by Lily Kramer
If you weren’t at BU Philhellenes Greek Night, you really missed out! There was fun, music, and most importantly, food. Not only was this a great event where I met so many lovely new friends, but I also learned a thing or two. Here are 5 things I learned at BUPh’s Greek Night:
1. Greek food is amazing!
Photo credit: Gyro City
I admit that I already know how delicious Greek food is, and the food at the event did not disappoint. The “Build Your Own Gyro” station was genius and allowed everyone to eat exactly what they want. However, I did learn something new: traditionally, french fries are eaten inside the gyro. If you didn’t get to go to the event, don’t worry; I got restaurant recommendations from some people that really know good Greek food. You should try include Gyro City (the restaurant that provided the food at the event) with locations in both Fenway and Brighton, Gre.co on Newbury (try the loukoumades, which are fried donuts) and Esperia in Brighton.
2. You should definitely study abroad in Greece this summer!
Photo credit: BUPh Facebook
The way Eleftheria Horiatis and Eleni Constantinou, two members of BUPh who went on the trip last summer, described how amazing their experience convinced me to apply to go this summer. Students take two classes taught by BU professors at the American College of Greece and on weekends, travel to places like Delphi and Mycenae, and islands including (but not limited to) Aegina, Mykonos, and Poros! As Eleftheria said to me, this trip allowed them to see and experience things they would never be able to on a family trip and meet people from all over the world. If you are also interested, you can find more information here!
3. How to do a traditional Greek dance
Photo credit: Lily Kramer
The dancing shown in the picture above is a very common dance called “kalamatiano.” This twelve-step dance that is performed across Greece and each region has slight variations to it. You can find people doing it at basically every social function. “Dancing in general is just a very large part of Greek culture and usually this would go on for hours at a fancier events,” Eleftheria told me.
4. BU Philhellenes is an incredibly welcoming club.
Photo credit: BUPh Facebook
Everyone I spoke with at this event was more than happy to answer my questions. When I asked one member how she joined BUPh, she said that she wanted to find a Greek community in college because there were no Greek clubs at her high school. She first became involved through summer study and now she is a member of BUPh’s E-board. The Philhellenes is not just a club for students of Greek heritage but also one for those who love the Greek culture, are studying classics, or just want to learn a bit more. Another member, Eleni, told me that her favorite thing about BUPh is that she is able to meet all these new people and learn a lot more about her own culture.
5. Keep an eye out for upcoming events on campus!
Every year the Philhellenes have an event around Greek Independence Day (March 25th). This year according to Carly Rose Willing, BUPh is working to make the event even more fancy, fun, and celebratory, so make sure to keep your eye out!