Let me give you a little information about average Greece temperatures at the beginning of June: In June, the average daytime temperatures range from 72-82°. I was born and raised in Florida, where the average temperature at the same time is mid to high 90s. I assumed it would be that perfect weather, not too hot where you are sweating, but not too cold where you need a sweater. Boy was I wrong.
Another thing to note about me is that I also survived Bama Rush: AKA Tuscaloosa in the middle of August, when the heat is at its prime. When packing for my 3-week-long study abroad trip, the last thing I thought I would need was a portable fan, but it turned out to be a necessity for surviving the heat in Greece. Our first day of class was June 9th, and we started at the Acropolis. If you have never been to the Acropolis 1. It is an amazing piece of ancient history that has survived thousands of years, and you should try to see it at some point in your life. and 2. Be prepared for a hike.
The Acropolis sits at the highest point, overlooking Athens, about 512 feet high. Growing up, I always saw pictures online, even my parents went to the Acropolis on their honeymoon about 25 years ago. I met with people who had been to Greece, and they gave me all sorts of information like what a gyro is, and which ATM is the best for getting money. The one thing everyone conveniently seemed to leave out was that the hike up to the Acropolis is just that: a hike.
My study abroad program was the UA in Greece: The Cradle of Civilization, which is a 6-credit hour, 3-week long faculty-led program that takes you all around different locations in the mainland country of Greece. Luckily for us, this year Greece experienced one of the earliest and most intense heatwaves in their history. Just a couple days after our adventure up, the city of Athens government chose to close the Acropolis from the hours of 12:00-5:00 PM due to the extreme heat.
With all this being said, it is the middle of summer and never a bad idea to be prepared for the heat anywhere you go. Here are just a couple of things I did that allowed me to survive Greece in the middle of the heatwave, and actually enjoy it too!
- A portable fan: I said it before and I will say it again. These portable fans are no joke. They are strong and can seriously make the difference between whether you will enjoy an experience or not. The people that did not bring an electric fan ended up purchasing one of the paper ones from the stores because it was a necessity!
- Water: Shocking, right? While I could certainly better heed my own advice with this one, it was extremely noticeable to me when I was properly hydrated vs when I wasn’t. Thankfully, the Acropolis was one of the days that I was, and I noticed I had way more energy because of it.
- Eating breakfast (with bread and fruit): One thing about Greece is there seems to be 3 main food groups: some form of potatoes, chicken, and bread. I have never been a big breakfast person, but it was a necessity for this study abroad in Greece. I needed to eat to have the energy to keep me going for the day, and I found that the bread was an amazing for my stomach when it got to be extremely hot. The amazing thing about European countries in general is how fresh things like fruit are. While it had seeds, I had some of the best watermelon of my life there, and the natural sugars gave me lots of energy to get through the long days.
- Hair ties: This one is for my people with long hair. Always have a hair tie on you! It is honestly crazy the difference it makes when your neck is cool, as it cools down the rest of your body. I. kept a scrunchie on me at all times and it was a big life-saver!
- Go with friends and don’t be afraid to take breaks: With 19 students and 2 professors on the trip, we were never alone and we always did our class lectures together. Hiking up the Acropolis was a huge group bonding moment and one we all shared in together. We took plenty of water breaks to catch our breath, and it was amazing how struggling together turns it into not struggling at all! Things are always a little bit easier when you have someone to share it with.
Well hopefully, if you are planning on being in extreme heat, some of my tips help! Until next time!