Writers in Greece
Athens, Hydra, and Nafplion, Greece
- Dates – August 5–September 2, 2025
- Max Enrollment – 25
- Taught In – English
- Prerequisites – Yes
- Academic Area – University Writing Program
Program Overview
When the god of sea and the goddess of wisdom competed for patronage of the great city, Poseidon, striking his trident to the ground, offered water. Athena planted an olive tree, becoming the patron deity of Athens, the starting point of our program. Through several field trips to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the program will take students from Athens to the oracle of Delphi and the monasteries of Mystras to the olive groves of the Peloponnese and the kingdom of the Myceneans. Traveling the same lands with the American and Greek writers (in translation) we will be reading, students will write about the complex identity of a country suspended between a rich past and a complex present in a land where the gods still speak.
Program Contacts
- Program Coordinator – Brooke Paynter
- Instructor – Aliki Dragona
Program Highlights
- Satisfy your UC Davis Upper Division Writing Requirement in the cradle of Western Civilization, where democracy was born.
- Walk on famous sites: the Acropolis and the Parthenon, the Oracle of Delphi, the citadel of Mycenae and Agamemnon’s tomb, the stadium of ancient Nemea, medieval Mystras, and so many more.
- Immerse yourself in a fascinating culture while reading and writing about Greece’s complex cultural identity.
- Make lifelong friends, travel abroad, engage in new experiences—and it all counts academically!
- Become a global learner while earning 8 UC credits.
What Students Are Saying
- "One of the most fulfilling, intellectual, personal, social and educational experiences I have had."
- "[This program] has shattered stereotypes and allowed me to embrace a culture that is so different from the U.S. bubble!”
- "This was a life altering experience. I feel like I've become a lot more knowledgeable and experienced."
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