The sounds of a Greek celebration – laughter, clinking glasses, the beat of folk music – mingle with the salty Mediterranean air. A vibrant Danish landscape opens up under clear blue skies.
For Ariana Adamek, a senior at the University of Mary Washington, these picturesque moments are more than postcard memories, they’re snapshots of a summer that deepened her understanding of food, culture and community.
Through a course titled “Tasting Culture: Nordic and Mediterranean Food, Tradition and Nutrition” – and the Beyond the Classroom Endowment that made it possible – Adamek immersed herself in the culinary flavors and customs of both Greece and Denmark. The month-long program in the summer of 2024 was not only “rewarding and delicious,” Adamek said, it also expanded her academic perspective and revealed areas for further exploration.
“As an anthropology and theatre major, I’m so grateful for the opportunity to observe and participate in other cultures firsthand,” said Adamek, a peer mentor coordinator who helps fellow UMW students immerse themselves in their own new experiences. “This trip allowed me to make connections with many unique students and incredible professors. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
Her journey began in Athens and Ikaria, Greece, where she explored the historical and modern significance of Greek food and festivities. One of the highlights was attending a traditional panigiri, a lively local festival in Ikaria, where food, music and celebrations brought her studies to life. In Athens, she visited the iconic Acropolis and hiked up Mount Lycabettus, experiencing incredible views of the city and gaining a deeper appreciation for Greece’s historical geography.
The trip continued in Denmark, where she traveled to Copenhagen and the island of Samso. She explored Copenhagen’s history with a canal tour and made traditional Danish treats at a local chocolatier. She also engaged with local merchants and farms to discuss sustainability practices and the importance of local agriculture.
“One of my favorite aspects of the class was the visits to local businesses in both Greece and Denmark,” Adamek said. “We visited a winery, an apiary, bakeries and other restaurants, and I was pleasantly surprised by how passionate everyone was about what they were doing and how inviting they were to teach us about them.”
UMW Anthropology Professor Laura Mentore, who specializes in the study of food and sustainable agriculture, touted the program and its influence on students to take their interest in global cultures to the next level through immersive study abroad experiences. “Ariana has done exactly that,” Mentore said. “A society’s most beloved dishes are a window into their values and role in the bigger picture story of humanity. That’s because food is more than mere sustenance. Everywhere we look, food is a symbol, and it can be deliciously fun to figure out what those symbols stand for.”
Back at Mary Washington, Adamek is busy sharing her experiences with the campus community and applying the knowledge she gained abroad in her academic and extracurricular roles. As a peer mentor coordinator for first-year seminars, she’s dedicated to guiding other students through their own journeys.
And her passion for theatre keeps her active on campus, where she’s excelled in UMW Theatre’s productions of Twelve Angry Jurors and John Proctor is the Villain.
But “Studying abroad was one of the best experiences I’ve had in college,” said Adamek, whose senior thesis explores the effect of physical space on human culture and experience, a concept she discovered in Denmark. “I was able to learn so much about a subject I was previously unfamiliar with in such a hands-on way, and it introduced me to topics and theories that I want to explore further.”
Beyond the Classroom Endowments provide scholarships and grants to help students achieve transformative experiences in research, internships and study abroad. To learn more, visit UMW’s Beyond the Classroom webpage.
Ariana Adamek received the Albert R. Klein Memorial Scholarship and Clyde and Virginia Carter Memorial Scholarship. Last year she received the Klein Scholarship, Beyond the Classroom Education Abroad Scholarship, Cora Lee Kaufmann Scholarship, and the Fredericksburg Savings and Loan Alumni Scholarship.
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