DAILY LIFE
What will your
day-to-day look like?
Traveling abroad always presents its fair share of challenges, but you’ll find Greek hospitality makes you feel right at home when you arrive. You’ll be able to experience the local culture and explore a space entirely off the tourist path, and your fellow students, professors, and local mentors start to feel like your family for a few short weeks. Daily life is a perfect balance of work and free time, all in a breezy and peaceful environment near the sea. Everyone stays together in shared rooms, works in bright, airy studios and enjoys authentic Greek cuisine every night as a group. It’s truly a great environment to do great work and grow as a designer.
Where will I be staying during the program?
Accommodations are subject to change from year to year, but it’s likely that for some or all of the program you will be staying at the Ionion Center for the Arts and Culture. The center is located in the town of Metaxata, a small village about 5 miles from the largest city on the island of Kefalonia, Argostoli. Here, you will be living in shared rooms with private bathrooms. Many of the rooms can be accessed from both the outside and inside of the center. Usually, these exterior doors open to a beautiful garden path that wraps around the building and can be left open to let in the Mediterranean breeze. The Center’s staff and director, Sofie, will treat you like guests in her home, but she does have a few rules about quiet hours, workspace procedures, and mealtime practices. It’s also likely that there will be other students or artists staying at the center at the same time as they work their own projects.
Are meals included in the program cost?
While staying at the center, Sofie provides at least two meals a day: breakfast and dinner. Sometimes, she even helps out with lunch most class days, but you will need to visit the local market to buy groceries of your own otherwise. All of your food can be stored in the kitchen, just be sure to label what’s yours if you don’t wish to share. Breakfast is typically do-it-yourself and between certain hours. It’s best to eat when everyone else is eating, so as to not inconvenience Sofie as she’s cleaning or cooking between meals. Each night dinner is served family style, and everyone gathers at the long table on the Center’s top floor veranda to eat and talk through the evening.
"The program embeds you in the local culture. Instead of traditional dormitory-style living, the accommodations are similar to a European-hostel. Shared living spaces such as the kitchen and rooftop terrace bring everyone together for breakfast and dinner. The Center has visitors from around the world rotating in and out. Expect traditional, homemade meals such as moussaka, stuffed peppers, and bread and olive oil. Meal times are a chance to get to know people from around the world and their current projects. However, at the end of the day, you only share a bedroom with those within your own group."
Julia Paret
GRAPHIC DESIGN SENIOR
What is the food like?
The Mediterranean diet is famously one of the healthiest diets in the world, so expect fresh vegetables, homemade bread, and local olive oil on the table at every meal. For breakfast, Sofie will provide eggs, cheese, bread, various jams and honey, olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and more. Dinners are usually a traditional Kefalonian meal, which might include Moussaka, a Greek eggplant and meat dish, chicken, pasta, fish and plenty of summer veggies and tomato-based sauces. Dinners are always accompanied by a fresh salad, bread, and red wine. Most restaurants on the island serve various grilled dishes like chicken souvlaki, kebab, and gyros, as well as delicious pita and tzatziki sauce. It’s also important to note that Sofie is incredibly accommodating of dietary restrictions and will make sure to cook for everyone! ​
What sort of clothes should I bring?
The weather in Kefalonia is characteristically warm, dry, and breezy. In the summer expect temperatures similar to what you're used to at home- it will get hot, especially when you're out and about on the island. However, during the beginning of summer and nights, you may want a good cardigan or sweater as it may get chilly. Be sure to bring a bathing suit, but don't expect the Mediterranean to be quite as warm as the water at NC beaches. Good walking shoes are a necessity, and it will be best to have a couple of nice outfits for client meetings or presentations of your work. Oh, and pack light! A few, versatile items will lighten your load on the long flight over.
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The Center has a laundry room, but Sofie will request that you let her do the washing for you. Just let her know a few days before you run out of underwear, and she’ll take care of it for you. After it’s washed, you will be responsible for hanging your clothes to dry on the lines outside the center. Sofie will also periodically change and wash bed linens and towels.
What will my class schedule be like?
The official working schedule will depend on the coursework, but your Professor, Scott Townsend, will provide specific studio hours before the start of the program. You will probably be splitting your working time across 4 or 5 days a week, but this won’t all be spent in class. The nature of the projects will probably include various off-site visits and hands-on activities. But don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the beautiful island.
