By: Amber Carroll

We started our day with a 7:30 wake-up call. Most of us were thrilled because this is the latest we have gotten to sleep in while on the trip (us teenagers sure do love sleep). Once the bus was packed, loaded, and ready to go, we headed off on a short journey to the ancient palace of Agamemnon. Being able to stand atop of Agamemnon’s palace was a once in a lifetime opportunity that most of us will probably never forget.

After we left the palace, it was just a short bus ride to King Agamemnon’s tomb. There, the king himself was actually buried, and for us that was absolutely exhilarating to consider. The enormity of the tomb was truly overwhelming. You can tell the tomb was old because of the smell, but what else would you expect out of a tomb that’s over 3,000 years old?

We then headed off to a clay workshop. Here, we learned how the locals make homemade pottery, jewelry, and sculptures; their work was amazing. From historic recreations to designs from local artists, the fact that everything was painted by hand was astounding. It’s fascinating to think that the same processes used by the ancient Greeks are still being utilized today. There was a specific collection of blue and gold pottery that immediately caught my attention.

Tomorrow, we will visit Hydra, a small Greek island located about 2 hours from Athens. Although this island lacks the historical significance of the other places we have visited along the way, I have personally been looking forward to Hydra this entire trip. While I have loved learning about all of the details of ancient Greece, an escape to a simple island is a welcomed change.

By: Amber Carroll

The word “freezing” does not even begin to describe today. In fact, it was around 10-20 degrees all day. Not to mention that we were outside for a great majority of the day. However, we saw some amazing things that I do not regret seeing. Not many people can say that they have visited the Oracle of Delphoi, which contains Temple of Apollo, in person. The breadth of the oracle was breathtaking. Being frozen for about an hour was all worth it at the end.

The grounds contained an old church, an old gift shop, the Temple of Apollo, a theater, and a stadium (not to mention many cats and dogs). The ruins had the original inscription from when the oracle was in use which I found fascinating. At the museum, we had a quiz; Alex and Piper were the winners and received a prize from our tour director, Irene.

We had another long day of traveling and arrived in Olympia for dinner. On the way, we stopped at a delicious bakery. Here, Irene purchased a Greek, traditional New Year’s cake. For dinner we cut the cake and the person with the coin in their piece are said to have a really lucky year; Hannah had the coin and should have a great 2017 year (hopefully we all do).

Not only was today fascinating, but it was particularly my favorite day because… dun dun dun… it was my 18^th birthday.

By: Amber Carroll

To say that our Greece experience has been unforgettable would be an understatement. After leaving on January 4th, missing our flight in Germany, and arriving to Greece on January 6th, we were already off to a very memorable start, but it didn’t just end there.

This morning we started our day with a wakeup call at 8:00 am. At 9:30 we left for a short tour of Greece. While on this tour we visited the stadium that held the first modern Olympic Games, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, and the Running Man sculpture.

We then headed off to the Acropolis. By this point, everyone was beyond ready and anxious to see the Acropolis; this was the point in the trip I was personally looking forward to. The Acropolis was visible at every point we visited on the driving tour, so being able to walk among the ruins and majestic monuments instead of merely just looking from afar was exhilarating. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

Peering out from atop the hill, the city of Athens seemed endless from every view. You could even see the Aegean Sea. My particular favorite view was of the Parthenon. Finally, visiting something you have seen in textbooks your entire life is indescribable and even more amazing in person.

All in all, we had a very eventful, tiring, and unforgettable day. I have high expectations for the rest of the trip—besides having to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Wish us luck!