Arizona Gammas Nikkiana Dukellis and Sarah Romano were already roommates in Flagstaff when they both applied to study abroad at The American College of Greece in Athens for the fall 2015 semester. The two went as part of an international exchange program with Northern Arizona University (NAU). Nikkiana chose to study in Greece because her family is Greek and she wanted to live in the place her family is from. Sarah enjoys studying Greek mythology and the college in Greece had the right program for her.

In their four months abroad, the two traveled to France, Italy, Poland, Germany, England and three islands of Greece together. In one instance, the two booked a flight that same day because they wanted to have pizza! Wow – what an experience?!

Nikkiana and Sarah ventured to Venice on one of these trips. The two decided to take a gondola ride in the canals and began to talk to the other women who happened to jump along on the same gondola.

“We were just chatting and they asked if we were in a sorority, ‘Yes, we’re Pi Phis’ we said and we all got goosebumps as we realized we were sisters,” says Nikkiana. They immediately became friends on Facebook with Pennsylvania Gammas Julianna and Cassie. The women also planned to meet up in Paris a few weeks after their Pi Phi chance encounter.

Unfortunately, devastating incidents occurred in Paris the evening Nikkiana and Sarah were supposed to meet their Pi Phi sisters. As the city was on lockdown, “we immediately texted ‘are you okay?’ and they said ‘yes, are you?’ Our first thoughts were on each other and to make sure they were okay,” said Nikkiana. In a time of tragedy and uncertainty, Nikkiana and Sarah learned how quickly Pi Phi created a bond with these other women.

Sarah wants to encourage as many people as possible to, “study abroad, if you have the chance, because it is life experience you will have forever. You will grow up so much and gain a lot of life skills.”