Expectations vs. Reality

Before moving to Greece, I had some expectations, some things I had been told about the country and the lifestyle. If I am writing this article now, it is to lift the veil and tell the truth about Athens, because sometimes, we are wrong.

Very wrong.

1. Greece is not the best country to improve my English and be perfectly fluent.

False. The country has suffered from a financial crisis, a few years ago, and is now recovering and surviving thanks to tourism. Therefore, most Greek people speak English very well. Some of them even speak a little bit French. Because of my studies, I am also in contact with English teachers, and the friends I have made among the other Erasmus students talk to me in English.

2. Athens is a poor city.

This is true, in fact. It is quite poor, and this is why the life there is so cheap, compared to France. However, I read on the internet that many people did not like to spend too much time in Athens and would rather go spend a week on the islands, because Athens is dirty and ugly. It is false. Of course, some areas are less beautiful than others, but the city in general is idyllic.

3. Greek people are easy-going.

This is absolutely true. People are lovely there and very generous. They seem to like French people a lot! But they are also very slow... If you want to send an email to a teacher or a member of the administrative staff, for instance, you may have to wait a few weeks (or even months...) to get an answer. Also, they don't care about little things. Sometimes, they should. Especially concerning the signs and red lights. If you want to cross the road, do your prayers before...

4. We have the chance to study in beautiful buildings.

FALSE. When we write "university of Athens" in Google, we see an amazing building, with columns and sculptures. This is where we attend Welcome Day and where the office of the Erasmus coordinator is. I have only been there twice, for administrative stuff. The building where you will study depends on your degree, of course. Mine is the school of Psychology, located in the erea of Zografou. The building is huge (about 8 floors) and looks like a parking lot. All we see is concrete, graffs and broken pipes. There is some nice things about it, though, like the tiny museum, with copies of famous sculpture, the many cafeterias, and the trees inside the building.

5. Moving abroad will be the experience of my life.

This is definitely true, for many reasons. First, this is the first time that I am living alone, and so far from my family. I had already travelled alone, but not for so long. I am becoming more independent. Furthermore, this mobility allows me to learn about myself and go out from my comfort zone. I try new things and I always surpass myself. I am even learning a new language! However, I did not expect it to be so challenging and hard in the first days... I had, indeed, to deal with the stress and sadness. I had a lot to handle and I was afraid to not be able to do it. At the end, I just gain maturity and confidence, and this is so rewarding!

If some of my expectations did not meet reality, I am not disappointed at all, because even though it is not like I pictured it, Athens is still a great place, which reserves me a lot of suprises, and I am looking forward discovering all of them!