money money money

Q8: Again in regard to contextual factors, talk about one and what you learned while we were in Greece that helped you understand that factor

Another contextual factor in the Greece leadership system that I got to learn more about in Greece was money. I have always learned that the Greek economy isn’t the most stable thing in the world and that it relies heavily on tourists. I also know the history hasn’t been great with money, and Greece has only recently found its ways, but it wasn’t super clear until it was staring me right in the face… 3 Euro cappuccinos. What an amazing sight that was. I felt like I was in heaven because I didn’t have to feel guilty buying a coffee like I do here in America. It was even more eye-opening when a local told us that 3 Euros is too much for them. One 25 Euro sweatshirt, a 15 Euro bottle of wine, and a 2 Euro luxury ice cream cone later, it finally hit me. These weren’t great prices for them, these were actually quite expensive prices to them. Just like NYC and Destin, Florida feel like to us, Athens and the Islands were their pricey tourist locations. I remember thinking, “Man I know we are on different currencies, but that still feels very cheap.” I realized that these prices were all signs of a faulty economy. I felt quite culture-shocked by this. I even was thinking that if their prices were higher, I still would've paid up because it wouldn’t be any different to me than America is, so why do they not have higher prices? I believe the answer to this is because they are still learning and developing, and also that the locals couldn’t survive if the prices were raised too much. I feel like I learned a lot from this trip, but this whole money thing really opened my eyes to how different countries develop so differently.Read more