#33 Volunteering in Greece – bethechange.blog

Be The Change – Episode #33

This episode is a glimpse into a “day in the life” of a Global Volunteer in Crete – from the perspective of a volunteer teacher and the Greek team leader who guides her team.

Greece Country Manager Sam Pinakoulaki first describes the team’s daily schedule at a typical Greek English language “camp.” After a hearty breakfast together, we have a short team meeting and we walk through the vineyard to school, says Sam. After three hours of teaching conversational English, the volunteers join an hour of independent sports together with the students. The team returns to the hotel for an afternoon lunch, and to prepare for the next day’s classes (and to keep the lessons fresh for challenging young students).

The volunteers are integrated into every part of daily life, says Peggy. That means sharing meals and conversation with their students day and night. “Family and food, and sitting down and breaking bread is a really important part of their life.” For the two weeks of camp, she says, the students and volunteers are a special family.

The relationships cultivated over two intense weeks keeps volunteers returning year after year. Julia points to another volunteer who’s served seven consecutive years. The care and precision in preparing her lessons illuminates the love and kindness she feels toward the students she’s come to know. “It was incredible. She took a taxi, came back with bags and bags of supplies to make bird feeders with her students. I was amazed at her level of commitment.”

Episode storytellers: Samantha, Peggy & Julia