Reporting on Greece was a revelation. Most of us imagined sparkling islands, sun-kissed beaches, and ancient statues of larger-than-life gods. But the real story was the impact of the financial crisis, which had devastated the country for almost a decade. In 2008 when shock waves from the US banking crisis spread worldwide, Greece revealed that it had concealed its true indebtedness for years. With bankruptcy looming, its economic meltdown threatened global order. The small nation was bailed out, but subsequent demands for austerity, budget cuts, tax increases, lay-offs, and regulations have wreaked havoc on citizens. According to Forbes, Greece’s GDP has dropped 30 percent since the crisis began, and employment is 25 percent, double for youth.

As a result, many Greeks rely on the cash-only, barter and black market economies, further reducing the national budget. At the same time, thousands of Muslim refugees have arrived in the country further straining Greece’s infrastructure. According to most social service agencies, Greece is currently home to some 62,000 migrants and refugees—a staggering number to feed and shelter given its own financial difficulties.

As the class planned for the trip, which included reporting on our local Greek, Orthodox and Muslim communities, students gained a greater awareness of the intersection of Greece’s economic, political and spiritual crisis. The economic crisis along with rising number of Muslims had energized Golden Dawn, a Neo-Nazi party that found support among youth, working people and conservative Christians. Syriza, the leftist party that headed the government, was pushing a secularist agenda that appealed to many millennials and urbanites. The Greek Orthodox Church and other religious groups offered social services for the country’s indigenous and immigrant needs. Some Greeks, hard hit by the financial downturn, suffered a spiritual crisis that spiraled into drug addiction and suicide. And thousands of refugees were housed in makeshift camps, many living in sub-standard conditions. Muslims who decided to stay in Greece faced prejudice and economic hardships. That’s why, after years of worshiping in underground mosques, many looked forward to an official, government-supported mosque under construction in Athens.

During our nine day-visit, the class spent time in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city. Located in northern Greece, Thessaloniki has been a crossroads for Christians, Muslims and Jews—as well as poets, artists and philosophers. In both cities, we enjoyed wonderful meals, met fascinating people, saw intriguing sights and covered a range of exciting stories.

These are photos of students at work, some of the people we interviewed and sights we saw: