One of my favorite days abroad so far was an excursion to an island organized by the college I am studying at in Greece. The day started with me waking up at 7:30 A.M. and running to get coffee before my group headed to the ferry. I went to a nearby cafe that I usually go to on the way to school. Before studying abroad in Greece, I was not a huge coffee drinker. I now see myself as a coffee drinker because of how amazing Greek coffee tastes and the energy it gives me to keep up with my activity-filled days here.
The ferry ride was an hour and a half but was worth the ride because of the beautiful views. I saw huge mountains in the distance and outlines of islands nearby. The sun shined into the ocean making the water crystal clear. I could see all the different blue shades of the ocean.
When my group arrived at the Island of Aegina, we were given a bus ride up a steep hill leading us to the Temple of Aphaia. A tour guide greeted us there and provided us with information about the temple. The Temple of Aphaia was built around 500 B.C. and was dedicated to the goddess Aphaia. She was worshipped here at this temple as the goddess of fertility and the agricultural cycle. 25 of the original 32 columns can be seen thanks to restorers who preserved this historical site. The temple offered a spectacular view of Aegina Island because of its location up on a hill. 
One of the coolest parts about the island is that it is known for its pistachios. Stores throughout the island were selling pistachios and offered free samples of them. I decided I had to try some type of pistachio food because of how much praise pistachios there were getting. I passed a gelato store and decided to try pistachio gelato. This was a flavor I would have never gone for before but I ordered a small dish of it anyways. This gelato was one of the best flavors I had ever had. I ended up having to buy a pack of pistachios as we were leaving the island because of how good the gelato was.
The excursion to the Island of Aegina was an experience I will always remember. The excursion started early on a ferry which gave beautiful views of the Greek sea and the mountains nearby. The Temple of Aphaia was the first temple I saw in Greece and allowed me to learn more about Greece’s past. I was able to end the day with a delicious scoop of pistachio ice cream, Aegina’s famous food.