Xenophilia

Xenophilia

noun - an attraction to foreign people, cultures, or customs.

It's a bit strange how thanks to Facebook all of us 40 students who will be taking the language course together are getting acquainted even before we've physically met one another.

We're getting to know each other by discussing accommodation issues, administrative issues, counting down, and finding out when everybody's getting to Rethymno. In fact, I've never looked forward to taking a course as much as I am to this one!

Regarding the actual language course I'm not really sure what to make of it but it does seem interesting:

TEACHING PROGRAMME: Classes will be held from 10.00 am to 14.00 pm, for five or four days a week (the exact schedule will be announced on the student’s arrival). Total: 100 hours AIM: To introduce students to the Modern Greek language. By the end of the course, students should be in a position to handle everyday communication in Modern Greek.

TEACHING METHOD: The communicative method will be adopted, with additional instructions in grammar and vocabulary. Students will learn to use language within the context of everyday life and will be introduced to Modern Greek literature, culture and history. In addition to classroom instruction, minor projects will be assigned. At the end of the course, an oral and written test will be administered to assess students' performance.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: No previous knowledge of the Modern Greek language is required.

A personal favorite is the cultural component of the course:

The excursions will be guided in English and students will be given the opportunity to get acquainted with the history and the archaeological sites of Crete. 

Attendance of different events during the Renaissance festival. 

Lectures on Greek history and civilization.

So we'll see how it all goes!

Let the adventure begin

"It may prodigious, but it's all Greek to me!"

- Hergé

Following up my academic year in Montréal 2009/2010 (CanaDAMN!), I'm set to depart on my next adventure - Athens!

During the past year I was back in Linköping and despite the respect I have for Linköping as probably the best place in Sweden for an engineering degree in a modern society it does kill some of the adventure I believe life ought to be to a certain extent. So when yet another opportunity comes where the Swedish State pays for you to gather cultural and educational experiences abroad do you take it or just let it pass?

Studies abroad in Greece is somewhat different to that of in Canada. Well firstly, before leaving for Canada I didn't need to visit the Linköping university administration building every other week to find out what would happen to me if the country went bankrupt while I was there.

Secondly, In Montréal I stood on a somewhat solid French foundation to be able to follow lectures and tutorials in French, to converse with friends and strangers in French and to enjoy Montréalian nightlife in French. Prior to Greece I've had to study Greek this summer and Greek history if I'm going to manage any type of integration with Greek society this fall. 

The Bologna promoter at my Greek university told me that my choices of courses has gone all the way up to the university rector who is currently negotiating with professors whether or not they can consider offering the courses in English or not - keeping my fingers crossed! However, I'm lacking faith in their decision-making process where my worries are reflected in the chart below with respect to their current financial crisis.

So - before I start studying in Athens I will be taking an intensive Greek-language course in Crete (oh no!) together with 40 other students in the same situation as me with pretty diverse European origins ranging from western Spain, France and Germany to eastern Poland and Ukraine and not to mention quite many nordics from Norway, Denmark and Finland but strangely enough I'm the only Swede.

Regardless, I'm sure I'm going to have a great time!

But before Crete I'm heading to New York so I've got to unpack my Linköping gear, plan the coming 6 months, and pack again. By the way - I hate packing!

Calendar:

July 28 - August 10 (New York)

August 11 - September (Crete)

October - February (Athens)

Stay tuned from Greece!