Description: When traveling to a different country, you can expect the culture to be different than you are used to. You can expect a bigger change in cultural norms if you are from a relatively big city and travel to a small island. There, you will experience different people, food, and how your senses play a big part on the island. And you will also encounter a four-legged creature that is impossible to miss once you arrive on the island.
On the island of Aegina, you will not come across many teens walking the streets during the day. I was able to count the number of teens I saw on my hands. The majority of them spent their time on the beach, working, or who knows where. But when the sun goes down, you definitely will be able to hear them driving up and down the streets. One of biggest surprises about this culture was the number of young teens smoking. Every time I looked left or right, there was a teen blowing smoke
I found that the end result of an encounter with a native of Aegina solely depended on the age of that person. After observing the elderly and having a conversation with an older man, I believe them to be the friendliest people on the island. Boarding a bus to a different island or a new spot on the island, I had the chance to see many elderly men and women traveling to different locations. They looked so sweet and genuine as they sat there patiently waiting for their stop to arrive. One little old lady did nothing but bring a smile to our faces as she rode the bus with us. Her smile, from ear to ear with little to no teeth showing, is what led to us smiling. I also had the chance to have striking conversation with a middle aged bartender who I decided to visit twice. He always greeted my fellow group members and me with a smile and open arms. Surprisingly, he had very good English, which was not common for many of the elderly on this island. This probably was the case since he was a business owner.
Business owners, mainly restaurateurs, were like night and day compared to the ones in the States. Restaurant owners were probably the biggest cultural shock I had in reference to dealing with people. I have walked by many restaurants in the states without feeling forced to eat at their restaurant. Every time you walked by a restaurant, the owner would come sprinting out to try to get you into their restaurant. It got to the point that I preferred to take a much longer route than have to deal with them. They were never mean, I just wanted to be able to enjoy my walk and take in the beautiful island that I was on. But once you actually choose a place to eat, the owners are the nicest people on the island.
Traveling to a different country, food is expected to be different and Aegina followed suit. Yes, there are places to find American food, but do not expect it to taste exactly the same. If you are a picky eater or are not a fan of seafood, you will need to locate these places. I did not have a problem with authentic Greek food; I just did not find it as filling. Many of the things came in small portions that did not fill up my group members or me. So we gravitated more towards food we were familiar with and which could fill our bellies. However, do not sell yourself short, the food is good and fresh and worth having for at least one meal out of the day. I would personally recommend Moussaka (ground beef and eggplant) or Soutzoukakia Smyrneika (meatballs with cinnamon and garlic). The food is so fresh that while I was sitting waiting, I saw squids being transported to the back. So there is definitely no question if the food is fresh or not.
Walking through the town, all you smell is food. Some smells are better than others, and some are more potent than others. The smell at times can be so strong, I felt like I was trapped in a room of dead fish. There are more stomach-turning smells than delightful smells, but the many fruit stands in the town give off a pleasant smell. So when walking through the town, the best route is the one that involves the most fruit stands.
Getting from place to place on the island is not what I expected. When you hear loud engines roaring in the States, you think of big trucks. The only big trucks on this island are the garbage trucks. So when you hear a loud engine roaring, I would advise you to get out the way quickly because a racing moped/motorbike/scooter is approaching from behind. These little vehicles rule the streets on this island. I had no clue I would be involved in a game of hopscotch trying to avoid these fast paced vehicles. When I say these things are everywhere, I mean they are everywhere. Aegina itself is not that dangerous of an island, but you will find yourself in the most danger while watching. Excuse my language, but to quote a person who has had a great deal of experience with these fast little vehicles, you better "watch your shit!"
If you are unobservant, do not notice things happening around you, or just unaware of your surroundings, you will still not be able to miss a four-legged animal that seems to be everywhere on this island. If you look up, down, right, or left, a cat will be very close in your sights. On average, I believe I saw 7-10 per hour when I walked around the island. No matter which town you are in, you will not be able to escape these cats. I recall peacefully eating and thinking that I finally would have a meal without a cat until I felt something slowly brush across my leg. I looked down and of course, it’s another little fury friend. If you are a cat lover, this is your island. It seems that if you want to find these cats the easiest, just go grab a bite to eat. Or you can just take the trash out. The cats are in desperate need of food and attention. Many of them have very frail figures and are always begging for food while people are eating.
The cats will cause you no harm unless you are harmed by just looking at them. The people of this island have truly merged the cats into their culture. I am sure they get a good laugh when people from different countries come to the island and are not fond of cats. One of my fellow travelers had a strong dislike for all cats. While eating, a cat caught her off guard and she had a spastic reaction. The people watching could do nothing to hold back a smile or laugh. These cats will not be going anywhere soon, so when you visit this island, you must accept that cats are apart of the culture.
Aegina Island definitely boasts a different culture than that of the United States. But once you are able to immerse yourself, or even before, you should take in the numerous historical sites here. Ranging from Camera Obscura to the archaeological site, there are many places to visit. The island is filled with history and the sites are worth visiting if you decide to travel here. The island is small, so getting from place to place should not be a struggle if you want to visit more than one a day. If you need a day to yourself, or need a quiet place, I would recommend the Temple of Aphaia. This place will allow you to take some time to yourself and also give you a wonderful view of different parts of the island. While standing where the Greek goddess Aphaia was worshipped, you will feel as if the sky is in your grasp. The Camera Obscura offers you a chance to see the world upside down. I would suggest not eating anything that stirs up your belly, or you might lose it once you are inside this place. But if you can manage to suppress your sickness/dizziness, you will be amazed with what your eyes are viewing once they adjust.
This tiny island of Aegina definitely has more positives than negatives, so I would recommend a brief stop here if you decide to visit Greece.
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