Every semester at CYA, students head out beyond the classroom for immersive academic experiences across Greece. CYA Field Study brings students face-to-face with the landscapes, communities, and historical contexts they study, guided by CYA faculty in their fields of expertise. Each trip is unique, with students choosing from a selection of thematic options. A latest addition to the program, the theme —Philosophy and Nature— took a group of students to Northern Greece for five days of exploration, led by environmental studies professor Dr. Stamatis Zogaris and philosophy professor Dr. Jason Xygis.

We spoke with Arrington Mims-Woodson, a Trinity College student majoring in Anthropology, who joined the Philosophy and Nature group this past Spring semester, to get the student perspective of the experience. The conversation started with Athens.

“Athens is such a unique city. When people think ‘city,’ they usually picture New York—lots of buildings and concrete—and Athens reminded me of that, but it’s smaller. Very urban. But then, going on the Field Study to places like Kerkini and seeing those undeveloped mountains was really cool. It felt amazing to be somewhere so natural.” 

That contrast between the urban and the wild set the stage for a unique kind of academic exploration—one that invited students to observe the natural world with both scientific attention and philosophical curiosity. We asked Arrington about the places that most stood out to her.

“I got to see a lot of landscapes. One place that really stuck with me was Lake Kerkini. It’s a migratory point where birds come from Africa, Europe, even the Arctic Circle. You see birds there you can’t see anywhere else—where I’m from or even other parts of Greece. Surrounded by mountains, it was breathtaking. We also saw flocks through binoculars—tons of birds mating and raising babies. And we visited a monastery with nuns living there. Another incredible site was the ‘Pillars of Heaven,’ Meteora, which reminded me a bit of Yosemite in the States. But honestly, this was way cooler.”

Field studies are designed to be dynamic learning environments. With guidance from CYA faculty, students explore interdisciplinary topics that transcend the classroom. In this case, that meant a combination of ecology and ethics, conservation, and contemplation on philosophical ideas on Nature. During Field Study, CYA professors have more time with students and are able to share their own expertise not only in lectures but also in conversations with interested students

“Stamatis Zogaris shared how the government often prioritizes development over conservation, which was sobering. Protecting places like Lake Kerkyni is a constant struggle. It reminded me of my hometown, Chicago,  where people are fighting to save natural areas from destruction. The tension between modernization and conservation is real everywhere. [It felt] important for people like us to be out there helping count birds and monitor migratory patterns. Over five days, we saw 87 bird species!”

“[At the same time], Jason Xygis would explain different philosophers and their ideas about nature, like Plato and the pre-Socratics. After a day of birding and exploring, we’d sit somewhere beautiful while Jason gave his lectures. It made the experience deeper, seeing the environment through a philosophical lens. Philosophy added a new dimension. For example, we meditated on a beach after hearing about Taoism—it was a moment of peaceful reflection on a busy day […]. Nowadays, people are always on their phones trying to capture everything. Just sitting in silence and absorbing the moment felt really special.”

CYA Field Study trips are among the most cherished parts of the CYA experience, but they also require energy, openness, and engagement. Arrington had some valuable advice for future students preparing for their own academic adventures in Greece:

“I think definitely go on them and like make sure you go on ones you like. Read the syllabus and make sure you’re really interested in it  […]. Just look into them, pick one that you like, and then immerse yourself. go all in.”

“There’s a lot going on during the Field Study, so it’s easy to kind of feel exhausted. But you’re also learning so many cool and interesting things. I’ve gone to Delphin in Olympia and then to these lakes that most people haven’t even heard of. It was all just so cool and so many things happen. And you just need to make sure that you are experiencing it, and not zoning out. Because all of the places, there’s a reason why you’re being brought there, and no matter what your major is, there’s something to be gotten out of it. “

“About energy conservation: During Study Travel, you get freedom, they let you be free in the afternoon or in the evenings. And so it’s easy to want to catch up with your friends and do things, but, you have to keep in mind that the next day you’re also going to be moving for like probably like six, seven hours straight, waking up at 8:00 AM. and some people I know don’t have class in the mornings, so they’re not really used to that, until they get to the field study. My classes are all normally at 8:45, so I can kind of sleep in actually, on the Field Study. But taking advantage of the time when you do have the downtime and not doing things that are taxing, like being on your phone, like scrolling through your photos, maybe just close your eyes a little bit. Try to relax, meditate, perhaps. If you’re someone who likes to go out when they let you free, consider that, because if you go to bed too late and you have to wake up, you’re just gonna be tired for the next day. So get all the rest that you can in between.”

We would like to thank Arrington for generously sharing her reflections, offering advice, and a glimpse into the CYA Field Study experience.

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All photos featured on this blog were taken by Arrington during her Northern Greece Field Study with CYA.