It Was Lovely to See You Again, Cheeseburgers and Starbucks

Anonymous Today our professors decided to give us a bit of a break from all the running around Athens and let us have a free day. And what did we decide to do with our down time? Run a little bit more around Athens, of course!

Because we had no schedule, my day started a little later than usual. Nevertheless, myself and several other classmates were out the door by early afternoon. Today we decided to go off in search of Starbucks. We thought it would be fun to see how Starbucks in Greece compares to Starbucks in America, and I wanted to pick up some souvenirs for people back home. Our journey led us to a crowded, busy street a short distance from our apartments. All of us were excited to see a new part of Athens, especially one that was filled with shops advertising 50% off sales. Sadly, Starbucks wasn't to be found in this part of Athens, even though our guide book said we could find one. Despite

this disappointment, we did happen to stumble upon Goody's, the Greek version of American fast food. We ordered lunch, and everything actually tasted super delicious. I definitely approve of Greece's American-style fast food.

After lunch, we continued our quest to find Starbucks. Eventually we located one near Syntagma Square in downtown Athens. Being there was definitely an interesting experience. So many aspects of the store were familiar to me, like the quick service and the additional merchandise for sale. Yet at the same time you could tell this was a Starbucks located in Athens, not Parkland. The menu seemed smaller than the menu at home, and you could order many local drinks you won't find in America. The store had a similar feeling to other coffee shops in Athens. Most people were sitting around chatting or doing school work, and their drinks came in actual mugs, not the paper to-go cups. It was kind of refreshing to know that even though Starbucks has made inroads in countries like Greece, it hasn't completely squashed the local flavor. The place had a decidedly 'Greek' feel.

The rest of the day was mostly spent shopping for ourselves and for friends. It seems to me that shopping in Athens is a great way to see more of Greek life. Maybe it doesn't give you the same cultural experience you get by visiting the Parthenon, but it certainly gives you a taste of how average Greeks live their lives. Today was definitely an enjoyable day for my roommates and me - we got to experience a new side of Athens, some great food and drinks, and observe even more of the differences (and similarities) between Greek and American lifestyles.