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Tag: Athens

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By kyrahaltman

While volunteering with Pet Grooming House, an "animal-friendly" entity which provides free grooming and health services to stray dogs, I have also had the opportunity to conduct research. By exploring how the adoption of stray dogs is supported by “animal-friendly” dog groomers and veterinarians in the city of Athens, I was able to use findings to make suggestions to the Greek government regarding the promotion of stray dog adoption and improvement of the wellbeing of all dogs in the city.
Drawing from dialogue with a groomer, veterinarian, and two owners of (formerly stray) dogs, I made the following recommendations to the Athenian municipality: facilitating public education campaigns about responsible dog ownership, investing in technological advancements and online infrastructure, enforcing existing animal welfare laws, and financially incentivizing locals and “animal-friendly” entities to promote adoption. The research concludes that “animal-friendly” organizations are the city’s secret weapon to promoting stray dog adoption by residents and should have government support.
After returning home to the States and refining my research, I intend to send my recommendations to numerous municipal departments and newspapers in Athens.  I hope that this information and my time at Pet Grooming House will contribute to policy change and catalyze local discussion about the important and escalating issue of stray dogs. As Arthur Schopenhauer once said, “The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.”
To read my full research or to send a personal comment, please email me at kyrahaltman@gwu.edu!

Published on

By kyrahaltman

The last few weeks have been personally and professionally challenging. At the beginning of March, I made the decision to completely change internship sites and my research focus. Due to a variety of reasons, I decided to leave my current unpaid internship placement and begin pursuing a longstanding but unexplored passion: stray animal adoption in Athens, Greece.
I am now incredibly happy, volunteering each week with "animal-friendly" organizations who provide services to stray dogs at no cost. Many of these organizations, like grooming parlors and animal clinics, act as "secret weapons" to promote stray dog adoption in Greece. However, they receive no credit from the public and residents are not incentivized by the government to adopt stray dogs. Seeing these organizations interact with the stray population has been more rewarding, thought-provoking, and fascinating than ever imaginable!

I also have pivoted my research to focus on the vulnerable and growing population of stray dogs in Athens, Greece. By the time the semester ends, I will have conducted research, written a report, and sent my findings to the Greek government regarding the relationship between Athenian grooming parlors and the stray dog population in Athens, Greece. Within this topic, the aim of my research is to answer the question, “How are Greek grooming parlors’ practices supporting adoption of stray dogs in Athens, Greece?” More specifically, how is the denial or acceptance of stray dogs for grooming services affecting the adoption of stray dogs by residents in this municipality? By speaking to a dog groomer, veterinarian, and two individuals who have adopted stray dogs, this complex relationship will be explored and deconstructed. Findings regarding the motivation of grooming parlor owners for servicing stray dogs in their parlors will also be analyzed.

I am SO excited to analyze the findings of this research and continue this volunteer work! I feel very grateful for this opportunity.

Published on

By kyrahaltman

Kalimera (good morning), friends, family, and colleagues! I have officially survived one month of studying abroad in Athens, Greece and I am feeling more resilient than ever! Nothing has gone as planned and adventures into unknown territory are becoming as common as Greeks drinking coffee (24/7), but I have had incredible learning opportunities and chances to find myself along the way.

My time here has been complemented by a once-in-a-lifetime volunteer opportunity to intern with Inter Alia, a civic-action meeting point working to promote educated decisions of migrant populations from Africa and inclusion of youth with disabilities with youth and adults without disabilities. So far, the language barrier has been my largest challenge within the organization.

While the organization's employees speak English, many of its programs are described in language that confuses me or has different meanings than in the United States. For example, the words "refugees" and "migrants" are used interchangeably and the words, "intellectual disability" and "mental illness" are also not distinguished clearly. I plan to overcome this challenge by asking the employees' to define terms used within the organization. I also plan to do outside research to understand these populations' experiences in Greece.

P.S. The healthy Mediterranean diet" is a lie. Greeks eat pastries, cheese, and more pastries. There are almost as many bakeries than coffee shops in Athens!

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By kyrahaltman

"Ya sou" (hello) from Athens, Greece!

After five days of living on another continent, I am humbled by the culture shock I have experienced and amazed by the architecture and ancient structures of Athens. I look forward to beginning classes next week at Arcadia University, studying archaeology, anthropology, Greek art, and philosophy, as well as meeting my internship supervisor at Inter Alia. Yes, you read that correctly. I am studying PHILOSOPHY in ATHENS! Excited to be part of a program that values cultural education, social justice, and experiential learning, Arcadia in Athens was my first choice!

Inter Alia is self-described as the "Civic Action Meeting Point" of Greece. I have chosen to intern with this organization because of its various initiatives that use education to empower young people across Europe. I will be working specifically on a project called, "Grapes of Wrath." Many may recognize this title, as it is inspired by the famous book read in schools around the world. You can visit Inter Alia's website at interaliaproject.com! Their mission is to "bring people closer to each other and to Europe through breaking stereotypes, analysing and deconstructing conflict, engaging actively in key political issues and dialogue."

...continue reading "Ya sou!"

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By emilycreighton

Egypt has always been I place I longed to explore. When I found out I was studying abroad in Greece and that I flight to this illusive country would only be two hours, my heart was set and mind made up.

Of course this journey was met with a lot of opposition. My friends scoffed, my parents worried, and I second-guessed myself. If you do consider planning a trip to Egypt, you rightfully should be concerned. The country is plagued with a weak economy, overwhelming pollution, and a hotbed for terrorism. The US State Department even warns against travel there.

However, I wouldn't have traded the trip for anything. The way I see it is I would never vacation to Egypt. It's not a place you bring children to or a place you relax in. So, my chance to visit this country full of culture, history, and mystery would only occur during my semester abroad. And I was determined to do it.

...continue reading "Deserts, Pyramids, and the Nile River"

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By emilycreighton

This past weekend my friends and I traveled to one of the most amazing places ever- Budapest. Here's a fun fact for you: Buda and Pest are actually two different places separated by the Danube River. And as I've discovered Buda isn't the kindest area to tourists.

Despite that, the Buda side of the river is filled with amazing historical sites one cannot miss. These include Buda Castle, which used to house Hungarian kings and the Citadella, which has the most amazing views of the city.

...continue reading "Pest > Buda"

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By emilycreighton

This past week I went on the Spring Break trip of a lifetime. My Sophomore and Junior years roommate and I traversed around Europe exploring new areas and going on adventures. We decided to travel to Vienna, Prague, Venice, Athens, and Santorini.

Starting off the journey, I left Athens for Vienna Friday afternoon. Here's some background for you: in high school, one of my best friends stayed with me as an exchanged student from Austria. Now, it was my turn to visit her in her homeland.

...continue reading "Spring Break with the old Roommate"

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By emilycreighton

A few weeks ago, several CYA students had the opportunity to travel to Delphi and participate in the 2nd annual Delphi Economic Forum. This year's theme was: Outlook for Greece and the Region vision 2020- 2030.

According to their website this conference, "aims to identify the main global trends, assess their implications and review the resulting challenges and policy options confronting decision-makers of the wider Eastern Mediterranean Region. It will also focus on Greece’s need for structural reforms and new leadership strategies, which will result in a new model of governance."

Hearing about the economic and refugee crisis in Greece coupled with living here for the past two months, one can immediately see the need for a discussion like this one. From speeches by foreign ambassadors to discussions about the Greek diaspora and the refugee crisis.

...continue reading "Delphi Economic Forum"

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By emilycreighton

My friends and I took a short ferry ride to a Greek island about three hours away. This magical little place was called Aegina.

This tiny island is known for is pistachios and holds a festival commemorating the harvest every summer. No matter what street you walk on their will be a pistachio stand on every corner. (Pro tip: you have to try the pistachio butter- even if you don't like pistachios). Shop owners will holler at you trying to get you to come try their products, for the simple reason that they're proud of them.

When my friends and I weren't spending our time eating these pistachios, we explored around the island. Because it wasn't tourist season, the five of us stuck out like sore thumbs. No matter where we went or what restaurant we wandered into, everyone stared at us. It felt like a movie scene in which a new group of people comes to this small town where nothing changes and all of a sudden the 'invaders' cause all sorts of trouble.

Some shops and beach houses were closed down despite vivid billboards advertising their amazing food and beach vibes. Of course, these places would be opened again in the summer but for now it looked like a ghost town. ...continue reading "The Island of Aegina"

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By emilycreighton

This past week my abroad program took us on a field trip to the second largest city in Greece, Thessaloniki. It's known as a young vibrant area with many college students living there. It's situated in northern Greece near the water with archaeological museums next door to bars.

It also happened to be my favorite field trip so far. We spent five days exploring the area- often on our own. Every morning our program took us to various historical sites from churches (in which several students were not allowed in due to their shorts), to tombs and castle ruins.

One of my favorite spots was the tomb of Phillip II. Located in ancient Macedonia, this complex of four tombs held various kings (though, no one really knows who). The site was rather interesting in which the excavation site is located indoors with dark lighting. In fact, the painting on the tombs is so well preserved, the museum does not allow photos even without the flash.

...continue reading "Thessaloniki and the land of Alexander the Great"

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