My Time Abroad Through Books

I spent the fall semester of 2023 studying abroad in Athens, Greece, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the best experience of my life. I could’ve spent the whole semester just traveling to the Cyclades and around all the incredibly beautiful places Greece has to offer (which I did try to do), but I at least wanted to see some of Europe. I traveled to three other countries in total: the Netherlands, Romania, and Austria. I’m not great at souvenirs, so instead I decided to remember my travels through a book from each country. I’ve been itching to share this, so here’s my list:

Amsterdam, Netherlands

I traveled to Amsterdam early in the semester to visit my friend who was also studying abroad, and it’s just as amazing as it’s made out to be. The bikes, canals, museums, and variety of legal activities make the city such a unique destination. My friend took me to the bookshop she frequented the most called The American Book Center, funny enough. There, I picked out one of those blind date books which ended up being The Faces by Tove Ditlevsen. To be honest, Ditlevsen is from Denmark, but at this point I didn’t know I was doing the book tour thing yet. Put simply, The Faces is about a schizophrenic woman who sees faces that haunt her. It was a fascinating read and surprisingly right up my alley for a book I didn’t know I was buying.

Bucharest, Romania

Romania was my favorite destination. I got to be in Transylvania and visit Dracula’s castle only days before Halloween, and having the chance to see the incredible fall foliage that never came in Greece was wonderful. Unlike my other trips, a bookstore was one of the main destinations we wanted to visit. I chose to buy The Appointment by Herta Müller at the Cărturești Carusel, a shop frequently listed as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. The plot takes place entirely on a bus as a woman goes to her appointment with the secret police of Ceaucescu’s totalitarian regime, in which her life and relationships are told through memories. I’m so glad I chose this book, it was a tragically beautiful read about recent Romanian history written by one of the country’s best authors. 

Vienna, Austria

I visited Vienna at the end of November, the perfect time. The Christmas markets were up and bustling and it snowed every day we were there (which I was wildly unprepared for after spending the past three months in the heat). There were so many palaces and museums we wanted to cram in so the chance to go to a bookstore slipped away. I instead made the very strange choice of buying The Unconscious by Sigmund Freud at the Sigmund Freud Museum. Maybe it’s an insult to choose Freud as a representation of Vienna, but it’s all I could get my hands on. Still, these papers are about one of his most influential theories to culture (pseudo-psychology or not), and learning about his life by wandering his home gave me a newfound, somewhat respect for him.

Athens, Greece

I truly loved living in Athens. The people were kind, the ocean was a clear teal, the streets were lined with fruit trees, and I had a view of the Acropolis while I studied. To represent Greece, I could’ve chosen something by Homer or one of the many ancient Greek plays, but instead I chose The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis, one of the most influential modern Greek writers. I haven’t read this book yet, rather I want to share the reason I picked it. It was at his grave in Heraklion, Crete, located at the highest point in the city. A friend convinced a couple of others and me to go up and promised he would make it worth our time. As the sun set over the ocean, he sat us down in the grass and told us of his life, his struggle against the Greek right wing, and the criticism he faced from the Greek orthodox church. Finally, he read us the epitaph on his grave: “I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.” I had many unforgettable experiences during my time abroad, but nothing has stuck with me quite as deeply as this moment. 

If I was presented with the opportunity to move back to Greece tomorrow, I’d take it in an instant. But I’m here. I’m here with my friends and family and the books on my shelf.

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