One of the highlights of my time abroad was getting to take my friends to Greece, where my mom is from and where I’ve spent my summers for as long as I can remember. It was really special to experience a place that feels so familiar to me through their eyes.
We stayed in my family’s apartment in Glyfada and spent three days exploring. On our first day, we headed into Athens and spent time wandering around Monastiraki, going in and out of cool shops and stopping for Greek coffee. Later, we sat at a rooftop bar with an amazing view of the Acropolis before ending the day with dinner at a traditional Greek taverna.
The next day, we made a quick stop at the Acropolis—luckily, it was International Monuments Day, so entrance was free—before heading to the port to catch a ferry to the nearby island of Aegina. We spent the day there visiting an ancient temple, relaxing at the beach, and of course eating gyros.
For our last day, we stayed closer to Glyfada and spent most of the time at a beach in Kavouri. Even though the water was freezing, the sun was strong and we had such a great time just sunbathing and swimming.
Overall, it was so cool to be able to share Greece with my friends and show them places that are meaningful to me. It made me appreciate it even more and see it in a new way, which made the whole experience really special.
Ava Jakominich
Spring 2026
GW Madrid (GW Study Program)
Elliott School of International Affairs
International Affairs Major