in myself and my work. It was a hard decision to decide to move away from my family for such a long time, hallway across the world to chase my dreams. It means the world to me that the community here recognizes that and has not only welcomed us, but is incredibly supportive of this decision. We are very blessed.
It’s All Greek to Me!
Words to remember:
- Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό; (Póso kostízei aftó;) – How much does this cost?
- Κυβερνήτης (Kyvernítis) – Governor
- Χάρτης (Chártis) – Map
- Στρουθοκάμηλος (strouthokámilos) – Ostrich
Exploring Crete - Bella Santosusso 