October 4, 2009
Message of the Day: (Apropos – English teachers) All People Smile in the Same Language.
Sunday morning – I was the last volunteer to eat breakfast. Guess the flight made me more tired than I thought it had.
11:00 a.m. - Introductions, including “This is my life” stories. Sam led the discussion on splitting up our group to teach two groups: Hotel Staff and Children from the Community.
Global’s Philosophy of Service discussed. We are servant-learners.
Greek language lesson followed.
Safety and Policies:
· There are earthquakes here nearly every day. We should go to parking area if one occurs.
· Volunteers should go out in pairs during free time.
· Drink bottled water.
· May take photos after third day.
· Do not give personal presents.
After lunch worked on goals of group:
· Servant Learner Goals
· Personal Growth Goals
· Teaching
· Recreation
Characteristics of Team Discussed:
· Flexibility
· Punctuality
· Supportive Care
· Sense of Humor
· Professionalism
· Communicative
· Responsibility
This team has great potential to make it all work out. People are volunteering. Plans were discussed for teaching both groups. Everything seems to be coming together. There is enthusiasm and esprit de corp. All is well. It sprinkled and Noemi saw her first rain in two years. The food served is good and so are the accommodations. The hotel grounds are lovely. We’re going to have fun.
Jeanne
October 5, 2009
Today, after traveling across half the North American continent, the Atlantic Ocean, and two-thirds of the Mediterranean Sea, I found the much heralded
The disappointment inspires today’s motto: MTXE - Mental Toughness, Extra Effort
MTXE was the slogan a former
After our morning meeting, we headed for a day of sightseeing in
On our way back to Velizelos, we encountered the others in our party. We resolved to rendezvous at the
After lunch came the disappointment at the museum. However, I must admit the temporary exhibit hall was packed with the artifacts that one sees in every textbook touching upon Minoan culture.
We finished our day in the city with a viewing of the great cathedral
With the hotel staff, just two of them, four of us worked. The session was mostly in Greek - translation back and forth - but we developed some rapport. The day closed with glasses of wine all around and a hearty dinner of beans, coleslaw, and cheese with oranges to finish.
Robert
October 6, 2009
Message of the Day: Imagination, Knowledge, Curiosity - Imagination is more important than knowledge, but curiosity is the most important of all.
We marched in single file to the buses and jumped on just like native Amoudarians bound for
As an American where buildings in my country date to just over 200 years, a site like this always amazes me. Sir Arthur Evans’ interpretations, although a bit romantic, sparked my curiosity about what life inside that palace may have been. (Is the phrase “may have been” the pluperfect tense? We’ll have to ask Millie, Ellie, Gabriella, or Nicolas because I suspect they will know.)
Lunchtime came, and we were all hungry and ready for our vino. Rob, acting throughout the morning as our able tour guide, consulted “The Book” and led us down the road to another early structure called a Caravansery. We braved oncoming tour buses and motorcyclists riding without holding on as they buttoned their shirts as we walked around curves to find the site. There it was, but the site was closed. Our group rallied, remained flexible, and we enjoyed our lunch while sitting on the old stone steps leading to the closed Caravansery.
We walked back for a last, quick trip around the perimeter of the palace. After, Nancy, Rob and I walked up the steep hill into the town to see the houses above the main road. Bus No. 2 took us back to
I kept thinking all day what a nice group we’ve become, and I certainly look forward to more adventures!
Deborah
October 7, 2009
Message of the Day: Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I’ll understand.
A little fuzzy-headed in the morning after an evening of great food and raki at Petousis (sp?) Restaurant. What started as dinner had soon become a party. My head eventually cleared up though, especially after finding an ATM.
We got together for a ride on the Happy Train up to Rodja. I can’t remember the name of the Monastery, but what a beautiful site it is. And the views from there are unbelievable. We were given the time to take photos and walk around a bit. Besides the photo ops, some of us ate grapes right off the vine. I might never eat fruit from the supermarket again after this. We got on the Happy Train and headed further up the hill to the
We got back for a lunch of stuffed tomatoes and a salad of lettuce and cabbage. I thought I wouldn’t eat again until at least Friday after eating those, but guess what? I was starving by dinner time and then ate two bowls of lentil soup! After lunch some of us stayed around here, and some took off to the beach.
But back to the “involve me” part. We are getting a lot of enthusiasm from Susana and Irini. They are so cute. We are doing role-playing with them in scenarios regarding hotel registration, etc., and they really try to absorb the information we are trying to give them. We had a new student yesterday, new to us anyway. Her name is Maria, and she has some English so she helped Susana a bit, and today we are getting another student, Paul.
Sam, her children, and the hotel staff are an amazing group of people. They have embraced us, and we have together created a little community right here in the hotel lobby. That’s pretty magical.
I think it’s safe to say we’re involved.
Noemi
October 8, 2009
Message of the Day: “Don’t you know that we never travel except around the edges of our own soul.” -Kazantzakis
Another day in paradise on the
After breakfast and our morning meeting, Rob, Deb, Jean, and I headed into Iraklio to visit the Historical Museum of Crete. We took the bus to our usual stop and walked through the market, stopping at the Morosini Fountain to take some pictures. Then we went down the street toward the water and made our way to the museum.
For me, someone who would not pick a museum as a first sightseeing choice, it was a very interesting museum. We spent two hours there before walking to the bus stop to catch the bus to Amnisos. After waiting for about 45 minutes for the bus, we were off. Rob and Deb met a man named Brett on the bus that owned the Taverna Mylos in Amnisos, and he invited us to eat there.
We had a great meal with wine and a special treat of raki and fruit for dessert. We shared a good meal and good company. Deb and I wanted to walk to the beach, so we left Rob and Jean to finish the raki and settle the bill. We walked to the beach, took some pictures, viewed the landscape which was very desert-like. Then we all met at the bus stop and came back.
For our students who are all very smart, we worked on syntax exercises, making two sentences into one sentence, good structure, and had some fun with the kids doing a news report and playing newsmen.
Every day has been busy and fulfilling, and this day was no exception.
October 9, 2009
Message of the Day: Smiles beckon acceptance, words foster understanding.
It is Friday, and we will be meeting for the fifth consecutive day with our students, our group leader, and the hotel staff (as well as their relatives and friends). We are in a happy place on the beautiful
After our morning meeting, several of the volunteers went to the City Wall in
Brenda found a lovely shaded spot to sit where she wrote postcards and later prepared material for today’s lesson with the teenagers who would arrive at 5:00 p.m. They are interested, involved students, and it is a pleasure working with them.
Our lesson consisted of synonym development, including a crossword puzzle based on basic synonyms, presented by Deb. We transitioned to having the students use given introductory phrases and clauses in complete sentences. The students created three differently worded sentences using the given phrase/clause. The focus is English syntax.
The adult group was fully engaged in role-playing hotel-oriented dialogues.
After the lessons, we enjoyed dinner (soup, salad, cheese, fruit), and then Sam held our evening meeting. This night, she explained for us basic Cretan customs, including the process from engagement to marriage, funerals, name days, holidays, etc.
The information was interesting and useful and helped broaden our understanding of the wonderful people with whom we interact each day.
Brenda
October 10, 2009
“It’s a good thing there’s three of us.”
That quote started the adventure Jeanne, Nancy, and I had in Santorini. We got up early today, had our breakfast, and went off to catch the ferry, the Flying Cat 4. The ride there was very nice. A gentleman sitting next to me named Mike started a conversation by asking if my final destination was Santorini. During our chat, he suggested we visit Kamari because it would be less crowded and souvenirs would be less expensive. Apparently, he spends a lot of time in
When we got to Santorini, we looked around for some indication that there was someone to take us to the Olympia Hotel. We asked around, and one of the gentlemen said he’d take us. He takes Jeanne’s bag and goes off with it. That’s when
What is the deal with those change/ticket guys on the bus? (The rest of the characters) Once you get to the destination, they literally start pushing you out the door. And don’t ask them a question! I had to remind
What a beautiful town Fira is. We walked around for a bit and had lunch at a café overlooking the water. I can’t begin to count how many times my breath was taken away by the views. We bought a couple of things, then enjoyed a good, light lunch of sandwiches and soon were working our way to the bus station for the bus to Oia. Mike had recommended and I’d read how the best sunsets can be seen from there, but really, can there be a bad place to see the sunset when you’re in Greece?
We got to Oia and there were more breathtaking views. We walked around taking many, many photos, bought art and souvenirs, and found the Pelekanos Restaurant, a place high enough to see the sunset without our view being obstructed. We ordered a bottle of wine, white, and had a delicious dinner of salad and pasta while listening to Andrea Bocelli, watching the sun set, and
We then walked back to where the buses were and took one back to Fira. We decided to walk back to the hotel from the bus station that time. Turns out it’s three stops from the hotel. After a long day, it was a bit of a walk, but we made it. I have to give my appreciation here to Jeanne. She is quite the trooper considering she’d had knee surgery two months ago. She kept up with us every step without complaint. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Nancy and I went to the lobby for a nightcap, and that ended a perfect Saturday in Santorini.
Noemi
October 11, 2009
Today we got up early, had a good breakfast at the hotel, and off we went to Kamari. What a great little town. It is on the east end of the island and has a really great beach side promenade. We walked around, shopped, took photos, and signed up for a tour of Ancient Thira. That sounded like a treat, especially the part where we got to go up the zig-zag roads all the way up. Not for the queasy, that’s for sure!
We thought it would be like
The climbing wouldn’t’ have been bad if we knew what we were looking at. The only thing that looked like anything was the Early Christian Basilica. We would have been able to tell what it was without the sign, but that was about it. Rob, we wished you’d been there to guide us. We had less than an hour, so we went as far as we could, took some photos, and worked our way back down with ten minutes to spare.
Back by the beach, we walked a bit and decided on lunch at the Café Classico. We each had a salad -
We then went to the bus stop and back to the Olympia Hotel. George was there to welcome us and ask about our day. We sat for a bit then Artemis took us to the port. That was an adventure - driving on the wrong side of the road to pass a car, passing a couple of donkeys, hairpin turns, and going through a stop sign. Apparently, that was only a suggestion. However, seeing water on both sides while sitting in a moving car was a treat.
It was good to be back in Iraklio, but I have to be honest and say I could have stayed there another two days. From beginning to end it was a great weekend.
Jeanne and Nancy, thank you for making my first time in Santorini an unforgettable experience.
Noemi
October 12, 2009
Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family; whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.
We are in a unique situation for Americans because we have the privilege of spending two weeks sharing the living room peopled with a lively, friendly family from
After an amazing weekend of touring much of
We moved on west to Fodele in hopes of touring the pottery factory. Much to our disappointment, the factory closes on Mondays. Noemi was perhaps the most disappointed because she was very much looking forward to seeing this site. She rallied along with the rest of us, and we enjoyed our stroll down the village street talking with the rather assertive shopkeepers who encouraged us to purchase their wares. And some of us did. Brenda is now the proud owner of a handmade beautiful, woven top. This town also was home to an El Greco Museum and a small church. Jeanne, who is an El Greco fan, sat through the video twice!
It was then time to tour Rethymno, so we headed out of town and down the expressway further west. Rethymno turned out to be a bustling port town with a very nice beach. We were, by then, hungry and stopped at one of the restaurants facing the water for a hearty lunch, some beer, and wine. Another good day in
Well, this day was winding down, and we headed back to our Handakas Family knowing everyone would be there waiting for their English classes. Sam’s children continue to surprise both Brenda and me with not only their English skills, but their general level of knowledge and their cooperative spirit. We are all lucky to be included in this family, if only for these two weeks. The night time atmosphere is full of fun, conversation, good food - happy family times together.
Deborah
October 13, 2009
I noticed as I looked about the room that today’s English lessons presented an especially diverse and colorful scene. I sat with Maria poring over a Greek cookbook. She commented on the recipes, gave me some of her own, and offered various and sundry kitchen tips.
Our “truth” for the day came to mind. “In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day’s work. It is invisible and remains so for maybe twenty years.” Jacques Burzan (?)
As for today’s tourism, the team split up. Nancy, Jean, and Brenda hit the road and drove to Agio Nikolaos. They made intermediate stops at Malia and an exhibit of DaVinci just east of
Deborah, Noemi, and I took the bus to Skalani and the Boutari Winery. I have enjoyed some Boutari wine in Chicago but never so much as the Fantaxometocho and Skalani we sampled in the tasting room. We bought a bottle of Fantaxometocho and made about an hour’s work of it as we gazed out at the beautiful landscape. A fine lunch in a Skalani taverna capped our outing. Our lunch included a rabbit stewed in onions, the village specialty.
We returned to the hotel in time for a short nap before getting to work with our students.
Robert
October 14, 2009
Poem, author unknown
Laugh a little - sing a little
As you go your way!
Work a little, play a little
Do this every day!
Give a little - take a little
Never mind a frown.
Make your smile a welcome thing
All around the town!
Laugh a little - love a little
Skies are always blue!
Every cloud has silver linings,
But it’s up to you!
After a usual breakfast and our journal/business catch-up, Rob, Deborah, Nancy, and I took off on an adventure. Noemi and Brenda elected to stay home, do laundry and catch up on everything.
Rob, our American driver, was acquiring the mind of a Greek motorist behind the wheel. (Read: He wasn’t afraid to pass large vehicles.) Deborah, Nancy, and I were the navigation committee. We traveled easterly on a four-lane highway past the airport and soon turned south towards the fertile mountain plateau of Lasithi. We explored the
Our first monastery was Monastery Agios in Kraustallenin. Lovely. Although this region is noted for windmills, we only saw one that was working. Still windmills were photo stops. The ascent to the plateau was a white knuckle one with acute “Z” turns every fifty feet. The scenery was beautiful. The olive trees growing at the highest of heights. They appeared as large rounded scoops of pistachio ice cream from a distance.
Lunch was the billboard special at Kri Kri - Souvlaki with potatoes, Greek salad, tzatziki, and rosé wine. Souvlaki was beef on a spit. We ordered a second pitcher of wine. It was good! Our waiter’s name was Pericles. I think he was disappointed that we didn’t stay for coffee. There were many heavy-laden fruit trees in this area.
The Monastery of the Virgin Mary (Kena) was our last stop. This building is dedicated to the Birth of the Virgin. It is one of the most holy monasteries of
A special painting entitled Virgin and Child is on the church’s iconastasis. It was executed by an unknown Cretan painter in the 18th century. This Holy image is considered to be one of the most miraculous on the island. It had been held by the Turks for several centuries. When returned, it came with its original chain. This chain is said to heal health problems if it is wrapped around the affected area. There were four older nuns who seemed to be in charge.
We arrived home around 4:00 p.m. We rested before our 5:00 p.m. classes. Brenda and Deborah worked with the children,
The dinner/dancing program in the mountains was aborted because of a threatened storm so we went back to Petousis for a delicious dinner.
There was dancing after dinner. Sam and Millie do a professional Greek dance. Deborah and Nancy are no “slouches” either!
It was another fulfilling day. We have a good team and a great caring leader. All of our students, young and older, are our special joy. It’s camaraderie. It’s fun. It’s love.
Jeanne
October 15, 2009
Quote: If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.
After a shaking start for the day, the day started with bright sunshine and warm weather, just like the 12 preceding days on the
Our first stop was Arolithos, a traditional Greek village and hotel that is made up as a tourist attraction. It is where we would have gone the night before for our Greek dinner and dance show had it not been for a storm in the mountains. It was a beautiful place, and I think we all enjoyed it. Our next stop was Tylissos where there was a beautiful church, olive tree groves, and an ancient archeological site that we couldn’t find.
Back on the road, we weaved our way up the mountains with very rocky cliffs and rocks above our head. Our next destination was Gonyes where we stopped on the crest of a hill to take photos of the valley below. We all noticed on the wall below the church the letters “KKE” with a hammer and sickle which represent the Communist party. We were wondering about it. Nicos told us that the Communist party got a small percentage of the vote in the recent elections. At Gonyes we stopped for Greek coffee which Noemi said was the best she had had in
After lunch, I had no takers to join me for one last swim in the
Nicos kept me very busy with the chess tournament. Everyone else was very engaged with their students. Rob introduced tongue twisters to
As our teaching session came to an end, I started noticing lightning coming from what I think was northeast. We had a real thunder shower and we lost electricity temporarily. It was our first rain since being here for 12 days. After a wonderful dinner of Moussaka, I think it was an early night for most of us.
Every day a new adventure. We have all come together as a group. I have made new friends since being here, friends that I will miss very much when I go home.
October 16, 2009
Our journey ends but with the building of a new bridge of international understanding.
We began our day with a leisurely breakfast and conversation, after which Sam conducted our morning meeting. Sadness about leaving
There is a strong wind today, as there was two weeks ago when the previous group of Global Volunteers was preparing to leave. It’s as though an ancient Greek myth has been reborn for the volunteers to usher them back to the States, the wind at their backs for a smooth and speedy trip.
The group spent the afternoon packing, then relaxing. A few took siestas. Soon the students will be here. After instruction, we will all participate in a farewell party. It will be bittersweet.
Our experience with the people here in
Brenda
