Fisher with new friends she met in Greece.
Ever since she played Lisa in her high school’s production of Mamma Mia!, Gigi Fisher has been entranced by Greece. When she found a study abroad program based out of Athens (Greece, not Georgia), she jumped at the chance.
Fisher, a fourth-year Marketing major with an emphasis in Digital Marketing, travelled to Athens, Greece this summer with WorldStrides, one of many external study away providers that partner with the University of Georgia. While there, she attended the American College of Greece, and took classes in marketing, sociology, consumer behavior, and music. Her classes were small, with around 20 students per class, including a mix of international, Greek, and American students.
The school environment was “just different,” she said. Professors were very passionate about their subjects, and classes were more discussion based. “Greek students were so welcoming, so inviting,” she said, “but some would show up—no pen, no pencil, no backpack, just them and their car keys.”
A typical day for Fisher began with a 30-minute walk to class from her dorms. Once she arrived, she had lunch at the college’s dining hall, stopping to say hello to the chef. “That’s probably why I didn’t lose any weight over the program, because I was eating the chef’s food 24/7,” she said, laughing. Then, she would attend her classes, with a break to study and have dinner, finally wrapping up by finishing homework.
View from the Castle of Palamidi in Nafplio
As part of her WorldStrides program, Fisher had the opportunity to visit the Acropolis and conquer the 1,000-step hike to the Castle of Palamidi in Nafplio. She also explored the beautiful islands of Aegina and Hydra. On these excursions, Fisher was able to immerse herself in Greek culture, history, and economics.
“History for the United States is the past 300 years. That was like yesterday for Greece,” she said. “Five thousand years ago, they had established a civilization and you can see it through the artifacts and relics they left behind.”
Outside of the program, she visited the islands of Paros and Mykonos, and backpacked through Italy, Spain, and Austria, staying in hostels and meeting other travelers.
“I think I prefer the term travelers over tourists, because when we went to these other countries, we tried to be a part of the community instead of just visiting the big scenic things. It was really incredible to meet other people from other parts of the world on their own journeys,” Fisher said.
Fisher heard of the program after browsing the Study Away website and attending the Study Away Fair. “I knew that I wanted to be away for a long period of time, and I wanted to get a lot of credits done,” Fisher said. The program with WorldStrides offered the most flexibility with the least amount of cost that still fit her needs. She received the HOPE scholarship to help fund the program, and split the remaining costs between herself and her mother.
Fisher at Rizes Fest
After completing the program, Fisher said she most appreciates the lifelong friendships she made and the great community that exists in Greece. “We all were just so open to making friends and building relationships that would last,” Fisher said. “Greece is also a very welcoming country; you’re just surrounded by such love and warmth that you can’t help that it’ll be reflected within you.”
Cats hanging out in Athens, Greece
Fisher fondly recalled her experience at the Rizes Fest (or Roots Fest), a two-day event designed to celebrate Greek heritage with a traditional village-style feast. “We saw everyone dancing traditional Greek dances, and this older woman noticed that we were watching and trying to figure out the steps, and she welcomed us into her group and taught us all the dance. We were spinning in circles, dancing for hours, it felt like. It was just so cool and that was probably one of my favorite memories,” she said.
The program also affected Fisher’s goals for the future. “I really did think that postgrad, I was going to go straight into the marketing world, into corporate life, but now I’m really considering going into a more travel-based industry. I don’t want the adventure to end,” she said. Fisher is considering delaying her graduation to add on an anthropology minor.
For students with time left in their program, Fisher highly recommends taking advantage of study abroad opportunities. “I tried to do these mindful moments where I would just sit down, and say to myself, ‘Remember this Gigi, because it’s going to be gone so fast.’”