Week 5: Back in College Station

 

A group picture during sunset on Trizonia Island

It feels bittersweet to be back in College Station. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the bustling city of Athens and the scenic town of Delphi. Learning about the first-hand effects of data centers, conducting field interviews for the first time, gaining insight from brilliant professors at the Agricultural University of Athens, all while experiencing the rich culture of Greece, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Now, it's time to get to work on our report. We’ve worked together effectively and have made extensive progress on synthesizing our findings. Our next steps include finding policy recommendations. 

Here are our favorite parts of the research and what each of us will miss the most about Greece: 

Cody: In terms of the researching aspects, our meeting with the farmers was easily one of my favorite parts of the trip! As Texas has a relatively strong farming economy, it was so interesting to learn about the differences in farming practices as well as understanding the challenges they face in the industry. Most of the individuals we spoke to have had their farms and operations passed down to them through multiple generations and being able to listen to their individual experiences was truly fascinating. Not to mention their personalities were so lively and all of them were genuinely so wonderful to be around and talk to. Outside of academics, the visits we made to the various archaeological sites were some of the most fascinating and interesting parts of the trip with my favorite being the trip to the site in Delphi. It's a different experience seeing structures that are hundreds of years older than the existence of your own country! I'm also a sucker for mountains, so the views at Delphi and Arachova were absolutely stunning. I will definitely miss the terrain!

Emma: I loved getting to know more about ancient history and its influence on modern day Greece! Not only are the stories vivid and jaw dropping but getting to walk on the same paths as the ancient Greeks did thousands of years before felt like I was truly reliving their stories. The planning and building of data centers in the region makes me wonder what the ancient Greeks would think of them, specifically the amount of resources that some of the data centers in the US are using. 

   

Hester: I loved being able to explore the serene mountain landscapes of Sterea Ellada. I appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with people from this region, from all sectors ranging from academia, officials, to farmers. Following our time in Delphi and the surrounding cities, I feel a deeper connection and a unique understanding of the area, which I hope to channel into our writing. 

View from dinner at To Patriko Mas in Delphi following our first Focus Group 

Mariana: My favorite part of the trip was getting to see the different sides of Greece: cultural and physical. I loved every historical site visit and was so interested in the mythology and just how advanced ancient Greek civilizations were. I'm also pretty into geology, so seeing all the mountains and different types of igneous rocks was definitely a highlight. I even found obsidian on the beach and lost it less than five minutes later :(

I also loved experiencing the coastal side of Greece with the beach and island trips, and our free day on the catamaran was so peaceful and relaxing. On the research side, it was really great talking to the farmers because they were so open and the conversation flowed so easily. My favorite presentation was the one at AUA Amfissa by Dr. Marina-Selini Katsaiti; it really got me thinking about modern culture and how we view happiness.

The view on the ferry ride leaving Trizonia


Sophie: The best part of the trip for me was the people! Everyone we met was so welcoming and were so excited to teach us about Greek culture. The Greeks are known for their hospitality and they still exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed meeting everyone on this trip from our archaeological site tour guides to the farmers in Aliartos! We got to see a side of Greece and meet people I never would have if we were just there for vacation. It was interesting to learn from them in a research and academic setting as well as more casually over delicious greek food! I have been to Greece before but I think I learned much more about the culture during our research. 

I am a biological and agricultural engineering major so getting the chance to talk to innovators at AUA and SmartAgroHub was very interesting and allowed me to contextualize what I have been learning at Texas A&M and has me excited to participate in future innovation!

The Temple of Poseidon

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