About Me
Γεια σας, merhaba, bonjour, hi!
I am Nathalie Defne Gier, and I have recently graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree from McGill University with a major in History and minors in Neo-Hellenic Studies and Art History. I am currently starting my Master’s degree in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies at the University of Oxford. Four years ago at the age of 19, I left my hometown Smyrna/Izmir and moved to Montreal. The transition from the Mediterranean winter to the Canadian winter was a difficult one, but nonetheless, I survived! Most of the time people asked me why I came all the way from Turkey to Canada to study history, and my answer was “opportunity”. McGill offered diverse opportunities, especially for students in the Faculty of Arts, and the Neo-Hellenic Studies program was one of the best opportunities that I have had. I discovered the Neo-Hellenic Studies minor after having taken Modern Greek classes in my first year. The following years I took classes on Greek culture and history. Then, last summer I participated in the McGill Summer Studies in Greece and enjoyed the occasion to stay a month in Thessaloniki and take multiple courses on Modern Greek history. The courses that I have taken for my Neo-Hellenic Studies minor allowed me to have an in-depth knowledge not only about Greece but also on its complex historical and cultural relations with its neighboring countries. It was thanks to my Neo-Hellenic Studies minor that I discovered my interest in Byzantine Art and History, and I decided to take it a step further and do my graduate studies on Byzantium. The medieval history of Greece is not as well known as the classical age or modern history; however, it is a field that is curial to understanding the current history of the region.
Once I was accepted to the Greek Grand Tour Fellowship, I have decided to research the characteristics of the Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman Port-cities and how these ports developed over time. For this occasion, I first went to Rhodes, Pylos, Methoni, Koroni and Monemvasia. I had to make these trips during the weekends because of my internship at the French School of Athens where I worked on the Modern Greek history. Even though I did not have time to visit this summer, I have also included Chania, Thessaloniki and Constantinople/Istanbul on my blog list because these cities were part of the most important harbors of the Medieval times. In the end, I had a memorable summer in Greece where I enjoyed traveling, researching and getting to know a country better.
Before I proceed any further, I would like to thank Professor Anastassiadis and the members of the Modern Greek Studies Committee for providing such opportunities for students. It is due to these opportunities that we, students, are able to discover our interests, search for true passion and have wonderful experiences! Last but not least, I would encourage students who are interested either in Ancient or Modern Greek history to declare the Neo-Hellenic Studies as your minor!
