Having spent our first year at Oxford learning about various aspects of the human condition, the three of us studying Experimental Psychology at Brasenose College (Beth, Elin and myself) were delighted to be given the chance to explore the social aspects of a different country, with the support of the Michael Woods Travel Grant. We were intrigued to explore the different islands of Greece, and in particular to observe how microcultures could have emerged in the different islands, each with different social and cultural norms.
Our journey started in the capital of Greece, in ancient city of Athens. Although the majority of the city, modernised and industrialised, doesn't give much away about its rich prehistoric past, the ancient ruins that do remain (notably the Parthenon and the rest of the Acropolis) were as beautiful and as impressive as we'd hoped.
A free walking tour led by our hostel took us through the beautiful historic neighborhood of Plaka, and to the Museum of Greek Popular instruments which introduced us to the musical heritage of Greece, with traditional folk instruments dating back to the 1700's.
In the evenings we explored the enchanting night markets which sold jewellery and other nick-nacks, and, after meeting with an Athenian friend of ours from Brasenose, were introduced to the traditional alcoholic drink Rakomelo (made with raki, honey and cinnamon). On our last night in Athens we found ourselves at an open air cinema with an enchanting view of the Acrololis (the dubbed war-romance film being screened paled in comparison).
Our journey continued to ferry to Mykonos, an island known for it's idyllic beaches and architecture characterised by white walls and bright blue domed roofs. Here we enjoyed exploring the winding cobbled streets, and an one evening stumbled across a local instrumental performance in a small amphitheater.
The final stop on our trip was the island of Ios, where, what struck us immediately was the huge number of Australian tourists (compared to Mykonos, where the tourist demographic appeared to be more diverse, including Italians and Colombians, for example). From here we took a day trip to Santorini, a beautiful island formed and shaped through various volcanic eruptions. Apart from the breathtaking view, one of the highlights for me was exploring the artefacts and artwork of the prehistoric Minoan settlement (preserved following one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history). To see such beautiful artwork, some from 4,000 years ago, was an amazing insight into our long and rich human history. It was also a fascinating contrast to the local, and modern artwork being presented in the countless galleries strewn around the Santorini cliffs, much of which was no doubt inspired by the landscape. Our last day in Ios was spent on a beautiful beach, followed by a bus trip to Pathos to see the most stunning sunset that I probably ever will.
The three of us had an amazing time exploring the different cultural aspects, both traditional and modern, of various areas of Greece. We are extremely grateful to the Michael Woods Travel Grant, who's generous support gave us this amazing opportunity.
By Phoebe Freidin (3rd Year Psychology student)
The Brasenose Annual Fund, which helped Phoebe, Beth and Elin cover the costs of their trip, exists to fund student research, extracurricular activities, and educational and personal development.