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!