This morning, on the bus ride to our Tototheo company visit, I had an intriguing conversation with one of my friends, Casie. We were reflecting on some of our excursions over the course of the past few days, most notably the walk through Central Athens and visiting the Parthenon. The following are a few of the highlights of our conversation. The Greeks are extremely proud of their culture, an admirable trait of the community in Athens. Greece’s commitment to honoring and preserving historical artifacts has been exceptional. This is because of the way engineers and archeologists have to work in coalition to ensure that no ancient history is hindered or covered up by modern real-estate projects. This commitment has allowed the history of Athens to be appreciated over the course of centuries. This idea is beautiful to me, and encourages me to appreciate the beauty of the past. Every experience, good and bad, is worth remembering because it has made me who I am today. Athens’ towering Parthenon was once a Greek temple, Byzantine Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, Ottoman mosque, and is now a structure of ruins. Each phase is beautiful, marking a piece of Greece’s rich history. Furthermore, through our cooking lesson to make authentic Gyros, Cretan Salad, and Doka dessert, I have realized the passion and pride Greeks have in their identities through the way they passionately and traditionally cook with native ingredients.