Our trip to Greece was an absolute dream! Students spent the first twenty nights at Camp Alexandra in Kavala. Friendships were forged, and students enjoyed boundless hospitality. It was a unique experience - Greek language and culture lessons in the sun, the beach, the pool...and also the chance to meet more than 350 other children who were enjoying their own Greek summer camp.
Adding to the experience were a number of excursions - to Thessaloniki, the town of Eleftheroupolis which coordinated the trip, and to a number of archaeological sites and museums. It was telling that when the time came to say goodbye to the many friends our students had made, the homesick tears which were present, during the first few days of the trip, had become tears of sadness, but also happiness, as they parted ways.
Following the stay at the campsite, students boarded a bus headed to Athens, via Kozani and the Meteora. This part of the trip was especially close to my heart, as our bus rolled into my home village of Roditi, to the celebratory sound of the tolling bells, following an invitation from the local Priest, ‘Papa-Ilia’. My humble, little village with a population of just 250 - and with a decidedly dwindling number of children - filled with the laughter of kids and adults alike. We ate with my childhood friends, and it was truly an amazing feeling.
After leaving the village, we stopped at Meteora, and then continued on to Athens...Finally sometime near midnight that night, we saw the big blue sign reading "President Hotel", signalling our arrival at our home for the next three nights.
Our first morning in Athens was certainly an interesting one. We headed to the Acropolis... accompanied by cameras from the government television station ERT! Our time in Athens, although short, was filled with many adventures - we visited the Archaeological Museum, playgrounds, the Luna Park. We shopped, drank frappe (decaf for the students of course!) and visited Monastiraki and Plaka. We went to the Syntagma Square where we watched the changeover of the Evzones guards.
Perhaps most special, however, was our visit to Parliament House. As is to be expected, Parliament is closed on the weekend. Imagine our delight then, when the security at Parliament not only let us enter, but took us on a tour - including through artefacts of new and old migrants.
The paparazzi have nothing on our students - they couldn't get enough of taking snap after snap and chattering excitedly about all that they had seen! We also visited the Olympic Stadium...which was also closed. We were fortunate again, however, as the doors were opened for us and our students. We were able to experience the wonder of the Olympic Spirit.
Greece had truly opened her arms to us. From Camp Alexandra, the Council of Eleftheroupoli, the City of Kavala, camp leaders and everyone we met along the way. Naturally, we must also thank the Greek Government, and in particular the Departments of Internal and External Affairs for having the foresight to fund such projects and their hospitality.
On behalf of the whole Omiros family, I thank Greece as a whole...
By Tassos Douvartzides
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