Spiders in Greece: Day 1
01/06/2024 | General, Academic Services, Spider Leadership, Spider Performance
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Hi Spiders,Â
We began our journey to Greece, by departing from Millhiser on a minibus for our flight from Dulles International Airport to our layover in Vienna, Austria. Dulles was busy, but we slowly made our way through security and to the gate. We were met with dogs that sniffed around as we walked through, which was fun, but also an intimidating experience. After a wait, we finally boarded the plane, and were greeted by the kind flight attendants. They told us about their life as flight attendants and also how they get to visit many different places internationally as a result of their career choice.Â
Once we were in the air, we embarked upon an almost nine-hour journey to Vienna, Austria. On the plane, there were many different movies to watch as we were served chicken stew and pasta right after take-off. Before we landed, bagels, coffee, and chocolate were also distributed. While some in our group were able to get some shut eye, others were awake, and after nine hours in the air, we arrived at our connection in Vienna, Austria. Some of the members of our group had newly-issued passports, and it was an experience for them to earn their first stamps as we entered through customs. This is one of the really cool aspects of this trip: we have so many different perspectives within our group, and are able to learn from one another. As we entered the airport in Vienna, everything was in German, the national language in Austria. It was hard to understand, but luckily there was plenty of English writing too. Since we had a three-hour layover, we ate breakfast as a group at a place called Jamie's. The food was fresh and delicious, something you may not expect in an airport. We ordered items such as salmon, eggs, bacon, and smoothies while we engaged in conversation about our travels thus far. Â
After exploring parts of the Austrian airport, we boarded our flight to Thessaloniki, Greece. This was a much shorter flight than our first one, as we were only in the air for about an hour and forty-five minutes. Upon arriving in Greece, we were met with breathtaking views and many yawns. We were so tired after14 hours of travel, but we were still able to immediately appreciate the beauty of Thessaloniki and the country of Greece. We stepped off the plane and saw a snow-capped Mt. Olympus. This was indicative of what the rest of the city would consist of in regard to its beauty. The architecture, culture, and people brought the city to life in a way we did not expect. Once off the plane, we waited on our luggage and were excited to have acquired each piece initially checked. Then, we departed the airport where our guide and driver were waiting to take us to the hotel to check-in. Greece is seven hours ahead of us in Richmond, and after checking in, we only had about 20 minutes until we left for the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki Community Center, where they were hosting a Shabbat service we planned on attending. As a part of this immersion, one of the topics we are investigating is religious diversity and perspectives as a way of understanding the various religious traditions that are present in the world. As we attempted to enter the community center, we were met at the door of the synagogue with armed guards and security. The intensity of the guards' temperament was palpable, and we were immediately aware that this was a very real and serious matter. One guard apologized for the search and referenced the current world climate. This definitely made all of us think about wider global and societal issues that affect not just us, but those around the world - both directly and indirectly. The Shabbat service itself was small. The females and males, as they entered the synagogue, were separated on different sides of the room, with the Rabbi in the center, leading the group through many different hymns and prayers. The hour-long service was in Hebrew, so we were unable to understand any of what was said, but being an observing visitor proved to be incredibly interesting as we absorbed everything that was occurring around us. When the service concluded, multiple people came up to us to thank us for visiting. Even though there was a language barrier, we could sense the appreciation of shared culture and community.Â
At the conclusion of the Shabbat service, we were ushered upstairs to a dining room within the community center so that we might be able to fellowship over dinner with athletes and coaches who represent the Jewish community by playing and coaching for Maccabbi Thessaloniki. The dinner we were served was delicious and insightful, providing us the opportunity to connect with Jewish athletes and really just understand the history of the Jewish culture in Thessaloniki better. Dinner began with a blessing of both bread and sacramental wine, then followed with many appetizers such as Greek salad and spanakopita, along with a chicken dish and potatoes for the main course. This was just what we needed after an incredibly long day to make us feel right at home. By the end of the evening, we'd made new friends, and will never forget the relationships that were forged in such a short amount of time. We were so appreciative of the ways in which the community welcomed us, as it was certainly an experience none of us had ever been exposed to previously. We are thankful for the opportunity and look forward to sharing more with the rest of the Richmond community when we return. For now, we are so excited to see more of what the city of Thessaloniki and Greece has to offer.
Jordan Jaffe and Harrison Clifton