Is this real life or is this fantasy?

Before you try to attach “Bohe-mian Rhapsody” lyrics to the end of that sentence, let me just say it’s definitely real life with a shot a lemon peel.

We, as in the 24 students cur-rently studying abroad in Greece, have experienced everything from paradise to chaos in the two weeks we’ve been here. In that time, one thing that has stood out to me cul-turally is the way Greeks regard time, work and relaxation.

The LAST thing on anybody’s “What are we doing later?” Greeks love to bask in the present and they are gold-medal champions at it. They can sit outside cafes just of coffee they bought for hours on end. Sip, sip, sip, talk, talk, talk, sip, talk, sip, talk. It’s a beautiful rhythm.

Back in the States, many of us were so accustomed to having a set routine: school, work, family, friends, eat, sleep and repeat. Now duration of eating out is somewhat of a mystery.

Living on “Greek time” is some-thing I, personally, am slowly get-ting used to. Back home, I would repeatedly check my phone for the time as if I were Cinderella preparing myself for the clock to strike midnight. I had people to see, places to go, work to get done and ferociously living that fast-paced American lifestyle. There were many things I enjoyed doing, but to relax.

My partner-in-mischief/room-mate likes to remind me, “Debbie, live in the moment! Worry about that later, when it’s LATER!” Two weeks in, and I’m starting to get the hang of this everyday-is-a-Saturday sort of lifestyle. The Greeks are teaching me to let go, let live and bask in the beauty that is time.

Oh, and those espressos are the secret to kick-starting your day.