By Gil Pound 

Move over Matt Damon. Seven Georgia College & State University students went on their own odyssey this summer as they traveled to Greece for a study abroad on business law and ethics in the cradle of Western civilization. 

Offered through the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology, the three-week program taught students how law, corporate social responsibility and sustainability intersect to influence Greek business operations domestically and internationally.  

“We visited quite a few businesses so the students could see how they operate,” said Haris Sorovigas, lecturer of business law and faculty coordinator for the Greece study abroad. “We did a lot of comparisons of the European Union legal requirements versus those in the United States.” 

The Greek marble industry served as an interesting case study. With over 200 active quarries in the country’s picturesque mountains, Greece must balance gathering a strategic economic resource with preserving its natural beauty. Mining also requires a lot of water, but companies do have ways to recycle it for future use. 

Students also learned about a major Greek agricultural resource – the olive. Each year the country produces olive oil by the hundreds of thousands of metric tons, accounting for approximately 9% of Greece’s total agricultural production value. In Sparta students visited the Museum of the Greek Olive and Olive Oil where they saw both the traditional and modern ways olive oil is extracted. 

Through their learning experiences, students got a taste of the country’s work culture. They were struck by just how much the scales in the work-life balance tipped more towards life, as opposed to America. 

“Everything was slower paced there compared to here,” said Julia Campbell, a sophomore psychology major. “In America, everyone is focused on work where in Greece, everyone seemed to be focused on family and enjoying their time together.” 

“One thing that stood out to me the most was how much more lenient Greece is on things like PTO and paternity leave,” said Charlie Bridges, a junior finance major from Roswell, Georgia. “Employers are willing to work with you instead of holding you to a standard.” 

The study abroad, which wrapped up July 12, also provided opportunities to take in centuries of history. Students’ stay was split between the coastal city of Nafplion – Greece’s first capital following independence – and Athens, the current capital. 

The group had a great guide in Sorovigas, who was born and raised in Greece. He finished high school there before coming to America to study and eventually join the faculty at GCSU. Sorovigas took the group to the island of Hydra, site of major historic battles and where Greece’s initial independence documents were signed. They visited ancient archaeological sites and fortresses, including the Palamidi castle in Nafplion. 

Students also saw the Theatre of Epidaurus, an outdoor venue for music and dramatic plays constructed in the late fourth century B.C. The theatre is renowned for its acoustics as unamplified voices can be heard throughout the entire 14,000-seat audience. 

Other stops included Greek Parliament and the Acropolis in Athens, the pistachio-producing island of Aegina, as well as several of the country’s other small islands. 

Campbell says the experience was overall unforgettable. 

“I’ll always think about how different the culture was from here and just seeing a different part of the world,” said Campbell. “I haven’t been out of the country a lot, so being able to do that for three weeks was a great experience I’ll always remember.”

Header Images: The GC Greece study abroad group at the Temple of Aphaia on the island of Aegina; the group at the top of the Palamidi fortress in Nafplion; and the Greek flag with the coastal city of Nafplion in the background. (Photos: Isabella Burt)