I started my day today with a quick coffee trip to a nearby café with some of my friends here. It’s a small shop by the street ran by a woman and who I guess to be her husband. I’m a fan of her cappuccinos so I got one as well as a small box of chocolate almond cookies.

Afterwards, I joined the group and went back to UNIC Athens to listen to a lecture by Yiannis Sargiannis from the Dept. of Life and Health Sciences, where he covered the frontier that is peptide modification and its many applications. It was maybe one of the most exciting things I’ve learned so far, considering its reach into preventative therapy, genetic modification, and other biochemical processes. I didn’t quite understand the excitement surrounding peptides/GLP-1 (Ozempic) beforehand, but Yiannis’ presentation was very helpful as he explained the application of these amino acids quite well. I’m excited to see how this technology develops and the various uses society will find for it.

After a little free time for lunch, we did a quick tour of the Benaki Museum, which houses more recent Greek art (think last two centuries). I thought it was quite interesting to see the transition from ancient Greek polytheism to the modern monotheistic Christian Orthodoxy, as the change is quite visible across all facets of life (i.e. furniture, clothing, jewelry, etc).

Finally, our last activity of the day was a guided visit to Lykavittos, which is the tallest point in central Athens, measuring about 277 meters. There, I saw a beautiful view of Athens, with the city stretching all the way to the open sea. The weather today was very pleasant, not too hot or cold with just the right amount of wind to cool yourself down before overheating. It was a great end to a the day, and the walk home was a relaxing experience to round out the week.

I’m excited for next week and the activities to come!