Manawa in Greece

Why Greece? Sun, History and the Unexpected

My name is Manawa. Last year, I went on an exchange to Greece for three months. The reason I went on an exchange to Greece was to eat lots of delicious food, spend time in the sun, and gain insight into the history and culture, too, of course. However, my exchange provided me with so much more.

Orientation Camp: Buffets, Jetlag and New Friends

When I arrived in Greece, we had an orientation camp with around 30 other exchange students. I was staying in a room with Max from Italy, who liked high jump and Rafael from Belgium, who liked films, fries, and philosophy. During the camp, we went over the dos and don’ts – most of it was pretty obvious stuff, but they still had a few good tips. However, most of them went right over my head because I was really jetlagged. Fortunately, my jetlag didn’t stop me from making the most of the pool and the all-you-can-eat buffet. The orientation lasted for three days before I went to meet my host family.

First Impressions of Limnos: Beaches, Tanks and Greek Rap

I first met my host family at the Limnos airport on the 2nd of September. Limnos is a beautiful island with golden beaches embraced by turquoise water and equipped with fighter jets, tanks, and countless soldiers with rocket launchers, drones, and lots of guns (in case of a Turkish invasion). Driving across the island on our way to the house for the first time was surreal. Everything was different as we sped down the right side of the road, dodging stray cats and listening to Greek rap.

Reality Check: Noise, People and Confusion

The first couple of weeks flew by in a blur. It was the summer holidays, so we were going from beach to beach every day. I was feeling really bad for my friends back home, polishing off internals and getting ready for their final exams. However, when school started, reality struck like a truck. The first week of school was a whirlwind of noise, people, and confusion. My days would start at 6:30, to the harsh sound of my alarm I quickly learned to hate. To get to school, we would catch two buses. While waiting for the bus, lots of the school kids would sneak in a light breakfast of one or two or three cigarettes. The bus arrived at school around 8:00 in time for the first bell at 8:10, when everyone met outside for prayer. After that, we all went to our respective classes. I chose to take economics, maths, and computer studies as well as the compulsory subjects of English, Religion, Greek, and PE. 

Settling In: Overcoming Loneliness, Conversations with Strangers and New Friends

I eventually settled into school life and found a few people that I would hang out with during the breaks. It wasn’t too hard to make friends because many people would come up to me, smile, and say “All Blacks” or “Do the haka”, which was nice. The Greek school system is really difficult. All of your grades are determined by one exam at the end of your last year of school, called the Πανελλήνιες (Panhellenic). This exam is very difficult and, to pass, students need to take extra lessons after school and on the weekends. My host sister was doing 13.5 hours of extra classes every week. This means that I spent a lot of time by myself after school. Normally, I would go play basketball in the local village or go for a bike ride to Κούταλη, another village, where I jumped off the wharf.

After the first month, it started to get a bit lonely. The combination of a lack of social interactions and the movies Rafael recommended to me was getting to my head. However, I learned to appreciate my own company, and now and then, I would talk to people I met out and about with my very limited Greek. The conversation normally went “Είμαι από τη Νέα Ζηλανδία” (I am from New Zealand), then “Ohhh All Blacks”. Although they weren’t much, I learned to savour these small interactions. Eventually, I got into the swing of things, and I found a new group of friends at school. I would go into town while my host sister was going to her classes and meet my mates to eat crepes next to the sea, or just walk around town.

A Trip to Remember: Serbia & Budapest

In the last couple of weeks of my exchange, we went on a school trip. I was blown away to find out that we were going to go to Serbia and Hungary. In New Zealand, I was used to going to a farm and spending time with sheep for school camps, so this was really exciting. We took the ferry from Limnos and then drove to Serbia. We stayed in a city called Niš, which was awesome. The next day, we continued driving and arrived in Budapest. Budapest was unreal. It was so different from New Zealand. There were big Christmas markets with cosy stalls selling hot food and drinks on the side of the street. Steam rose from big pots of forralt bor (boiled wine) as we roamed the streets looking for things to do. The city itself was so beautiful. Each building was a piece of art adorned with intricate carvings and chilling statues.

During our time in Budapest, we did lots of different activities. One of my favourites was the boat trip we did down the river. It was nighttime when we boarded a steamboat that took us up the Danube (the river that flows through Budapest). It was surreal as we floated on the water, lights dancing off buildings, surrounded by foreign voices and unfamiliar sounds. Later that night, we went clubbing. It was weird and funny going clubbing with my teachers and classmates. I knew something like that would never happen in New Zealand. After our time in Budapest, we drove back to Greece with another quick pitstop in Serbia.

Bittersweet Goodbyes: Soaking in Limnos One Last Time

By the time I got back from the school trip, I only had one week left on Limnos with my host family. It had been such a great experience, and I spent the week walking around the island, taking in everything for one last time. Then it was time to say goodbye and fly back, leaving behind a place that had become home. 

Coming Home: Gratitude, Growth and Looking Ahead

When I arrived back home in Wellington, I was so glad to see my friends and family again. Even though my exchange was far from a walk in the park, I was so grateful for the experience. It helped me see the world, interact with different people, and immerse myself in a foreign culture and language. It has allowed me to reflect on myself and what I want to do in the future, while helping me foster an appreciation for my life with my family and friends in New Zealand.

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