Our next spotlight features Butler first-year Andrew Spores, a Computer Science and Classics double major, who is expanding upon his own experience in Greek culture through the courses of Ancient Greek and Greek Perspectives hereat Butler. Continue reading for Andrew’s story!
Ancient Greek has been and continues to be, a large part of my life. Many hymns traditionally sung in the Greek Orthodox Church are written and read in Ancient Greek, and it consequentially fostered an interest to learn and understand the beautiful pieces of literature and song I’ve heard since I was quite young. Not only does being able to fully experience the language inspire me, but also taking the culturally-rich journey back to the age of the legendary Gods and Goddesses creates an extra layer of awe to the whole subject. By learning the Ancient Greek culture, I hope to build on what I’ve already experienced, creating a whole new level of appreciation and understanding in the process.
My experience with Greek culture has been truly something I can call my own. Rich traditions within Greek communities are truly something to behold especially within the Orthodox religion, some going back hundreds or even thousands of years. In turn, other Greek traditions such as Greek dancing and Greek food go back as far back or even further. χορός, or traditional Greek dancing, goes back so far that even Plato and Aristotle reference it in their writing. The most amazing part about traditional dances is that there are so many, varying from region to region. Equally, traditional Greek food goes as deep as the dances, also varying by region and even by family! No one family will make a dish identically as another, so there’s always a new experience wherever you go.
Because Greek culture is so rich, the people are too. There is always a family-oriented way of thinking, and because of this it creates an amazing sense of belonging, caring, and support no matter where you go. It’s a great feeling of community that I’m so glad to have a part of me, knowing no matter where I go and what I do that I’ll always have these amazing experiences and people in my life. It’s great to know deep down that you’ll always have people at your back and holding you up, and the many Greeks I’ve met in my life are no exception.
During my time here at Butler, I’m using the classical studies as a supplement to my way of thinking. Because Computer Science is so logically oriented, having an outlet for creativity, culture and literature is a huge help not only to the way I tackle problems but also to well-rounded thinking in general. I’m honestly so amazed at the language, the culture, the experiences, and the people. Dr. Kvapil has been such a great learning resource for Ancient Greek culture and texts so far, and I look forward to the coming years of studying the classics!