I’m really excited about the fast approaching trip to Ikaria to learn more about the people of the Islands secrets to longevity. I have some ideas about their secrets from reading the Blue Zones book but anticipate learning even more as we immerse ourselves in their culture. While the book definitely increased my knowledge about the Island and its people, I believe some of the best learning occurs from hands on experiences. This gives you the opportunity to formulate your own opinion and perspective based on your interactions within that culture. Even though we’ll all be coming from the broader American culture, we each have our own views of things based on our upbringing, the communities we’ve lived in, and our individual perspectives on life. When you combine those factors with an immersion experience in a new culture you get a unique perspective.
Based on what I’ve read and heard so far, I expect the people of the island to have some common characteristics. I expect them to be friendly and accommodating to visitors as well as each other. From what I’ve read I also anticipate that many of them will be avid walkers and maintain good levels of fitness. I think the people there will be more relaxed and not necessarily tied to any appointment times or schedules. As we immerse ourselves in their culture I’ll have the chance to see if my expectations match with my experience.
– Demarcus Sneed, HHS Extension Educator – Madison County