After a nine hour flight that put our group in Athens at 10am- resulting in a night's sleep of about two hours- one of the only things on my mind was coffee. A couple of friends and I set off down the street with our euros and knowledge of a few Greek words like "thank you," "please," and "water." We were told that would be enough, because "everyone speaks English in Greece."
What we found out in a matter of minutes was that most people spoke more English words than we spoke in Greek, but we were so wrong to expect them to be fluent. On top of that, what's not in English are the street signs, shop names and menus. As I pointed to the menu in the coffee shop and said "what?" about a million times, I felt the weight of embarrassment not only for myself but for the people from my country that I'm representing settle on my shoulders. I choked and waited too long to try out any Greek words before the barista turned and walked away, clearly annoyed. At least it could only go up from there.
After spending 20 minutes trying to find a bathroom, and 40 minutes trying to find the Fish Spa that was 12 minutes away from our hotel, we sucked it up and talked to people.
Once the initial shock subsided, we realized that most shop owners did speak a decent amount of English, and that they were very willing to help. They were also very friendly, especially when we used the few Greek words we knew. They appreciated the effort, and in turn we became encouraged to try more.
In preparation for travel, people will tell you about culture shock, but it never really hits that such a thing can exist until you try to thank someone who helped you with directions and you can't. Reflecting back on the experience has been very humbling, especially considering the people, even in the United States, who experience this every day because they have to- not because they are on vacation.
Now, although the jet lag is still at large, we're able to appreciate the country without being held back as scared tourists. We've been able to learn not only about the history, but about the culture. And we've been able to talk to some great, friendly locals in the meantime!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
This was really culture shock at its finest. I remember we all were going out to lunch together and we were trying to use the map but kept getting lost and we were all frustrated. Then we broke up into small groups and we both ended up at a small cafe. We walked in, took a seat and were handed menus that were in Greek. None of us had any clue of what were were reading. Thankfully the waiter noticed we only spoke English and handed us English menus. I've never been put in that awkward position before but now I can also see how people from other countries feel when they come to the states knowing little English. I can feel your every emotion in this post. Amazing job Alex!
ReplyDeleteIt's always hard to adjust to a new place after a long plane ride and a lack of sleep. I completely understand your frustration at first, but I like how you point out that people who live in our own country have this problem and it makes me feel even more sympathetic because I can't imagine living in a place like Greece where everyone I tried to speak to became frustrated as we Americans can sometimes do. It's definitely humbling, but I'm glad that so many people were very friendly and accommodating! Great job.
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