Wang Center for Global and Community Engaged Education

The 5 F’s of Studying Away are Friends, Food, Faculty, Fun, and Furry Friends. I have found from my time abroad in Greece, it is these things that make PLU’s study away programs so special. The friendships made over the span of a few weeks are ones that I will cherish forever. The food that we consumed and connected over was something so unique. Featured in the video is Kekkos Cafe. Kekkos is a small cafe in Athens, Greece run by a man named Demetrius (featured in the video). During my first time visiting Kekkos, I turned around and found a PLU flag sitting on a table. It blew my mind that PLU has made an impact across the world in a small cafe in Greece. Demetrius is a kind man who taught us Greek, gave us so many delicious Greek pastries and cookies, and became a friend to us all. He has seen many PLU students come through his doors and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to connect with him. Demetrius would learn everyone’s names and he also gave our entire class Kekkos t-shirts! In my study away trip I also found Dr. Finitsis to be one of the best professors I have ever had. He has an amazing way of caring about and connecting with students, challenging us, and making us laugh. He is what makes PLU feel like home. I also included “Fun” and “Furry Friends” in my video because I think we need to remember the value in connection and community. Visiting the miniature horses of Rhodes was such a fun, unique experience that I don’t think I would have gained without studying away with PLU. Studying away can sometimes feel complicated and it can be hard to summarize such an adventure, but I found that my experience could be encompassed by five (alliterative) words.