Studying Abroad: Johnson Finds New Perspective in Greece
9/21/2017 10:34:00 AM | Water Polo, Features
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior Kim Johnson, a University of Michigan student on the water polo team, took advantage of an opportunity to study abroad in Greece this past July.
Johnson was able to take part in a program called College Year in Athens, which gives students around the country an opportunity to study in Greece. The program allowed her to fulfill humanities credits toward her business administration degree as she took an archaeology class.
"I find classes much more interesting when I'm immersed in them," said Johnson. "I need nine humanities credits and so I figured it'd be so much more interesting to knock some out in another country."
The class allowed Johnson to travel around Greece. After starting in Athens for five days, the group went to Santorini and Crete for a week each before returning to Athens. The class also did one overnight trip to Nafplio, a seaport town in the Peloponnese.
Some of the activities the class participated in included hiking a volcano in Santorini, taking workshops on making metal tools and wall painting.
"The cool thing about my class was it was almost never in a classroom," said Johnson. "The two workshops were the only times we were in a classroom setting. Outside of that, we were at archeological sites or museums."
The program was a great experience for Johnson, who not only enjoyed being abroad but also came away with new friends.
"Yeah, I absolutely loved it," she said. "I had the best time. There were other Michigan students who I became friends with but also students from all over the country like USC, Harvard and North Carolina. I met a lot of really cool people. One of the coolest things I did was rent ATVs with my new friends and explore Santorini."
One of the great cultural experiences for Johnson was being in an area of the world where water polo is big and a place with a rich Olympic tradition. Her apartment in Athens was right next to the Olympic stadium so she had a chance to see it every day she was in Athens.
"I heard people talk about water polo a lot more," said Johnson. "People I met actually knew what it was."
After her program was over she traveled to Budapest, Hungary for the FINA World Water Polo Championships. Her U-M teammate, sophomore Maddy Steere, was playing for Water Polo Australia. Johnson and Steere were able to visit with each other and get chimney cakes the day before one of Steere's contests.
"I was definitely excited to see Maddy," Johnson said. "She scored a goal and it was super cool to see so many people cheering for her. Seeing water polo on such a big stage was so cool. It is such a huge sport in Hungary. People had face paint and wigs and really got into it. Games were on TVs at restaurants. It was great to see so much support for the sport."
Johnson also spent a few days with her sister, 2017 U-M water polo alum Danielle Johnson, prior to her class in Greece. The sisters met in Italy and went on a boat tour around the island of Capri.
Her time abroad allowed Johnson to come back to Ann Arbor with a refreshed outlook and enthusiasm heading into her junior season. For a player who has 197 career points in just two seasons, Johnson is excited to build on her first two seasons with the Wolverines that including two CWPA championships.
"My summer was the most amazing, freeing experience," she said. "Traveling alone for the first time in my life and making friends from all over the world was like pumping the brakes and relaxing for the first time in a long time. I have a brand new perspective of how I see myself and what I want to do."
Now in her junior year, Johnson has begun taking her core classes at the Ross School of Business. She is interested in real estate and marketing classes. She is also a University of Michigan tour guide, introducing students and their families to what makes U-M unique.
